# 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:** 14
**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:** [April 4, 2022, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/262 "2022-04-04T14:54:13Z")
Here’s an obscure one that I almost posted in the “after a million viewings” thread, but then this thread popped up. I caught _Day for Night_ on TCM, which I’ve probably seen more than a dozen times. It’s the ultimate movie about movies. In it, Francois Truffaut, playing himself, is directing a movie, “Meet Pamela”, about a love triangle between a young woman, her fiancée, and his father. Jaqueline Bisset play the young woman. In one scene from the film within a film, she explains to her future mother-in-law how she and her son met. She was on vacation in Yorkshire with a friend, but the friend came down with **chickenpox** and she and a young man they had met continued on with their travels, and that’s how they fell in love. Just a few years earlier, Bisset had a small part in the movie _Two For The Road_, in which Audrey Hepburn and Bisset are part of a chorale group touring Europe when they meet Albert Finney, a young architect just out of school knocking around France. He helps them fix their broken down van, they stay at an inn, and the entire group comes down with… **chickenpox**! All except Hepburn (Bisset is the last to succumb), who then joins Finney, which kicks off their love/hate story. Bisset’s part consists of no more than 3-4 scenes in _Two For The Road_, but _Day For Night_ was, in many ways, her breakout role as a serious actress. Given Truffaut’s encyclopedic knowledge of film, I don’t think the two story lines are coincidental. In fact, given that Meet Pamela is obviously a hackneyed potboiler, it could be a sly dig at Stanley Donen’s film as well. ---
**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:** [April 7, 2024, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/263 "2024-04-07T06:23:18Z")
Maybe not exactly humorous, exactly, but it reminded me of this thread. I was just watching _The Diplomat_ on Netflix, and Ambassador Wyler (Keri Russell) makes a comment along the lines of “It’s not like we smuggled his [the Iranian ambassador’s] body out in a suitcase.” In her previous role as a Soviet spy on _The Americans_, Russell’s character did smuggle someone’s body out of a hotel in a suitcase. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/264 "2024-04-07T06:33:17Z")
Captain Dylan Hunt finds a familiar sword (and wig) on _Andromeda_. [Andromeda Hercules reference (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9myMUWeHP4&ab_channel=dasleet) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/265 "2024-04-07T13:24:00Z")
In the 2023 comedy _No Hard Feelings_, middle-aged father Laird complains that his 19-year-old son Percy isn’t cutting loose and having fun like he did at Percy’s age. Laird is played by Matthew Broderick, who famously did exactly that in the role of Ferris Bueller. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/266 "2024-04-07T13:50:33Z")
I’ve seen some new ones of these recently, but can’t remember them. Except for this one (post copied from another thread) > I’ve started watching a body-swap movie called _Family Swap_. It isn’t great so far, but you really gotta respect this bit of lampshade hanging. One character is googling for body swapping on her cell phone. This conversation takes place among the four family members: > > Any luck? > > No. This is a completely unique and original situation that has literally never happened before. > > Right? I mean, no kid has ever just woken up big. > > Yeah, it’s so freaky. > > You’re telling me. I’m 17 again. > > I’m 13 going on 30. (That last line was said by Jennifer Garner.) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/267 "2024-04-07T14:19:56Z")
After wracking my brain I remembered another one I saw recently that reminded me of this dormant thread. A couple of weeks ago for reasons I rewatched the _Happy Days_ episode with Mork. It references _The Andy Griffith Show_. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EXIvujXn-Eo/maxresdefault.jpg "Mork Watching The Andy Griffith Show: "I Like that Boy Opie" - Happy Days - 1978") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXIvujXn-Eo) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/268 "2024-04-07T15:00:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Captain Dylan Hunt finds a familiar sword (and wig) on _Andromeda_. > [Andromeda Hercules reference (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9myMUWeHP4&ab_channel=dasleet) You might want to check out post # 26. 😀 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/269 "2024-04-07T15:04:27Z")
In my defense I didn’t mention the wig the first time. And my memory is shot. And I didn’t mention the wig the first time. 😄 ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/270 "2024-04-07T15:13:30Z")
Isn’t your memory shot? ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/271 "2024-04-07T15:42:31Z")
It appears that no one has mentioned [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWa9yppZxiI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWa9yppZxiI) yet. ---
