# Portrayed/appeared in same film **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 29, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123 "2008-10-29T18:14:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/1 "2008-10-29T18:14:44Z")
You know, like Kevin Costner played Jim Garrison in **JFK** and Jim Garrison himself played Earl Warren in the same film. Well, I saw a tremendous new British independent film last night called **Telstar** , the sad but true story of a noted 60s British record producer who famously turned down the chance to produce The Beatles but also produced the first ever record by a British group to top the US charts (the eponymous Telstar by The Tornados). The film featured at least four people who were also portrayed as characters. Thus: Chas Hodges - played by Ralf Little and appeared as a disgruntled neighbour Clem Cattini - played by James Cordon and appeared as a chauffeur Jess Conrad - played by Nigel Harman but appeared as “Larry Parnes” and, best of all John Leyton - played by Callum Dixon but appeared as the bloke awarding a gold disc to Joe Meek and John Leyton (i.e. his 1961 self) for his number 1 hit “Johnny Remember Me”. Any more notable instances of this? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/2 "2008-10-29T18:17:45Z")
Larry Flynt played a judge in _The People vs Larry Flynt_ ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/3 "2008-10-29T18:19:32Z")
**Chuck Yeager** appears in _The Right Stuff_ as a bartender at Pancho’s. He’s portrayed in the movie by Sam Shepard. **Jim Lovell** appears in _Apollo 13_ as the captain of the aircraft carrier that retrieves the astronauts after splashdown. He’s portrayed in the movie by Tom Hanks. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/4 "2008-10-29T18:21:08Z")
Julia Roberts played Erin Brockovich, who appeared as a waitress (I think). ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/5 "2008-10-29T18:27:58Z")
Jerry Stahl played the rehab doctor in **Permanent midnight** based on his book ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/6 "2008-10-29T18:29:51Z")
Archival footage may be a bit of a cheat, but in **Chaplin** , Robert Downey Jr. as an octagenerian Charlie Chaplin stands on a darkened stage while clips of the real Charlie Chaplin’s films play behind him. (In an interesting bit of casting in the same movie, Geraldine Chaplin has a major role as her own nutty grandmother.) ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/7 "2008-10-29T18:39:25Z")
OK, I’m sure this also not what you had in mind, but Audie Murphy famously played himself in **To Hell and Back** , which in itself would technically qualify as appearing and being portrayed in the same film. But he was also portrayed by another actor (Gordon Gebert) as a child. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/8 "2008-10-29T18:39:50Z")
The real Rudy, Rudy Ruettiger, can be seen rooting for Rudy in the stands at the end of **Rudy**. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/9 "2008-10-29T18:45:18Z")
Little Richard plays himself in the present day scenes of “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” and then someone else plays him (Miguel A. Nunez, Jr.) in the flashback scenes. Tina Turner is portrayed by Angela Bassett in “What’s Love Got to Do With It” but then plays herself in the very last scene when she’s performing. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/10 "2008-10-29T19:06:55Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > OK, I’m sure this also not what you had in mind, but Audie Murphy famously played himself in **To Hell and Back** , which in itself would technically qualify as appearing and being portrayed in the same film. But he was also portrayed by another actor (Gordon Gebert) as a child. And John Malkovich had the title role as himself in **Being John Malkovich**. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/11 "2008-10-29T19:07:31Z")
Gene Hackman played Popeye Doyle, a fictionalized version of real-life cop **Eddie Egan** in **The French Connection**. Egan appeared in The French Connection as Simonson > **[The French Connection (1971) ⭐ 7.7 | Action, Crime, Drama](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067116/)** > > 1h 44m | R ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/12 "2008-10-29T19:12:33Z")
How could I have forgotten this one? **Maria von Trapp** appears almost subliminally in **The Sound of Music** , in which, of course, Julie Andrews plays her: > **[The Sound of Music (1965) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059742/fullcredits#cast)** > > The Sound of Music (1965) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/13 "2008-10-29T19:15:17Z")
Al Jolson appears briefly in **Jolson Sings Again** , his film biography. Jolson wanted to play the role, but was refused, and the producers didn’t want him for a cameo, though he managed to get one. Eddie Egan – the basis for Popeye Doyle – made a brief appearance in **The French Connection.** Arlo Guthrie and William “Officer Obie” Obanheim played themselves in the movie **Alice’s Restaurant**. Though not quite what was asked, Geraldine Chaplin played her own real-life grandmother in **Chaplin**. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/14 "2008-10-29T19:19:37Z")
Not quite the same thing, but Hubert Selby Jr., author of _Requiem for a Dream_, appeared as a prison guard in the movie based on his novel. And one of Tolkien’s grandsons was an extra in _Return of the King_. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/15 "2008-10-29T19:20:19Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Julia Roberts played Erin Brockovich, who appeared as a waitress (I think). You’re right…and her name tag said, “Julia.” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/16 "2008-10-29T19:26:19Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Al Jolson appears briefly in **Jolson Sings Again** , his film biography. Jolson wanted to play the role, but was refused, and the producers didn’t want him for a cameo, though he managed to get one. Actually, that was a two-part biopic; _The Jolson Story_ and its sequel, _Jolson Sings Again_. Jolson appears as himself in a long shot in _Story_, but the real mind-blower in _Jolson Sings Again_ is a scene where Larry Parks (who plays Jolson in both films) meets Larry Parks (playing himself, just after being cast to play Jolson in _Story_). The real Jolson has a momentary cameo in _Sings Again_ as a man watching the filming of _Story_. The real Jolson provided the singing for both films, incidentally. ---
**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/17 "2008-10-29T19:28:04Z")
It looks like Ron Kovic appeared briefly in **Born on the Fourth of July** (according to imdb). ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/18 "2008-10-29T19:33:39Z")
Harvey Pekar appears as himself in American Splendor. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/19 "2008-10-29T19:34:08Z")
Jann Wenner, publisher of Rolling Stone, had a cameo in **Almost Famous** and was also portrayed by a young actor in the same film. Gary D’Addario played a bit part in **Homicide: The Movie**. A real-life police lieutenant, the character of Lt. Giardello (played by Yaphet Kotto in the series and movie) was based on him. Harvey Pekar was briefly in **American Splendor**. IIRC, Tina Turner appeared briefly at the end of **What’s Love Got to Do With It?** Some of the people in the gravesite scene at the end of **Schindler’s List** were portrayed by younger actors earlier in the film. Child and teen actors portrayed Howard Stern in the early part of Howard Stern’s Private Parts. His then-wife Alison had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it part as a telephone operator, and was portrayed by Mary McCormack. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123/20 "2008-10-29T19:49:06Z")
In “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” real lawyer Sonny Seiler played the judge. Got to chew himself out. (There were also a couple of locals playing themselves, notably Lady Cablis. Don’t know about Uga.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portrayed-appeared-in-same-film/470123.md?page=2)