# Same film series, same actor, different character **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 20, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646 "2016-01-20T01:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [January 20, 2016, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/41 "2016-01-20T21:46:55Z")
> [@glee](#): > > I’m certain that Stan Lee makes it a condition of using his comic-book material that he be given a cameo role in every Superhero film. > If so it’s not surprising that he plays a lot of (minor) characters. I understand he gives a pass on characters he didn’t actually write, like _Blade_ and _Ghost Rider_, and his bit in _Guardians of the Galaxy_ was cut (He was supposed to be in the post-credits scene with Howard the Duck and Warlock’s cocoon, giving the finger to the Collector, but they decided that might be too much bird-flipping for one movie). Anyway, it’s more of a tradition than an obligation. ---
**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:** [January 20, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/42 "2016-01-20T21:58:31Z")
Elmo Lincoln was the first movie Tarzan, and had bit parts in **Tarzan’s New York Adventure** (starring Johnny Weismuller) and **Tarzan’s Magic Fountain** (starring Lex Barker). Tom Conway appeared in **Tarzan’s Secret Treasure** as Medford, and **Tarzan and the She Devil** as Fidel. ---
**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:** [January 20, 2016, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/43 "2016-01-20T22:13:01Z")
Michael Parks was Earl McGraw in Kill Bill Vol 1 and Esteban Vihaio in Kill Bill Vol 2 He was also Earl McGraw in From Dusk Til Dawn, and both Grindhouse movies (Roadhouse, Planet Terror) ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/44 "2016-01-20T22:19:13Z")
Terry O’Quinn played 3 different characters on The X-Files: 1. Lt. Brian Tillman in the episode Aubrey 2. “Shadow Man” in the episode Trust No 1 3. Special Agent Michaud in the first X-Files movie. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/45 "2016-01-20T23:38:29Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Elmo Lincoln was the first movie Tarzan, and had bit parts in **Tarzan’s New York Adventure** (starring Johnny Weismuller) and **Tarzan’s Magic Fountain** (starring Lex Barker). > > Tom Conway appeared in **Tarzan’s Secret Treasure** as Medford, and **Tarzan and the She Devil** as Fidel. Jock Mahoney played a villain in **Tarzan the Magnificent** , then played Tarzan himself in **Tarzan Goes to India** and **Tarzan’s Three Challenges**. ---
**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:** [January 21, 2016, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/46 "2016-01-21T03:07:28Z")
Since most studios had contract players, it was pretty common in the 30s and 40s for actors in series to play different roles in the series. For instance, for Charlie Chan movies: Francis Ford played different characters in three different Charlie Chan movies. Frank Conroy was in two Charlie Chan movies, as different characters Thomas Beck was in four Chan movies. Marc Lawrence was in three (possibly four) of them Eddie Collins was in three (two of the names are similar, but not the same) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/47 "2016-01-21T03:13:34Z")
> [@HowSoonIsThen](#): > > All the James Bond ones are taken. Damn you all. Well, there’s Burt “Cato” Kwouk too (as Mr. Ling in “Goldfinger” and Spectre #3 in “You Only Live Twice”). ---
**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:** [January 21, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/48 "2016-01-21T03:16:58Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Mark Lenard most notably. He even meets the OP, since he played a Klingon Captain in ST:TMP and Sarek in ST:TSFS, ST:TVH and ST:TUC. He also played a Romulan in ST:TOS “Balance of Terror.” He returned as Sarek on ST:TAS “Yesteryear” and then again twice, I think, on ST:TNG. René Auberjonois played a Starfleet officer in ST:TUC and Odo on ST: DS9. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/49 "2016-01-21T05:46:02Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > Bruce Spence played the gyrocopter captain in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. Then he played Jedidiah the pilot in Beyond Thunderdome. > > Bah! ninja’d! only because some dude walked up to my cube to blab to me about nonsense. Ummmmm, is there any reason to think that they _ **weren’t** _ supposed to be the exact same character in both movies?!? Because I always thought they were obviously meant to be! 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/50 "2016-01-21T06:04:21Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Speaking of Mad Max - the villain Toecutter from the original **Mad Max** played the villain Immortan Joe in **Mad Max: Fury Road**. > > Warwick Davis played a few different characters in Return of the Jedi, Phantom Menace, and Force Awakens. > > Pat Roach played the airplane mechanic who got chopped up in **Raiders of the Lost Ark** , the head guard that got chopped up in **Temple of Doom** , and a gestapo officer in **Last Crusade**. I don’t think he got chopped up in the last one. [Ronald Lacey](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0479951/?ref_=tt_cl_t4) qualifies, too. He played Toht in _Raiders_ (the guy who grabbed the medallion barehanded), and a member of the Gestapo in _Last Crusade_. