# Singers who turned into actors **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 20, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681 "2008-11-20T18:23:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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:** [November 22, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/61 "2008-11-22T02:59:55Z")
Country singer Dwight Yoakum did a pretty good job in his role as a bad guy in _Sling Blade_, IIRC. ---
**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:** [November 22, 2008, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/62 "2008-11-22T03:01:17Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > …If he can remain elf-deprecating… What’s he got against Legolas? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/63 "2008-11-22T03:12:52Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Vanessa Williams (though, to be fair, she started as a (disgraced) beauty queen, then became a singer, then an incredible actress) And there are two Vanessa Williamses – the Vanessa on _Ugly Betty_ isn’t known so much for singing as the other Vanessa (_Candyman_. Anyone mention Frankie Avalon and Fabian yet? Comics – Robin Williams has a dual career, but he hasn’t been funny for awhile. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/64 "2008-11-22T03:51:36Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Charo 😛 No need for the smiley face. Charo was a respected [flamenco guitarist](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charo) - taught by no less than Andres Segova - before she became, well, Charo. Now, as for the “actor” designation… ---
**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:** [November 22, 2008, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/65 "2008-11-22T04:05:54Z")
The 1990 British movie [_The Krays_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099951/) starred brothers Martin and Gary Kemp co-founders of [_Spandau Ballet_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spandau_Ballet) who had a strong international career in the 80s. Both continued to act and are currently filming a movie together. Martin spent several years as a regular on TV soapie _EastEnders_ regularly winning popular choice awards. ---
**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:** [November 22, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/66 "2008-11-22T04:13:42Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > Unless I missed somebody saying it above, Bobby Darin wasn’t a bad actor. He was a tremendous actor. I caught him in Pressure Point, an excellent drama in which he played a convict alongside Sidney Poitier, who played a prison psychologist. Darin was also nominated for an Academy award for Captain Newman, M.D. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/67 "2008-11-22T04:33:21Z")
[quote=“kunilou, post:64, topic:473681”] No need for the smiley face. Charo was a respected [flamenco guitarist](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charo) - taught by no less than Andres Segova - before she became, well, Charo. \*\*Now, as for the “actor” designation…[/\*\*QUOTE] Hence, the 😛 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/68 "2008-11-22T04:40:08Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > And there are two Vanessa Williamses – the Vanessa on _Ugly Betty_ isn’t known so much for singing as the other Vanessa (_Candyman_. The one on Ugly Betty is the only one I’ve heard singing. [Here’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdusgXW_Wi4) probably her most famous song. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/69 "2008-11-22T04:57:15Z")
Mike Rowe of “Dirty Jobs” was a professional opera singer. He also does commercials and plenty of voice work. Erland van Lidth (Terror in “The Wanderers” and Grossberger in “Stir Crazy”) was also an opera singer. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/70 "2008-11-22T05:16:10Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > And there are two Vanessa Williamses – the Vanessa on _Ugly Betty_ isn’t known so much for singing as the other Vanessa (_Candyman_). The Vanessa Williams on _Ugly Betty_ had a [quite successful music career](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_L._Williams) after she resigned the Miss America crown. > [@Wikipedia](#): > > After time out of the spotlight, Williams secured a record deal, and released her debut album, The Right Stuff in 1988. The first single, “The Right Stuff”, found major success on the R&B Chart while the second single “(He’s Got) The Look” found similar success on the R&B charts. The third single, “Dreamin’”, was a pop hit becoming Williams’ first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #8, and her first number one single on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album reached gold status in the US and earned her three Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist. > > Her second album The Comfort Zone became the biggest success in her music career. The lead single Running Back to You reached top twenty on the Hot 100, and the top position of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart on October 5, 1991. Other singles included “The Comfort Zone” (#2 R&B), “Just for Tonight” (#26 Pop), “Work To Do” and the club-only hit “Freedom Dance (Get Free!)”