# Shows where “everyone” eventually had a part **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [October 1, 2023, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951 "2023-10-01T10:03:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/1 "2023-10-01T10:03:40Z")
It seems as if a lot of English actors showed up on Midsomer Murders ( if only until they died), and I’ve seen more than a few famous faces on Perry Mason, such as Harvey Korman and James Coburn. Any other shows that had a lot of pre-famous recognizable actors? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/2 "2023-10-01T11:01:36Z")
The Twilight Zone. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2023, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/3 "2023-10-01T11:21:07Z")
Chris Pine had his first credit on _ER_. Zac Efron had his second. Eva Mendes had her third. And tons of other actors were folks with only lists of single appearances in other shows - Shia LaBeouf, Rooney Mara, Eric Stonestreet and Lucy Liu. There were probably more. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/4 "2023-10-01T11:30:14Z")
Law and Order, somewhat famously. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/5 "2023-10-01T11:40:40Z")
The Australian soaps _Home and Away_ and _Neighbours_ churn through young talent. Chris Hemsworth and Margot Robbie are just some of the recent alumni, along with Craig Pearce The argument about why Australian actors are well-regarded in Hollywood is that these soaps give you excellent training. A lot of _Home & Away_ especially is filmed outdoors on beaches - the expectation is that if you are a young hunk or starlet you will turn up on time, know your lines and not waste time on multiple takes before the sun goes, and you are not special and will not be treated as such. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/6 "2023-10-01T11:42:03Z")
The Love Boat had a large number of guest stars per episode, and thus many many well known at the time and wellknown later folks > **[The Love Boat (TV Series 1977–1987) - IMDb](https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0075529/fullcredits/cast)** > > The Love Boat (TV Series 1977–1987) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/7 "2023-10-01T11:46:02Z")
We recently burned through [Marple (2004-2013)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1734537/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_marple) on Amazon Prime. It was a cavalcade of recognizable British names. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/8 "2023-10-01T11:51:13Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Law and Order, somewhat famously. A friend of mine from acting school _twice_ played the nameless opening witness, a couple seasons apart (“I was just walking by and saw the body in the bushes / heard the noise in the alley / etc”). Just a nice generic urban face, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/9 "2023-10-01T12:11:25Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Law and Order, somewhat famously. And _Third Watch_, which can be found alongside _Law and Order_ in just about every middle-aged stage actor’s Playbill bio. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/10 "2023-10-01T12:14:59Z")
I was going to add: _Perry Mason_. Tripler I wish I knew how to type his ‘catch tune’ with the crescendo of horns & strings. ---
**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 1, 2023, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/11 "2023-10-01T13:38:07Z")
_The Outer Limits_. The original had upcoming actors William Shatner, Robert Culp, Robert Duvall, Ivan Dixon, Edward “Chief” Platt, Dabney Coleman, Martin Landau, David McCallum, Leonard Nimoy, Carrol O’Connor, Sally Kellerman, James Sikking, Donald Pleasance, Adam West, Nick Adams, Barry Morse, Martin Sheen, Grace Lee Whitney, Bruce Dern, et al. (I’m not listing actors who were established before the show) ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/12 "2023-10-01T13:55:27Z")
The downside of looking people up on Prime when I see them is that it doesn’t list everything they’ve done, so I don’t know if they’re on Perry Mason early in their career or if it’s after they’re well-known. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/13 "2023-10-01T14:37:34Z")
FWIW, **The Wild Wild West** had a metric tonne of guest stars that were on **Star Trek** , as these lists will attest: > [@Spotting Star Trek actors in other programs](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/1587): > > Partial list of Wild Wild West actors appearing on Star Trek (TOS): Dick Cangey - Otto (Space Seed) Bob Herron - J. Hunter stunt double Michael Dunn - Dr. Loveless Chuck O’Brien - Shatner stunt double William Schallert Robert Phillips - The Cage Arthur Batanides - D’Amato Walter Edmonton - Balok voice Anthony Caruso - Oxmyx Theodore Marcuse - Korob Paul Comi - Stiles Gregg Palmer - Spectre of the Gun Morgan Farley - Archons/Omega Glory Jon Lormer - Archons Sebastian Tom - Shore Le… > [@Spotting Star Trek actors in other programs](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/1591): > > Wild Wild West list continued: Walter Soo Hoo - Crewman (Man Trap) Phil Adams - Klingon/stunts/Shatner stunt double George Samaya - Errand of Mercy Shari Nims - Sayana/The Apple Denver Mattson - Stunts/Little Girls Made of? Louie Elias - Crazed Crewman/Tholian Web Carol Daniels - Zora/Savage Curtain Roy N. Sickner - villager/Private Little War Walter Bacon - Onlooker/City on the Edge of Forever Al Wyatt Sr./Anti-matter Lazarus George American Horse - Indian/Paradise Syndrome Sam Bagl… Granted, many of these were bit players passed around from show to show. This is just for **ST** ; many other actors on **WWW** were in other movies/TV shows. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/14 "2023-10-01T15:09:58Z")
In just the three seasons I’ve seen of Columbo so far, they’ve got recognizable actors in super small bit roles. Marc Singer as a doctor on TV. Barbara Baldavin as a secretary with like two lines The woman at the beginning of Stripes. The one whom Bill Murray abandons in a cab. Has like one line in an ep Anitra Ford has ZERO lines in one appearance. I know these arn’t particularly famous people but recognizable for sure. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/15 "2023-10-01T15:36:24Z")
> [@Pavelb1](#): > > Anitra Ford You mean from, “Invasion of the Bee Girls”? Or that daytime game show… what was that called? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/16 "2023-10-01T16:48:11Z")
It seems that any time I look up an English actor, I find out that they were in The Bill. The Wikpedia entry even has a section dedicated to [Notable guest stars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bill#Notable_guest_stars). ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/17 "2023-10-01T17:04:28Z")
_Emergency!_ has John DeLancie as a San Francisco-based doctor. His character is a bit of a jerk, as I recall. Others I recall on _Emergency!_: Deidre Hall, Donny Most, Laurette Spang (pre-BSG), Anne Lockhart (also pre-BSG)Sharon Gless, Larry Storch, Dick Van Patten, Ruth Buzzy, Michael Conrad, Jamie Farr, Mort Sahl, Bruno Kirby, Vic Tayback, among many others. There was also “stunt” casting like Mark Spitz and his wife, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and other atheletes. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/18 "2023-10-01T17:07:13Z")
[Cheers](https://www.imdb.com/list/ls560379458/) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/19 "2023-10-01T17:53:53Z")
Gunsmoke must be a top contender, having run for 20 something years. According to [MeTV.com](http://MeTV.com), 60 young actors who later went on to greater fame appeared on the show: > **[These 60 famous actors all appeared on 'Gunsmoke'](https://www.metv.com/stories/these-60-famous-actors-all-appeared-on-gunsmoke)** > > The dusty streets of Dodge City are a veritable Walk of Fame. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951/20 "2023-10-01T18:48:51Z")
Just as _Twilight Zone_ had lots of “before they were famous” actors, the two Alfred Hitchcock anthology series had many as well. Just yesterday I watched the hour episode _Memo From Purgatory_ (3.10, 1964) with James Caan and Walter Koening, plus future studio head Lynn Loring. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-where-everyone-eventually-had-a-part/990951.md?page=2)