**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:** [April 7, 2024, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/272 "2024-04-07T22:44:44Z")
The Cunningham adults also watched “The Music Man.” Says Mrs C: “That little boy looks just like Richie at that age”. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2024, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/273 "2024-04-08T04:04:09Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > In _The Good Place_, there was this scene in the finale of season 2. Having recently finished watching _The Good Place_, I don’t think that scene fits the topic of this thread. Yeah, it’s got Ted Danson’s character tending bar, but there’s no nudge-nudge wink-wink intimation that this is in any way connected to his previous role on _Cheers_. In fact, I think the writers went out of their way to avoid any implication that it was a humorous reference. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/274 "2024-04-08T05:03:13Z")
Remembered another one. In an episode of _Animal Control_, Apr 8, 2023 · In Animal Control (2023), Joel McHale insists that his mangled pronunciation is correct because he took Spanish in community college. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/SDwXMtku550/maxresdefault.jpg "A Community Reference On Animal Control! #shorts") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDwXMtku550) ---
**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:** [April 8, 2024, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/275 "2024-04-08T06:03:23Z")
I forgot about this reference to an actor’s previous _ **TV commercials** _. [Sharon Maughan](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0560864/) was in the successful 1987-1992 series of TV commercials for Nestle Gold Blend coffee (branded Tasters’ Choice in the USA) with [Anthony Head](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0372117/?ref_=nmtrv_trv). She was in the Inspector Morse episode [Deceived by Flight (1989)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0611638/?ref_=nmtrv_trv), so the writer mischievously gave her character the line, “Coffee! Ugh! I _hate_ coffee. It gives me a headache”. [Tasters’ Choice version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozl6fiD9vrw) [Gold Blend version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMP9NtiKFLA&list=PLdFt4_FQb_d1dXmfH6Zzk824n3T0gbxTP&index=3) ---
**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:** [April 8, 2024, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/276 "2024-04-08T10:09:23Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Remembered another one. In an episode of _Animal Control_, Apr 8, 2023 · In Animal Control (2023), Joel McHale insists that his mangled pronunciation is correct because he took Spanish in community college. I keep meaning to check out _Animal Control_, but haven’t seen it yet. Let me know if they ever dress him up like Braveheart. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/F6UkJkUxyvs/maxresdefault.jpg "The Late Report ( S14E18 )") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6UkJkUxyvs) ---
**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:** [April 8, 2024, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/277 "2024-04-08T10:22:27Z")
I wonder if Virginia Christine was cast as Mrs Olson in the Folger’s commercials because she played Immigrant Eva in _ **Billy the Kid Vs Dracula** _, or if it was the other way around. [![](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.3at54bHIo67VTSHVAvZZVwHaFH?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain) ](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.3at54bHIo67VTSHVAvZZVwHaFH?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain) [![](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.JXvrRkRSMP4V3d8UMqmFIgHaDt?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain) ](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.JXvrRkRSMP4V3d8UMqmFIgHaDt?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain) ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/278 "2024-04-08T18:18:50Z")
Reminds me of that scene in _Babylon 5_ where Billy Mumy and June Lockhart pass each other in the hall and totally ignore each other. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/279 "2024-04-08T18:43:42Z")
Something of a meta-example from **Very Bad Things** : while trying to cover up an accidental death, Christian Slater’s character is asked “Have you done this before?” Ten years earlier, in **Heathers** , Slater played a character who covered up another accidental death - and was asked the same question. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/280 "2024-04-10T12:25:16Z")
IIRC Mumy _begged_ JMS for a scene with Lockhart, even just standing in the background. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191/281 "2024-04-10T14:38:03Z")
Has anyone mentioned The A-Team? in the introduction Dirk Benedict is on a movie lot and a guy in a Cylon outfit walks by. He gets a puzzled look on his face. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-allusions-to-actors-previous-roles/928191.md?page=15)