. The most successful single from the album, as well as her biggest hit to date is “Save the Best for Last”. The song was #1 in the United States for five weeks, as well as #1 in Australia, the Netherlands, and Canada and was in the top 5 in Japan and the United Kingdom. The album sold 2.2 million copies in the US at its time of release and has since been certified three times platinum in the United States by the RIAA, gold in Canada by the CRIA, and platinum in the United Kingdom by the BPI. The Comfort Zone earned Williams five Grammy Award nominations. > > The Sweetest Days, her third album, was released in 1994 to rave reviews. The Sweetest Days saw Williams branch out and sample other styles of music that included jazz, hip-hop, rock, and Latin-themed recordings such as “Betcha Never” and “You Can’t Run”, both written and produced by Babyface. Other singles from the album included the Adult Contemporary and Dance hit “The Way That You Love” and the title track “The Sweetest Days”. The album was certified platinum in the US by the RIAA and earned her two Grammy Award nominations. ---
**Author:** ![phil417](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@phil417](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phil417)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/71 "2008-11-22T09:09:44Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > Dolly Parton. Yeah, yeah…point and laugh all you want, but as an actress, I love her. Me, too. Don’t know if they’re been mentioned, but how about Robin Williams and (in only a few roles) Sting? Love, Phil ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/72 "2008-11-22T10:41:30Z")
**Eminem** , who did a pretty good job in **8 Mile** **Beck** , if you want to count Futurama (and I do). Just because he was awesome on it. ---
**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 22, 2008, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/73 "2008-11-22T13:30:37Z")
It takes 72 responses for a reply mentioning [Ringo Starr](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringo_Starr#Films)? Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/74 "2008-11-22T13:31:38Z")
Kevin Costner was just in town and appeared on the Grand Ole Opry. I watched a bit on TV and pardon me, but that was awful. I think he wrote the songs and the one I heard was actually okay but his singing ,… not so much. ---
**Author:** ![TheVioletCreep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eb8c5e/32.png) [@TheVioletCreep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheVioletCreep)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/75 "2008-11-22T14:30:43Z")
High Fidelity (lasted a few weeks as a musical) Titanic (In progress I believe) Gone With The Wind (Never made it to the states) Bruce Willis…sort of O.o ---
**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:** [November 23, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/76 "2008-11-23T00:30:06Z")
I was listening to some old Bill Cosby records and this thread came to mind. Cos started as a stand-up comic, then went on to I Spy. He had three more TV sitcoms, _The Bill Cosby Show_ (1969-1971), _The Cosby Show_ (1984-1992), and _Cosby_ (1996-2000). He hosted and provided voice characterizations for _Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids_ (1972-1984) and starred in several movies such as _Mother, Jugs, and Speed_, _Uptown Saturday Night_, and _Let’s Do It Again_. Not the greatest of actors (let’s face it, he essentially played himself, no matter what he was in), but most certainly, very prolific, and popular, at that. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/77 "2008-11-23T00:56:59Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > and starred in several movies such as _Mother, Jugs, and Speed_, _Uptown Saturday Night_, and _Let’s Do It Again_. You forgot _Leonard Part VI_, _The Devil and Max Devlin_ and _Ghost Dad_. Oh…I’m sorry. You were listing the Cosby movies that DIDN’T suck. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/78 "2008-11-25T04:01:39Z")
Speaking of Vanessa Williams, it’s been almost 25 years since her incident. She’s arguably been one of the most successful former Miss America winners with her singing and acting careers (I’ve heard of many runner ups that became quite famous, but the actual winners rarely seem to). At what point does she get to live it down and not be reminded of it at every mention? I don’t think I have _ever_ read a mention of her that doesn’t bring up her “sordid” event. Doesn’t matter if it’s a 15 page spread or a one sentence mention (“Disgraced former Miss America Vanessa Williams has the new number 1 song this week.”), they all bring it up. ---
**Author:** ![Bin-Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@Bin-Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bin-Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/79 "2008-11-25T04:34:50Z")
Whitney Houston I’m optimistic for her comeback and am looking forward to more singing and acting from this very talented woman! ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/80 "2008-11-25T04:52:46Z")
John Denver and Olivia Newton John come to mind. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681.md?page=5)