# Celebrities remembered for incidental career points **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 1, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688 "2015-01-01T17:18:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/101 "2015-01-11T20:02:24Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > It seems Paul McCartney might become best remembered for his duet with Kanye West. Now stop that. To think it might eclipse Ebony & Ivory is simply ludicrous. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/102 "2015-01-12T19:31:59Z")
Only semi-related, but true story. I was in a music store looking at CDs (which shows that this was 10+ years ago; when was the last time anyone bought a physical CD?) and there was a group of teenage girls a bit down the row. One of them suddenly pulls out a CD and excitedly says to the others “Look! Paul McCartney was in another band before Wings!” I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. I just felt old. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/103 "2015-01-12T20:02:07Z")
> [@tanstaafl](#): > > Only semi-related, but true story. > > I was in a music store looking at CDs (which shows that this was 10+ years ago; when was the last time anyone bought a physical CD?) and there was a group of teenage girls a bit down the row. One of them suddenly pulls out a CD and excitedly says to the others “Look! Paul McCartney was in another band before Wings!” > > I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. I just felt old. Heard the exact same story in 1980 only was an album. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/104 "2015-01-12T22:00:07Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > Heard the exact same story in 1980 only was an album. Read that in a comic strip in the 1970’s. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/105 "2015-01-12T23:29:23Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Now stop that. To think it might eclipse Ebony & Ivory is simply ludicrous. Right sentiment, wrong song. At least E&I has some semblance of melody and is not the unmitigated embarrassment that is “The Girl is Mine”. Yeah, E&I beats you over the head with its message and has that horrible “side by side on my piano keyboard”\* bit, but the lyrics are nowhere near as abysmal as the following: > [@](#): > > [Paul] > Michael, We’re Not Going To Fight About This, Okay > > [Michael] > Paul, I Think I Told You, I’m A Lover Not A Fighter > > [Paul] > I’ve Heard It All Before, Michael > She Told Me That I’m Her Forever Lover, You Know, Don’t You Remember > > [Michael] > Well, After Loving Me, She Said She Couldn’t Love Another > > [Paul] > Is That What She Said > > [Michael] > Yes, She Said It, You Keep Dreaming > > [Paul] > I Don’t Believe It > **[Michael Jackson - The Girl Is Mine Lyrics | AZLyrics.com](https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaeljackson/thegirlismine.html)** > > Michael Jackson "The Girl Is Mine": Every night she walks right in my dreams Since I met her from the start I'm so proud I am the only o... … now, after reading that, I’m just going to crawl up in a corner and whimper a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Kiyoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kiyoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiyoshi)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/106 "2015-01-13T17:45:29Z")
> [@tanstaafl](#): > > Only semi-related, but true story. > > I was in a music store looking at CDs (which shows that this was 10+ years ago; when was the last time anyone bought a physical CD?) and there was a group of teenage girls a bit down the row. One of them suddenly pulls out a CD and excitedly says to the others “Look! Paul McCartney was in another band before Wings!” > > I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. I just felt old. Because mildly successful 70s band Wings was hugely popular with teenage girls in the early 2000s. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/107 "2015-01-13T17:59:51Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > Heard the exact same story in 1980 only was an album. Somebody post a link to the snopes page about this UL. I’m too lazy, and besides, I’m on a tablet, and it’s hard to CP. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/108 "2015-01-13T19:13:51Z")
Bette Midler once joked that her obituary would read > [@](#): > > \*\*Bette Midler Slain by Invaders from Venus > > Got her start singing at the Continental Baths. > \*\* Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/109 "2015-01-13T19:22:54Z")
> [@tanstaafl](#): > > Only semi-related, but true story. > > I was in a music store looking at CDs (which shows that this was 10+ years ago; when was the last time anyone bought a physical CD?) and there was a group of teenage girls a bit down the row. One of them suddenly pulls out a CD and excitedly says to the others “Look! Paul McCartney was in another band before Wings!” > > I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. I just felt old. I actually overheard this: I was in a record store (this must have been 30 years ago when they sold more vinyl back then) and a customer show a George Harrison album to a salesclerk and asked, “Is this the same George Harrison who was in the Beatles?” Because how many other British guitar players named George Harrison were ever famous? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/110 "2015-01-14T02:59:11Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Because how many other British guitar players named George Harrison were ever famous? Coulda been worse. Coulda been Ringo. ---
**Author:** ![lister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lister)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2015, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/111 "2015-01-15T05:40:47Z")
Love him or hate him \*\*Paul “Pee-wee Herman” Reubens \*\*will probably be best remembered for getting busted by a cop masturbating in a porno theatre. Also while on the topic of scandals \*\*Rob Lowe \*\*will forever be remembered for a videotape that got leaked showing him having sex with two females (one was 16, the other was 22). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2015, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/112 "2015-01-15T05:53:17Z")
