# 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:** 10
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/181 "2021-02-15T22:51:03Z")
If commercials are in scope, then there’s a veritable gold mine of humorous allusions to be found in celebrity endorsements. [Advertisements featuring Don Adams](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=don+adams+commercial) (and he did an awful lot of them, for a variety of companies) are chock full of references to his role in _Get Smart_. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/182 "2021-02-15T23:53:33Z")
To bring it back to OP’s request, George Lazenby made an allusion to his previous role when he made a cameo fourteen years after his solo Bond film in the 1983 TV movie Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. His short appearance as ‘JB’ driving an Aston Martin fitted with special gadgets to take out the bad guys on a car chase and a reference to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service right at the end. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1WIXI4AfbwA/maxresdefault.jpg "George Lazenby in The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WIXI4AfbwA) ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2021, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/183 "2021-02-16T13:17:03Z")
Ray Milland shows up on the Love Boat playing another character’s father, who had struggled with alcoholism - a reference to Ray Milland’s famous role as an alcoholic writer in “The Lost Weekend” ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/184 "2021-02-17T07:50:33Z")
Anna Massey was in “Happy Families”, an episode of “Inspector Morse”. Morse’s regular sergeant was Robbie Lewis. She played a different role in “Whom the Gods Would Destroy” in the series “Inspector Lewis” (who was promoted after Morse died). She says to Lewis, “I’m sure we’ve met, haven’t we? Or in another life perhaps.” Not a different role: in the series “Endeavour” (a prequel to “Inspector Morse”), the daughter of John Thaw (who played Morse) has a recurring role. Her first lines in that series are similar to Anna Massey’s lines in the Lewis episode. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/185 "2021-02-17T12:28:29Z")
I was watching The Jeffersons last night. The name of the episode was Mission: Incredible. It had Greg Morris, one of the actors in Mission: Impossible. The first time they showed him they played the music from Mission: Impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2021, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/186 "2021-02-22T13:35:47Z")
I watched Charade yesterday with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. Cary Grant said “on the street where you live”. My wife recognized this from My Fair Lady, staring Audrey Hepburn. Then I looked it up and Charade came out the year before My Fair Lady. According to a website, Audrey Hepburn had just been cast as the lead of My Fair Lady. So, this makes this a humorous allusion to an actor’s future role. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2021, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/187 "2021-02-22T14:08:44Z")
In the _Black Mirror_ episode “White Christmas”, Jon Hamm is asking a character to guess his occupation from the life “before”, and the character guesses “I dunno, advertising?” (Hamm played an advertising executive in an earlier television show). ---
**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:** [February 25, 2021, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/188 "2021-02-25T13:12:22Z")
The original _Wayne’s World_ features a cameo appearance from Robert Patrick, reprising his role as the T-1000 from _T2: Judgement Day,_ and he’s still looking for Edward Furlong. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/189 "2021-02-25T15:20:00Z")
He’s also in the Arnold Schwarzeneggar movie **The Last Action Hero** , also pretty obviously playing the T-1000 ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/190 "2021-02-25T20:06:18Z")
[‘NCIS’ Episode ‘Being Bad’](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6062978/trivia) has John Kapelos (Carl, the janitor, from “The Breakfast Club”) making a reference to the decedent having caused a ‘ruckus’ in high school. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/191 "2021-02-25T20:28:37Z")
In **Return of the Living Dead 2** (a movie so awful that it has a “zero” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, although it did more than earn back its expenses ) James Karen and Thomas Mathews, who were in the first **Return of the Living Dead** movie, play essentially the same characters (with even the same dialogue). at one point Mathews’ character says > [@](#): > > I feel like we’ve been here before. You… Me… Them! > **[Return of the Living Dead II (1988) - Trivia - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095990/trivia/?ref_=tt_trv_trv)** > > Return of the Living Dead II (1988) - Trivia on IMDb: Cameos, Mistakes, Spoilers and more... > **[Return of the Living Dead Part II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_of_the_Living_Dead_Part_II)** > > Return of the Living Dead Part II is a 1988 American comedy horror film written and directed by Ken Wiederhorn, and starring Michael Kenworthy, Marsha Dietlein, Dana Ashbrook, Thom Mathews, James Karen, and Phil Bruns. It is the first of four sequels to The Return of the Living Dead. > Return of the Living Dead Part II was released by Lorimar Motion Pictures on January 15, 1988, and was a minor box office success, making over $9 million at the box office in the United States against its $6.2 mil... ---
