# Any TV Shows That Feature Fictionalized Versions Of Living Persons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581 "2018-12-23T19:32:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/21 "2018-12-23T23:07:18Z")
There was a sitcom in 1999 or so called “It’s Like, You Know…” about a group of friends living in L.A. and Jennifer Grey actually starred as a sitcom version of herself. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/22 "2018-12-23T23:08:08Z")
The main character on _Bones_, Temperance Brennan, was (somewhat loosely) based on Kathy Reichs, a forensic anthropologist and novelist. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/23 "2018-12-23T23:22:20Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The main character on _Bones_, Temperance Brennan, was (somewhat loosely) based on Kathy Reichs, a forensic anthropologist and novelist. The real life Kathy Reichs writes books starring Temperance Brennan. The Temperance Brennan in Bones writes books starring Kathy Reichs. Matt LeBlanc played his character starring on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives” while on “Friends”, and some of the actors from the soap played themselves in the show within a show. ---
**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:** [December 23, 2018, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/24 "2018-12-23T23:28:03Z")
Various of the folks portrayed in THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUB were still alive when that show came out. (Heck, some of them are still alive now.) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/25 "2018-12-23T23:56:19Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > _The Crown_ has quite a few examples. Even more so, [_The Windsors_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Windsors) ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett\_s\_Bazongas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@Scarlett\_s\_Bazongas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett_s_Bazongas)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/26 "2018-12-24T00:01:32Z")
25 Posts and no one came up with Saturday Night Live? Or The Simpsons? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/27 "2018-12-24T00:26:27Z")
> [@Scarlett\_s\_Bazongas](#): > > 25 Posts and no one came up with Saturday Night Live? Or The Simpsons? I mentioned _SNL_ in post #14 above. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/28 "2018-12-24T01:47:43Z")
_Legends of Tomorrow_ featured a college-age Barack Obama attacked by a telepathic gorilla; this was the same episode that John Noble guest-starred in, playing John Noble. There was also an episode where the Legion of Doom convinced George Lucas to give up filmmaking. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2018, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/29 "2018-12-24T01:58:06Z")
My World And Welcome To It was based on the life of James Thurber (though not alive at the time of the show), though the character was not named as such. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/30 "2018-12-24T02:04:32Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Does George Steinbrenner on \*\*\*Seinfeld \*\*\*count? Or J. Peterman ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/31 "2018-12-24T02:09:23Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Does George Steinbrenner on \*\*\*Seinfeld \*\*\*count? > [@Jophiel](#): > > Or J. Peterman Or maybe even John Kennedy Jr? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/32 "2018-12-24T02:50:36Z")
_Quantum Leap_ had various “kisses with history” where historical figures were portrayed, some which were living when the show was aired. They included Woody Allen, Chubby Checker, Michael Jackson, Sylvester Stallone, Stephen King (whose character was in most of the episode), and Dr. Ruth Westheimer (who appeared in the show, too). _Titus_ was a fictionalized version of Christopher Titus’s life, including his father and brother. His real father refused to grant the rights to use him as a character until the network offered to give him a new truck (which was exactly like the way he was portrayed in the show). ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/33 "2018-12-24T03:02:13Z")
The Australian sitcom [The Family Law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_Law) is based on Benjamin Law’s account of his childhood and growing up. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/34 "2018-12-24T05:13:04Z")
The TV show _Brooklyn Bridge_ (1991-93) was pretty strongly based on the childhood of its creator and exec producer, Gary David Goldberg. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/35 "2018-12-24T05:33:57Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The main character on _Bones_, Temperance Brennan, was (somewhat loosely) based on Kathy Reichs, a forensic anthropologist and novelist. SOMEWHAT loosely? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/36 "2018-12-24T07:26:43Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > _Baa Baa Black Sheep_ — aka _Black Sheep Squadron_ — featured Robert Conrad starring as Greg Boyington while the real Medal of Honor winner was still alive. I feel this is the best actual answer, as pretty much everything else is either something where the person writing/starring in the show plays the main character or is using the fictional analog for comedic effect. Baa Baa Black Sheep was based on Greg Boyington autobiography and despite being both technical advisor and having a cameo on the show once, he later stated he really didn’t like the show because he felt it drifted far too much from his actual real life experiences. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/37 "2018-12-24T09:52:14Z")
Adam West did it on _Family Guy_ for many years. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/38 "2018-12-24T14:39:48Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Does George Steinbrenner on \*\*\*Seinfeld \*\*\*count? Um, Jerry is based on Jerry. George is based on Larry David. Kramer is based on David’s friend Kramer. Elaine is sort of based on Carol Leifer. * * * _MASH_ is partly based on the experiences of one of the [book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MASH:_A_Novel_About_Three_Army_Doctors)’s co-authors as a MASH surgeon in Korea. He was in the 8055th vs. the 4077th. He had a relative named Benjamin Pierce, etc. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/39 "2018-12-24T14:42:35Z")
How you going to mention _Seinfeld_ and not think of attorney Jackie Childs? Wasn’t he based on a real life attorney in a famous trial at the time?\* \*For all you youngsters, that bit of sarcasm brought to you by the law firm of Johnnie Cochran, getting murderers found “not guilty” since 1995. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/40 "2018-12-24T15:33:06Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Um, Jerry is based on Jerry. George is based on Larry David. Kramer is based on David’s friend Kramer. Elaine is sort of based on Carol Leifer. There you go! 🆒 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581.md?page=3)