# Any Professions NOT Used In Films/TV Shows For Lead Characters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 20, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442 "2011-08-20T17:18:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/181 "2011-08-22T18:07:36Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > Foundry worker. In addition to the ones mentioned, the made for TV movie and then series _Skag_ starring Karl Malden actually had episodes that used the foundry as plot drivers, instead of incidental “he’s an iron-worker” stuff. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/182 "2011-08-22T18:12:45Z")
Urban planners are extremely rare. The short-lived Mark Brendanawicz character on Parks and Recreation is about it. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/183 "2011-08-22T18:33:54Z")
Proctologist? Jeweler? ---
**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:** [August 22, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/184 "2011-08-22T18:39:23Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Jeweler? Jack Nicholson in The Crossing Guard. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/185 "2011-08-22T18:56:50Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > New one: entomologist > (I’m sure it’s covered, but I can’t think of one offhand.) Bug in Crossing Jordan. Hodgins in Bones. Tree surgeon? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/186 "2011-08-22T19:04:04Z")
> [@II\_Gyan\_II](#): > > Patent Inspector? Albert Einstein ? > **[Einstein (TV Mini Series 1984– ) ⭐ 7.8 | Biography, Drama](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1136750/)** > > 3h 25m ---
**Author:** ![Nom\_de\_Plume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85f322/32.png) [@Nom\_de\_Plume](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nom_de_Plume)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/187 "2011-08-22T19:07:51Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Mobile food vendor The excellent 1996 film \*The Van \*had Colm Meany and Donal O’Kelly start a mobile food vending business. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/188 "2011-08-22T19:16:13Z")
I challenge anyone to come up with lead roles for the following: [ul] [li][knacker](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knacker)[/li][li][computational linguist](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_linguist)[/li][li][chicken sexer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_sexer)[/li][li][royal butt-wiper](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groom_of_the_Stool)[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/189 "2011-08-22T19:19:14Z")
Obviously if we get into more obscure/specialty professions, we’ll start to find a lot of them not represented. For instance, my job (biomedical technician,) not only has no movies or TV shows with someone in a lead role doing it, I’d bet a lot of money that there is no movie or TV show anywhere that even has a biomedical technician, or even mentions one offhand. There are a few ones that have biomedical _engineers_, IIRC (if we’re counting reality shows, then I think it’s Deadliest Warrior that has a biomedical engineer,) but AFAIK no biomed techs. (And we’re really important, too…just _try_ to run a hospital without us and see how long you last, :p) ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/190 "2011-08-22T19:23:26Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Tree surgeon? Tim Allen in _[Arbor Daze](http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/film/2798886/Tim-Allen-turns-into-tree-man.html)_. OK, so it’s a spoof trailer… But it at least shows that someone in Hollywood had the idea! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/191 "2011-08-22T19:23:39Z")
Has anyone said “real estate photographer” yet? ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/192 "2011-08-22T19:44:29Z")
Snow remover: In The Simpsons, Homer drove a snow plow in one episode. “That name again is Mr. Plow!” Urban planner: In Numb3rs, Alan Eppes was a retired urban planner, and sometimes used knowledge and/or maps to help his sons solve cases. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/193 "2011-08-22T19:52:53Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Has anyone said “real estate photographer” yet? Given that 99.99% of RE agents either do their own photos or have their assistants do them this really isn’t (in a conventional sense) a primary job or profession except for the merest handful of people who might be doing this (as an actual full time job) for trophy property magazines. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/194 "2011-08-22T19:56:29Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > Snow remover: In The Simpsons, Homer drove a snow plow in one episode. “That name again is Mr. Plow!” This has already been mentioned and I am not sure that it should count. His profession is Nuke Plant Worker. He did this other thing for one episode out of hundreds. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/195 "2011-08-22T20:15:52Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > For instance, my job (biomedical technician,) not only has no movies or TV shows with someone in a lead role doing it, I’d bet a lot of money that there is no movie or TV show anywhere that even has a biomedical technician, or even mentions one offhand. What about in the 1993 film The Fugitive when Richard Kimble went to the prosthetic department to look up records of patients with a prosthetic arm? There was a woman working in the department when he entered the private office. Presumably she was some sort of biomedical technician. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/196 "2011-08-22T20:39:53Z")
> [@II\_Gyan\_II](#): > > Patent Inspector? [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0302244/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0302244/) I can’t guarantee the Einstein biography movie covers his years as a patent inspector, but I think it would. 1904 was a pretty important year. Based on the Biograpghy I read about him, it sounds like he liked being a patent examiner. He was an inventor himself and enjoyed the opportunity to study other people’s inventions. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/197 "2011-08-22T20:43:17Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0302244/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0302244/) > > He was an inventor himself and enjoyed the opportunity to study other people’s inventions. I’m not sure I’d call this [_studying_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrsN8iTwFiw). ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/198 "2011-08-22T20:56:12Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Torturer? Laurence Olivier in Marathon Man I’d also mention Steve Martin in **Little Shop of Horrors** , although he wasn’t supposed to be torturing people. Also Christopher Guest in **The Princess Bride** was using torture as more of a hobby. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/199 "2011-08-22T21:01:23Z")
To beat it into the ground of – “The Butcher” is the name of one of the most famous movies ever made. The lead was, you guessed it, a butcher. Not a hero, kind of the opposite, but still, movie was about him, mostly. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442/200 "2011-08-22T21:01:42Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > G > Slave trader (not someone who happened to own slaves - someone who made a living selling them.) **Skin Game** starting James Garner. He actually made his living selling the same slave over and over again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-professions-not-used-in-films-tv-shows-for-lead-characters/593442.md?page=11)