Surely there have been dozens to hundreds of actors (both genders) who began their careers in the world of commercials or maybe even as fashion or still photography models but who now have moved into the more name-conscious realms of TV, movies and perhaps other media where name recognition is more common. This thread is about the ones whose names haven’t yet made it to the tabloids.
Just this past week in one of the series I watch regularly I saw the actor who was one of those “he went to Jared’s” guys, only this time he was a cop bursting in to arrest somebody. (I think this may have been in Boston Legal but I can’t get confirmation at the various websites that list the cast of that episode.) In any case, wherever it was I saw him I knew I had seen him in a commercial, but it took hours of poking at my memory for me to see his face in the Jared’s thing. I still don’t know his name. Do you?
Not too long ago in a feature movie I saw the blond Sonic guy (the one usually in the passenger’s seat) and immediately recognized him. I don’t remember the movie at this moment, and if I did I could go get his IMDB credits and tell you his name. As it is, he’s still nameless to me.
And then there’s that zany guy from the Capital One commercials who gets shot full of arrows by natives who are about ready to boil him after he has taken his family on some budget trip. I saw him in a bit part in a movie or show, but have yet to find his name.
Over the years I have noticed any number of ex-commercials people move on to character roles and even starring roles. And of course there are those commercials done by already famous people. But this is about the people whose breakthrough into big time show business is still in process or else is most likely never going to happen in any significant way.
Do you have similar reactions to people you know you’ve seen before but can’t quite remember where, but are pretty sure it was a commercial?
I’m currently bothered by one the other way around: the creepy dad on the “Who’s in your Five?” ad noting he’s in his daughter’s phone right next to her boyfriend. No idea where I’ve seen him before but he was creepy then, too.
By remembering that Nate Torrence had a recurring role in Studio 60 I was able to bring him to your attention with a picture. He was the “fat guy” that David Spade kicked around in the Capitol One commercials and he also got involved in swiping some athletic gear in some other commercials, and (according to IMDB’s message boards) has been in “way too many commercials”
I’ve noticed a couple of actresses that played regular or recurring characters on shows, and are now doing commercials.
Sheila Kelley was on LA Law (and quite a few other shows, but that’s where I remember her from). I’ve seen her on two commercials lately, one for a medication for the older generation (but not seniors), and another for a singing birthday card.
Kathy Evison was a regular on the two SeaQuest shows, and after that was cancelled, I saw her on an add for Special K cereal or some kind of yogurt (it’s been awhile, so my memory is kind of hazy on this one).
I’ve been noticing one actor who was in a local furniture store ad, then in a bank ad (the guy baiting all the stuffy old bankers), and finally a small role in Two and a Half Men. Looks a lot like Adrian Lester of Hustle
At the time of the OP, I was unaware of the IMDB search function for TV Commercials. Maybe not everybody I’m curious about, but certainly some of them will show up with anough patience on my part at this page and subsequent ones.
Good work! His credits show The Ice Harvest which I now remember is where I saw him.
BTW, that IMDB search function has turned up one of those guys: Larry Joe Campbell who was out in the snow in a T-shirt grilling Ballpark Franks. I’m surprised at his list of other credits.
Yeah, I must admit his appearances have been entertaining. The overexposure factor bothered me, but at least he got a decent gig out of it – until they decided to shitcan the whole show.
