# Best guest or recurring characters ever on TV series
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 15, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827 "2005-12-15T23:48:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/41 "2005-12-16T14:11:22Z")
I always liked Richard in FRIENDS (played by Tom Selleck).
Probably just because I like Tom Selleck.
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### Author:  [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/42 "2005-12-16T14:12:21Z")
Garak and Dukat on _Deep Space 9_. The show always picked up when they were around and being morally ambiguous or downright amoral. Especially when they showed up in the same episode and had one of their hissing Cardie cat-fights.
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### Author:  [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/43 "2005-12-16T14:13:43Z")
Just a one shot deal, but the guy who thought he was a werewolf on **Barney Miller** was pretty great. I still like to say, “I’ve got to to to worrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrk!”
What’s that actor’s name?
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### Author:  [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/44 "2005-12-16T14:29:56Z")
Will and Grace has had some of the best guest appearances; Michael Douglas as the gay detective, Matt Damon as the straight guy trying to get into the Gay Man’s Choir, Minnie Driver as Stan’s mistress…I know many of you despise this show, but these guest performances were a scream.
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### Author:  [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/45 "2005-12-16T14:37:08Z")
William Shatner on 3[sup]rd[/sup] Rock From the Sun. Inspired. And the Twilight Zone in-joke had me in hysterics for the rest of the episode.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/46 "2005-12-16T14:45:46Z")
> [@Caricci](#):
>
> Just a one shot deal, but the guy who thought he was a werewolf on **Barney Miller** was pretty great. I still like to say, “I’ve got to to to worrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrk!”
>
> What’s that actor’s name?
He appeared on Barney Miller more than once.
[Kenneth Tigar](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0863024/) … Mr. Kopeckne
“Barney Miller” playing “Mr. Kopeckne” in episode: “Werewolf” (episode # 3.6) 28 October 1976
“Barney Miller” playing “Mr. Kopeckne” in episode: “The Ghost” (episode # 4.13) 12 January 1978
Then to really confuse things:
“Barney Miller” playing “Jesus Christ” in episode: “Vacation” (episode # 6.3) 27 September 1979
“Barney Miller” playing “Philip Pollock” (as Ken Tigar) in episode: “The Psychic” (episode # 7.11) 5 February 1981
One more time as Mr. Kopeckne
“Barney Miller” playing “Mr. Kopeckne” in episode: “Possession” (episode # 8.4) 19 November 1981
One of TV’s great character actors.
Jim
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### Author:  [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/47 "2005-12-16T14:45:59Z")
> [@Mr. Goob](#):
>
> The cigarette smoking man on the X-files. As time went on, to find out more and more about him was fascinating and chilling. One of my favorite episodes was when they told his life in flashback.
>
> The man wasn’t evil, he genuinely believed he was doing the right thing.
I love the CSM episodes! I also liked the Lone Gunmen and Alex Krycek (it was fun watching him get beat up every time he showed up in an episode).
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/48 "2005-12-16T14:49:52Z")
One more for Barney Miller:
Florence Stanley as Bernice Fish was great.
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/49 "2005-12-16T15:16:18Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> The two guys who played the gay couple on “Barney Miller.”
They were way ahead of their time, too. They were played comedically (because it was a sit-com) but at the same time seriously. One episode involved the more normal of the two (i.e. the one who wasn’t a kleptomaniac) arrested for kidnapping his son from an ex-wife who wouldn’t allow him to visit his father due to his new gay “lifestyle”; during the episode Wojo actually came to side with the gay father. That was 15-20 years before most primetime shows would have a plotline that sympathetic to a gay father.
_Sanford & Son_ had some of the greatest recurring characters of any show: Bubba, Achu, Julio, etc., with one shot deals by Slappy White, Scatman Crothers and other Chitlin’ Belt legends. Even Grady and Aunt Esther weren’t in as many episodes asa you might think (except for when Grady filled in for Fred during his St. Louis trip/Redd Foxx’s contract dispute and proved so popular Foxx came back), but I’ll count them as regulars for this.
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### Author:  [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/50 "2005-12-16T15:19:14Z")
It’s to early to know if this character will return, but I have high hopes that he’ll be around some more. Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top guitarist, the one with the beard) played himself as the father of Angela Montenegro, the artist on **Bones**.
Angela’s dad is Billy Freakin’ Gibbons!!??!
I always liked seeing Joe Walsh on **the Drew Carey Show** too.
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/51 "2005-12-16T15:25:07Z")
Shelly Winters as Nana Mary on “Roseanne.”
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### Author:  [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/52 "2005-12-16T16:06:58Z")
Damn, the Lone Gunmen were already taken.
Ummmm. How about Lady Heather on _CSI_?
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### Author:  [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/53 "2005-12-16T16:44:43Z")
Another vote for Mandy, _24_’s terrorist lesbian assassin. Three appearances in four seasons, and she still elicits a “Holy shit, it’s Mandy!” from everyone.
Did I miss _TNG_’s Q?
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/54 "2005-12-16T17:03:18Z")
> [@Troy McClure SF](#):
>
> Another vote for Mandy, _24_’s terrorist lesbian assassin. Three appearances in four seasons, and she still elicits a “Holy shit, it’s Mandy!” from everyone.
>
> Did I miss _TNG_’s Q?
What you didn’t like Troy McClure on the Simpsons? 😉
BTW someone did say Q earlier on.
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6904226&postcount=3](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6904226&postcount=3)
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### Author:  [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/55 "2005-12-16T18:07:56Z")
I agree with many already mentioned, and I’ll add: Eddie LeBec from Cheers.
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### Author:  [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/56 "2005-12-16T18:10:20Z")
Wow, nearly every character I came in to mention has already been listed.
Leonardo Leonardo on _Clerks: The Cartoon Series_, voiced by Alec Baldwin.
Patrick Warbutron’s appearances on _Newsradio_ were very funny.
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### Author:  [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/57 "2005-12-16T18:19:45Z")
Oh man, I nearly forgot!
Zathras!
“Is a sad life for Zathras. But probably have sad death, so at least there is symmetry.”
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### Author:  [@wnorthr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wnorthr)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/58 "2005-12-16T18:33:46Z")
I loved Ernest T. Bass on The Andy Griffith Show, the Darling family also.
Jerry Van Dyke on The Dick Van Dyke show.
The guy who played Chandler’s roommate on a few episodes was great too.
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### Author:  [@Wartime\_Consigliori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wartime_Consigliori)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/59 "2005-12-16T18:43:33Z")
While we’re on the subject of Andy Griffith, how about those two “fun girls” from Mount Pilot.
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### Author:  [@dasgupta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasgupta)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guest-or-recurring-characters-ever-on-tv-series/335827/60 "2005-12-16T20:11:36Z")
Damn, most of mine were mentioned…
So, I’ll second (third, fourth, whatever)
**Harry Anderson** as Harry ‘The Hat’ Gittes in _Cheers_
**John Astin** as Buddy Ryan in _Night Court_
**Brent Spiner** as Bob Wheeler also in _Night Court_
**David Cross** as Donnie in _Just Shoot Me_
and I’ll add:
**Olivia D’Abo** as Nicole Wallace in _Law & Order:CI_
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