# Seeing famous actors before they were famous **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 13, 2011, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516 "2011-03-13T09:59:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/41 "2011-03-13T23:27:59Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > I think in Death Wish 2, there’s a young Lawrence Fishburne as one of the gang members too. > . Wesley Snipes played a gang member in Michael jackson’s “Bad” video. Now doing time for tax evasion. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/42 "2011-03-13T23:33:08Z")
> [@Rrose\_Selavy](#): > > A very young Leonard Nimoy appering in Dragnet 1954 > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2jCs5ZJu8w](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2jCs5ZJu8w) Nimoy also shows up in **Them!** along with soon-to-be-Davy-Crockett Fess Parker. Clint Eastwood also shows up in _Tarantula_, but he’s hard to recognize. My favorites are the [two on the left](http://rooneyrooney.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/mybodyguard_promo01.jpg) from _My Bodyguard_ and [this thug](http://cdn.mos.totalfilm.com/images/b/bananas-1971--300-75.jpg) in Woody Allen’s _Bananas_ Adam Baldwin, Matt Dillon and . . . well, you should recognize the third easily. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/43 "2011-03-13T23:35:45Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > At age 20, she appeared in an episode of the original Star Trek, “[Assignment Earth](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708419/)”. Yes, I remember it well. ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/44 "2011-03-13T23:36:14Z")
Did I miss it? But has noone mentioned James Arness playing The Thing From Another World in the movie of the same name (1951)? ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/45 "2011-03-13T23:37:47Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I know, these aren’t films, as asked for in the OP, but Reiner has become a well-known film director and Brolin has had roles in both theatrical and TV films. Not to mention [Meathead](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066626/). 😃 ---
**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:** [March 13, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/46 "2011-03-13T23:47:12Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Speaking of Rob Reiner jogged my memory. I’ve been watching Batman reruns on the Hub and have noticed Rob Reiner (in “The Penguin Declines”) and James Brolin (“Ring Around the Riddler,” “The Catwoman Goeth,” and “The Cat and the Fiddle”) appear in small roles. Also Teri Garr and Alex Rocco. On old episodes of _The Rockford Files_ have been Robert Hays, James Cromwell (oldest IMDb credit for each), Mary Frann, and Carlene Watkins (who would both go one to play wives of Bob Newhart on TV series). ---
**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:** [March 13, 2011, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/47 "2011-03-13T23:48:26Z")
Most of my favorites have been taken already, but there’s also: Charles Bronson as the silent henchman to Vincent Price in **House of Wax** Leonard Nimoy in **Zombies of the Stratosphere** Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner _both_ guest-starring in a pre-Star Trek episode of **The Man from U.N.C.L.E.** Nimoy again as a reporter in the Outer Limits Episode **I, Robot**. (Actually, lots of Star Trek alumni showed up in Twilight Zone and Outer Limits – including Shatnet several times, George Takei, and, I think, Jimmy Doohan) A pre-All in the Family Sally Struthers was “The Smothers Brother Dancer” on **The Smothers Brothers Show** A pre-Laugh-In Goldie Hawn played Ronnie Schell’s girlfriend on **Good Morning World** A pre-Laverne and Shirley Penny Marshall was a semiregular on **The Odd Couple** It still amazes me that Jim Carrey , long before his movie fame and pre-_In Living Color_ actually _starred_ in his own TV show, **The Duck Factory** , which was rapidly forgotten. Years later, when Comedy Central ran the movie _Earth Girls are Easy_ on TV they didn’t even mrention Carrey’s name in the promos. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/48 "2011-03-13T23:52:05Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Also Teri Garr and Alex Rocco. > > On old episodes of _The Rockford Files_ have been Robert Hays, James Cromwell (oldest IMDb credit for each), Mary Frann, and Carlene Watkins (who would both go one to play wives of Bob Newhart on TV series). James Cromwell also played Archie Bunker’s friend, Stretch Cunningham on “All In the Family” around that same time. I remember seeing John Travolta in commercials before he was in “Welcome Back, Kotter,” although I didn’t make the connection until much later. The same thing with Dustin Hoffman in those Volkswagen commercials in the late 60s. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/49 "2011-03-13T23:53:06Z")
