# The Former Casts of Popular Shows: Most Successful and Least Successful **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 31, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992 "2013-07-31T15:02:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/121 "2013-08-02T02:51:31Z")
Man, I had such a huge crush on Staci Keanan. In addition to _Step-by-Step_, she was also on _My Two Dads_. (I’m not a perv–she’s my age!) [According to IMDB, she’s still gorgeous.](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0443824/?ref_=tt_cl_t3) Speaking of _My Two Dads_: For most successful, you might guess Paul Reiser, who was the star of _Mad About You_ which ran several seasons and was very popular. He also has had some minor movie roles. His recent attempt at a sitcom failed miserably. But Giovanni Ribisi, who has had a pretty great career in movies, including the biggest movie of all time, had a supporting role in the show. He also had some notable recurring roles in the series \*Friends \*and _My Name is Earl_. I’d go with Ribisi, hands down. Least successful–maybe Keanan or Dick Butkus (as far as Hollywood work goes). Greg Evigan (the other _Dad_ besides Reiser) hasn’t done anything too notable, but has had steady work. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/122 "2013-08-02T02:58:26Z")
I can’t decide on who’s ‘most’: Carrey, Fox, Rock, Lopez. One has the most movies, one won an Oscar, one hosted the Oscars, one is --you know. Least: Shawn Wayans. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2013, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/123 "2013-08-02T03:08:09Z")
**The Mickey Mouse Club** 1950’s Most - Annette Least - Karen Pendleton was paralyzed in a car accident and Doreen Tracy pretty much ended what career she had left when she did a nude layout in a skin magazine. 1970’s Most - Lisa Whelchel Least - Pretty much everyone else, but we’ll go with Allison Fonte, who has no other credits 1990’s Most - Take your pick - Christina Aguilera, Brittney Spears or Justin Timberlake. Or, for good measure, Keri Russell and Bill Nye (the Science Guy.) Least - Tiffini Hale appeared on as many episodes as any cast member and has only one other credit – as Tiffini Hale, the Mouseketeer. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/124 "2013-08-02T03:10:26Z")
^ I would say Michael Landon. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/125 "2013-08-02T04:10:13Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > “Charlie’s Angels” > Jacklyn Smith - most > Cheryl Ladd - least > [@GuanoLad](#): > > Kate Jackson was in _Scarecrow and Mrs King_ for four years. That trumps Jaclyn Smith I think. > [@the\_diego](#): > > Smith was the mini-series queen. Too many appearances to recall. I think you’re a little off, Cheryl Ladd has done pretty well and Tanya Roberts had the 70’s show. Shelly Hack is the least successful angel. Here’s a tough one **Alice** Most - Diane Ladd Least - Beth Howland beats Philip McKeon by a nose. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/126 "2013-08-02T04:11:53Z")
Tim Reid went on to a successful stint in **Duran Duran**. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/127 "2013-08-02T04:18:33Z")
> [@Sparky812](#): > > Shelly Hack is the least successful angel. She didn’t even come to mind. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/128 "2013-08-02T04:34:39Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > She didn’t even come to mind. 😃 There’s also Farah Fawcett. Sad one: **Diff’rent Strokes** Most - Mary Jo Catlett Least - Todd Bridges Of course, everyone else is dead. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/129 "2013-08-02T04:39:04Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > **The Mickey Mouse Club** > > [snip] > > 1990’s > Most - Take your pick - Christina Aguilera, Brittney Spears or Justin Timberlake. Or, for good measure, Keri Russell and Bill Nye (the Science Guy.) > Least - Tiffini Hale appeared on as many episodes as any cast member and has only one other credit – as Tiffini Hale, the Mouseketeer. Looking at [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Mouse_Club#Mouseketeer_roster) just now, it appears that most of the '90s Mouseketeers who went on to big things appeared in only the last two seasons (6 and 7) of the show.\* That list includes Aguilera, Spears, Timberlake, and also Ryan Gosling. In terms of success as an actor then Gosling is probably #1, although of the four his musical career has been by far the least successful. I don’t know that Tiffini Hale is the least successful; a majority of the former cast members listed on Wikipedia don’t even have their own Wikipedia articles. Clicking around on the IMDb I see that there are a few other former cast members who never acted again, although some of them have non-acting screen credits. But [Nita Booth](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0095776/) for instance has no non-_Mickey Mouse Club_ IMDb credits, although a quick Google does indicate that she went on to be crowned Miss Virginia. \*I watched the '90s _Mickey Mouse Club_ regularly for several years as a kid, and always kind of wondered why I didn’t remember any of the future stars except JC Chavez (who, along with Timberlake, was a member of boy band N’Sync) and Kerri Russell. After looking at the chart on Wikipedia, I realized that by the time Aguilera et al. had joined the cast I was old enough that I’d stopped watching. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/130 "2013-08-02T05:02:33Z")