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/51 "2016-01-21T06:56:51Z")
I know the OP specified no TV shows, but someone’s gonna hijack this thread eventually and it may as well be me. In season one _The Sopranos_, **Drea de Matteo** had a brief role as a restaurant hostess (the scene where Dr. Melfi is told her table won’t be ready for hours, until Tony Soprano walks in and arranges for her to get seated immediately.) The producers liked her so much, she was subsequently cast as Christopher’s girlfriend Adriana La Cerva – though one could argue that she was the same character in both roles. Also in _The Sopranos_, **Joseph R. Gannascoli** played a minor role as a pastry shop customer (he’s the guy Christopher told to get lost shortly before shooting the clerk in the foot.) In subsequent seasons he was cast as gay mafia hitman Vito Spatafore, a clearly different character. In _Married…With Children_, **Dan Tullis Jr.** often appeared as a generic law enforcement officer, including an FBI agent who was tracking Steve Rhoades after he’d stolen an endangered owl egg. By season eight his character was codified into Officer Dan, a charter member of NO MA’AM. In _Game of Thrones_, King Tommen Baratheon was portrayed in seasons 4-5 by **Dean-Charles Chapman** , who previously had a small role in a prior season as a young Lannister prince who gets kidnapped & murdered. (Ironically, in earlier seasons, Tommen was played by a completely different actor.) ---
**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:** [January 21, 2016, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/52 "2016-01-21T08:02:01Z")
> [@HowSoonIsThen](#): > > All the James Bond ones are taken. Damn you all. > [@hogarth](#): > > Well, there’s Burt “Cato” Kwouk too (as Mr. Ling in “Goldfinger” and Spectre #3 in “You Only Live Twice”). Odd coincidence, I was watching _Rollerball_ just as I read that. Kwouk is the doctor trying to get Jonathon to sign the papers to turn off Moonpie’s life support. Which brings us to **Shane Rimmer** , he was uncredited in _You Only Live Twice_, _Diamonds Are Forever_, and _Live and Let Die_, and finally a submarine commander in _The Spy Who Loved Me_. > [@buddha\_david](#): > > I know the OP specified no TV shows, but someone’s gonna hijack this thread eventually and it may as well be me. For TV shows, it’d be tough to beat Jack Garner; he was in 26 episodes of _The Rockford Files_ playing at least a dozen different characters. ---
**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:** [January 21, 2016, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/53 "2016-01-21T08:06:39Z")
Hail Ants, in this article, Bruce Spence specifically says that the two characters were similar but definitely not the same person: > **[Returning to the road with Mad Max's original adventures](https://web.archive.org/web/20150514035348/http://www.gamesradar.com/returning-road-mad-maxs-original-adventures/)** > > “We don’t need another hero!” belts out Tina Turner during the closing title song to Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, the third chapter of George Miller’s ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/54 "2016-01-21T10:42:45Z")
Maggie Smith as Nurse Bowers in **Death on the Nile** and Daphne Castle in \*\*Evil Under the Sun. \*\* Jane Birkin as Louise Bourget in **Death on the Nile** and Christine Redfern in **Evil Under the Sun.** ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/55 "2016-01-21T16:28:44Z")
Can we include an actor playing multiple different characters in the _same_ movie? For example, Peter Sellers played Captain Mandrake, President Muffley and Dr. Strangelove (all main characters) in “Dr. Strangelove”. ---
**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:** [January 21, 2016, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/56 "2016-01-21T16:45:18Z")
Sellers was a slacker: [Kind Hearts and Coronets - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kind_Hearts_and_Coronets) ---
**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:** [January 21, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/57 "2016-01-21T16:55:21Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > Can we include an actor playing multiple different characters in the _same_ movie? > > For example, Peter Sellers played Captain Mandrake, President Muffley and Dr. Strangelove (all main characters) in “Dr. Strangelove”. Reminded me of another, [Graham Stark](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823174/?ref_=tt_cl_t9): Hercule LaJoy in _A Shot in the Dark_ Pepi in _Return of the Pink Panther_ Two hotel clerks in _The Pink Panther Strikes Again_ Dr. Auguste Balls in _Return of the Pink Panther_ Hercule Lajoy (again) in _Trail of the Pink Panther_ A bored waiter in _Curse of the Pink Panther_ Professor Auguste Balls (again) in _Son of the Pink Panther_ ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/58 "2016-01-21T17:37:02Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Sellers was a slacker: [Kind Hearts and Coronets - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kind_Hearts_and_Coronets) And if we allow for trick photography, Buster Keaton played an entire theater full of people (projectionist, on-stage performers, audience members, the orchestra, on-screen movie actors and IIRC even a performing monkey) in “Sherlock Junior”. At one point one of the characters (played by Keaton) says to another (also played by Keaton) something along the lines of “This fellow Keaton is certainly the whole show!”. ---
**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:** [January 21, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/59 "2016-01-21T18:01:06Z")
Minor correction: Keaton did this in “The Playhouse.” The most amazing thing about it all? The camera was hand cranked. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646/60 "2016-01-21T20:00:48Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Minor correction: Keaton did this in “The Playhouse.” The most amazing thing about it all? The camera was hand cranked. D’oh! Yes, quite correct. I have both movies at home, misremembered the name. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-film-series-same-actor-different-character/743646.md?page=4)