# People with two separate careers in show biz **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 23, 2016, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879 "2016-04-23T06:07:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/81 "2016-04-25T05:33:33Z")
Rush drummer Neil Peart has written several books, mostly autobiographical. The ones I’ve read were very good. The late Dudley Moore was a comedic actor (however, I must be the only person who didn’t think “Arthur” was funny) although he considered himself a concert pianist who was better known for acting. Anyone read Kim Gordon’s autobiography “Girl In A Band”? She considers herself a writer and artist who happens to play music. Her ex-husband, Thurston Moore, has done voiceovers for programs on the National Geographic channel. Dee Snider of Twisted Sister has done a reality show and written at least one book, and also does a lot of voiceover work. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/82 "2016-04-25T07:52:02Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Queen guitarist Brian May completed his PhD in Astrophysics in 2008 (he had left off on his studies in the 1970s, when the band took off). While music is still his primary career (and Queen has been touring in recent years, with Adam Lambert), he now has a sort of secondary career, mostly in England, as a celebrity scientist. He’s appeared on several TV astronomy / science shows, and co-written a [book on the history of the universe](http://www.amazon.com/Bang-Complete-Universe-Brian-May/dp/0233004807/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461559903&sr=8-1&keywords=bang!+brian+may). Brings to mind my all-time favorite Queen song: '39. I think that’s the first song he wrote that incorporated his field of study. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/83 "2016-04-25T11:29:53Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > I was thinking that Travolta essentially had two separate movie careers, unless that doesn’t count for this thread. Except that his two “careers” were basically just how critics looked at him. Unlike Rodney Dangerfield there was no break in his career. He continued to work up to Pulp Fiction. It’s just that after Pulp Fiction he had more choices. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/84 "2016-04-25T12:17:57Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Il Duce wrote Romance novels. A little off-topic, but too good not to mention. But are the novels themselves any good, or just the tidbit? People used to jokingly refer to the pair of Alaska (born in Mexico, lives in Spain) and Rocío Dúrcal (from Spain, lived most of her adult life in Mexico) as “our little cultural exchange”. Dúrcal won a version of “the Voice” c. 1970 and went on to a career as a teen actress/musical idol; later she found enormous success in Mexico, selling rancheras and other “classic” styles like Dunkin’ sells donuts. Alaska’s combined her long musical career with acting (one of the first “Almodóvar girls”) and presented a groundbreaking children’s program. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/85 "2016-04-25T12:54:53Z")
Chuck Barris had several different (very different) chapters in his show biz career. He started as a pop music songwriter. The biggest hit he ever wrote was “Palisades Park,” recorded by Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon. Later, he became a successful TV executive, producing game shows like \*\*\*The Dating Game\*\*\* and \*\*\*The Newlywed Game.\*\*\* But he didn't become famous to the world at large until he created \*\*\*The Gong Show. \*\*\* Barris didn't intend to host the show. He auditioned numerous potential emcees, but he just COULDN'T explain to any of the auditioners how cheesy and smarmy and phony he wanted the show's host to be. He kept having to interrupt their tryouts to say, "No no no, do it like THIS!" Ultimately, he realized that he himself was the only guy who understood what he was looking for, and he became the host himself. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/86 "2016-04-25T13:00:38Z")
Both Gummo and Zeppo Marx left their brothers’ act at different points, and both had long, successful careers in show biz… as AGENTS. Zeppo also made quite a bit of money through his efforts as an engineer and inventor. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2016, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/87 "2016-04-25T13:12:31Z")
