# Early bit parts by actors famous later. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 5, 2002, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434 "2002-08-05T14:09:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/61 "2002-08-06T19:41:23Z")
Matt Damon played the Anti-Semetic cheater in “School Ties” (one of my favs). ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/62 "2002-08-06T19:46:32Z")
Sarah Jessica Parker played the girl who brought the kid food at NASA in “Flight of the Navigator”. ---
**Author:** ![Umbriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9de053/32.png) [@Umbriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Umbriel)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/63 "2002-08-06T20:07:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > \*\*The Man Who Has No Name (that I can remember) played the following characters: the young guy who gives Jon Voight head in the movie theater and then throws up in “Midnight Cowboy,” the pilot that paddles to Sweden in “Catch 22,” one of the scientists who translates for Jean Luc Goddard in “Close Encounters,” the slimy Assistant District Attorney who leaks the story to Sally Fields in “Absent Malice,” Mr. Dalrymple (head of Programming at NBC) in “Seinfeld” (he throws up in that episode, too, and later falls for Elaine), and Mr. Weisbaum, the producer with the young male lover in “Gosford Park.” \*\* That’d be Bob Balaban, who I don’t think exactly qualifies as “famous”, though he’s been working as a character actor upwards of 30 years. Per the IMDB, _Midnight Cowboy_ was his first movie role. John Larroquette (who’s arguably on his way to no longer being famous) had a bigger early role than others mentioned here as Bill Murray’s idiot commanding officer in _Stripes_. Judge Reinhold, who pops up so often in this thread, was a member of the squad. Another film featuring early performances by later more recognizable character actors is the war/caper movie _Kelly’s Heroes_. Look for Harry Dean Stanton and Stuart Margolin (“Angel” on The Rockford Files) in the squad, and for Gavin MacLeod as “Moriarty” the tank driver. Speaking of Gavin MacLeod… Helen Hunt had a very early recurring role as Murray Slaughter’s daughter on the Mary Tyler Moore show. I think other child actresses played the part too, but Helen was in at least two episodes. ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/64 "2002-08-06T20:39:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by superbee \* > \*\*What part was Gene in B & C? I never noticed that, and I’ve seen that movie a gazillion times. > \*\* B & C stole Gene’s car while he was courting his girl. They jumped into the girlfriend’s car and chased B & C. B & C got a kick out of that, turned around and chased them, making them stop. Gene and his girlfriend were made to get into the car with the gang, where they all got along after some nervous tension at first. After stopping for cheeseburgers later in the evening, Gene revealed that he was a mortician, which freaked Bonnie out, and she made Clyde stop the car to let Gene and his girlfriend out. Does that ring a bell? Sheri ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/65 "2002-08-06T20:58:52Z")
The spaceship in “FotN” talked, and was voiced by Paul Reubens AKA Pee-Wee Herman. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/66 "2002-08-06T20:59:16Z")
Not exactly obscure, but I had to mention Boo Radley. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/67 "2002-08-06T21:00:42Z")
Macauly Culkin played the kid with the “consecutive questions” record in “Uncle Buck”. ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/68 "2002-08-06T21:03:44Z")
:::thwacking fivehead::: Thanks **DW** ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/69 "2002-08-06T21:36:47Z")
Audrey Hepburn had a small bit as a cigarette girl in _Lavender Hill Mob_ George Clooney played a handyman named George on “The Facts of Life”, and Roseanne’s and Jackie’s boss on the first season of “Roseanne” (who also was Jackie’s boyfriend). Molly Ringwald played “Molly” on the first season of “The Facts of Life”. I saw John Ritter on an episode of “The Waltons” as-get this!-a fire and brimstone fundy seminary student. It’s kind of odd to see Ritter screaming, “REPENT!!! REPEEEENNNNT!!!” Janet Jackson was on “Diff’rent Strokes” as Willis’s girlfriend, “Charlene”. Of course, the Jacksons were well-known by that time, but it’s interesting to see her back then. Jake Lloyd fromn _The Phantom Menace_ had a small role on “ER” as the son of a woman with a terminal illness. Mark Hamill was on an episode of “The Partridge Family”. The episode where Laurie gets braces. He plays her boyfriend to be, Jerry. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/70 "2002-08-06T21:43:49Z")
