# Ever been surprised by a young version of an old movie star? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 22, 2005, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097 "2005-08-22T13:23:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [August 22, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/21 "2005-08-22T19:27:28Z")
> [@uglybeech](#): > > You remember \*\*Buddy Ebsen \*\* [this way](http://www.imdb.com/gallery/mptv/1386/3265_0114.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Ebsen,%20Buddy&seq=10). > > But what a revelation it was to see Buddy doing [this](http://www.imdb.com/gallery/mptv/1049/0516-0040.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Ebsen,%20Buddy&seq=7) and [this](http://phantomdragon.com/THELEGEND/BUDDYST.JPG) as a young man (yeah he was a singer and dancer!) Likewise with [Jerry](http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/TV/9809/11/law.order/link.jerry.orbach.jpg) [Orbach](http://iclassics.com/content/assets/article/4/3251M.jpg). ---
**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 22, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/22 "2005-08-22T19:33:59Z")
Buddy Ebsen was the first choice to play the Tinman in movie version of The Wizard of Oz, only he had a severe allergy to the silver paint. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/23 "2005-08-22T19:36:22Z")
I was surprised when I recognized the Sergeant from **The Third Man**. The one that actually had read some of Joseph Cotten’s pulp westerns. It was an extremely young Bernard Lee, later famous for playing M in all the Bond movies until his death after **Moonraker**. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/24 "2005-08-22T19:44:03Z")
[Interestingly William Shatner actually did have a full head of hair at one time](http://yuchtar.users4.50megs.com/Gallery/Bill_1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/25 "2005-08-22T19:46:12Z")
The young Lucille Ball in the Three Stooges shorts was just damn _hot_, I tells ya. ---
**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:** [August 22, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/26 "2005-08-22T19:51:32Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Buddy Ebsen was the first choice to play the Tinman in movie version of The Wizard of Oz, only he had a severe allergy to the silver paint. You mean aluminum dust. ---
**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:** [August 22, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/27 "2005-08-22T19:57:14Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The young Lucille Ball in the Three Stooges shorts was just damn _hot_, I tells ya. She was also a Buzz Berkeley chorus girl. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/28 "2005-08-22T20:09:53Z")
> [@Eureka](#): > > Old movie star as in star in old movie and/or a person of a certain age who is a movie star. > > I’ve been watching “old” movies over the past couple of years, and every now and then I see someone I recognize and I’m startled. > > … > > Have you ever had any surprises like that? If so, please describe them. I was surprised to discover how hot Lucille Ball was before _I Love Lucy_. ---
**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:** [August 22, 2005, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/29 "2005-08-22T20:14:21Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > She was also a Buzz Berkeley chorus girl. Did she just pester him until he put her in the show? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/30 "2005-08-22T20:14:29Z")
> [@Fabulous Creature](#): > > I was surprised to discover how hot Lucille Ball was before _I Love Lucy_. I was even more surprised to see that somebody else had already mentioned her in this thread. It’s as if I didn’t bother to read it all the way through first. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/31 "2005-08-22T20:43:32Z")
Leslie Nielsen in Forbidden Planet was pretty shocking for me. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/32 "2005-08-22T20:48:47Z")
Another Angela Lansbury moment–_The Court Jester_. My friend kept saying “I think I know that chick,” but wouldn’t believe me when I told him who it was. ---
**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:** [August 22, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/33 "2005-08-22T20:56:10Z")
Not a movie star, but seeing [Robert E. Lee](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0d/Robert_E._Lee.jpg), young and beardless, is different. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/34 "2005-08-22T20:58:33Z")
Those of you who think Harry Morgan must have been born old should watch _On a Wing and a Prayer_. He was the baby-faced new recruit. He looked maybe 19. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/35 "2005-08-22T21:12:56Z")
I happenned to catch a glimpse of the James Bond film _Live and Let Die_ yesterday and was stunned at a very young Yaphet Kotto as the bad guy Kananga. I’d never seen this film before, nor anthing else with a young Kotto. I’m currently working my way through the Homicide: Life on the Streets series on NetFlix. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/36 "2005-08-22T21:13:28Z")
Seeing a young **Marlon Brando** after a childhood of pretty much only having ever seen him in The Freshman was a pretty good, “Daaammmmnnn dude.” [Before](http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/54/039_4032.jpg) [After](http://members.aol.com/donbrndo/brandotrlcombo.jpeg) :eek: ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/37 "2005-08-22T21:17:10Z")
I’m a BIG fan of the original Twilight Zone series. Check some of those out and tell me you’re not shocked! Robert Redford as “death” Burgess Meredith pre “Penguin” James Best (who I’d only seen as the Sheriff on “The Dukes of Hazzard”) Morgan Brittany as a child The list goes on, but these are the ones I can remember right away. ---
**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 22, 2005, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/38 "2005-08-22T21:20:00Z")
> [@kath94](#): > > I’m a BIG fan of the original Twilight Zone series. Check some of those out and tell me you’re not shocked! > > Robert Redford as “death” > Burgess Meredith pre “Penguin” > James Best (who I’d only seen as the Sheriff on “The Dukes of Hazzard”) > Morgan Brittany as a child > > The list goes on, but these are the ones I can remember right away. You forgot Willilam Shatner! ---
**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 22, 2005, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/39 "2005-08-22T21:30:47Z")
Orson Welles in _Jane Eyre_. At the time, I had only seen him in his old, fat, bearded form. Wow, what a difference! ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097/40 "2005-08-22T21:46:24Z")
The hunk Jerry O’Donnell was that fat kid in Stand By Me! :eek: :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-surprised-by-a-young-version-of-an-old-movie-star/318097.md?page=3)