And there’s the time Chuck Barris spent as a CIA assassin: > **[Chuck Barris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Barris)** > > Charles Hirsch Barris (June 3, 1929 – March 21, 2017) was an American game show creator, producer, and host. Barris was known for hosting The Gong Show and creating The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game. He was also a songwriter who wrote "Palisades Park", recorded by Freddy Cannon and also recorded by Ramones. > Barris wrote an autobiography titled Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, which was made into the film of the same name and directed by George Clooney. > Barris was born to a Jewish family in... ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/88 "2016-04-25T14:15:09Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Both Gummo and Zeppo Marx left their brothers’ act at different points, and both had long, successful careers in show biz… as AGENTS. > > Zeppo also made quite a bit of money through his efforts as an engineer and inventor. I was going to mention Groucho Marx, who had a major career in vaudeville and film as part of the Marx Brothers, then a second, solo career on radio and TV on _You Bet Your Life._ (Loads of people did the vaudeville/film/radio/TV transition; I’m not sure they all qualify as “separate careers”.) ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/89 "2016-04-25T14:34:01Z")
Will Smith? Went from rapper, to TV actor, to movies, to producer. Not saying any of it was good, but it was all popular. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/90 "2016-04-25T15:24:19Z")
Rob Zombie is primarily known as a musician, but has film credits all over the place as a writer, director, producer, actor, and probably a gaffer and a best boy! Glenn Danzig published comic books for a while, really disgusting, stomach-turning ones. Snoop Dogg appeared in porn; not sure exactly how separate that was from his day job, though. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/91 "2016-04-25T15:39:38Z")
Pornography star Andrea True became a successful disco singer in the Seventies. Her biggest hit, of course, was “More More More.” ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/92 "2016-04-25T16:42:09Z")
In the 1980s, Danny Elfman led the New Wave band Oingo Boingo, and is now better known for composing movie soundtracks. Genesis keyboardist Tony Banks has also written and conducted classical music. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/93 "2016-04-25T17:40:10Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > In the 1980s, Danny Elfman led the New Wave band Oingo Boingo, and is now better known for composing movie soundtracks. As well as the theme to the _Simpsons_. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/94 "2016-04-25T17:56:56Z")
Michael Strahan was a football star before taking over Regis Philbin’s chair, and is now going to Good Morning America. Richard Dawson, actor, and then host of Family Feud Chris Jericho - Professional Wrestler, leader of heavy metal group Fozzy and has a successful podcast Henry Winkler was the Fonz and now has a series of children’s books. Bruce Dickinson - Singer of Heavy Metal band Iron Maiden, written novels, wrote a movie, had a radio show, hosted a show on the discovery channel and was almost an olympic fencer. He also is a professional pilot, and flies a 747 and 757 for the band on tours, owns an aviation company, crafted a beer now being sold as Trooper Beer, as well as beating cancer. ---
**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 25, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/95 "2016-04-25T18:12:16Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > Brings to mind my all-time favorite Queen song: '39. I think that’s the first song he wrote that incorporated his field of study. It’s one of my favorite Queen songs, as well…and one of the only rock songs specifically about the time-dilation effects of special relativity. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/96 "2016-04-25T18:20:07Z")
OJ Simpson - Professional Football player, movie actor, reality TV star ---
**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 25, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/97 "2016-04-25T19:16:53Z")
> [@edwards\_beard](#): > > OJ Simpson - Professional Football player, movie actor, **reality TV star** I saw what you did there. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/98 "2016-04-25T21:35:37Z")
Freddie Prinze Jr is best known as an actor, but for a while he worked as a writer for the WWE. Billy Corgan, best known as singer of the Smashing Pumpkins, also is “senior producer of creative and talent development” for TNA wrestling. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/99 "2016-04-25T21:38:53Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Mark Hamill never found the kind of success after _Star Wars_ that Harrison Ford did-- or really even Carrie Fisher, who at least got a lot of supporting actress roles after. Hamill has very few credits. Carrie Fisher had a very successful career as a writer and script doctor. Hamill’s greatest non-Star Wars success was as a voice actor, at which he’s kept very busy. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879/100 "2016-04-25T23:54:03Z")
> [@edwards\_beard](#): > > Richard Dawson, actor, and then host of Family Feud Drew Carey started out as a standup comic, starred in his own sitcom, and is now the host of **The Price is Right**. Craig Ferguson co-starred on **The Drew Carey Show** , then hosted his own late night talk show and is now also a game show host. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-with-two-separate-careers-in-show-biz/752879.md?page=6)