# Actors with more than 1 successful sitcom **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2012, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143 "2012-03-29T13:00:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/121 "2012-04-03T21:18:36Z")
Ashton Kurshner–That 70’s Show & 2 1/2 Men. Debra Jo Rupp–That 70’s Show & Friends ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/122 "2012-04-03T21:43:31Z")
Far too many to count. I’ll start with Ronnie Barker, David Jason, Arthur Lowe, Clive Dunn, Paul Eddington, Richard Briers, Rowan Atkinson, etc etc. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/123 "2012-04-03T21:52:05Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > Don Knotts created two rather iconic sitcom characters as Barney Fife (The Andy Griffith Show) and Mr. Furley (Three’s Company). > [@Skammer](#): > > Even if you don’t count AD, Ron Howard was a main cast member in _The Andy Griffith Show_ and _Happy Days_ - both highly successful. Technically, _The Andy Griffith Show_ is a spin-off of _The Danny Thomas Show_, but I think we can allow Don Knotts and Ron Howard on the grounds that their successful second shows were not spun off of their first ones, nor were they reprising a character. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/124 "2012-04-03T22:00:08Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Technically, _The Andy Griffith Show_ is a spin-off of _The Danny Thomas Show_, but I think we can allow Don Knotts and Ron Howard on the grounds that their successful second shows were not spun off of their first ones, nor were they reprising a character. Heck, wasn’t Happy Days a spin-off of yet another show? ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/125 "2012-04-03T22:01:01Z")
> [@kath94](#): > > …and don’t forget that little sitcom in between Andy Griffith & Arrested Development for Ron Howard. “Happy Days.” Ron Howard was also in the 1959 Dennis the Menace series. ---
**Author:** ![Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8dc957/32.png) [@Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Christopher_Robin_Davies)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/126 "2012-04-03T22:03:16Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Heck, wasn’t Happy Days a spin-off of yet another show? Yes, Love American Style. And of course Happy Days also spun off Laverne and Shirley and Mork and Mindy and Joanie Loves Chachi and some show about an angel that didn’t last long and also the Happy Days cartoon. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/127 "2012-04-04T04:49:43Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Regardless, how about THE MIDDLE letting Patricia Heaton land on her feet alongside Neil Flynn? Indeed, Patricia Heaton was on the wildly successful _Everybody Loves Raymond_, while Neil Flynn is well known for his work as The Janitor on _Scrubs_. Apparently, _The Middle_ is a two-fer. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/128 "2012-04-04T06:34:33Z")
Justin Berfield managed to get a 100 episodes each of of **Unhappily Ever After** and **Malcom in the Middle** under his belt before his 18th birthday. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/129 "2012-04-04T08:50:30Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Miranda Cosgrove is in iCarly and used to be on Drake and Josh, though I don’t know how central a character she was on that show. Her role as Megan was pretty important, right behind the titular Drake and Josh, really. She played the “evil little sister” better than anyone I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/130 "2012-04-04T10:06:21Z")
Kim Fields: “The Facts of Life” and “Living Single” Erika Alexander: “The Cosby Show” and “Living Single” Tisha Campbell: “Martin” and “My Wife & Kids” Tichina Arnold: “Martin” and “Everybody Hates Chris” Carl Anthony Payne: “The Cosby Show” and “Martin” Fran Drescher: “The Nanny” and “Happily Divorced” Markie Post: “Night Court” and “Hearts Afire” Alfonso Ribiero: “Silver Spoons” and “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Keshia Knight-Pulliam: “The Cosby Show” and “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne.” Peter Scolari: “Bosom Buddies” and “Newhart.” Julia Duffy: “Newhart” and “Designing Women.” Marla Gibbs: “The Jeffersons” and “227.” ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/131 "2012-04-05T23:06:56Z")
Erika Alexander joined “Cosby” at the end, causing it, IMO, to “JTS”. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/132 "2012-04-08T07:37:06Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > And then there’s the strange case of Valerie Harper: she racked up a bunch of Emmy nominations (and the occasional win) as the lead in RHODA before starring for a couple of seasons as the lead on VALERIE – which changed its name to VALERIE’S FAMILY and continued its six-season run without her. That’s just _ **weird.** _ Wikipedia: “Following a salary dispute with NBC and production company Lorimar in 1987, Harper was fired from the series at the end of its second season. Harper sued NBC and Lorimar for breach of contract. Her claims against NBC were dismissed, but the jury found that Lorimar had wrongfully fired her and awarded her $1.4 million plus 12.5 percent of the show’s profits. The series continued without her with the explanation that her character had died off-screen.” So it seems she made out very well from the show after all. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/133 "2012-04-09T03:59:19Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Erika Alexander joined “Cosby” at the end, causing it, IMO, to “JTS”. Cousin Pam was far less a JTS factor of The Cosby Show than the essential disappearance of 2 of 5 of the original children with Vanessa off at college (because the actress was) and Denise “in Africa” (after being fired) inexplicably leaving behind her stepchild Olivia to retreat “cute tiny child” storylines that had already been played out when Rudy was the cute tiny girl. When they aged up Winnie & Nelson to triple the cute tiny child stuff, it made it all the worse. Cousin Pam was barely there, by comparison. ---
