This thread seems to be wandering a bit.
Recently, Last Man Standing had two actors from Tool Time visit the show. Lots of self referencing humor (or humor attempts) in it. I liked the next door neighbor at the fence.
Shonda Rimes has certain actors she prefers to employ. Grey’s Anatomy’s Meredith’s parents both have roles on Scandal. I don’t watch either show enough to be sure of any other actors.
Quite a few TNG actors also did voices in Gargoyles:
Jonathan Frakes (Xanatos)
Marina Sirtis (Demona)
Michael Dorn (Coldstone)
Brent Spiner (Puck)
LeVar Burton (Anansi)*
Colm Meaney (Mr Dugan)*
- One-off character, at least according to IMDB. Others are recurring or regular for at least a season.
Also, Avery Brookes (who was in DS9 with Dorn and Meaney) made an appearance as the character Nokkar.
(And there was Kate Mulgrew as Titania, but she didn’t regularly appear in TNG or DS9, so doesn’t fit the actual theme of the thread…but certainly fits Gargoyles’ love of casting Star Trek actors. A few other Gargoyles actors also appeared on various Treks, but not as regulars, so don’t fit as well. Matt Frewer who voiced the recurring character Jackal had an appearance in the first season of TNG, right off the top of my head.)
Not only that, Van Williams and Bruce Lee appeared in character as the Green Hornet and Kato in the two part Batman episode “A Piece of the Action/Batman’s Satisfaction.” Both shows were produced (and narrated) by William Dozier. Bruce Wayne and Britt Reid were close friends but each was unaware of the other’s secret identity. Batman and the Green Hornet were adversaries as the Batman considered the Green Hornet to be on the wrong side of the law.
Isn’t it more of a case that there are only so many decent actors so of course they’re going to keep popping up together? And that when they do, the audience is more likely to notice it?
I never watched Matlock, but didn’t Don Knotts eventually end up with a supporting role on that? IMDB says 16 episodes for him. So he and Andy were together again, but different characters.
Oh, and Aneta Coursaut (Helen Crump) played a judge in 7 episodes.
Geoffrey Palmer and Penelope Keith seem to play a married couple in just about eery Britcom.
Do you mean Peter Bowles and Penelope Keith? He was in To the Manor Born, and then *replaced *Geoffrey Palmer in Executive Stress.
he was before that on radio with her in My Favorite Husband.
They first appeared together in the movie No Time for Sergeants.
Actually, they’re a threesome.
There’s more than that, though. If you pay attention to the bit players in either you’ll see some serious crossover. They shared of a lot of judges playing admirals and young lieutenants playing paralegals and such. It happened enough that I wondered at the time if there was some overlap in casting or production or somesuch.
Scott Foley is a regular on Scandal and had an extended story arc on GA.
Most of the Scandal regulars appeared once or twice on GA. E.g., Katie Lowes, Joshua Malina, Bellamy Young, and George Newbern.
The oddest of the bunch is Dan Bucatinsky: 27 episodes on Scandal as an actor, once on GA as an actor, but 48 GA credits as a consulting producer.
Now a more apt (?) contribution: MASH and After MASH.
I think there were some TV series in the 50s that “morphed” a bit. Changing networks, premises, etc., but keeping most of the same cast. I’m blanking on those (outside of the Lucy-verse.)
True, but Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy were both spinoffs of Happy Days (which was a spinoff of Love, American Style), so that may not qualify for the OP.
The casting director of Deadwood should get royalties from Sons of Anarchy and Justified, they’ve each recycled Deadwood actors so much. Looks like SOA casted about 14 Deadwood cocksuckers during its run, while Justified has so far only casted 11 cocksuckers. Justified still has a season to go, so here’s hoping they can make it to at least a baker’s dozen cocksuckers.
Leave It to Beaver fit this category, as did My Three Sons a few years later.
In the '70s, Wonder Woman and Buck Rodgers both “morphed” considerably during their runs.
This cast member has been crucial to many TV shows and movies as well: Heisler Beer.
Add “Jennifer Falls” to the list. (already cancelled, Jaime Pressly series)
Laurie Metcalf appeared on several episodes of Malcolm In The Middle as Lois’ (Jane Kaczmarek) sister.
Kaczmarek is returning the favor on Metcalf’s new show, The McCarthys.
OK, The Deadwood*Justified* connection boasts Timothy Oliphant, Jim Beaver, Garret Dillahunt, Brett Sexton. A few more that just one episode on Justified.
The Deadwood*Sons of Anarchy* had Paula Malcomson, Dayton Callie, Robin Weigert, Titus Welliver, Keone Young, Ray McKinnon and Julie Ariola