I take it people who do animated voiceover work count as long as they’ve done at least one “traditional” sitcom (and ideally the animated sitcom is primetime). At least I assume the OP would allow something like that. Someone already listed K Sagal/M Kunis… who else… how about…
Julie Kavner (Rhoda/The Simpsons)
Stephen Root (News Radio/King of the Hill)
Jessica Walter i think? (Arrested Development/Archer)
And I know she’s not listed as a full cast member but it almost seems unfair not to include Marcia Wallace (Bob Newhart Show/The Simpsons) considering how many episodes she’s done. Same goes with Patrick Warburton (Rules of Engagement/Family Guy).
…and that’s not even counting those people who do almost exclusively voiceover work for primetime stuff. Mel Blanc? Mike Judge? Billy West? H Jon Benjamin? I could go on… (I’m a primetime animation geek, what can I say)
Not so much “interesting” as “the entire reason for the existence of the show.” The show was the first original sitcom created for the TV Land network, and capitalized on that network’s demographic, which is people who like to watch old sitcoms.
He’s dead, so it probably doesn’t matter to him, but if he were alive, Bill Bixby might feel a bit slighted that his turns as Ray Walston’s Favorite Earthling and Brandon Cruz’s dad didn’t get mentioned until page 3 of this thread.
Oh, c’mon people. Here’s a list of shows mentioned here that no one, except the one who posted it, has EVER heard of.
Hearts Afire
Raising Hope
Valerie Every single one posted by Baron Greenback*
The Hogan Family
Samantha Who?* Veronica’s Closet Every single one made before 1970*
Sister, Sister
Life’s Too Short
Hot in Cleveland*
It’s looking more and more like the OP is onto something.
Please note again the above, before the flames start.
I know, but I honestly don’t know which of 'em came up with it first; I saw an interview around the same time where Ron Howard referred to himself that way, and have no idea whether he was just going with the joke or whether the joke predated Murphy.
Regardless, how about THE MIDDLE letting Patricia Heaton land on her feet alongside Neil Flynn?
Wayne Rogers: MASH and House Calls
Lorenzo Music: Rhoda and Garfield
Robert Guillaume: Benson and Sports Night
Keisha Knight Pulliam: House of Payne and The Cosby Show
Are we counting Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives as sitcoms? They’re kind of on the cusp.
Some actors I was sure would qualify for this list, but amazingly did not: Roger Bowen, Paul Lynde, McLean Stevenson, Morey Amsterdam, Marlo Thomas, Jack McBreyer, Gavin McLeod, Alan Alda, Peter Bonerz, Dave Wilson, Paul Sand
Meh. Stan’s been there from day 1 and he only ever shows up for purely comedic purposes or to remove Andy from the current scene. Since the mom isn’t part of the culdesac crew, I figure they can be even more flaky on showing the kid.
What no mention of Drew Carey? Aside from The Drew Carey Show, he had Whose Line Is It Anyway?, which I claim counts as a situation comedy because it was all about putting comedians in situations.
Kristen Schaal, for Flight of the Conchords and **
** (which I hope she becomes a regular on, as we already see more of her than several of the credited regulars, but I predict her character will die a wacky death when Kenny rejoins the NBC Page Program next week).
Thing is, when someone has been crazy successful on a sitcom, he/she is likelier to want to do a drama or film work next. Going from The Mary Tyler Moore Show to some lesser sitcom is not seen as a career promotion, but going from that to a serious drama of any duration at all, is. Lots of people have made long careers doing one single-season sitcom after another (and cooling their heels on Hollywood Squares in between gigs). I would call Andy Richter’s career successful on balance, Paget Brewster’s too, but their CVs don’t reflect this.
There’s no rational reason that Dennis Leary hasn’t done any sitcoms, since he appears to have been born for the purpose. But, with the cop and fireman shows he has been on, his career seems to be in okay shape anyway.
