David Hasselhoff?
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?
I’ve heard of him, and that’s saying a lot.
Whoops…
See OP
I bellieve he has dual citizenship.
[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.
completely opposite of what the OP asked for, Angela Lansbury
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.
[quote=“acsenray, post:47, topic:530783”]
Bradford Meade on Ugly Betty, among other roles. (Oh, and that ‘Aussie Bloke’ is actually a Kiwi).
I was going to suggest Peter Allen? Although not sure how big he was in Australia before heading to the US.
Doesn’t really fit the OP. Abba were Swedish and Boney M were formed in (West) Germany, with members from the Caribbean.
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.
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).
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.
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).
But . . . does Hugh Laurie qualify? I mean, he’s not exactly unknown in the UK, is he?
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.
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.