Two more:
John Goodman – Roseanne (TV); The Babe, The Flintstones, King Ralph as lead, and smaller but important parts in many better movies
George Segal – Just Shoot Me (TV); The Owl and the Pussycat, Fun with Dick and Jane, King Rat
Morgan Freeman: several parts on The Electric Company and was a regular on the soap opera Another World from '82 to '84. Starred in Lean on Me and hit big with Driving Miss Daisy, the latter earned him his first Oscar nomination as a lead actor.
Do I need to mention his second nomination for The Shawshank Redemption?
John Cleese
TV: Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Fawlty Towers
Movies: A Fish Called Wanda, Fierce Creatures, Rat Race, a whole bunch of Monty Python movies
Dan Aykroyd
TV: Saturday Night Live
Movies: Blues Brothers, Ghostbusters, Trading Places, Spies Like Us, Dragnet
Neve Campbell
TV: Party of Five
Movies: Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3, Wild Things
Comedy skit shows are definitely rich material:
Bill Murray
TV: SNL
Movies: Ghostbusters (and 2), Groundhog Day, Scrooged, etc
John Candy
TV: SCTV
Movies: Planes, Trains, Automobiles, Space Balls, Great Outdoors, etc
Rick Moranis
TV: SCTV
Movies: Strange Brew, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Spaceballs, etc
Updated–
Accepted:
Dan Ackroyd
Jack Benny
Ernest Borgnine
Pierce Brosnan
George Burns and Gracie Allen
John Candy
Jim Carrey
John Cleese
George Clooney
Russell Crow
Billy Crystal
Doris Day
Dame Judi Dench
Johnny Depp
Danny Devito
Michael Douglas
Clint Eastwood
Sally Field
Michael J. Fox
Morgan Freeman
James Garner
Tom Hanks
Woody Harrelson
Rock Hudson
Hulen Hunt
Shirley Jones
Danny Kaye
John Lithgow
Ben Lyon and Bebe Danials
Kyle MacLachlan
Lee Marvin
Steve McQueen
Mike Meyers
Robert Montgomery
Roger Moore
Bill Murry
Eddie Murphy
Ryan O’Neal
Meg Ryan
Burt Reynolds
Tom Selleck
French Stewart (really, really uncomfortable about this one)
George Segal
William Shatner
Martin Sheen
Red Skelton
Patrick Stewart
Barbara Stanwyk
Will Smith
Ann Southern
Marisa Tomei
John Travolta
Denzel Washington
Robin Williams
Bruce Willis
Lorretta Young
Rejected
Ron Howard - While a good, possibly great director this is calling for actors in the films.
Alfred Hitchcock (see Ron Howard) - yes he appeared in them but he was not carrying them as an actor).
Dick Van Dyke - Not sufficent starring roles and/or successful films.
Carrol O’Conner - Never really carried a film. Tended to be a supporting player.
Richard Dryfuss - Not long enough on the small screen.
Keifer Sutherland - (See Richard Dryfuss.)
Maura Tierney - Not the “star” of listed movies.
Bill Cosby - Not the successful films he needs to have carried although I seem to remember some good successes in his early years.
Craig T. Nelson - Doesn’t seem to be the necessary big screen “star” yet.
Need more information:
Neve Campbell Really carry the Scream films or merely part of the ensemble?
John Goodman - Yes he was the star but could * Babe* and for that matter his other films be considered successes? I’m leaning towards a yes, but I could use a push.
Sam Waterson - A good actor to be sure, but big “starring” roles?
Michael Moriarty - Wonderful, moving actor, but film carrying roles?
Rick Morians - Somebody push me one way or the other. I’m thinking probably but I need convincing.
Make your case.
Alan Alda - MAS*H plus such big screen successes as Paper Lion, The Four Seasons, The Seduction of Joe Tynan, Same Time, Next Year, Betsy’s Wedding, Sweet Liberty, and California Suite.
Dan Aykroid reminded me of another SNL star. John Belushi.
Went on to star in Animal House, Neighbors, and that supposed drama, * Continental Divide* (I think that’s the title; never saw the movie).
Then said to hell with fame and fortune, and speedballed his way off the tube and the screen forever.
Tim Allen
TV: Home Improvement
Movies: Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Santa Clause, Galaxy Quest
David Duchovny
TV: The X-Files
Movies: Evolution, Return to Me, Playing God, the X-Files Movie
Charlie Sheen
TV: Spin City
Movies: Wall Street, Major League, The Chase, Hot Shots, Terminal Velocity, Money Talks