**Author:** ![gatorslap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gatorslap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gatorslap)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/134 "2012-04-09T06:21:56Z")
Chris Barrie - Red Dwarf, The Brittas Empire ---
**Author:** ![Killswitch\_Stunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@Killswitch\_Stunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Killswitch_Stunner)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/135 "2012-04-09T08:15:01Z")
**James Garner did it better than anyone. Maverick and Rockford Files were two of the greatest shows of their time. He was also among the first actors to achieve great success in both television and film.** ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/136 "2012-04-16T09:41:11Z")
> [@gatorslap](#): > > Chris Barrie - Red Dwarf, The Brittas Empire And I know the OP wasn’t especially keen on British sitcoms because they’re not usually as long as the US ones, but it’s worth mentioning that both _Red Dwarf_ and _The Brittas Empire_ ran for over a decade. _Red Dwarf_ is still going, albeit after a fairly long hiatus. And if we’re including cartoons, then it’s worth mentioning Jason Alexander was the voice of _Duckman_ as well as his role on _Seinfeld_. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143/137 "2012-04-18T00:13:27Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > If you’re going to mention Al, mention Peggy and Kelly too. > > Katey Sagal in 8 Simple Rules > Applegate in Samantha Who In what universe is Samantha Who considered a “successful” sitcom? It didn’t even last as long as Friends spinoff flop Joey. 8 Simple Rules is pretty borderline itself, just barely lasting long enough to squeak by into syndication, but far more of a success than Samantha. > [@Labtrash](#): > > Also, What about Ted McGinley? He was in a crapload of shows (usually just before they tanked). While you could make an argument for Happy Days tanking creatively, it was still around long enough to consider it a success even after he joined. He joined in season 8, and it lasted 11. The shark jump (literally) was in season 5, three years before he joined. Married with Children, it didn’t really tank at all, and he was there for the majority of the show’s run, seasons 4 through 11 (hmm, season 11 again… interesting.) Frankly, I’d argue the show got better after he joined. Speaking of Happy Days, Scott Baio was both on that as well as Charles In Charge, which lasted quite a long time for a first run syndicated sitcom (though it did start on, I think, CBS) > [@piepiepie](#): > > Melissa Joan Hart starred in both _Clarissa Explains It All_ and _Sabrina, the Teenage Witch_. ETA: It might be too early to declare _Melissa & Joey_ success, though. But Joey Lawrence was in both _Blossom_ and _Brotherly Love_! I don’t know what Brotherly Love is, so I dunno if it was a success, but his first successful sitcom was Gimme A Break. One of his brothers joined the cast in the last season as well. Speaking of Gimme a Break, Thelma Hopkins was both on that and Family Matters. > [@](#): > > Jackée Harry starred in _227_ and had a prominent role as the mom _Sister, Sister_. Marla Gibbs, her 227 costar is best known for being on the Jeffersons as Florence. > [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Yeardley Smith and Hank Azaria share a unique double as they were both stars on _Herman’s Head_ and are also voices on a mildly successful show called _The Simpsons_. In what universe is Herman’s head successful? Jane Sibbet (Ross’s exwife on Friends) was on that show too. Hank Azaria also had a recurring role on Mad About You with his then future exwife Helen Hunt. Yeardly Smith was recurring on Dharma & Greg as Greg’s secretary. > [@panache45](#): > > And we should add Rue McClanahan, who was in “Maude” and “Golden Girls,” and a couple seasons of “Mama’s Family.” Betty White was also on Mama’s Family for the same years as Rue. Then then the show moved from NBC to syndication and they both moved to Golden Girls. They were also on Golden Palace, but there exists no universe where that was successful (also it would be disqualified as a spin-off anyway). Has anyone mentioned Michael J. Fox yet? Sure, he had to leave Spin City early, but I think it still should count, and of course Family Ties counts. Speaking of Spin City, maybe he wasn’t on it long enough to count for him, but Charlie Sheen was MJF’s replacement on there and of course he went on to 2.5 Men. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-more-than-1-successful-sitcom/617143.md?page=6)