# Characters from movies who have played their role in other media. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 26, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419 "2013-05-26T18:20:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/1 "2013-05-26T18:20:12Z")
What are some well-known characters from movies that were so popular or have made such an impact that the original actors occasionally play them in other roles outside of the regular franchise they’re in? I can think of two, off hand. [“Doc” Emmett Brown](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgMOMMvBL74) (from Back to the Future) has appeared in a few commericals, the most recent being the link above. …and Robert Patrick has played his T-1000 character a few times in other movies and commercials. [Here’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN_VgVEZD0k) a well known clip from Wayne’s World. He also had a cameo in Last Action Hero, if I remember correctly. Any others like this? ---
**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:** [May 26, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/2 "2013-05-26T18:42:00Z")
Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels made at least one commercial in character. Micheal Keaton played Ray Nicolette, a minor character in **Jackie Brown** in **Out of Sight** and **Karen Sisco** (TV show) Similarly, the Duke Twins from **Trading Places** show up in **Coming to America**. Jimmy Cagney won an Oscar for **Yankee Doodle Dandy** and appeared again as George M. Cohan in **The Seven Little Foys** Akim Tameroff and Brian Dunleavy reprised their characters from **The Great MdGinty** in **Miracle of Morgan’s Creek** Margaret Rutherford appeared as Miss Maple in a cameo in **The Alphabet Murders.** ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/3 "2013-05-26T18:59:06Z")
I don’t know if it counts because its a joke but John Hurt had an alien bust out of his chest in Spaceballs. ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/4 "2013-05-26T19:16:23Z")
Daniel Craig appeared as James Bond in the opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympics. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/5 "2013-05-26T19:29:34Z")
Harold Sakata reprised his role as Oddjob in _Goldfinger_ for a [cough syrup commercial](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSA5OgIAUqA). ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/6 "2013-05-26T19:40:34Z")
Gary Burghoff reprised the role of Radar in the TV version of **M.A.S.H.** ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/7 "2013-05-26T19:46:00Z")
Mark Hamil played Luke Skywalker in an episode of the Muppet Show. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/8 "2013-05-26T20:05:50Z")
Spoiler for the upcoming SHIELD TV series… Phil Coulson from the Avengers and prequels will be in the TV series. There are likely to be other cameos, such as Tony Stark. Or so we’ve been told. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/9 "2013-05-27T00:07:21Z")
Carrie Ann Inaba and Diane Mizota (who aren’t related) played the twins Fook Mi and Fook Yu opposite Mike Myers as Austin Powers in _Goldmember_. The three of them repeated the characters in a Japanese commercial for Motorola. ---
**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:** [May 27, 2013, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/10 "2013-05-27T01:02:14Z")
There were a number of DirecTV commercials which had actors recreating famous roles from their movies. Among them are Ben Stein as Ferris Bueller’s home room teacher, Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown, Verne Troyer as Mini-Me from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and Charlie Sheen from Major League. William Shatner also played Captain James T. Kirk in a scene from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and Robert Patrick played his T-1000 character from Terminator 2: Judgment Day. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/11 "2013-05-28T09:00:41Z")
Reginald VelJohnson played his character from _Die Hard_, Sgt Powell, in a particularly good episode of _Chuck_. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/12 "2013-05-28T11:34:30Z")
Adam West has been Batman or Batman-like in nearly every appearance he’s made since the end of the series. Harpo Marx played his silent character while appearing as Sir Isaac Newton in _The History of the World._ Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto portray dueling Spocks (to a certain extent) in the new Audi commercial. ---
**Author:** ![Oedipus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Oedipus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oedipus)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/13 "2013-05-28T12:04:22Z")
**Richard Belzer** wins this whole thread… He started the character John Munch on the David Simon (Jesus incarnate) series _Homicide: Life on the Street._ He then plays the same character on the long-running Law & Order: SVU. He’s also played the same character on numerous other shows and in one sketch… - The Beat - The X-Files - Law & Order: Trial By Jury - Arrested Development - The Wire (the holiest of holies) - 30 Rock - Regular Law and Order - Jimmy Kimmel Live! edit: Nevermind…he’s not from a movie. Still keeping this up here, though. Fun bit of trivia. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/14 "2013-05-28T12:35:38Z")
- > [@GuanoLad](#): > > Reginald VelJohnson played his character from _Die Hard_, Sgt Powell, in a particularly good episode of _Chuck_. Which, oddly enough, might place _Chuck_ in not only the same universe as Die Hard\*, but the [same one as](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val_Verde_%28fictional_country%29) _Commando_…and _Predator_, as well. Which by extension, links it to _Aliens_, very possibly _[Blade Runner](http://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/prometheus-blu-ray-links-alien-blade-runner-universes/)_, and perhaps even _[Terminator](http://futureisnotsetyet.wordpress.com/2010/11/20/cyberdyne-systems-in-aliens/)_. [![](https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyj47rcTxU1r00wa5o1_500.png) ](https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyj47rcTxU1r00wa5o1_500.png) ---
**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:** [May 28, 2013, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/15 "2013-05-28T12:50:37Z")
George Reeves was Superman on the big screen – in SUPERMAN AND THE MOLE MEN – long before he showed up on I LOVE LUCY in cape and tights. ---
**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:** [May 28, 2013, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/16 "2013-05-28T13:40:57Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Micheal Keaton played Ray Nicolette, a minor character in **Jackie Brown** in **Out of Sight** and **Karen Sisco** (TV show) Those take place in the same universe, so I’m not sure it counts as “different media.” ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/17 "2013-05-28T13:46:05Z")
> [@Oedipus](#): > > He’s also played the same character on numerous other shows and in one sketch… > > - The Beat > - The X-Files > - Law & Order: Trial By Jury > - Arrested Development > - The Wire (the holiest of holies) > - 30 Rock > - Regular Law and Order > - Jimmy Kimmel Live! You should include this [appearance](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5121VjLwqZM). ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/18 "2013-05-28T13:48:08Z")
Cliff Clavin from Cheers (played by John Ratzenberger) was the spokesperson for the Dummies series book. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/19 "2013-05-28T13:55:53Z")
John Wayne reprised his role of Rooster Cogburn for a sketch on the Red Skelton Show (and possibly others). Bruce Campbell’s Ash appeared in Broadway’s Evil Dead: The Musical and a number of video games. Tom Baker did a series of radio commercials for an Australian bank as The Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419/20 "2013-05-28T14:03:45Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Tom Baker did a series of radio commercials for an Australian bank as The Doctor. The topic does say movies, though, and I don’t think Tom Baker played The Doctor in any theatrical movie. Then again, the first post kind of only mentions “other media”. Nearly all the Doctor actors have played their character on radio episodes of the show. Heck, Paul McGann exists way more as a radio Doctor than a TV one. Arnold played the Terminator in a theme park ride, which was kind of a movie, but was not a theatrical thing. It was even directed by James Cameron. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-movies-who-have-played-their-role-in-other-media/659419.md?page=2)