**Author:** ![TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TiberiusNeroClaudius)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/192 "2021-02-26T03:35:58Z")
Season 9 of “Stargate SG-1” Ben Browder joins the cast. In the first episode his former costar from “Farscape” Claudia Black, who appeared in one episode a couple years earlier, comes through the stargate, looks at him and says I haven’t met you before. The last appearance of William Frawley was on “The Lucy Show” where Lucille Ball meets him, walks away saying he looks very familiar. Ian Hendry co starred with Patrick MacNee on the first season of the “Avengers” (only a few episodes survive). 17 years later he guest starred on “The New Avengers” with MacNee saying don’t wait 17 years to get in touch again. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2021, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/193 "2021-02-27T00:14:24Z")
I caught the end of the movie, Valentines Day, (which was running continously on one of the cable channels. During the credits, they showed outtakes. Julia Roberts, who plays a returning soldier being chauffeured home, is asked by the driver: “We’re passing by Rodeo Drive, have you ever shopped there?” Her reply" “only once. Big mistake. Big. Huge.” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/194 "2021-03-01T13:18:21Z")
Just found this one: [William Frawley’s last TV appearance.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez_zZ4UnRvw) The reference comes at the end of the clip. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/195 "2021-03-01T15:21:07Z")
I didn’t read through the whole thread, but in _Hot Shots: Part Deux_, there’s a scene in which Charlie Sheen is traveling upriver in a boat, and his father Martin Sheen is in a boat traveling downriver. As they pass, both Sheens shout out, “I loved you in Wall Street!” Charlie co-starred in that movie, and the elder Sheen had a supporting role as his father. It’s also a humorous tribute to Martin Sheen’s role in _Apolypse Now_. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6Sh1wNjjPpg/maxresdefault.jpg "Hot Shots: Part Deux-Martin Sheen cameo, “I loved you in Wall Street!”") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Sh1wNjjPpg) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/196 "2021-03-01T15:41:59Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I didn’t read through the whole thread, but in _Hot Shots: Part Deux_ , there’s a scene in which Charlie Sheen is traveling upriver in a boat, and his father Martin Sheen is in a boat traveling downriver. As they pass, both Sheens shout out, “I loved you in Wall Street!” Charli Maybe mentioned before, but Martin played Charlie’s father on his show Anger Management. There are several references to both their past performances. The last one I saw Charlie was saying something like “I could never imagine you as the president”. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/197 "2021-03-01T18:06:49Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon and Amy put lists of possible Halloween couples costumes on a white board. One entry on Amy’s side was Blossom and Joey. On _Young Sheldon_, Sheldon’s sister Missy mentions the show _Blossom_, and Sheldon says “Never heard of it.” Missy says “She wears these hats.” Sheldon looks completely blank. The subject comes up, because Missy says that Joey would be a good boyfriend for one of her dolls. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/198 "2021-03-04T06:53:22Z")
Hoping this hasn’t been mentioned - in “Hard Day’s Night”, the actor who played Paul’s grandfather was often regarded by the Fab Four as “very clean”, a nod to the “dirty old man” role that he played in “Steptoe and Son”. ---
**Author:** ![Chelonaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9a140/32.png) [@Chelonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chelonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/199 "2021-03-04T12:48:24Z")
There was in episode in the first (I think) season of “The Americans”, when Stan Beeman, played by Noah Emmerich, is having trouble in his marriage with Sandra and sleeps at a motel for some days. Phillip drops by to offer moral support (or pretend to offer moral support, but really, where’s the difference). So he knocks on the door with a sixpack of beer in the other hand. It might be coincidence, but I couldn’t help thinking of “The Truman Show” where Emmerich plays Trumans pretend best friend Marlon. His main function in the “Show” is to drive over to Truman with a sixpack and get Truman to do some ratings friendly soul searching. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2021, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/200 "2021-03-04T14:15:41Z")
In _It’s Like, You Know,_ Jennifer Grey played a parody version of herself, with many allusions to her past roles, especially her nose job. _Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23_ did the same with James Van Der Beek and his role in _Dawson’s Creek._ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191.md?page=11)