# Humorous Allusions to Actors' Previous Roles **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 16, 2020, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191 "2020-12-16T16:54:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/1 "2020-12-16T16:54:25Z")
On _ **Frasier** _, Laurie Metcalf as a frustrated “Nanny G” asks the titular character if he has “any idea what it’s like to play the same character for 20 years,” an allusion to Kelsey Grammar’s role on _ **Cheers!** _ On _ **The Beverly Hillbillies** _, Bank President Milburn Drysdale mistakenly addresses actor “Dash Riprock,” played by Larry Pennel, as “Ripcord.” _ **Ripcord** _ was a syndicated TV series of the early '60s, in which Pennel played skydiver “Ted McKeever.” Can you think of any others? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/2 "2020-12-16T17:12:39Z")
Nathon Fillian droped a few references to his prior work on Firefly, mostly just one liners, but the most notable one being where he dressed in his Malcom Reynolds outfit for Halloween. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/3 "2020-12-16T17:14:57Z")
In the Crazy Ones, Sarah Michelle Geller dropped an allusion to Buffy at one point. Though that may have been an outtake shown with the credits at the end. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/4 "2020-12-16T17:20:48Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Nathon Fillian droped a few references to his prior work on Firefly, mostly just one liners, but the most notable one being where he dressed in his Malcom Reynolds outfit for Halloween. My favorite of those is when Castle and Beckett are pursing a suspect, and encounter a couple of Chinese workers. They don’t understand Beckett asking them a question in English, but after Castle says something to them in Chinese, we get this exchange: Beckett: “Semester abroad?” Castle: “No, a TV show I used to love.” The joke requires one to know that, in the _Firefly_ universe, both English and Chinese were widely spoken, and all of the characters regularly dropped Chinese expressions into their dialogue. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y5Sz8iLMayo/hqdefault.jpg "Castle 3x09 - Firefly Reference") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5Sz8iLMayo) ---
**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:** [December 16, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/5 "2020-12-16T17:23:51Z")
Probably not quite what the OP is after but Peter Capaldi appears in the credits of _World War Z_ as “W.H.O. Doctor”, his last role before playing the Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/6 "2020-12-16T17:25:24Z")
In the movie **Stakeout** , the two leads are playing a game in which one gives a random line and the other guesses the movie that it’s from. Emilio Estevez: “This was not a boating accident!” Richard Dreyfuss looks up for a second and then quickly says, “I don’t know.” The line of course was actually spoken by Dreyfuss in **Jaws**. It seems this really happened on the set between the two actors and they decided to work it into film. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/7 "2020-12-16T17:26:23Z")
That’s a good one! 👍 ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/8 "2020-12-16T17:29:04Z")
I’ve been re-watching “30 Rock” and they have lots of references like this. Alec Baldwin’s character says [“I once called myself God in a deposition.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqeC3BPYTmE) Alex Baldwin’s character also says “Do TV and no one will ever take you seriously again. It doesn’t matter how big a movie star you are, even if you had the kind of career where you walked away from a blockbuster franchise or worked with Meryl Streep or Anthony Hopkins, made important movies about things like civil rights or Pearl Harbor, stole films with supporting roles and then turned around and blew them away on Broadway. None of that will matter once you do television.” Alan Alda guest stars in an episode and says [“What’s all this crying about babies and chickens? I thought this was supposed to be a comedy show.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvBS0VqJPXs) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/9 "2020-12-16T17:30:37Z")
In _The A-Team_, the team visited Universal Studios. Dirk Benedict’s character sees a Cylon, and does a double-take. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7JVZQhlivnY/hqdefault.jpg "Face and the Cylon - The A-Team - 2x10") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JVZQhlivnY) In the film version of _Maverick_, Mel Gibson’s character encounters a character played by Danny Glover, and they both do a double-take. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EwyfEgOv0vU/hqdefault.jpg "Maverick - too old for this shit") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwyfEgOv0vU) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/10 "2020-12-16T17:35:29Z")
