# "It should have been me!!" or former co-stars of the now rich & famous **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 19, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628 "2005-05-19T20:11:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/81 "2005-05-21T11:57:01Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Hill Street Blues – Betty Thomas became a director, and that’s about it. I wouldn’t turn up my nose at directing. Several stars of Star Trek went from in front of the camera to behind it, and quite successfully. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/82 "2005-05-21T12:20:38Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > There’s also Benny & Bjorn of ABBA. While they have written the moderate successful _Chess_, they can’t seem to get _Kristina fran Duvemala_ going. A musical version of _The Emigrants_? Cool! I’d watch that. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/83 "2005-05-21T12:38:20Z")
> [@Neidhart](#): > > A musical version of _The Emigrants_? Cool! I’d watch that. There’s a 3CD complete recording and a single CD highlights of the show in Swedish. They are expensive but very worth it. Excellent work! They’ve been “translating it into English” for about 10 years now. I could have done a translation in that amount of time. I so want this show to hit Broadway. ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/84 "2005-05-21T13:25:41Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Well, this isn’t quite the same, but I imagine Jeffrey (Captain Pike) Hunter must’ve seen lines around the block for Star Trek movies and conventions, and thought “Cripes, I’m a better actor than that Canadian ham Shatner! That should be ME!” I doubt that, had he lived, he would have cared. He had a very successful movie career and starred in two of the greatest westerns ever made: **The Searchers** and **Sergeant Rutledge**. Before Star Trek, Shatner was not well known. Since then, he’s worked alot but how many of his films have made any AFI lists? Outside of Star Trek, Jeffrey Hunter is very well remembered, particularly by western afficianados. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/85 "2005-05-21T13:38:39Z")
> [@Oslo Ostragoth](#): > > This [photo](http://www.imdb.com/gallery/mptv/1361/Mptv/1361/10813_0035.jpg?path=gallery&path_key=0083482) shows three girls. [Amy Linker](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0512921/) is the one I would consider the costar; she dropped off the face of the earth 3 years later. The third girl, [Tracy Nelson](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0625796/), has been woriking steadily. I’m obviously insane. I wasn’t thinking of any of those girls. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/86 "2005-05-21T13:55:03Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I’m obviously insane. I wasn’t thinking of any of those girls. I think you may be thinking of [Jami Gertz](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000415/). She was the antagonist of the show and has done quite well. She is the star of the terrible CBS Show, Still Standing. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Escorpio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@El\_Escorpio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Escorpio)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/87 "2005-05-21T14:04:10Z")
I seem to recall a 15 second ad awhile back for **Nash Bridges** , the cop show that starred Don Johnson and Cheech Marin, where the two of them are walking down the street and pass Philip Michael Thomas and Tommy Chong. All four of them give each other a bit of a cockeyed glance, and continue on. Pretty funny. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/88 "2005-05-21T21:58:35Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > How about Billy Cristal compared to everyone else on the cast of _Soap_? Some of the others had good careers in other sitcoms, but he’s the one who became a major film star. _ **Second link possibly NSFW** _ No bad images, but some of the wording might set off some firewall flags. Yeah, but [Richard Mulligan](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0612321/) was able to snag a bonafide [porn queen](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0752796/). Quite a resumé, huh! ---
**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:** [May 22, 2005, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/89 "2005-05-22T03:29:33Z")
The original cast of **Laugh-In** had their careers eclipsed by Goldie Hawn and Eileen Brennan (Lily Tomlin and Richard Dawson joined later). Most of the rest of the group went nowhere. It’s even worse for the **Laugh-in** revival in 1977. The new names went nowhere, except for a Scottish comedian (at least, at the time he said he was from Scotland) named Robin Williams. ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/90 "2005-05-22T13:07:34Z")
