# Long-running characters closely associated with a non-originating actor **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, movies\ **Created:** [September 2, 2022, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799 "2022-09-02T07:10:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/41 "2022-09-02T18:28:01Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > who played him in a short made for the 21933 Chicago World’s Fair Was it considered historically accurate? Amazing that Rogers is one of things remembered over that time span. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/42 "2022-09-02T18:43:20Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Was it considered historically accurate? Amazing that Rogers is one of things remembered over that time span. Judge for yourself: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QCyFy26VwW0/hqdefault.jpg "Buck Rogers In The 25th Century (1935) An Interplanetary Battle with the Tiger Men of Mars") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCyFy26VwW0) It was a lot closer to the comic strip than the Buster Crabbe serial. However, it was shot on a microscopic budget. It was essentially an advertisement for merchandise based on the strip. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/43 "2022-09-02T18:43:52Z")
@Cecil_Adams ---
**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:** [September 2, 2022, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/44 "2022-09-02T18:47:48Z")
Yul Brynner played the King Mongkut of Siam in the 1951 Broadway play, the 1956 movie, and the 1972 television series. But Rex Harrison played the character in the 1946 movie. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2022, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/45 "2022-09-02T18:50:45Z")
Here’s a sorta. _The Life of Riley_ was a popular early television show starring William Bendix as Riley. But the first season had Jackie Gleason playing the character. And before that, in 1948, two live pilot programs were aired, one starring Herb Vigran and one starring Buddy Gray. But before that, the show ran on radio for many years, with Riley’s voice being… William Bendix, who also starred in the 1949 movie. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/46 "2022-09-02T20:03:33Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > But Falk was not the first actor to play the character; that honour goes to Bert Freed, who took the role for a 1960 episode of _The Chevy Mystery Show_. Nothing of my own to add, but this was news to me. I could have sworn I saw this as a Falk _Columbo_ episode, but it was used on _Monk_. > **["The Chevy Mystery Show" Enough Rope (TV Episode 1960) ⭐ 7.7 | Mystery](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0540074/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_121)** > > 1h > **["Monk" Mr. Monk and the Airplane (TV Episode 2002) ⭐ 8.3 | Comedy, Crime, Drama](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0650624/)** > > 44m | TV-PG ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/47 "2022-09-02T20:06:10Z")
Caity Lotz has played Sara Lance on _Arrow_ and then _Legends of Tomorrow_ for almost ten years. I’d totally forgotten, but in the character’s first appearance, she was played by Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, who declined to continue when the character was made a regular. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/48 "2022-09-02T21:12:56Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Yul Brynner played the King Mongkut of Siam in the 1951 Broadway play, the 1956 movie, and the 1972 television series I saw him on Stage, in Hollywood. He _owned_ that stage. Man- you dudes have really cleared out everything I came to mention! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/49 "2022-09-02T22:28:32Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Bill Bixby, if he were still alive, would take exception to that claim, having played Banner for over 12 years in at least seven different productions, the earliest of which predates Norton’s role by 30 years. What I meant was that Norton originated the role within the MCU, much like Howard did for War Machine. Otherwise, it could also be pointed out that James Avery portrayed Rhodie in the '90s Iron Man cartoon long before Howard and Cheadle did. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/50 "2022-09-02T23:58:35Z")
Sharon Gless replaced the original Cagney on Cagney & Lacey, after Meg Foster in the pilot episode was deemed too butch for a show about 2 policewomen partners. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/51 "2022-09-03T00:21:33Z")
And Meg Foster was cast after Loretta Swit played Cagney in the original TV movie. Phyllis Coates played Lois Lane in _The Adventures of Superman_ during its first season, before being replaced by the better-remembered Noel Neill. But Neill actually played Lane in the 1948 _Superman_ movie serials. Of course, neither of them originated the role - that was actress Joan Alexander on the radio series. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/52 "2022-09-03T01:19:17Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Glenn Strange He was Sam the bartender on Gunsmoke. ---
**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:** [September 3, 2022, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/53 "2022-09-03T01:39:20Z")
Most people think Peter Graves is the head of the IMF in _Mission: Impossible_, but Stephen Hill originated the role. Different names, but Hill’s Dan Briggs is often forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/54 "2022-09-03T02:11:02Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > But I think that more people (at least in the uS) saw Ustinov or Branaugh in the role. I disagree. I would guess that more Americans alive today think of David Suchet. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/55 "2022-09-03T05:02:51Z")
Samantha’s husband was a Dick! ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/56 "2022-09-03T17:07:23Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > What I meant was that Norton originated the role within the MCU, much like Howard did for War Machine. Otherwise, it could also be pointed out that James Avery portrayed Rhodie in the '90s Iron Man cartoon long before Howard and Cheadle did. In my mind Norton is the only actor I associate with MCU Banner, since he so _perfectly_ captured the character. I actually had to scroll up and reread your post to remember Ruffalo’s name. ---
**Author:** ![Tarataratara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tarataratara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarataratara)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/57 "2022-09-03T18:08:23Z")
I think many people still associate The Doctor with Tom Baker or David Tennant. ---
**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:** [September 3, 2022, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/58 "2022-09-03T18:54:04Z")
No, John Pertwee. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/59 "2022-09-03T19:40:27Z")
Audrey Meadows is the Alice Kramden we all remember from The **Honeymooners**. She’s also the only cast member to receive residuals from the show (thanks to her shrewd manager). But the original Alice was played by Pert Kelton back when **The Honeymooners** was still a sketch routine on **The Jackie Gleason Show** (1952). She was replaced after being blacklisted. At first Gleason didn’t want Meadows cast because he felt she was too young and pretty for the part of his wife. So, Meadows uglified herself for her next audition and nailed the part. ---
**Author:** ![Tarataratara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tarataratara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarataratara)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799/60 "2022-09-03T20:20:04Z")
Christopher Eccleston. You never forget your first doctor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-running-characters-closely-associated-with-a-non-originating-actor/970799.md?page=4)