Here’s one that amazes me that hasn’t been mentioned yet: [Ted McGinley](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0569337/). I think he’s played the “generic good-looking blonde surfer guy” for so long, he has become part of the scenery. He’s been a regular on Love Boat, Happy Days, and Married with Children, but his first major role was in Revenge of the Nerds. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/50 "2011-03-13T23:57:30Z")
He’s not that famous, but last night while watching “The Aviator,” I noticed that Matt Ross, aka Alby from Big Love, was in it. He played one of Howard Hughes’ engineers. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/51 "2011-03-13T23:59:06Z")
In retrospect, it seems that 1993’s **Demolition Man** had a pretty stellar cast. In addition to Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes, there’s also Sandra Bullock, Dennis Leary and Jack Black, before any of them became really famous. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/52 "2011-03-14T00:35:30Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > In retrospect, it seems that 1993’s **Demolition Man** had a pretty stellar cast. In addition to Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes, there’s also Sandra Bullock, Dennis Leary and Jack Black, before any of them became really famous. Don’t forget Benjamin Bratt, pre-Law and Order. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/53 "2011-03-14T14:14:10Z")
Watching [Singles](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105415/combined) recently I realized that it had a fascinating cast and right down the bottom is **Kissing Man** played by Paul Giamatti. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/54 "2011-03-14T15:13:21Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > It still amazes me that Jim Carrey , long before his movie fame and pre-_In Living Color_ actually _starred_ in his own TV show, **The Duck Factory** , which was rapidly forgotten. Years later, when Comedy Central ran the movie _Earth Girls are Easy_ on TV they didn’t even mrention Carrey’s name in the promos. I remember both - bits of the **Duck Factory** theme occasionally surface as an earworm in my head (“…but it sure beats workin’ for a living…”). Did Carrey have any actual lines in **Earth Girls**? In other news: Keira Knightley appears as a non-speaking flute student in fart-joke-movie **Thunderpants** , which I believe came out around the same time as her big debut in **Bend it Like Beckham**. And **Krull** viewers may spot the lurking of Liam Neeson in a minor role (as well as Todd Carty, for you _EastEnders_ fans). ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/55 "2011-03-14T15:22:30Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > In other news: Keira Knightley appears as a non-speaking flute student in fart-joke-movie **Thunderpants** , which I believe came out around the same time as her big debut in **Bend it Like Beckham**. > > And **Krull** viewers may spot the lurking of Liam Neeson in a minor role (as well as Todd Carty, for you _EastEnders_ fans). No this is all wrong **Thunderpants** was Paul Giamatti 10 years later but **Krull** was early [Robbie Coltrane](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001059/). ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/56 "2011-03-14T15:24:03Z")
He wasn’t exactly obscure at the time, but given his later turn in _The West Wing_ I love seeing Martin Sheen as the crazy future President in _The Dead Zone_. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/57 "2011-03-14T15:31:46Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > No this is all wrong **Thunderpants** was Paul Giamatti 10 years later but **Krull** was early [Robbie Coltrane](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001059/). I’m confused. What’s wrong about those? Neither Neeson nor Knightley were famous at the time of those appearances. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/58 "2011-03-14T15:33:19Z")
Coltrane and Neeson are both in **Krull** ; Neeson has a few good lines and even a nice death scene. Got quite a shock when I saw John Goodman and Jay Thomas in little throwaway roles as cops in **C.H.U.D.**. Goodman did it right after his role as the coach in **Revenge of the Nerds**. Lawrence Fishburne, mentioned earlier, has a small role as a hospital orderly in **Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors**. The credits list him as “Larry Fishburne”. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/59 "2011-03-14T15:33:23Z")
A young, unknown Jack Nicholson was in a couple of episodes of _The Andy Griffith Show_, most notably playing the defendant in trial with Aunt Bee on the jury. He is even questioned on the witness stand, but he doesn’t tell anyone they can’t handle the truth, which is too bad. I have to say, there’s something very incongruent about seeing Jack in Mayberry. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516/60 "2011-03-14T15:38:16Z")
**Michelle Williams** as the young version of the alien in _ **Species** _. [You can spot her at 0:25 of the trailer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8mWmRSVrbM). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-famous-actors-before-they-were-famous/574516.md?page=4)