# Same actor / Same Series...Different Roles **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 26, 2001, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358 "2001-11-26T20:56:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/21 "2001-11-27T00:27:04Z")
On the old “Dragnet” shows of the 60s and 70s, Jack Webb re-used actors all the time. There was one little, old, bespctacled lady who appeared in a dozen episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Venkman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ec9cab/32.png) [@Venkman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venkman)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/22 "2001-11-27T01:16:40Z")
MASH was pretty bad about this when it came to the “Korean” characters. The only specific example I can think of is the peddler who constructed a new clamp for them (same episode that Klinger loses Margaret’s ring); he showed up a few other times. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/23 "2001-11-27T01:43:52Z")
Thought of a few more… On Beavis and Butthead the character of Stewart’s father appeared as a teacher once. Not just the same guy doing the voice but the exact same character. There is one recurring character on the Simpsons which kind of fits this catagory. He doesn’t have a proper name that I know of; I guess he could be called “The Hapless Employee”. It’s a teenage boy with a high squeaky voice who is always put upon by Homer and others, and is working at a different place every time. Maybe it’s the same guy, and Homer just gets him fired all the time. Didn’t The Love Boat and Fantasy Island have guest stars return as different characters? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/24 "2001-11-27T02:06:45Z")
> [@](#): > > MASH was pretty bad about this when it came to the “Korean” characters. The only specific example I can think of is the peddler who constructed a new clamp for them (same episode that Klinger loses Margaret’s ring); he showed up a few other times. Mako played what seemed like more Koreans than there are in Korea. Continuing the Star Trek theme, Denise Crosby played Tasha Yar and Commander Seela. The same actor played Trelane and one of the smooth-headed-who-later-became-enturtled Klingons, I don’t remember which and I’m too lazy to go to [startrek.com](http://startrek.com) and look it up. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/25 "2001-11-27T02:14:16Z")
On Bablyon 5, Ed Wasser, who played Morden (no spoilers in saying he’s a bad guy–he’s obviously up to no good from the start) also played a tech in C&C in the pilot. The first time we rewatched the pilot, we were like, “Aaah! Watch out Takashima! It’s Morden!” ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/26 "2001-11-27T02:16:04Z")
there was this cop show called _Toma_. It was supposed to be based on the fact that some undercover cop named Dave Toma was a master of disguise, and was a real guy, to boot. One other gimmick the show had, was that the real Dave Toma played a different minor character in each episode. Does he count as an actor? I bet he had to join the union to do the show, so I say “yes.” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Frink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Mr.Frink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Frink)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/27 "2001-11-27T04:50:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Opus1 \* > \*\*The girl who played cousin Ellie for one episode on Married with Children turned up later as cousin Jimmy’s bride. Considering the tendencies of the Wanker side of the family, it wouldn’t have been at all surprising had she been the same character, but she wasn’t. \*\* Was that the girl that Bud Bundy lost his virginity to? If so, than she was played by none other than [**Joey Lauren Adams**](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Adams,+Joey+Lauren)–possibly one of the hottest actresses alive! In addition to those two appearances on _Married_, she also played yet another character in a spin-off called _Top of the Heap_. That show’s pilot was aired as an episode of _Married with Children_…So that makes _three_ different characters in the same series! ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/28 "2001-11-27T04:54:34Z")
The actor who played Lurch in the Addams Family series also played Thing. ---
**Author:** ![MattTheCroc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MattTheCroc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MattTheCroc)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/29 "2001-11-27T05:13:38Z")
Brian Thompson (Alien Bounty Hunter from the X-Files) played a vampire called “Luke” in the first two episodes of Buffy, and then played “The Judge” in two episodes a season later. Elizabeth Montgomery played Samantha and her cousin in Bewitched… ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/30 "2001-11-27T10:16:12Z")
Another _Married With Children_… Ted McGinley first played Peg’s alternate-reality husband in the _It’s A Wonderful Life_-parody Christmas episode before he permanently became Jefferson D’Arcy. I love _Married With Children_. ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/31 "2001-11-27T10:29:45Z")
Jon Lovitz guest starred on **NewsRadio** before replacing the late, great Phil Hartman. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/32 "2001-11-27T10:44:07Z")
Nobody will ever replace Phil Hartman. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/33 "2001-11-27T10:48:00Z")
In Home & Away, the actor who played Luke had already played Dave, Ben-who-married-Carly’s army friend who stayed with him in the caravan when Ben first arrived and met Carly. In Neighbours, the actor Darius Perkins who played Scott Robinson in the first series of Neighbours, before the show was cancelled and restarted starring Jason Donovan instead, turned up later as some psycho who tried to burn down Charlene’s caravan. Very caravan-dwelling, those Australian soap stars. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/34 "2001-11-27T13:36:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Larry Mudd \* > Nobody will ever replace Phil Hartman. ☹ Especially that no-talent ass-clown Jon Lovitz. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Punkyova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@The\_Punkyova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Punkyova)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/35 "2001-11-27T14:39:32Z")
On _Night Court_, John Astin had a variety of one-shot roles before he got a regular role as Harry’s father. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/36 "2001-11-27T14:58:46Z")
In the first season of Barney Miller, Steve Landsberg played a priest who got arrested. In the second season, he became Detective Arthur Deitrich, one of my favorite TV characters. ---
**Author:** ![justinh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@justinh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justinh)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/37 "2001-11-27T15:09:50Z")
dirty harry series: the guy at the other end of the gun in the “do you feel lucky punk?” turns up in a later movie as his partner. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/38 "2001-11-27T15:10:53Z")
The Local Indigenous Personnel on **M_A_S\*H** have already been mentioned. Before his recurring role as Col. Flagg, Edward Winter had a single guest appearance. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/39 "2001-11-27T15:11:54Z")
Also on Babylon 5… I think JMS’ mantra was “when in doubt, use Wayne Alexander.” Three roles that pop into my head were “The Inquisitor”, Lorien, and the Drazi “prisoner” in _Intersections in Real Time_. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358/40 "2001-11-27T15:26:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by frinkboy \* > **[Joey Lauren Adams](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Adams,+Joey+Lauren)–possibly one of the hottest actresses alive!** Adams also played multiple roles in Kevin Smith’s series of five ViewAskewniverse films, appearing Gwen in **Mallrats** and as Alyssa in **Chasing Amy**. Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, and others also played multiple roles in those films. –Cliffy [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-actor-same-series-different-roles/95358.md?page=3)