# Duos where only one goes on to superstardom and... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 14, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031 "2010-04-14T04:31:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/41 "2010-04-14T17:36:02Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Sonny and Cher. I dunno about that. Cher’s performing career was better, but Sonny got himself elected to Congress, and had [this major copyright bill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Bono_Copyright_Term_Extension_Act) named in his honor, posthumously. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/42 "2010-04-14T17:58:16Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > How about Michael McKean and David Lander (Lenny and Squiggy)? McKean has had a pretty solid acting career, while Lander has not worked nearly as much, or as visibly (though, looking them up on Wiki, I wonder if Lander’s situation has been impacted by having MS?) It does say he was diagnosed in 1984 and it would explain why he did more voice over work (wow, lots and lots of voice over work, I had no idea!) and guest appearances. Back then treatments to control the effects of MS sucked, and I expect it would have been quite a career crusher. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/43 "2010-04-14T18:15:44Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Elton John & Bernie Taupin I’d argue that each is exactly as successful as the other, within their specialty. ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/44 "2010-04-14T18:18:57Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Penn and Teller. > Penn Gillete has a big career and Teller hasn’t been heard from. 😃 Made me laugh. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/45 "2010-04-14T18:50:05Z")
Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. > [@Oakminster](#): > > I dunno about that. Cher’s performing career was better, but Sonny got himself elected to Congress, and had [this major copyright bill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Bono_Copyright_Term_Extension_Act) named in his honor, posthumously. That’s _infamy_, not superstardom. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/46 "2010-04-14T18:54:04Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > That’s comparing apples to oranges. ALW is a composer, Rice is a lyricist (and sometimes author) who’ve worked together, sure, but also with a whole whack of other people. True, but they shared the fame pretty much equally for _Jesus Christ Superstar_. In 1971, it wasn’t like anyone knew who just one of them was, but not the other. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/47 "2010-04-14T19:22:01Z")
Early in his career George Carlin worked with Jack Burns. Carlin became famous and while Burns did have a good career, it was not on the level as Carlin’s > **[Jack Burns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Burns)** > > John Francis Burns (November 15, 1933 – January 27, 2020) was an American comedian, actor, voice actor, writer and producer. During the 1960s, he was part of two comedy partnerships, first with George Carlin and later with Avery Schreiber. He is also known for his short stint as Warren Ferguson, Barney Fife's replacement on The Andy Griffith Show in 1965. By the 1970s, he had transitioned to working behind the camera as a writer and producer on such comedy series as The Muppet Show and Hee Haw.... Peter Asher had more post-singing success as a record producer for Linda Ronstadt than his partner Gordon Waller. Of course what success Peter and Gordon had was because Asher’s sister Jane dated Paul McCartney and he wrote “A World Without Love” for them. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/48 "2010-04-14T19:33:13Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > True, but they shared the fame pretty much equally for _Jesus Christ Superstar_. In 1971, it wasn’t like anyone knew who just one of them was, but not the other. Yes, they share fame equally as a composer and lyricist respectively. If you asked me today, “name a famous lyricist” Rice would probably be the first name out of my mouth. It’s like what **Face Intentionally Left Blank** said, they are equally famous in their respective careers. It’s not the same thing as Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari, or Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, who shared equal billing doing the exact same thing. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/49 "2010-04-14T19:56:59Z")
Teresa Ganzel and Jim Carrey were paired together as a romantic couple in the TV show **The Duck Factory**. One went on to fame. ---
**Author:** ![Stormcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@Stormcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormcrow)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/50 "2010-04-14T20:10:25Z")
It would be more unusual to find a duo where both members achieved superstardom after their break up… One of the things that always amazed me about the Beatles, for example, is that two members stayed major stars after the breakup, a third was very successful, and even the least successful of the four (Ringo) still did extremely well for himself, and is still a household name 40 years later. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2010, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/51 "2010-04-14T20:26:19Z")
Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson were the two singers in Dawn (as in Tony Orlando and). Hopkins then went on to appear in several sitcoms but Wilson pretty much remained a backup singer. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/52 "2010-04-14T20:41:32Z")
It’s a little unfair to compare Mark Hamill to Harrison Ford. Ford was already an established actor by the time Star Wars was filmed. George Lucas wanted to cast complete unknowns in every role. Ford was just helping out by doing readings with the auditioners. During the auditions, Lucas realized that Ford was the best choice available to play Han Solo. How has Carrie Fischer fared? Then again, I heard that Alec Guinness did OK for himself. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/53 "2010-04-14T20:50:40Z")
