Which one do you think had the biggest hits on TV and on the big screen? A balance act is needed of sorts, ruling out Tom Hanks.
Without thinking too much, I’d say Michael J. Fox. 2 very popular shows on TV and the Back to the Future movies.
Bruce Willis had some pretty big hits on the big screen and on the little one Moonlighting was very popular for a while.
He also made some real turkeys.
Alyson Hannigan: Willow in Buffy and also plays in the American Pie series. Hmm, relatively minor roles. But she will get better ones.
Let’s See:
Steven Spielburg, director of movies like E.T., Jaws, The Indiana Jones Series, and Schindler’s List, and also director/executive producer of two of the best American TV animation series not made by Mike Judge or Matt Groening: Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain. Also won several Emmys for writing. Not a real balance, but he has demonstrated unsurpassed excellence in both TV and movies…
Robin Williams, Mork on TV, Mrs. Doubtfire, and a lot of other movies. Also had comedy specials.
Chris Rock: His own TV show, and also have been in movies such as Lethal Weapon 3.
Sammy Davis. He had his own TV show, and also did a few movies with the Rat Pack.
Probably the luckiest guy of all: Rick Moranis. SCTV to start. He with Dave Thomas created the McKenzie brothers as a protest against Canadian censorship, and in so doing created two of the most identifiable Canadian characters. Not getting the joke, the Canadian government gave them membership of the Order of Canada.
This in of itself is almost impossible to top, but amazingly Rick almost did in the realm of movies, being in Ghostbusters, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids series, and Parenthood.
Steve McQueen (“Wanted Dead or Alive”) and James Garner (“Maverick”) were big TV stars who became major movie stars. Same with George Clooney {“ER”), Sally Field (“Gidget” and “The Flying Nun”), and Goldie Hawn (“Laugh-In” and “Good Morning World”).
Lee Marvin (M-Squad)would fall into the category as would, I guess, Burt Reynolds (Riverboat, Dan August, Gunsmoke). He adds a whole new category TV-movies-TV, but I guess so does Garner. Roger Moore (The Saint, Maverick) would definitely qualify. I am surprised no one has mentioned Eddie Murphy (Saturday Night Live). A lesser star on television, but a definite star on the big screen would be Raquel Welsh (What was that entertainment show where she was the Vanna White of her day?).
I am hesitant to agree with Chris Rock at this point. Does he have the staying power to truly be considered a “star” yet? The same goes, at least in my mind, with Hannigan.
And I hesitate to elevate Rick Moranis to “star” status also. While he has had a couple of starring roles, he is primarily a character “type” and not in the league with the others mentioned here. I would have the same critism of Martin Short and his ilk.
I am not sure where I would put Dan Ackroyd, John Balushi, Chris Farley and Bill Murray. Probably they would qualify. How about Kurt Russell? The series didn’t last long but he had them.
And what about Hogan of the Crocadile Dundee movies, I understand he had his own TV show in Australia.
Further, what about Richard Boone (Have Gun Will Travel)? He was definitely a big star on television and a regular and recognizable bad guy in films. Probably falls into that same area as Moranis.
Does Nick Nolte qualify? He had a couple of mini-series (most notably Rich Man-Poor Man) before he made it on the big screen.
Re: Sammy Davis Jr.–I definitely disagree here. He was a film star long before he ever appeared on television. Wasn’t he “Sportin’ Life” in Progy and Bess?
I think we have to also exclude such actors as Shatner and Nimoy whose stardom on the big screen came only with a reprise of a television series.