Right now, like every morning, I’m watching episodes of one of the greatest television sitcoms ever. Yes, of course, I’m talking about Roseanne. At 3:00 AM this morning, about 20 minutes ago, the great episode Bed and Bored came on. About midway through the episode I found myself no longer sitting on my couch. Instead I was crouched on the other end of the living room, squinting at the fuzzy image on the screen.
Next I was at my computer, hastily Wikipedia-ing my hunch. ! My hunch was confirmed! Sarah Chalke, Elliot from Scrubs, has been Becky Conner all this time and I never noticed! I am ashamed. And no, not because I love Roseanne.
Have you ever been surprised to discover actors hiding right under your noses?
Someone mentioned the other day (when we saw a poster for the re-make) that the original Karate Kid had Elizabeth Shue as the girlfriend. I paused for a moment as I rewound the movie in my head, then a cartoon light bulb probably lit up over my noggin, before I said, “Oh yeah! That is her!” I really liked that movie–have seen it a bunch of times–but I guess Elizabeth Shue didn’t register in my memory. That role was just played by “generic ingenue.”
Yesterday I was watching a 2007 rerun of Two and Half Men. Chelsea shows up with Charlie, but he refers to her as a “one night stand I picked up in a bar”. After looking at imbd, I see she had 4 characters on the show before she got the Chelsea role.
I’ve seen people have two roles in a show, usually one small part and then getting a main role, but I’ve never seen someone have 5 roles in one show.
A couple from the 90s defining Twin Peaks: Cooper’s girlfriend turned out to be the luscious Heather Graham, and the tranny FBI agent Cooper calls in for help was none other than Agent Mulder (David Duchovny) in drag (he made a cute girl!)
Then your wife will like the episode where some chick on NCIS (I don’t remember who) says “I wonder what Ducky looked like when he was younger”. Mark Harmon’s character doesn’t miss a beat and answers straight-faced, “Illya Kuryakin” (the name of McCallum’s character in U.N.C.L.E.). I laughed out loud!!!
Oh, and Sarah Chalke was the 2nd Becky. There was another actress for the first few years who left to go to college (I think) and Sarah Chalke took the role. It’s been years since Roseanne; I think the original Becky came back for the Series Finale…
They make reference to the new Becky on Roseanne when they are watching Bewitched and Roseanne said can you believe they switched Darrens on us and didn’t think we’d notice? Sarah Chalke says, “I like the new Darren.”
Jerry Orbach was on Law & Order once as a defence attorney before he was Lenny Briscoe, his cameo freaked me out when I saw it on syndication. I can’t seem to find corroborating info on IMDB but I know this happened, I still remember how weird the whole episode was.
The first Becky was fired along with the producer she had an affair with. The second Becky eventually left to go to college and at that time they rehired the original Becky.
Harry Morgan played a batshit crazy general in an episode of MAS*H long before he joined the cast as Col. Potter. It bugs the hell out of me when I see that episode!
Lukas “The Kid from ‘Witness’” Haas keeps showing up in various places as a rether poorly kept bad guy. It freaks me out, and I never realize why until a couple of days later. . .
