# Most Successful TV Cast (Post-Series Ending) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823 "2005-01-26T21:41:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BigDummy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@BigDummy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigDummy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/21 "2005-01-27T07:53:18Z")
> [@mza662](#): > > just a quick sidejacking, but who did Ted McGinley play in Happy Days? 😛 He was Roger Phillips on the last few years of the show (aka the sucky part). Even though they did bring back Pat Morita for that stretch, who’s done a TON of stuff since (granted, a lot has been some version of Mr. Miyagi). Also featured Crystal Bernard of the long running **Wings**. Speaking of **Wings** , that had Emmy winner Tony Shalhoub, Oscar nominated Thomas Haden Church, and Emmy nominated Laura Innes. And the 3 leads have all worked steadily, if not terribly successfully. Also wanted to give a nod to **Bosom Buddies**. Peter Scolari had the good run on **Newhart** , Thelma Hopkins was on **Family Matters** (yes it gave us Urkel, but people seemed to like it anyway), Donna Dixon was pretty high-profile after she hooked up with her husband, Holland Taylor has done a lot of Movies & TV including parts in some hits, and Wendi Jo Sperber worked fairly steadily for a while after that. Plus, Tom Hanks. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/22 "2005-01-27T07:58:21Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > Michael Landon had huge successes with **Little House on the Prairie** as well as **Highway to Heaven**. I think it’s still true that Landon is the only actor in TV history to have starred on three different series that lasted at least five seasons. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/23 "2005-01-27T12:27:15Z")
> [@BigDummy](#): > > Also wanted to give a nod to **Bosom Buddies**. Peter Scolari had the good run on **Newhart** , Thelma Hopkins was on **Family Matters** (yes it gave us Urkel, but people seemed to like it anyway), Donna Dixon was pretty high-profile after she hooked up with her husband, Holland Taylor has done a lot of Movies & TV including parts in some hits, and Wendi Jo Sperber worked fairly steadily for a while after that. Plus, Tom Hanks. Tom who? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/24 "2005-01-27T12:40:35Z")
Obviously, _The Mickey Mouse Club_ in all its various mutations. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/25 "2005-01-27T13:10:21Z")
I disagree. Most of the original 1950’s Mouseketeers faded into obscurity. A few of them – such as Bobby Burgess, Cheryl Holdridge, Cubby O’Brien, Darlene Gillespie, Lonnie Burr, Tommy Cole, Dennis Day, Doreen Tracy, Paul Petersen, Sharon Baird and an obscure actress named Annette – continued to perform in show business; however, most of them were fairly well forgotten. Of the 1970’s Mousketeers, only Lisa Whelchel continued to remain in the public eye. Julie Piekarski continued acting for a while, but most of the others faded away as well. ---
**Author:** ![kjckjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e36b37/32.png) [@kjckjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kjckjc)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/26 "2005-01-27T13:12:51Z")
There was this TV show I remember watching at the end of last February. I think it only lasted one episode, but I think they try to bring it back each year with a different cast. In my opinion it has one of the most impressive group of actors as far as their film work. Just look at some of the cast: Johnny Depp (Oscar Nominee) Ben Kingsley (Oscar Nominee) Jude Law (Oscar Nominee) Bill Murray (Oscar Nominee) Sean Penn (Oscar winner) Alec Baldwin (Oscar Nominee) Benicio Del Toro (Oscar Nominee) Djimon Hounsou (Oscar Nominee) Tim Robbins (Oscar winner) Ken Watanabe (Oscar Nominee) Keisha Castle-Hughes (Oscar Nominee) Diane Keaton (Oscar Nominee) Samantha Morton (Oscar Nominee) Charlize Theron (Oscar winner) Naomi Watts (Oscar Nominee) Shohreh Aghdashloo (Oscar Nominee) Patricia Clarkson (Oscar Nominee) Marcia Gay Harden (Oscar Nominee) Holly Hunter (Oscar Nominee) RenĂ©e Zellweger (Oscar winner) The show’s title escapes me. It was something like “The 76th Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards Show Jamboree Special Thingee” ---
**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:** [January 27, 2005, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/27 "2005-01-27T13:24:05Z")
**Growing Pains** had Alan Thicke, Kirk Cameron, Tracy Gold, and some kid named Leonardo. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/28 "2005-01-27T13:43:32Z")
Holy crap. I just checked out IMDb to see what Kirk Cameron’s done other than _Left Behind_ (pretty much nothing) and I was shocked to see he had a show ten years ago named \*Kirk \*that lasted two years. ---
**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:** [January 27, 2005, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/29 "2005-01-27T13:52:11Z")
**SOAP** had Katherine Hammond, Robert Guilaumne, Dana Cavona, Richard Muligan, and some guy named Billy Chrystal. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/30 "2005-01-27T14:13:30Z")
**[All in the Family](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066626/)** alumni did alright: **[Carroll O’Connor](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005279/)** had _Archie Bunker’s Place_, followed by _In the Heat of the Night_, plus several movies and TV appearances. [**Jean Stapleton**](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822958/) did a slew of TV and movie parts. **[Rob Reiner](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001661/)** became an outstanding director. [**Sherman Hemsley**](http://www.tvland.com/shows/aitf/actor5.jhtml) and [**Isabel Sanford**](http://www.tvland.com/shows/aitf/actor6.jhtml) had _The Jeffersons_, and Hemsley had a five year run on _Amen_. (Though it is curious that Hensley and Sanford are ommitted from the AitF entry in the IMDB; I wonder why?) And Sally Struthers? Lots of work saving children and hawking trade schools. