# 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:** 8
**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, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/141 "2013-08-02T16:54:18Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > glub glub. That would certainly limit his opportunities. ---
**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, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/142 "2013-08-02T17:21:11Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > **Rawhide** : > > Most: Clint Eastwood, obviously > Least: Eric Fleming in the middle Sheb Wooley, singing and screaming. Paul Brinegar, character actor and early portrayal of the grumpy cook type of character. ---
**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, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/143 "2013-08-02T19:19:28Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > in the middle > > Sheb Wooley, singing and screaming. > > Paul Brinegar, character actor and early portrayal of the grumpy cook type of character. Brinegar had steady work for a lot of years as a character actor. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/144 "2013-08-04T00:29:13Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > _Friends_: > > Most-successful: Jennifer Aniston, by a mile. She’s a bankable a box-office star as any actress in Hollywood these days. > > Least-successful: I’d say David Schwimmer, who, apart from some voice work, doesn’t seem to be doing much these days. I agree that he’s the least successful, but the voice work is high profile and I’ve seen him on major talk shows promoting projects recently. So he’s been doing something and still receiving recognition. I’d say for sitcom actors from ensemble casts he’s doing a lot more than most almost a decade after cancellation. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/145 "2013-08-04T00:30:34Z")
for “Get Smart” I think semi regular Bernie Kopell (Siegfried the Magnificent) was probably the most successful due to “The Love Boat”. Sadly, the gorgeous Barbara Feldon didn’t have the career she deserve. Speaking of “Love Boat”, would Gavin MacLeod be the most successful alumni of “McHale’s Navy”? Ernest Borgnine probably was more successful, Tim Conway had his successes and even Bob Hastings was doing video game voiceovers just three years ago. Least successful was probably most of the other PT 73 crew members except maybe Carl Ballantine. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/146 "2013-08-04T00:40:33Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > 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. I’d probably go with Kelly Coffield. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/147 "2013-08-04T00:45:08Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > 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. > [@Tangent](#): > > 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. At the peak of Mad About You, Reiser certainly did better financially and in terms of notability than Ribisi has over his entire career. That said, I like your pick. As for “least” are we just pretending Keenan didnt have a 2nd long running sitcom, that more than doubled the run of 2 Dads? ---
**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 4, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/148 "2013-08-04T01:36:32Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > As for “least” are we just pretending Keenan didnt have a 2nd long running sitcom, that more than doubled the run of 2 Dads? You’re right. I was thinking “post _Step-by-Step_” for Keanan (since that was what put her to mind in the first place) when I should have been thinking “post _My Two Dads_.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/149 "2013-08-04T01:55:34Z")
St. Elsewhere: Denzel Washington is the winner for most successful. Mark Harmon and David Morse have also done well and, inexplicably, Howier Mandel still has a career. Worst may be David Birney. Others in the show haven’t done much since but Birney went into the series with a solid career and it seems to have faded since he left it. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/150 "2013-08-04T16:12:05Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Least successful would be Morey Amsterdam, unless you want to include Larry Mathews (Ritchie). I don’t believe people like Morey Amsterdam (or Rose Marie) and Doris Roberts should be included in the “least successful” category at all. The high profile roles most of us remember them in ( **Dick van Dyke** show; **Everybody Loves Raymond** ) were roles they took after they peaked professionally, but were still going strong. Amsterdam (aka [_“The Human Joke Machine”_](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0025440/)), in particular had an very broad and successful career in show business as an actor, writer and producer in vaudeville, radio and television. He had his own television show ( **The Morey Amsterdam Show** ) in 1948 and in 1950 he hosted **Broadway Open House** , a precursor to the **Tonight Show**. He started in vaudeville at age 14 and had his last acting role in television at age 87, the year he died. I’d call that a successful career. As mentioned up-thread, I think the only **Dick van Dyke Show** regular cast member who could be considered “least” successful is Larry Mathews (the little brat, Ritchie), everyone else had varying degrees of success. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/151 "2013-08-04T16:24:07Z")
