# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2002, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/121 "2002-08-09T18:29:05Z")
How I wish Gabriel Byrne had played _Arthur_ instead of the dweeb they did get. That guy pretty much ruins _Excalibur_ for me. Well, okay, except for Nichol Williamson as Merlin. He’s a hoot! ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2002, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/122 "2002-08-09T18:59:15Z")
How 'bout **Phil Hartman** as Cap’n Carl in _The Pee Wee Hermann Show_ (the movie, not Pee Wee’s Playhouse) Or, **Pee Wee** himself in two of the masterwerks in Cheech and Chongs great repertoire, _Next Movie_ or _Nice Dreams_. HAMBURGER! ---
**Author:** ![Swampwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Swampwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swampwolf)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2002, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/123 "2002-08-09T21:02:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > \*\*Valerie Perine played the buxom woman given to Kilgore Trout in the movie version of “Slaughterhouse Five.” I think she appeared in Playboy shortly thereafter. \*\* [nitpick] Billy Pilgrim, not Kilgore Trout. [/nitpick] How about **Bill Paxton** (with a blue mohawk!) in the first Terminator? He was one of the punks from whom Arnold got his clothes. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/124 "2002-08-10T12:30:45Z")
\*\* Fran Dresher \*\* (sorry) was also promoter Bobby Flexman in \*\* This is Spinal Tap \*\*. An 8 minute role that won her recognition and an Esquire award. She reprised the role on an episode of \*\* The Nanny \*\* that was great. ---
**Author:** ![Gilligan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Gilligan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gilligan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/125 "2002-08-10T15:04:21Z")
_Married…with Children_ is another TV show where you can find a lot of stars in early roles: Matt LeBlanc was one of Kelly’s boyfriends, and got a short-lived spinoff from that role, with Joey Lauren Adams, who also played other parts later on MWC. Milla Jovovich was the Bundy’s French exchange student. I looked at a cast list and found these actors also played bit parts on the show early in their career: David Boreanaz Renee Zellweger Casper Van Dien Denise Richards Giovanni Ribisi ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/126 "2002-08-10T16:44:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Superdude \* > **And I see that Tatyana Ali was also in there. She later went on to be on _Fresh Prince of Bel-Air_, and her own recording career.** She also appeared on _Sesame Street_ as a really young girl riffing with Kermit, talking about the alphabet or something. I distinctly remember Kermit asking what her name is and she responds “tatyanaleeee!” ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/127 "2002-11-15T18:54:02Z")
Jerry O’Connell was Sarah’s dinner date on “CiC” Chip Esten kidnapped the Bundys on “Married…” ---
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/128 "2002-11-15T19:00:46Z")
john laroquette (sp?) as the leader of the army guys in ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/129 "2002-11-15T19:10:42Z")
\*\* Mila Kunis \*\* was also on an episode of \*\* Don’t Shoot Me \*\* as a college intern. And \*\* Debra Jo Rupp \*\* was Seinfeld’s agent and Friend’s Phoebe’s sister-in-law. Phoeboe was the surrogate mother for her triplets. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/130 "2002-11-15T19:38:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lieu \* > \*\*Elvis’ **Roustabout** has an opening scene with **Raquel Welch** as a college gal in a tea house and **Teri Garr** as one of the “crowd” dancers. In fact, Terry danced in at least four more of Elvis’ films, including \*\*Fun in Acapulco, Kissin’ Cousins, Viva Las Vegas \*\*and **Clambake**. \*\* I am under the impression that Teri Garr also appears as a dancer in Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walking” video; I believe she’s wearing red. ---
**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:** [November 15, 2002, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/131 "2002-11-15T19:47:51Z")
IIRC, Teri Garr was a dancer in the Monkees’ movie “Head” in 1968 - just off the top o’ my head. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/132 "2002-11-15T20:08:40Z")
Another Star Trek one that wasn’t mentioned from what I could tell, Ashley Judd as a young Ensign in a Next Generation episode. Damn, she was (and still is!) a hottie. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/133 "2002-11-15T20:16:51Z")
Teri Hatcher was in a NextGen episode, too. How about directors? I was watching the first Stuart Little with Baby Kate last weekend and the screenwriting credit is shared by someone I didn’t recognize and M Night Shyamalan. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/134 "2002-11-15T20:20:49Z")
I just saw Harrison Ford in a small role in GETTING STRAIGHT, an early-1970s counterculture film starring Elliot Gould and Candice Bergen. ---
**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:** [November 15, 2002, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/135 "2002-11-15T20:23:48Z")
Harrison Ford’s first two films were Dead Heat on a Merry Go Round (1966) and Luv (1967), the latter with Peter Falk; both were bit parts, I think. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/136 "2002-11-15T20:48:15Z")
Just got reminded from another thread: Tim Robbins had a semi-major part in **Howard The Duck**. He was sure young. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/137 "2002-11-15T21:04:10Z")
Three pages an no-one has mentioned **Clint Eastwood** as a clumsy lab tech in one of the **Creature from the Black Lagoon** sequals? ---
**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:** [November 15, 2002, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/138 "2002-11-15T21:07:23Z")
or as the fighter pilot in **Tarantula**? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/139 "2002-11-15T21:07:52Z")
Dennis Franz in **Popeye**. [Vanessa Angel](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Angel,+Vanessa) as a Russian in **Spies Like Us**. ---
**Author:** ![Funkalicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b3f665/32.png) [@Funkalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Funkalicious)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434/140 "2002-11-15T22:22:11Z")
Lawerence Fishburn had a somewhat important role in his first film, Apocalypse now, in which he actually lied about his age to get the part. Got credited as Larry Fishburn. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-bit-parts-by-actors-famous-later/122434.md?page=8)