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/31 "2005-01-27T15:01:45Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > **[All in the Family](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066626/)** alumni did alright: > > **[Carroll O’Connor](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005279/)** had _Archie Bunker’s Place_, followed by _In the Heat of the Night_, plus several movies and TV appearances. > > [**Jean Stapleton**](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822958/) did a slew of TV and movie parts. > > **[Rob Reiner](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001661/)** became an outstanding director. > > [**Sherman Hemsley**](http://www.tvland.com/shows/aitf/actor5.jhtml) and [**Isabel Sanford**](http://www.tvland.com/shows/aitf/actor6.jhtml) had _The Jeffersons_, and Hemsley had a five year run on _Amen_. (Though it is curious that Hensley and Sanford are ommitted from the AitF entry in the IMDB; I wonder why?) > > And Sally Struthers? Lots of work saving children and hawking trade schools. Don’t for get **Bea Arthur** with _Maude_ and _Golden Girls_. ---
**Author:** ![dasgupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@dasgupta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasgupta)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/32 "2005-01-27T16:45:37Z")
> [@TV time](#): > > Don’t for get **Bea Arthur** with _Maude_ and _Golden Girls_. I don’t know, I just can’t seem to forget her in _The Star Wars Holiday Special_ :eek: ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/33 "2005-01-27T16:56:16Z")
> [@BigDummy](#): > > Also wanted to give a nod to **Bosom Buddies**. Peter Scolari had the good run on **Newhart** , Thelma Hopkins was on **Family Matters** (yes it gave us Urkel, but people seemed to like it anyway), Donna Dixon was pretty high-profile after she hooked up with her husband, Holland Taylor has done a lot of Movies & TV including parts in some hits, and Wendi Jo Sperber worked fairly steadily for a while after that. Plus, Tom Hanks. Telma (not Thelma) Hopkins is still going strong on UPN’s “Half & Half”. I’ve had a thing for her since she was the smart-aleck half of “Dawn” of “Tony Orlando & Dawn.” ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/34 "2005-01-27T17:58:09Z")
It’s just sad that the first two threads I’ve clicked on this morning contain detailed discussions of Ted McGinley’s career. ---
**Author:** ![BigDummy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@BigDummy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigDummy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/35 "2005-01-27T18:57:33Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Telma (not Thelma) Hopkins is still going strong on UPN’s “Half & Half”. I’ve had a thing for her since she was the smart-aleck half of “Dawn” of “Tony Orlando & Dawn.” Oops. :smack: That’ll teach me to proofread better at 3 in the morning. And to watch more UPN. I also thought she was kinda hot. > [@JThunder](#): > > Tom who? The dark-haired guy on the show. I understand he’s doing voice-over work now. Ted McGinley **ROCKS**! ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/36 "2005-01-27T19:18:11Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > **Bonanza** : > > Lorne Greene had plenty of work off the Ponderosa, including Captain Adama in the original **Battlestar Galactica** series. > > Pernell Roberts had a big hit with **Trapper John, M.D.** > > Michael Landon had huge successes with **Little House on the Prairie** as well as **Highway to Heaven**. > > Alas, Dan ‘Hoss’ Blocker died before the series went off the air. > > And I don’t know what happened to the guy who played Hop Sing. Also from Bonanza: David “‘Candy’ Canaday” Canary has been on All my Children since about 1984. Maybe most wouldn’t consider that a success, but how many actors do you know that have worked steadily for 20 years straight? And he’s good too! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/37 "2005-01-27T19:43:40Z")
> [@BigDummy](#): > > Also wanted to give a nod to **Bosom Buddies**. [Whatever happened to that Tom Hanks guy?](http://www.brunching.com/hankswhere.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/38 "2005-01-27T21:19:42Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > [Whatever happened to that Tom Hanks guy?](http://www.brunching.com/hankswhere.html) A blatant hijack: Sigh
 I love Lore! ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/39 "2005-01-27T22:12:00Z")
From pre-history: The Garry Moore Show had Carol Burnett and Alan King, as well as the redoubtable Durward Kirby. Writers included Neil Simon and Woody Allen. Sid Caesar had the same writers plus Carl Reiner as writer and performer. Imogene Coca did all right, but not great. Steve Allen (1956-1960 show) had Bill Dana, Louis Nye, Pat Harrington, Tom Poston, and Don Knotts. Laugh-In had a bunch of people who had varying levels of success, most notable of which are Lily Tomlin and Goldie Hawn. The cast of M_A_S\*H, of course, are co-owners of the moderate left, along with Norman Lear and his gang. ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2005, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823/40 "2005-01-28T01:43:47Z")
Let me submit for your consideration **St. Elsewhere** : Denzel, Mark Harmon, Alfre Woodward and Howie Mandel were made “stars” off of the show, tho Mandel hasn’t aged well career wise but had the required “_great success_” for a while after the show. Helen Hunt & Patricia Wettig each put in 2 years on St. E’s and got a nice step up on their careers, though their actual “star turns” came from elsewhere than Elsewhere. William Daniels, David Morse and to a certain extent, Steven Furst have had some success after Elsewhere – but WD and SF l were pretty well established before hand. Ed Begley Jr. has had some success post-show – he is fairly famous in fact despite not seeming to work much since [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-tv-cast-post-series-ending/286823.md?page=1)