# Inauspicious roles early in their careers... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 22, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231 "2014-08-22T20:22:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/61 "2014-08-24T14:25:06Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Have a look up at my post #30. Sorry, Cal. I must have read the first sentence and skimmed over the rest. I did watch The Duck Factory, which was a pleasant show that didn’t give his talents room. > [@panache45](#): > > David Hyde Pierce as the son-in-law in _The Powers That Be._ It was a great role in a great show. I’m one of the three people who watched it. Wonder who the third is? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2014, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/62 "2014-08-24T14:38:32Z")
I’m sorry, but I don’t think having a small role in films like _Shampoo_, _Goodfellas_ or even _Coming to America_ counts as “inauspicious”. Much better than appearing in B movies (or worse). Do you expect new actors to _star_ in such films? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/63 "2014-08-24T15:16:07Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > I’m sorry, but I don’t think having a small role in films like _Shampoo_, _Goodfellas_ or even _Coming to America_ counts as “inauspicious”. Much better than appearing in B movies (or worse). Do you expect new actors to _star_ in such films? It might make for a fun thread to identify Movie Stars who did indeed hit the ground running. Robert Duvall as Boo Radley comes close. The early nonsense roles that James Dean had are often mentioned but his big splash in _East of Eden_ made it feel as if he had fallen off a passing comet. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/64 "2014-08-24T17:18:42Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > It might make for a fun thread to identify Movie Stars who did indeed hit the ground running. James Gandolfini had a brief yet memorable role in _True Romance,_ which I didn’t mention earlier because it fails the “inauspicious” requirement. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/65 "2014-08-24T17:23:10Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > James Gandolfini had a brief yet memorable role in _True Romance,_ which I didn’t mention earlier because it fails the “inauspicious” requirement. 🙂 Amen! That basically put him on the map. That movie has so many outstanding actors and scenes. Perhaps one of the Top Ten ever is [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3yon2GyoiM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3yon2GyoiM) ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/66 "2014-08-25T20:40:38Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > That was _Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death_. Great movie. > > ETA: Maher had a starring role, and it was hardly his first credit, although it was four years before _Politically Incorrect_. I first remember Bill Maher from “House 2: The Second Story”, a great horror-comedy that deserves better than the mediocre ratings it gets. ---
**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:** [August 25, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/67 "2014-08-25T20:59:26Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Don’t forget Kevin Costner as Alex in **The Big Chill** : they filmed scenes set before his death, looked 'em over, and said, _well, that adds nothing of value; delete everything he was in, except, y’know, that part where he plays a corpse._ So then he turned thirty, with nothing to show for it but the occasional credit as Frat Boy #1 – or being uncredited, as Man In Alley – and et cetera, and then, for about six years there, superstardom. I’m not sure where you got your timeline. He was cut out of The Big Chill. Lawrence Kasdan felt bad about that so he cast Costner as one of the leads in Silverado. The Big Chill came out in 83, Silverado in 85. In between he was one of the leads in Fandango, an overlooked gem IMHO. The release dates are easy to find but I’m not sure what it means in terms of when he actually did the work. Starring in Sliverado led directly into his superstardom. ---
**Author:** ![orangeapples](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@orangeapples](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orangeapples)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/68 "2014-08-26T07:24:45Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > David Hyde Pierce as the son-in-law in _The Powers That Be._ It was a great role in a great show. I’m one of the three people who watched it. Did he have a thing for the maid in that one? Cause I remembered him in something pre-_Frasier_ where he had a thing for the maid and I thought, “Here we go again” with Daphne. Who wasn’t a maid, but still, it’s similar enough that I thought that. And I would be the third, if it is in fact the same show. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/69 "2014-08-26T15:25:37Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I’m not sure where you got your timeline. He was cut out of The Big Chill. Lawrence Kasdan felt bad about that so he cast Costner as one of the leads in Silverado. The Big Chill came out in 83, Silverado in 85. In between he was one of the leads in Fandango, an overlooked gem IMHO. The release dates are easy to find but I’m not sure what it means in terms of when he actually did the work. Starring in Sliverado led directly into his superstardom. Probably thinking of his Frat Boy #1 role in _Night Shift_, which came out in 1982, which turns out to be well before anybody but Ma and Pa Costner would’ve known who Kevin was. _Night Shift_ is hilarious, by the way. I couldn’t tell you how overlooked it might be, but I don’t know a lot of people who didn’t see it by the mid-80s being familiar with it. And as for hitting the ground running, how about Michael Keaton as Billy Blazejowski? “Not pimps … love brokers!” ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/70 "2014-08-26T15:46:01Z")
Nicholas Cage in _Fast Times at Ridgemont High_. I think he had one line, as a worker in the fast food restaurant when Brad gets fired. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/71 "2014-08-26T17:41:39Z")