I just remembered this exchange between William Shatner and John Lithglow on _ **Third Rock from the Sun** _: > **[Big Giant Head | Miscellaneous](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Giant_Head#Miscellaneous)** > > The Solomons first meet the Big Giant Head in person when he arrived by plane at their local airport, in an obviously agitated state. When asked about his flight, he responded "Horrifying, at first. I looked out the window and ... I saw something on the wing of the plane", to which Dick responded "The same thing happened to me!" This is a double reference. In an early episode, Dick attempts to fly for the first time and is frightened when he sees something on the wing of the plane. Both referenc... ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/11 "2020-12-16T17:40:47Z")
In the _Monk_ episode “Mr. Monk and the Airplane”, Sharona spots Tim Daly on their flight, leading to this exchange (paraphrased): Monk: “Is he some sort of actor or something?” Sharona: “He was on that show _Wings_.” Monk: “Never saw it.” Tony Shalhoub of course was on _Wings_, too. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/12 "2020-12-16T17:46:32Z")
from _N.C.I.S._ “What did Ducky look like when he was young?” “He looked like Ilya Kuryakin.” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/X-2eQ3m7AD8/hqdefault.jpg "NCIS Ducky when younger looked like Illya Kuryakin") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-2eQ3m7AD8) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/13 "2020-12-16T17:48:13Z")
In the failed but fondly remembered John Larroquette Show, co-star Alison LaPlaca came up with this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hpyWZ4nvK6Y/hqdefault.jpg "Best Sitcom Ad-lib Ever.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpyWZ4nvK6Y) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/14 "2020-12-16T17:57:30Z")
Joe Pesci’s commercial for SBC Internet Services [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/nu2amVxGMgw/hqdefault.jpg "Erin Sanders on a SBC Internet Services commercial (2004)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu2amVxGMgw) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/15 "2020-12-16T18:05:39Z")
Did you know today is her birthday? > **[Alison La Placa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_La_Placa)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > Alison La Placa (born December 16, 1959) is an American actress best known for the role of acid-tongued yuppie Linda Phillips in the Fox sitcoms Duet and its spin-off Open House, both of which aired in the late 1980s.\[citation needed\] > La Placa is a graduate of Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. She attended Illinois Wesleyan University, where she majored in drama.\[citation needed\] She performed in a circus show,... (I didn’t. I just wanted to look her up.) It’s also Beethoven’s birthday, BTW. Happy Beethoven’s Birthday! [![](https://i0.wp.com/www.afnews.info/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Peanuts-Schroeder_resize.jpg) ](https://i0.wp.com/www.afnews.info/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Peanuts-Schroeder_resize.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/16 "2020-12-16T18:07:12Z")
In this scene from Boston Legal, James Spader refers to “sea lice” as “cling-ons”. Willam Shatner playing Denny Crane replies “Did you say Klingons?” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vLh4z0cwNS8/maxresdefault.jpg "Did you say Klingons?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLh4z0cwNS8) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/17 "2020-12-16T18:16:59Z")
In _What’s Up Doc?_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BzWzPWwSnA8/maxresdefault.jpg "Love Means Never Having To Say You're Sorry | What's Up, Doc? | Warner Archive") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzWzPWwSnA8) Barbra Streisand: Let me tell you —love means never having to say you’re sorry." Ryan O’Neill: That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard Which, of course, alludes to Ryan O’Neill’s famous scene from _Love Story_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/B5-8_1uCzR8/maxresdefault.jpg ""Love Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5-8_1uCzR8) ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/18 "2020-12-16T18:20:44Z")
How about Ryan Reynolds call back to both Green Lantern and X-Men Origins in End Credits scenes of Deadpool 2. [Deadpool 2 End Credits Scene, Deadpool 2 After Credits Scene, Deadpool 2 Post Credits Scene - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6k1w0_BT6I) ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/19 "2020-12-16T18:26:13Z")
In **Paul** , as Sigourney Weaver’s character is about to attack Kristin Wiig, Blythe Danner’s character decks Sigourney saying the iconic “Get away from her you bitch !!!” ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/20 "2020-12-16T18:29:19Z")
In _ **Sex and the Single Girl** _ (1964), Tony Curtis’s character is often mistaken for actor Jack Lemmon, prompting this exchange with Natalie Wood’s: [Helen Gurley Brown](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000081/?ref_=tt_trv_qu): I hope you don’t feel odd or anything because you’re wearing a woman’s robe. [Bob Weston](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000348/?ref_=tt_trv_qu): Oh, no! Not at all! In fact, I was thinking I look just like - eh - Jack Lemmon did in that movie where he dressed up like a girl. Remember? An allusion to _ **Some Like It Hot** _ (1959), which starred Curtis, Lemmon, and (of course) Marilyn Monroe. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191.md?page=2)