# 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:** 11
**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 4, 2021, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/201 "2021-03-04T14:36:26Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > 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_ These are interesting sub-cases of the subject where the actors are playing themselves as characters in shows. Obviously you could catch any actor on a talk show where they refer to their previous roles, but in these cases they have actual roles in a show, these are lines and part of the dialogue. ---
**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, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/202 "2021-03-04T14:50:59Z")
They also weren’t exactly playing themselves, but rather a parody version of themselves. So “Jennifer Grey” in the show was not actually Jennifer Grey the actress. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/203 "2021-03-04T15:19:21Z")
And Mel Torme wasn’t the real Mel Torme on **Night Court**. But I don’t think that meets the spirit or letter of the law with this OP. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2021, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/204 "2021-03-04T15:21:27Z")
That is not Mel Torme. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/205 "2021-03-04T16:11:25Z")
No, it isn’t. It’s Wil Wheaton. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/206 "2021-03-04T16:25:31Z")
Sure it wasn’t Michael Dorn? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/207 "2021-03-04T18:26:53Z")
Shhh, that’s top secret. ---
**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 7, 2021, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/208 "2021-03-07T04:56:24Z")
The _Rocky and Bullwinkle_ movie had Robert De Niro parodying his scene from _Taxi Driver_. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BV7AfWxKxyQ/hqdefault.jpg "Are you talking to me?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV7AfWxKxyQ) ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/209 "2021-03-07T05:26:33Z")
In one episode of _St. Elsewhere_ a guy suffering from amnesia is desperately searching for an identity. He finally decides he is Mary Tyler Moore. the hospital is visited by someone from the Surgeon General’s office, and he joyfully greets her “Sue Ann!” Said rep is played by Betty White. In the same show, Dr. Mark Craig, played by William Daniels, badly injures his hand in a stupid fasxhion. He and his wife travel to Philadelphia to visit a surgeon who specializes in healing hand injuries. As they are walking outside his wife complains to him “Mark, why did we have to come to Philadelphia in the summer? It’s too damned hot!” And Dr. Craig starts singing “It’s hot as hell, in Philadel-phia!” A reference to the musical 1776, in which he starred as John Adams. ---
**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:** [March 7, 2021, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/210 "2021-03-07T13:29:11Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > In one episode of _St. Elsewhere_ a guy suffering from amnesia is desperately searching for an identity. He finally decides he is Mary Tyler Moore. the hospital is visited by someone from the Surgeon General’s office, and he joyfully greets her “Sue Ann!” Said rep is played by Betty White. On Night Court, they had a little old lady visit the court who couldn’t tell TV from reality - she thought her husband had been falsely imprisoned (it was a character from a soap opera she was talking about). She talked about all the friends she had - and all of them were tv characters. One of them was “The Fonz” - and of course, the little old lady was played by Marion Ross, of “Happy Days” ---
**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 7, 2021, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/211 "2021-03-07T14:20:56Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > The classic ending to _Newhart._ If you don’t know it, you owe it to yourself to find out. Further referred to in a _[Bob Newhart Show](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319077/)_ reunion, where Bob kept talking about a weird dream he had about running an inn in Vermont. At the end, Larry, Darryl, and Darryl show up on the elevator. I note that Newhart’s _George and Leo_ had "The Cameo Episode,’ where actors from _The Bob Newhart, Newhart_ and _Taxi_ (Judd Hirsch was Newhart’s co-star) showed up. George (Newhart) ended up in a group therapy session while Leo (Hirsh) ended up driving a taxi. ---
**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 7, 2021, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/212 "2021-03-07T14:22:19Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > There was a CBS sitcom in the early '70s called _ **The Good Guys** _, which was a vehicle for Bob “Gilligan” Denver. Jim Backus and Alan Hale, Jr, (“Mr Howell” and “The Skipper”) were both guest stars, prompting a drunk who came into Bob’s diner to ask “Hey, didn’t I see you guys on an island?” Alan Hale also appeared in an episode, referring to Denver as “Little Buddy.” ---
**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 7, 2021, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/213 "2021-03-07T16:53:05Z")
The Drew Carey Show had Marion Ross as Drew’s mother and June Lockhart playing Lewis’s mother. One scene had them watching a TV show. Drew’s mother (Marion Ross) says, “Oh look. It’s that show with the collie.” (apparently Lassie) Lewis’s mother (Lockhart) says, "If you ask me, the mother was the star of the show. Ross replies, “Oh no, it was the dog.” Another episode had Drew in love with an older woman (Shirley Jones of the Partridge family). Danny Bonaduce played her obnoxious adult son. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/214 "2021-03-07T18:05:37Z")
Someone earlier mentioned Supernatural. Here is when the mention of Gilmore Girls struck fear into Sam. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ye9oXv7GNc) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/215 "2021-03-07T18:15:05Z")
Dean Winchester is not happy to find out Jensen Ackles was in a soap opera. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RtxtyVpVgis/hqdefault.jpg "Supernatural - you where in a soap opera") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtxtyVpVgis) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/216 "2021-03-07T18:18:35Z")
Negan’s bat Lucille makes an appearance on Supernatural. Jeffery Dean Morgan played their father. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/SLyrlzYc4iw/hqdefault.jpg "Walking dead's Lucille guest stars on supernatural") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLyrlzYc4iw) ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/217 "2021-03-07T23:08:53Z")
Brandon Routh, who has played Superman in multiple productions, starred in the tv series “Partners”, playing the gay boyfriend of Michael Urie’s character, Louis McManus. Louis is trying to get him to try on some glasses that would make him look cool. Routh’s character says that he doesn’t like wearing glasses, but he puts them on to humor him. Louis says, “Wow, you look like a totally different person.” And Routh says, “Told you so, Lois. … I mean, Louis.” In another episode, Louis brags about sleeping with “this big, gay superhero.” ---
**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 8, 2021, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/218 "2021-03-08T01:07:30Z")
In last year’s Crisis on Infinite Earth’s, Routh met a Superman from another Earth. Routh played both roles, a reference to his role in _Superman Returns_ ---
**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 8, 2021, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/219 "2021-03-08T01:11:39Z")
Also, in the first Arrowvese crossover, Routh’s character, Ray Palmer, aka the Atom, is introduced to Kara Danvers, aka Supergirl. Palmer remarks, “She looks like my cousin.” Of course, Kara and Kal-El are cousins. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/220 "2021-03-08T22:31:05Z")
In season 3 of Legends of Tomorrow the Big Bad was the demon Mallus. He was CGI but voice acted by John Noble. The Legends realize he sounds a lot like the actor John Noble and hatch a scheme that involves Mallus saying things that they need him to say. Since there is a time machine readily available they travel back in time to New Zealand while he is filming Lord of the Rings and trick John Noble to read the lines they want Mallus to read instead of John Noble acting as Mallus. Now I’m confused but it works. The episode was titled “Guest Starring John Noble.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-sMAKnG2sEM/maxresdefault.jpg "Legends of Tomorrow | Ray Palmer and John Noble Scene (3x17)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sMAKnG2sEM) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191.md?page=12)