I’m going to throw in Anthony Hopkins for Hannibal Lector. Sure he’s a great actor for more than half a century, but the acting, directing, lighting and writing will always make people think first of Hannibal the Cannibal. Same for Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross, although he is not as great an actor as Hopkins. Those guys, with only bit parts, stole great movies. Of course Baldwin will probably also be remembered for his temper. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2015, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/113 "2015-01-15T06:08:04Z")
> [@Octarine](#): > > Rowan Atkinson - at least in the US - will forever be Mr. Bean, despite having the lead in _Blackadder_. I at least knew him as Blackadder first, and I was in the USA. > [@Grotonian](#): > > This is the only thing I ever knew about Mean Joe Green. I think other Gen Xers might agree: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xffOCZYX6F8&feature=youtube\_gdata\_player](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xffOCZYX6F8&feature=youtube_gdata_player) This I can agree with. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/114 "2015-01-19T03:06:26Z")
Brenda Vaccaro is a wonderful actress whose screen credits go back to 1961. She did a lot of cop shows in the 70s ( **Banacek** and **McCloud** among others) and played the villain’s frustrated wife in **Zorro the Gay Blade**. Not a high level celebrity, but she has worked continuously for over 50 years and has a couple pending movies in the can. An extremely dependable C-lister. Around 1978, she became the first “celebrity” to endorse Tampex. Certainly other actresses had been in their commercials, but kind of anonymously. I don’t recall if any other “name” actress ever followed suit. Hey, at least she wasn’t jumping over that log in white pants, doing a split. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/115 "2015-01-19T04:13:05Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I’m going to throw in Anthony Hopkins for Hannibal Lector. Sure he’s a great actor for more than half a century, but the acting, directing, lighting and writing will always make people think first of Hannibal the Cannibal. > > Same for Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross, although he is not as great an actor as Hopkins. > > Those guys, with only bit parts, stole great movies. Of course Baldwin will probably also be remembered for his temper. The Hannibal Lecter films were huge commercial and and critical hits. Silence of the Lambs was bigger than anything Hopkins has been in before or since. Glengarry Glen Ross was little-seen. Sure, people quote the Alec Baldwin character all over the internet, but they do the same thing with characters from other little-seen movies like Boiler Room. My point being, I think Lecter is Hopkins’ defining career moment, not incidental. And that I doubt many people most know Baldwin for that role. I wouldn’t be surprised if more people know him for commercials or his public blowups, his SNL Schweddy Balls, and for his 30 Rock role in recent years. During his film days, I would say Beetlejuice or The Hunt For Red October. Though his run as a leading man in the 90s wasn’t that memorable. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/116 "2015-01-19T07:35:36Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Right sentiment, wrong song. At least E&I has some semblance of melody and is not the unmitigated embarrassment that is “The Girl is Mine”. > > Yeah, E&I beats you over the head with its message and has that horrible “side by side on my piano keyboard”\* bit, but the lyrics are nowhere near as abysmal as the following: > > [Michael Jackson - The Girl Is Mine Lyrics | AZLyrics.com](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaeljackson/thegirlismine.html) > > … now, after reading that, I’m just going to crawl up in a corner and whimper a bit. Well, now that Kanye’s given him a chance, I’m sure that Paul MacCartney’s gonna hit it big. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2015, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/117 "2015-01-19T12:35:05Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > Silence of the Lambs was bigger than anything Hopkins has been in before or since. Exception that proves the rule: his role as Odin. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/118 "2015-01-20T03:06:18Z")
[Agnes Moorehead](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001547/?ref_=nv_sr_1) was a hugely respected actress in the mid-20th century, had a storied resume of stage plays and films (including working for Orson Welles on several films) and originating the main role in the radio play “Sorry, Wrong Number” before she played Endora. She later confessed at the end of her life that she only ever did the TV show “Bewitched” because she thought it’d only be about twelve weeks work - she thought the concept was so silly it was destined to flop quickly. Nowadays, it’s the only thing most people know her from. Likewise, Mia Farrow also has a pretty impressive list of film credits on her resume. But when she dies, the obits will undoubtedly focus on two names - “Frank” and “Woody.” ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/119 "2015-01-20T14:38:15Z")
> [@lister](#): > > Also while on the topic of scandals \*\*Rob Lowe \*\*will forever be remembered for a videotape that got leaked showing him having sex with two females (one was 16, the other was 22). I think it’s already been forgotten. Even his Brat Pack membership has been forgotten. He’s just an actor now. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688/120 "2015-01-23T11:04:24Z")
I saw Maury Chaykin in a supporting part in Mr. Destiny and wondered, “What’s Nero Wolfe doing investigating Tom Arnold?” Because for me, Chaykin will always be Nero Wolfe, he so perfectly nailed the role (and Tim Hutton so perfectly nailed Archie Goodwin) that there does not seem to be any point to ever making another Nero Wolfe adaptation. I’m not sure if this qualifies for this thread, however, as a quick look at Chaykin’s IMDB filmography did not reveal any other roles of a similar impact. Most of his roles seem to be supporting character roles. So this might be a case of an actor remembered for a career peak role, not some minor digression. But I don’t really know enough about Chaykin’s non-Nero Wolfe roles to say for sure. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-remembered-for-incidental-career-points/708688.md?page=7)