# Movie trivia: Stars who have played the same character separately appearing together in a movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025 "2014-07-13T21:36:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/1 "2014-07-13T21:36:32Z")
So a buddy proposed this bit of trivia last night: How many movies are there where two actors who have played the same character in other films appeared together? Example: Martin Sheen and Robert Duvall have each played Robert E. Lee. (Duvall in _Gods and Generals_, Sheen in _Gettysburg_). They appeared together in _Apocalypse Now_. We thought of a few other examples, but I’ll let y’all have a go at it to see if you come up with the same ones. The order of the films doesn’t matter. TV appearances are accepted. Of course it doesn’t count for purposes of the joint appearance when the two actors are playing the same character at different ages in the same film. You’d still have to find a different film in which they appeared together. What have you got? ---
**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:** [July 13, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/2 "2014-07-13T21:45:23Z")
Superman’s two dads in MAN OF STEEL were Robin Hood and the other Robin Hood. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/3 "2014-07-13T21:54:07Z")
Could probably fill two pages with Shakespeare roles. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/4 "2014-07-13T21:59:17Z")
[Rob Lowe, Tim Matheson and Martin Sheen](http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0027408/?ref_=fn_ch_ch_1) all played John F. Kennedy and all ended up on _West Wing_. Ditto with William Devane and Bruce Greenwood. They ended up together on _Knott’s Landing_. Heck, you could play this game exclusively with actors who portrayed Kennedy family members! ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/5 "2014-07-13T22:01:46Z")
Kurt Russell & Kevin Costner both portrayed Wyatt Earp & appeared together in _3000 Miles to Graceland._ ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/6 "2014-07-13T22:08:19Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Could probably fill two pages with Shakespeare roles. Derek Jacobi played Claudius to Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet. Years earlier, Patrick Stewart had played Claudius to Derek Jacobi’s Hamlet. Before that, both had appeared in _I, Claudius_. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/7 "2014-07-13T22:09:09Z")
Another one for playing Wyatt Earp…Kevin Costner & Burt Lancaster in _Field of Dreams._ ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/8 "2014-07-13T22:09:43Z")
> [@wedgehed](#): > > Kurt Russell & Kevin Costner both portrayed Wyatt Earp & appeared together in _3000 Miles to Graceland._ Good one. We were trying to think of a film featuring both Val Kilmer and Dennis Quaid, but couldn’t come up with one. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/9 "2014-07-13T22:13:21Z")
Does it count if one of the actors is playing the character in the same movie that both actors appear in? I’m thinking of **Nixon** , with Anthony Hopkins as Richard Nixon, also featuring Dan Hedaya, who had played Nixon in **Dick**. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/10 "2014-07-13T22:16:05Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > Good one. We were trying to think of a film featuring both Val Kilmer and Dennis Quaid, but couldn’t come up with one. How about Dennis Quaid & Stacy Keach? They were in _The Long Riders_ & both have played Doc Holliday. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/11 "2014-07-13T22:16:09Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > Of course it doesn’t count for purposes of the joint appearance when the two actors are playing the same character at different ages in the same film. You’d still have to find a different film in which they appeared together. So I can count Harrison Ford and River Phoenix as Indiana Jones so long as I add that they played a non-whip-wielding father and son in THE MOSQUITO COAST? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/12 "2014-07-13T22:18:23Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > So I can count Harrison Ford and River Phoenix as Indiana Jones so long as I add that they played a non-whip-wielding father and son in THE MOSQUITO COAST? Yes. Good one. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/13 "2014-07-13T22:19:40Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Does it count if one of the actors is playing the character in the same movie that both actors appear in? I’m thinking of **Nixon** , with Anthony Hopkins as Richard Nixon, also featuring Dan Hedaya, who had played Nixon in **Dick**. The judges will allow that. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/14 "2014-07-13T22:33:25Z")
Charlton Heston was Moses back when, and Christian Bale is set to play Moses this year, and once upon a time they were Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2014, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/15 "2014-07-13T22:44:01Z")
Don Cheadle took over for Terrence Howard as Iron Man’s pal Jim Rhodes of the USAF, but before that they appeared in the Oscar-winning _Crash_. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/16 "2014-07-13T22:45:52Z")
Wyatt Earp keeps giving & giving. Henry Fonda (My Darling Clementine) & James Stewart (Cheyenne Autumn) both played Wyatt & appeared together in _The Cheyenne Social Club._ James Stewart & Hugh O’Brian (TV’s Wyatt Earp) were in _The Shootist._ ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/17 "2014-07-13T22:52:26Z")
Alastair Sim and George Cole. Cole played the younger Scrooge in the Christmas Pasts scenes in the 1950s Sim version of _A Christmas Carol_, but the two appeared together in several other British films around the same time–some of the St. Trinian movies, _The Anatomist_. I thought they even played father and son in something, but I’m not finding it on IMDB. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/18 "2014-07-13T22:57:27Z")
And yet another Earp pairing. Burt Lancaster (Gunfight at OK Corral) & Harris Yulin (Doc) in _Victory at Entebbe._ ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/19 "2014-07-13T23:24:07Z")
The 1998 TV adaptation of \*Crime and Punishment \*starred Patrick Dempsey and Ben Kingsley. Earlier, both actors had played mobster Meyer Lanskey in **Mobsters** and **Bugsy** respectively. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025/20 "2014-07-13T23:25:43Z")
Just to get away from Wyatt Earp. 🙂 Frederic March and Spencer Tracy appeared together in _Inherit the Wind._ They had each played Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. March in 1931, Tracy ten years later in 1941. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trivia-stars-who-have-played-the-same-character-separately-appearing-together-in-a-movie/693025.md?page=2)