> [@Stormcrow](#): > > It would be more unusual to find a duo where both members achieved superstardom after their break up… One of the things that always amazed me about the Beatles, for example, is that two members stayed major stars after the breakup, a third was very successful, and even the least successful of the four (Ringo) still did extremely well for himself, and is still a household name 40 years later. Not a duo, certainly, but both Peter Gabriel AND Genesis were far more successful after they broke up than before. Both Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis remained big stars for decades after they split up. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/54 "2010-04-14T21:13:12Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Teresa Ganzel and Jim Carrey were paired together as a romantic couple in the TV show **The Duck Factory**. One went on to fame. I actually remember that show, but I don’t remember them as a couple. I thought Ganzel was the ditzy, widowed trophy wife of the boss who died in the first episode (or something like that). ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/55 "2010-04-14T22:04:58Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > How has Carrie Fischer fared? Wow, looking up her page on Wiki I’m surprised at how busy she’s been! I mean, I knew she was a best selling author and all, but I didn’t realize she’d one so much guest starring stints. I’ve always had the impression she’s does those for the fun of it, not as serious career stuff, with writing being the real meat-and-potatoes of her career. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/56 "2010-04-14T22:15:01Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s a little unfair to compare Mark Hamill to Harrison Ford. Ford was already an established actor by the time Star Wars was filmed. George Lucas wanted to cast complete unknowns in every role. Ford was just helping out by doing readings with the auditioners. During the auditions, Lucas realized that Ford was the best choice available to play Han Solo. Ford may have been working as an actor but he still pretty much an unknown. Most of his roles had been TV guest shots - the equivalent of playing the suspect on an episode of _CSI_ or _Law & Order_. His two biggest movies had been _American Graffitti_ and _The Conversation_ - but he had very small parts in both of those. Han Solo was definitely a breakthrough role for him. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/57 "2010-04-14T22:19:54Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Not a duo, certainly, but both Peter Gabriel AND Genesis were far more successful after they broke up than before. > > Both Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis remained big stars for decades after they split up. I remember a Tom Snyder “Tomorrow” show in the mid 70s when he had on Arthur “Son of Groucho” Marx who had written a book on Martin and Lewis. Snyder remarked when the duo broke up, everyone assumed Lewis would be the big star. Martin was seen as a boozing not very talented singer. While Lewis had success, Martin had the bigger career. To a lot of people outside country music, Dolly Parton is more well known than Porter Waggoneer. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/58 "2010-04-14T23:00:44Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > I remember a Tom Snyder “Tomorrow” show in the mid 70s when he had on Arthur “Son of Groucho” Marx who had written a book on Martin and Lewis. Snyder remarked when the duo broke up, everyone assumed Lewis would be the big star. Martin was seen as a boozing not very talented singer. While Lewis had success, Martin had the bigger career. I would credit Martin’s TV show for keeping him in the public eye long after he stopped being a marquee headliner. He was canny enough to see the writing on the wall, as Alec Baldwin and Jeff Goldblum currently are doing. How about a trio? Who in 1975 ( **Rocky Horror** ) would you have picked as a Hollywood survivor 35 years on: Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick or Susan Sarandon? Another pair to consider: Ron Howard and Henry Winkler. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/59 "2010-04-14T23:01:52Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > It’s a little unfair to compare Mark Hamill to Harrison Ford. Ford was already an established actor by the time Star Wars was filmed. George Lucas wanted to cast complete unknowns in every role. Ford was just helping out by doing readings with the auditioners. During the auditions, Lucas realized that Ford was the best choice available to play Han Solo. > > How has Carrie Fischer fared? > > Then again, I heard that Alec Guinness did OK for himself. The way I always heard was that Harrison Ford had practically given up on acting because he couldn’t get enough work to support himself. He was on the set of SW as a carpenter when Lucas asked him to help with the readings. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031/60 "2010-04-14T23:50:18Z")
It may not fit into the OP of “duo” but I’m sure when the rock group Cream broke up in the 1960s, people figured Jack Bruce would have the most successful career. He was the main singer and songwriter with lyricist Pete Brown (although Ginger Baker says Bruce took songwriting credit/royalties for arrangements he did for “white Room” and others). Eric Clapton sang a few songs but was thought to have a weak voice and shy stage presence. But Clapton instead helped create the era of the Rock Guitar God and improved his singing and songwriting. Bruce’s prickly personality was a detriment in his career. I think in recent years David McCullum has improved his public profile but didn’t he once guest on an episode of “Babylon 5” and wasn’t listed in the credits? Robert Vaughn, his partner in “Man from UNCLE” tended to have more roles (although originally Illya Kurachin was a minor character, fan mail increased his presence). Short life but Bruce Lee became a larger figure than his “Green Hornet” series star Van Williams. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duos-where-only-one-goes-on-to-superstardom-and/536031.md?page=4)