# Movies that had multiple actors who eventually became famous **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [April 6, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488 "2021-04-06T15:34:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/1 "2021-04-06T15:34:33Z")
the movie the outsiders from 1983 had multiple major actors who went on to become pretty well known. Patric Swayze, Tom cruise, Rob Lowe, Matt Dillon, Diane lane, Ralph macchio, etc. any other movies like this that had multiple major characters who eventually became well known later? I know all actors start somewhere but ones where multiple ones star together before they water famous is what I’m looking for. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/2 "2021-04-06T15:41:01Z")
[Fast Times at Ridgemont High](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_Times_at_Ridgemont_High) > [@](#): > > The film was the [directorial debut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_directorial_debuts) of [Amy Heckerling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Heckerling) and chronicles a school year in the lives of sophomores Stacy Hamilton ([Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Jason_Leigh)) and Mark Ratner ([Brian Backer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Backer)) and their older friends Linda Barrett ([Phoebe Cates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebe_Cates)) and Mike Damone ([Robert Romanus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Romanus)), both of whom believe themselves wiser in the ways of romance than their younger counterparts. The ensemble cast of characters form two subplots with Jeff Spicoli ([Sean Penn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Penn)), a perpetually stoned [surfer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfer), facing off against uptight history teacher Mr. Hand ([Ray Walston](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Walston)), and Stacy’s older brother, Brad ([Judge Reinhold](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Reinhold)), a senior who works in entry-level jobs to pay off his car and ponders ending his two-year relationship with his girlfriend, Lisa ([Amanda Wyss](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Wyss)). > > In addition to Penn, Reinhold, Cates, and Leigh, the film marks early appearances by several actors who later became stars, including [Nicolas Cage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Cage), [Forest Whitaker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Whitaker), [Eric Stoltz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Stoltz), and [Anthony Edwards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Edwards_(actor)). Penn, Cage, and Whitaker all later won the [Academy Award for Best Actor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Actor), with Penn winning twice. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/3 "2021-04-06T15:49:24Z")
[Clueless](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clueless) Directed by Heckerling as well, with Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd, Jeremy Sisto. . . ---
**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:** [April 6, 2021, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/4 "2021-04-06T16:05:17Z")
[The Last Picture Show](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067328/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1971) The very first screen credit for Cybill Shephard and Randy Quaid, the second for Timothy Bottoms. Jeff Bridges had a few credits, mostly in TV. For that matter, Cloris Leachman had been a working actress for 20 years, but was never a “star” until she won an Academy Award for her performance in this movie. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/5 "2021-04-06T16:05:48Z")
American Graffiti has to be a classic example > **[American Graffiti (1973) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069704/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm)** > > American Graffiti (1973) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/6 "2021-04-06T16:06:30Z")
_[Mystery Team](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_Team)_ had the first feature film appearances of Aubrey Plaza and Donald Glover. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/7 "2021-04-06T16:07:02Z")
_School Ties_, starring Brendan Fraser, had Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Chris O’Donnell in supporting roles. This was in 1992, before any of them were household names. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/8 "2021-04-06T16:15:33Z")
[Footloose](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087277/) had Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Diane Wiest, Chris Penn, and Sarah Jessica Parker. Kevin Bacon’s appearance in casts like this movie and Animal House led to his status of being no further than 6 degrees from any other Hollywood actor. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/9 "2021-04-06T16:24:23Z")
[Mystic Pizza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystic_Pizza) Julia Roberts, Annabeth Gish, Lili Taylor, Vincent D’Onofrio, and the first credit for Matt Damon! ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/10 "2021-04-06T16:26:30Z")
Swingers, with Vince Vaughn, Heather Graham, Ron Livingston, Jon Favreau. Seems pretty early in the careers of Vaughn, Livingston, and Favreau, at least. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/11 "2021-04-06T16:40:56Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > _School Ties_ , starring Brendan Fraser, had Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Chris O’Donnell in supporting roles. This was in 1992, before any of them were household names. The mention of O’Donnell reminded me of _Circle of Friends_ (1995), which had O’Donnell (by that point, fairly well-known, at least in the U.S.), but also featured several other then up-and-coming actors: Minnie Driver, Alan Cumming, and Saffron Burrows. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/12 "2021-04-06T16:53:10Z")
> **[The Breakfast Club](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Breakfast_Club)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American teen coming-of-age comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by John Hughes. It stars Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy. The film tells the story of five teenagers from different high school cliques who serve a Saturday detention overseen by their authoritarian vice-principal. > The Breakfast Club premiered in Los Angeles on February 7, 19... ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/13 "2021-04-06T16:55:03Z")
And, lest we forget: _Star Wars_. It was Harrison Ford’s breakout role, but also was what put Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill on the map. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/14 "2021-04-06T16:55:16Z")
> **[Diner (1982 film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diner_(1982_film))** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > Diner is a 1982 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Barry Levinson. It is Levinson's screen-directing debut, and the first of his "Baltimore Films" tetralogy, set in his hometown during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s; the other three films are Tin Men (1987), Avalon (1990), and Liberty Heights (1999). It stars Steve Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke, Paul Reiser, Kevin Bacon, Timothy Daly and Ellen Barkin and was released on Ma... ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/15 "2021-04-06T16:55:49Z")
Not a movie, but [Freaks and Geeks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freaks_and_Geeks) should get special mention. Linda Cardellini, John Francis Daley, James Franco, Samm Levine, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Busy Philipps. With guest appearances by Steve Higgins, Rashida Jones. Bianca Kajlich, David Koechner, Leslie Mann. . . ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/16 "2021-04-06T16:59:06Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > [Mystic Pizza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystic_Pizza) > > Julia Roberts, Annabeth Gish, Lili Taylor, Vincent D’Onofrio, and the first credit for Matt Damon! That was quickly followed by [Shag](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098300/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_90), also with Annabeth Gish, plus Brigette Fonda, Phoebe Cates, and Page Hannah (and the less recognizable Scott Coffey also). His career didn’t take off, but it also had Tyrone Power Jr. who descended from a long line of famous acting Tyrone Powers. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/17 "2021-04-06T17:04:42Z")
A number of actors were well-known in Britain and Ireland, but almost unknown in the USA. _Excalibur_ introduced many Yanks to Cherie Lunghi, Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, Gabriel Byrne, and Ciaran Hinds. _Krull_ introduced many Yanks to Lysette Anthony, Robbie Coltrane, and gave us another look at Liam Neeson. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/18 "2021-04-06T17:10:59Z")
I briefly mentioned Animal House before, it had: Tom Hulce, John Belushi, Kevin Bacon, Karen Allen were the really big new names. Tim Matheson, Peter Riegert and Bruce McGill had decent careers as well. A guy named DeWayne Arthur Jesse has an ongoing gig as Otis Day, the singing character from the show. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/19 "2021-04-06T17:14:45Z")
[Do the Right Thing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_the_Right_Thing) Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Martin Lawrence, John Turturro, Rosie Perez, Giancarlo Esposito, and Bill Nunn. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488/20 "2021-04-06T17:21:53Z")
**Death Wish** had small-role appearances by Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Guest, Paul Dooley, and Olympia Dukakis. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-had-multiple-actors-who-eventually-became-famous/939488.md?page=2)