Interestingly, I see that a number of the films mentioned here were cast by [Juliet Taylor](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Taylor,+Juliet). She seems to have given early-ish starts to all sorts of soon-to-be-famous folks. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/71 "2002-08-06T22:14:18Z")
**Gwyneth Paltrow** played the grown up Wendy at the end of **Hook** **Ben Affleck** plays the little boy in the educational series **The Voyage of the Mimi** ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/72 "2002-08-06T22:23:39Z")
To expound on things that others have mentioned, at least in passing: 1. **Samuel L. Jackson** plays Eddie Murphy’s father in the skit at the beginning of _Eddie Murphy: Raw_. 2. In the movie _Regarding Henry_, **Harrison Ford** is shot in the head during a robbery in a convenience store. The gunman is played by **John Leguizamo**. ---
**Author:** ![Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linus_Van_Pelt)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/73 "2002-08-06T22:41:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Walloon \* > \*\* > > Ron Howard was a star long before M_A_S\*H. A ltitle thing called _The Andy Griffith Show_ (1960-68) \*\* Well, ur, ah _obviously_ I was talking about Ron Howard before he made a name for himself as an _adult_ rather than a child… Oh, hell. You got me. And I’ve commented before that “Ronny” Howard was one of the few child television stars of the time who could actually act, rather than simply shouting his lines and trying to look cute. All in all one big :smack: for me. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/74 "2002-08-06T22:49:30Z")
well, most of mine have already been said, but, **Samuel L. Jackson** is the guy who wants the “good news” (or is it the bad news?) in the begining sting operation in _Sea of Love_ starring **Al Pacino, John Goodman & Ellen Barkin** ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/75 "2002-08-06T23:13:00Z")
Hey, as long as John Larroquette has come up a few times, might as well mention that he’s a Klingon in _Star Trek III._ He’s the one Kirk etc. run into towards the end, in a funny little scene in a transporter room (as I recall). ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/76 "2002-08-06T23:31:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*Janet Jackson was on “Diff’rent Strokes” as Willis’s girlfriend, “Charlene”. Of course, the Jacksons were well-known by that time, but it’s interesting to see her back then. \*\* She also played Wilona’s daughter Penny on Good Times, I believe before that. ---
**Author:** ![Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linus_Van_Pelt)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/77 "2002-08-07T01:29:57Z")
To make up for my earlier oversight, but sticking with the M_A_S_H theme from my previous post, here’s one: My wife and I were watching M_A_S_H earlier on fx today, and she turned to me and asked, “Is that Laurence Fishburne?” Up came the credits and she was right. He was credited as “Larry Fishburne”. I know, as Eve stated earlier, that this is extremely common. Just about everyone has to start somewhere before the become stars. It’s still fun to spot them, though. Especially in 30 or 40 year old sitcoms when they look so young. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/78 "2002-08-07T02:00:33Z")
Are you sure that was Larry Fishburne? In 1970, he would have been all of seven years old. His earliest film role was 1975’s _Cornbread, Earl, and Me_, according to both Leonard Malrin’s guide and IMdB. ---
**Author:** ![Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linus_Van_Pelt)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/79 "2002-08-07T04:38:19Z")
Although he would have been 9 (not 7) in 1970, he would have been 20 when he appeared in 1982. Ah, I see the confusion. I meant TV show; you meant movie. Check further down on the IMDB under “Notable TV guest appearances.” In my original post, it was more clear that I was talking about the TV show (I mentioned re-runs). ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2002, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/80 "2002-08-07T05:10:32Z")
Before becoming Mr. Spock, Leonard Nimoy was briefly on the soap opera “General Hospital” as Benny the pill-pusher. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434.md?page=5)