**Will & Grace** : For a few years, it seemed that Megan Mullally was the one cast member to go on to bigger, better things but she seems to have flamed out over the past few years. Debra Messing is IMHO the most visible, even if her most visible role was the dreadful ‘backstage broadway’ thing. Eric McCormack doesn’t seem to do much anymore. At least Mullally _was_ visible for a while. **3rd Rock from the Sun** : Most successful: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who’da thunk the geeky kid on 3rd Rock would turn into a pretty major movie actor?) Least successful: French Stewart apparently was beamed back to whatever planet he was from and never allowed to return. I’m excepting John Lithgow & Jane Curtain from this because both of them were pretty much winding up their careers with this show. I would guess both of them made their money and decided to rest on their laurels. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/131 "2013-08-02T05:15:02Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Eric McCormack doesn’t seem to do much anymore. He’s on _Perception_, my favourite show currently scheduled, in its second season. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/132 "2013-08-02T05:52:33Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > I’m excepting John Lithgow & Jane Curtain from this because both of them were pretty much winding up their careers with this show. I would guess both of them made their money and decided to rest on their laurels. I don’t know… Lithgow still works pretty steadily. Among other things he had a memorable turn with a major role on season 4 of _Dexter_, for which he won an Emmy. I agree that JGL is doing bigger things, though. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2013, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/133 "2013-08-02T11:19:25Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > I’m excepting John Lithgow & Jane Curtain from this because both of them were pretty much winding up their careers with this show. I would guess both of them made their money and decided to rest on their laurels. Lithgow is all over Broadway (as is Megan Mulally) and Jane Curtin is currently in the new iteration of Unforgettable on CBS. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/134 "2013-08-02T13:28:12Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > He’s on _Perception_, my favourite show currently scheduled, in its second season. And he’s the voice of one of the Pound Puppies (47 episodes), for whatever that’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/135 "2013-08-02T14:15:33Z")
**Rawhide** : Most: Clint Eastwood, obviously Least: Eric Fleming ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/136 "2013-08-02T14:39:04Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > **Will & Grace** : > For a few years, it seemed that Megan Mullally was the one cast member to go on to bigger, better things but she seems to have flamed out over the past few years. Debra Messing is IMHO the most visible, even if her most visible role was the dreadful ‘backstage broadway’ thing. Mullally is still all over the place, imo. She does a lot of voiceover and guest parts. She does a lot with her husband, Nick Offerman. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/137 "2013-08-02T14:41:52Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > **Rawhide** : > > Most: Clint Eastwood, obviously > Least: Eric Fleming glub glub. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/138 "2013-08-02T16:03:08Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Tim Reid went on to a successful stint in **Duran Duran**. Once. For 20 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/139 "2013-08-02T16:26:01Z")
_21 Jump Street_ Best: this kid Johnny Depp Worst: maybe Sal Jenco [he was “Blowfish” Banducci] ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/140 "2013-08-02T16:50:07Z")
> [@Bit\_Wise](#): > > I’m surprised no one has mentioned the famously successful alumni of _Freaks and Geeks_. Most successful would be a toss up between James Franco, who is more critically respected, and Seth Rogen, who is probably the richest, with Jason Segel getting an honorable mention. > (Though if we’re allowed to include non-performers, Judd Apatow would be the real winner here.) > > Least successful: Of the main cast, it would have to be either Samm Levine or Martin Starr, though both are busy, in-demand actors. Of the supporting players, it doesn’t look like Natasha Melnick (who played Cindy Sanders) has had much film or TV work recently. Also in that show before they were famous: Ben Foster, (_3:10 to Yuma_, _X-Men: Last Stand_, _Six Feet Under_, _The Mechanic_, _Rampart_, _Contraband_, Busy Phillips, (_Dawson’s Creek_, _ER_, _Cougartown_), and Linda Cardenelli, who’s had success with _ER_ and _Mad Men_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992.md?page=8)