> [@Uncle\_Jocko](#): > > _Night Shift_ is hilarious, by the way. I couldn’t tell you how overlooked it might be, but I don’t know a lot of people who didn’t see it by the mid-80s being familiar with it. And as for hitting the ground running, how about Michael Keaton as Billy Blazejowski? “Not pimps … love brokers!” Is this a great country, or what? ---
**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 26, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/72 "2014-08-26T17:51:04Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > It might make for a fun thread to identify Movie Stars who did indeed hit the ground running. > > Robert Duvall as Boo Radley comes close. The early nonsense roles that James Dean had are often mentioned but his big splash in _East of Eden_ made it feel as if he had fallen off a passing comet. _Galaxy Quest_ was the first movie credit for both Justin Long and Rainn Wilson. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/73 "2014-08-26T18:10:16Z")
I can think of two that haven’t been mentioned: Kevin Bacon’s first credited movie role was Chip Diller, the freshman Omega in _Animal House_ – in his underwear, no less. His memorable, oft-quoted line: “Thank you, sir. May I have another?” And Richard Dreyfuss had an uncredited role as a Boarding House Resident in _The Graduate_. His single line: “Shall I get the cops? I’ll get the cops.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/74 "2014-08-26T19:14:26Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I’m not sure where you got your timeline. He was cut out of The Big Chill. Lawrence Kasdan felt bad about that so he cast Costner as one of the leads in Silverado. The Big Chill came out in 83, Silverado in 85. In between he was one of the leads in Fandango, an overlooked gem IMHO. The release dates are easy to find but I’m not sure what it means in terms of when he actually did the work. Starring in Sliverado led directly into his superstardom. _Fandango_ and _Silverado_ came out after he turned thirty, just like I said: before he turned thirty, he’d pretty much just had the aforementioned _Big Chill_ deleted scenes, plus the Frat Boy #1 credit **Uncle Jocko** mentioned, plus the uncredited Man In Alley role from _Frances_, and et cetera. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/75 "2014-08-26T19:15:33Z")
Alan Rickman shows up as a hotel desk clerk in one of the Alec Guinness George Smiley series(_Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy_ or _Smiley’s People_) Patrick Stewart also shows up in a pivotal nonspeaking role, but he doesn’t count. ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/76 "2014-08-26T19:22:44Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > The best performance in AWOTM was Percy Rodriguez (Dr. Daystrom In ST:TOS) Nitpick: Percy Rodriguez did not play Dr. Daystrom. That was William Marshall. Percy did appear in TOS, but as one of the commador’s at Kirk’s court martial, not Dr. Daystrom. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/77 "2014-08-26T21:34:52Z")
One that surprised me: I was watching the legendary B-movie **C.H.U.D.** , and at one point two cops walk into a diner, swap some brief dialogue with the staff, and as I recall either get killed or called away on something CHUD-related within about a minute. The unnamed “cop in diner” roles were played by John Goodman (the same year he played the coach in **Revenge of the Nerds** ) and Jay Thomas (played Carla’s husband Eddie LeBec on **Cheers** and is currently a successful comedian, with a radio show on SiriusXM radio). ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/78 "2014-08-26T21:49:52Z")
> [@Johnny\_Q](#): > > Alan Rickman shows up as a hotel desk clerk in one of the Alec Guinness George Smiley series(_Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy_ or _Smiley’s People_) Patrick Stewart also shows up in a pivotal nonspeaking role, but he doesn’t count. Patrick Stewart doesn’t count because he seems to largely intermix very big famous great roles with minor roles in WTF? movies seemingly at random. I suspect he just really enjoys acting and doesn’t really care what exactly he gets to act in. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/79 "2014-08-26T22:47:02Z")
Last night I re-watched _Searching for Bobby Fischer_ and was surprised to spot William H. Macy in a small role. _“You want a tuna fish sandwich? I’m going to get you a tuna fish sandwich!”_ ---
**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:** [August 26, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231/80 "2014-08-26T22:57:46Z")
> [@cormac262](#): > > Nitpick: Percy Rodriguez did not play Dr. Daystrom. That was William Marshall. > Percy did appear in TOS, but as one of the commador’s at Kirk’s court martial, not Dr. Daystrom. Not a nitpick at all, mon frere. I was totally wrong; I had the names reversed; do I get any credit for knowing Dr. Daystrom was Blacula? Of course when you said WILLIAM Marshall, I wanted to holler back **Nuh-uh, Galileo Seven and Land of The Giants**. (DON Marshall) :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inauspicious-roles-early-in-their-careers/696231.md?page=5)