# Name some "American Hugh Lauries," please... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 28, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783 "2010-02-28T22:52:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/41 "2010-03-02T04:31:21Z")
David Hasselhoff? ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@Short\_Guy\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy_1)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/42 "2010-03-02T08:15:51Z")
I’m not sure how “big” Tom Waits is in the US, but I’ve met quite a few Americans (American musicians, no less) who didn’t know who he was. Here in Belgium, he at least rings a bell with most people. Have I just met the wrong Americans? ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/43 "2010-03-02T08:17:14Z")
> [@Short\_Guy](#): > > I’m not sure how “big” Tom Waits is in the US, but I’ve met quite a few Americans (American musicians, no less) who didn’t know who he is. Here in Belgium, he at least rings a bell with most people. Have I just met the wrong Americans? I’ve heard of him, and that’s saying a lot. ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/44 "2010-03-02T08:26:00Z")
Whoops… ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/45 "2010-03-02T11:18:32Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > David Hasselhoff? See OP ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/46 "2010-03-02T13:57:27Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > Does being born in [Glasgow](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Barrowman#Early_life) make him American? :dubious: I bellieve he has dual citizenship. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/47 "2010-03-02T14:30:34Z")
[quote=“scifisam2009, post:31, topic:530783”] Alan Dale, that’s it! Now he’s on pretty much every major syndicated US show, hyperbole allowed. He’s famous in the U.S.? I’ve never heard of him. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/48 "2010-06-13T14:09:38Z")
completely opposite of what the OP asked for, Angela Lansbury ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/49 "2010-06-13T14:25:36Z")
I think there are probably a lot of bands who have had a couple of hit songs in the US, but became very popular indeed in some other country. Information Society, which I still have a fondness for, got quite famous in Brazil. (I also remember a European friend once asking me if I knew a great band called Paradiso, why hadn’t I heard of them, they were American? I was pretty sure that with a name like that they were not aiming for a US market.) ---
**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:** [June 13, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/50 "2010-06-13T15:36:54Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > I think there are probably a lot of bands who have had a couple of hit songs in the US, but became very popular indeed in some other country. Information Society, which I still have a fondness for, got quite famous in Brazil. > > (I also remember a European friend once asking me if I knew a great band called Paradiso, why hadn’t I heard of them, they were American? I was pretty sure that with a name like that they were not aiming for a US market.) Abba was far more popular outsidetheU.S. Boney M is practically unheard of stateside. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/51 "2010-06-14T01:22:52Z")
[quote=“acsenray, post:47, topic:530783”] > [@scifisam2009](#): > > Alan Dale, that’s it! Now he’s on pretty much every major syndicated US show, hyperbole allowed. > He’s famous in the U.S.? I’ve never heard of him. [Bradford Meade on Ugly Betty](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Dale), among other roles. (Oh, and that ‘Aussie Bloke’ is actually a Kiwi). I was going to suggest [Peter Allen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Allen)? Although not sure how big he was in Australia before heading to the US. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/52 "2010-06-15T23:27:05Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Abba was far more popular outsidetheU.S. Boney M is practically unheard of stateside. Doesn’t really fit the OP. Abba were Swedish and Boney M were formed in (West) Germany, with members from the Caribbean. ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/53 "2010-06-16T07:37:46Z")
How about the Scissor Sisters? They were huge in the UK in 2004 (they had the biggest selling album of the year) but were only moderately successful back home. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/54 "2010-06-16T10:49:35Z")
Lorelei King - she’s done a _lot_ of character actor work in the UK on TV/radio. Although she’s not a household name, many people will recognise her from TV and even more will have heard her voice without realising who it was (e.g. Wendy on Bob the Builder). > **[Lorelei King is one of the most successful and accomplished American...](https://www.loreleiking.com/)** > > Lorelei King is one of the most successful and accomplished American actresses working in the UK today. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/55 "2010-06-16T12:47:10Z")
> [@Wallenstein](#): > > Lorelei King - she’s done a _lot_ of character actor work in the UK on TV/radio. Although she’s not a household name, many people will recognise her from TV and even more will have heard her voice without realising who it was (e.g. Wendy on Bob the Builder). > > [http://www.loreleiking.com/](http://www.loreleiking.com/) I do recognise her! I remember her in Jonathon Creek and her voice was familiar then. Not from Bob the Builder - the UK has its own voice British actors. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/56 "2010-06-16T12:47:26Z")
musically, [Seasick Steve - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasick_Steve) ---
**Author:** ![yastobaal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/258eb7/32.png) [@yastobaal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yastobaal)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/57 "2010-06-16T13:44:40Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > musically, [Seasick Steve - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasick_Steve) Damn it. I’m reading through the other posts and whilst the second page was loading I thought Seasick Steve counts here. Musically awesome and keeps getting nominated for the best international male at the Brits (musical awards but geared towards pop music). ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/58 "2010-06-16T14:09:33Z")
But . . . does Hugh Laurie qualify? I mean, he’s not exactly unknown in the UK, is he? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/59 "2010-06-16T14:29:14Z")
> [@yastobaal](#): > > Damn it. I’m reading through the other posts and whilst the second page was loading I thought Seasick Steve counts here. Musically awesome and keeps getting nominated for the best international male at the Brits (musical awards but geared towards pop music). I saw him on Top Gear (which airs on BBC America here in the US), and was wondering who the heck he was. I was completely unfamiliar with him but the show host and audience seemed to know him. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783/60 "2010-06-16T14:50:52Z")
TrucCelt, you’re quite right. Hugh Laurie was already quite well known in the U.K. when _House_ began showing, so he’s not an example of someone more well known outside his own country than in his country. But we discussed that on the first page of this thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-american-hugh-lauries-please/530783.md?page=4)