Clooney vs. the rest of ER Peirce Brosnan vs. Stephanie Zimbalast Cher vs. Sonny Lucy vs. Desi (as a TV star) SNL has delivered uneven stardom from a cast show: Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Chase, Belushi, Ferrel … Maybe one or 2 others have been major motion picture stars for a while (more than a single movie based on a SNL that bombs). Leaving scores who have not had that level of sucsess for any amount of time. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/91 "2005-05-22T13:54:14Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Beyond that, Han Solo was a secondary character in “Star Wars.” Mark Hammill must wonder why Harrison Ford became such a huge star, while he’s done little except cartoon voices. Is Hammill’s motorcycle wreck part of the reason? IIRC, it happened between SW and ESB. Didn’t they change part of ESB to account for the scars? I’ve always wondered if it contributed to his career fade. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/92 "2005-05-22T14:06:57Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > Didn’t they change part of ESB to account for the scars? Yes. Luke being mauled by the snow creature was added to explain Hamil’s injuries. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/93 "2005-05-22T14:10:07Z")
Years ago I watched _Gallipoli_ and I told friends that the star of the movie would become a huge international star. Of course I was referring to Mark Lee not Mel Gibson. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/94 "2005-05-22T14:21:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Mark Hammill must wonder why Harrison Ford became such a huge star, while he’s done little except cartoon voices. As I understand it, Hamil actually didn’t want to go the star route, perhaps wanting to avoid typecasting. So he went into theater and later got into voice acting (and you have to admit, he’s very good at it). And he’s quite well-off. What about Carrie Fisher? She pretty much fell off the world thanks to her drug problems after Star Wars. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/95 "2005-05-22T19:22:39Z")
However, Fisher’s had a successful career writing, and earned an Oscar nomination for _Postcards from the Edge_. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/96 "2005-05-22T19:41:31Z")
> [@jimmmy](#): > > SNL has delivered uneven stardom from a cast show: Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Chase, Belushi, Ferrel … Maybe one or 2 others have been major motion picture stars for a while (more than a single movie based on a SNL that bombs). > Leaving scores who have not had that level of sucsess for any amount of time. If I can throw in people who have starred in other tv series, you’re forgetting Dan Ackroyd, Billy Crystal, Jane Curtin, Joan Cusak, Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Farley, Dennis Miller, David Spade, Adam Sandler, Phil Hartman, Chris Rock, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Jimmy Fallon. Fallon is just starting out, so we’ll have to see what he does. I’ve left off a number of people who did ok in comedy careers afterwards, but aren’t really household names if you’re not an SNL fan. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/97 "2005-05-22T21:29:28Z")
There’s an old story from the infamous “1980/81” season (the first season post-Lorne Michaels season w/o any of the original cast members) that one of the new players - I think Gail Matthias was her name - was convinced she was going to become the next Gilda Radner. She supposedly strutted around the studio with a star attitude from the word go, and ordered Eddie Murphy around like he was a gopher, making him run errands for her. I wonder where _she_ is now? (Or any of the “stars” of that season, aside for ‘featured player’ Murphy?) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/98 "2005-05-22T21:46:31Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > There’s an old story from the infamous “1980/81” season (the first season post-Lorne Michaels season w/o any of the original cast members) Hmmmmm…you must be from an alternate universe. There was no 1980-81 season. THERE WAS NO 1980-81 SEASON!! la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la. I’m not listening!!! la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/99 "2005-05-22T21:47:52Z")
Now, there WAS a Gail Matthius. After not doing anything from 1980-81, she did a lot of cartoon voiceover work, including “The Tick” and “Spider-Man”. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628/100 "2005-05-23T01:49:48Z")
> [@](#): > > As I understand it, Hamil actually didn’t want to go the star route, perhaps wanting to avoid typecasting. So he went into theater and later got into voice acting (and you have to admit, he’s very good at it). And he’s quite well-off. “later”? Check out his entry at IMDB – he was doing cartoon voices _before_ he played Luke Skywalker. I was amazed to see that he’d already done Scooby Doo! His more recent turn on Scooby Doo must’ve been like Old Home Week. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-have-been-me-or-former-co-stars-of-the-now-rich-famous/304628.md?page=6)