# Singers who turned into actors

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681>\
**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:** 5\
**Page:** 5

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/81 "2008-11-25T04:58:05Z")

</div>

[Ethel Waters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethel_Waters)

[Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Edwards) became the voice of Jiminy Cricket for Disney.

[Phil Harris](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Harris) was another singer who became a voice actor for Disney (notably Baloo the bear in The Jungle Book).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/82 "2008-11-25T08:16:32Z")

</div>

> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> Billy Ray had a successful series called “Doc.” He is a passable actor.

True. I don’t think he’s all that bad on _Hannah Montana_, either - he plays a (stereo)typical sitcom dad, but does it well, and comes across as warm and sweet without being emasculated. Even makes fun of his “Achy Breaky”-period persona in one episode.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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 25, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/83 "2008-11-25T16:13:19Z")

</div>

Shirley Temple, or did she start doing both at the same time?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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 25, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/84 "2008-11-25T16:22:00Z")

</div>

> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#):
>
> Shirley Temple, or did she start doing both at the same time?

Temple started as an actress who sang and danced in her films. Her first films were shorts shot in 1932, when she was 4 years old. I don’t think she had any time to be a non-acting singer first. 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681/85 "2008-11-25T16:31:42Z")

</div>

> [@corkboard](#):
>
> Jack White (of the White Stripes); _Cold Mountain_

He also played Elvis in _Walk Hard_, and a couple other minor roles.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-who-turned-into-actors/473681.md?page=4)