**Kate & Allie** Most: I expected [Jane Curtin](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004852/) to walk away with this one and would still give her the tip given her success on 3rd Rock combined with a bunch of smaller roles. But I was surprised to see that [Fred Koehler](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0462735/) and [Allison Smith](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0807278/) have had long steady careers of mainly playing one-shot roles in various shows. Least: As Dr. Mary Albright once said when the “[Susan Saint James](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0756634/)” story came on Biography – “Pffttt… who cares about her?” ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/152 "2013-08-04T16:37:59Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > **Kate & Allie** > > Most: I expected [Jane Curtin](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004852/) to walk away with this one and would still give her the tip given her success on 3rd Rock combined with a bunch of smaller roles. But I was surprised to see that [Fred Koehler](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0462735/) and [Allison Smith](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0807278/) have had long steady careers of mainly playing one-shot roles in various shows. > > Least: As Dr. Mary Albright once said when the “[Susan Saint James](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0756634/)” story came on Biography – “Pffttt… who cares about her?” Allison Smith also had a recurring role on _The West Wing_ throughout its run as Leo McGarry’s daughter. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/153 "2013-08-04T16:49:56Z")
Yeah, but that was 11 episodes versus 137 for Curtin in _3rd Rock_. I’d call Curtin’s _3rd Rock_ work much more significant towards “most successful”. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/154 "2013-08-04T18:14:41Z")
IMHO, [Sid Caesar](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0128377/?ref_=sr_1) is on the short list of funniest comedians and most talented entertainers of all time. He starred in two of the most iconic television shows ever created, with a cast and writing staff that skewed heavily toward “successful”: [Your Show of Shows](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042173/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast) and [Caesars Hour](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046584/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast), between 1950 and 1957. As much as I enjoy Saturday Night Live (off and on, over the years) and appreciate the talent of their casts and writing staff, I don’t believe SNL is in the same league as YSOS/CH with regard to shear talent and comedy chops. It is, of course, difficult to compare variety sketch comedy from different generations. SNL comedy is certainly more relevant to the modern generation (I straddle both the 50’s and modern generations and find both comedy styles funny), but I think Sid’s shows will stand the test of time better than SNL. **YSOS/CH:** Most successful Cast Members: Sid Caesar and Carl Reiner Close to the top: Imogene Coca, Howard Morris, Bea Arthur, Nanette Fabray Least Successful: Milt Kamen and James Starbuck Bonus: Most Successful Writers: Mel Brooks, Neil Simon and Carl Reiner Close to the top: Larry Gelbart, Sam Denoff, Bill Persky, Sheldon Keller and Mel Tolkin My wish is that we could time-warp the YSOS cast and writers to modern times and give them a 38 year run, like SNL (folding new cast members in as necessary). It would be comedy gold, I tell ya! ---
**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 4, 2013, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/155 "2013-08-04T18:16:07Z")
I don’t remember seeing **Soap** mentioned. Most: Billy Crystal Least: Actually, most all of the main stars had good careers. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/156 "2013-08-04T18:25:22Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Yeah, but that was 11 episodes versus 137 for Curtin in _3rd Rock_. I’d call Curtin’s _3rd Rock_ work much more significant towards “most successful”. Of course Curtin’s run on 3rd Rock was more significant than Smith’s on West Wing. I never said otherwise. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/157 "2013-08-04T18:26:52Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Of course Curtin’s run on 3rd Rock was more significant than Smith’s on West Wing. I never said otherwise. :rolleyes: Sorry then. Not sure what your point was. Both other actors had a few short-stint recurring roles, hence my saying “… **mainly** playing one-shot roles in various shows.” But, yeah… roll-eyes, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/158 "2013-08-04T18:37:18Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I don’t remember seeing **Soap** mentioned. > > Most: Billy Crystal > Least: Actually, most all of the main stars had good careers. Yes, Soap had some good talent (in fact, I wish the criteria for this OP’s “most/least” dealt with talent not necessarily success, but that may be too subjective to quantify). Also, in my last post, I should not have said I “straddled” the 50’s and modern generations, but rather, I’m “between” them…I’m old enough, no need to make me seem even older. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/159 "2013-08-04T18:38:59Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Allison Smith also had a recurring role on _The West Wing_ throughout its run as Leo McGarry’s daughter. She was female lead on a show called \*Spy Game \*that I really wish had taken off. Sort of a proto-_Chuck_. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992/160 "2013-08-04T21:47:08Z")
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis most Warren Beatty most Bob Denver almost most Michael J. Pollard almost most Tuesday Weld least hard to say many has further careers as actors [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-former-casts-of-popular-shows-most-successful-and-least-successful/664992.md?page=9)