# TV characters who were unseen- until later in the series **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2010, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596 "2010-09-30T13:38:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/21 "2010-09-30T15:24:58Z")
Allen Brady wasn’t seen for the first year or two on **The Dick Van Dyke Show**. After that, Carl Reiner played him perfectly normally. BJ Hunnicut’s wife and Frank’s wife weren’t seen on **M_A_S\*H** for a long time-- just referred to, but they eventually showed up in films sent to the 4077 ---
**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:** [September 30, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/22 "2010-09-30T15:25:14Z")
> [@Bakhesh](#): > > I’ve got a vague recollection of Vera Peterson eventually turning up in Cheers , but with a pie in her face. Or did I imagine that? You remember it correctly. Vera was played by George Wendt’s real-life wife, Bernadette Birkett. Her only full-face appearance on \*Cheers \*was as woman who fell for Cliff at a Halloween party. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/23 "2010-09-30T15:27:03Z")
My memory is faulty, but it seems to me that the Romulans ( **Star Trek** ) and the Reavers ( **Firefly** ) were referenced before they were actually shown. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/24 "2010-09-30T15:32:53Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > [Various] jokes had made her too bizarre a creature to cast with an actual human. Frasier: “All I can see thru the keyhole is a coatrack.” Niles: “Is the coatrack moving?” Seems like Sybil Gooley, Stretch Cunningham, and Rev. Felcher/Fletcher were all mentioned on “All in the Family” before they appeared. Rev. Trimble was mentioned on “Sanford and Son,” then later appeared, played by Alvin Childress of tv series “Amos ‘n’ Andy.” ---
**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:** [September 30, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/25 "2010-09-30T15:33:46Z")
In the comic book **the Fantastic Four** , a long-running gag (originating from within the first few issues) was the Thing referencing his “sweet aunt Petunia.” Finally, decades later, a story ran with the Thing introducing the rest of his team-mates to Aunt Petunia! ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/26 "2010-09-30T15:55:29Z")
Detective Fish was always talking on the phone to his wife, Bernice, in _Barney Miller_, but she wasn’t actually seen until he got his own show as a spinoff. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/27 "2010-09-30T16:10:47Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > > [@Simplicio](#): > > > > [Various] jokes had made her too bizarre a creature to cast with an actual human. > > Frasier: “All I can see thru the keyhole is a coatrack.” > Niles: “Is the coatrack moving?” > > Seems like Sybil Gooley, Stretch Cunningham, and Rev. Felcher/Fletcher were all mentioned on “All in the Family” before they appeared. > Rev. Trimble was mentioned on “Sanford and Son,” then later appeared, played by Alvin Childress of tv series “Amos ‘n’ Andy.” Technically, Maris IS depicted once. In the episode where Niles has a heart attack and a series of flash-backs are depicted. Maris is in bed, covered with bandages with Niles is sitting next to her saying, “They can always cut off more next time.” ---
**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:** [September 30, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/28 "2010-09-30T16:12:37Z")
Just thought of another one - on **Doctor Who** , for many years the good Doctor (and other random Time Lords he’d encounter) would make cryptic references to a long-ago, highly revered Time Lord named Rassilon. Finally, on the twentieth anniversary special **the Five Doctors** , the show depicted a holographic image of Rassilon. Then, MUCH later, in the new series a new, more aggressive race of Time Lords were being led by a mysterious, un-named President (played by Timothy Dalton). Producer Russell T. Davies confirmed that, while not named, the President was indeed the legendary Rassilon. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/29 "2010-09-30T16:14:20Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > In the comic book **the Fantastic Four** , a long-running gag (originating from within the first few issues) was the Thing referencing his “sweet aunt Petunia.” Finally, decades later, a story ran with the Thing introducing the rest of his team-mates to Aunt Petunia! The joke being that Aunt Petunia was not a little biddie but a a hot hot milf. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/30 "2010-09-30T16:52:23Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > The early years of “All in the Family” George Jefferson never appeared. They talked about him frequently. Once the B unkers had an a man over for dinner who Lionel introduced as his father but at the end turned out to be his uncle Henry because George wouldn’t set foot in Archie Bunker’s house. At the time the explanation was Norman Lear always wanted Sherman Hensley to play George but he wasn’t willing until later to sign a contract. Hemsley was unavaliable (he was in a play) ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/31 "2010-09-30T16:54:55Z")
Dr. Claw fro the 80s cartoon Inspector Gadget. You only ever saw his hand. Years later a toy line was released that shows his face. No matter what it was, it would be disappointing by default. Google at your own risk. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/32 "2010-09-30T17:05:13Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > My memory is faulty, but it seems to me that the Romulans ( **Star Trek** ) and the Reavers ( **Firefly** ) were referenced before they were actually shown. Your memory is faulty. Since Firefly only had 14 episodes, I’d be hard pressed to call any episode “later” in the series. Nevertheless, Reavers appeared in what would have been the pilot (or in episode 2, Bushwacked, if you’re going in air date order) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/33 "2010-09-30T17:11:35Z")
Did we ever see Phyllis’ husband Lars on the Mary Tyler Moore show? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/34 "2010-09-30T17:14:31Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > > [@Simplicio](#): > > > > Interestingly, Maris from Fraiser actually was supposed to be a recurring character (they didn’t want to duplicate the bit with Vera from _Cheers_), but by the time they got around to considering how to introduce her, the various jokes had made her too bizarre a creature to cast with an actual human. > > Have you ever seen Clarissa Flockhart? SPEAK NOT ILL OF ALLY MACBEAL! The part of me that doesn’t hate everyone loves Callista Flockhart. ---
**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/35 "2010-09-30T17:26:02Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Detective Fish was always talking on the phone to his wife, Bernice, in _Barney Miller_, but she wasn’t actually seen until he got his own show as a spinoff. Not correct. [Florence Stanley](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822476/) played Bernice Fish in six episodes of “Barney Miller”. Her first appearance was in the sixth episode of the first season: “[Stakeout](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0519092/)”. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/36 "2010-09-30T17:31:32Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > In the comic book **the Fantastic Four** , a long-running gag (originating from within the first few issues) was the Thing referencing his “sweet aunt Petunia.” Finally, decades later, a story ran with the Thing introducing the rest of his team-mates to Aunt Petunia! The same thing happened with Mary-Jane Watson, part of the joke being that Peter expected her to be hideous rather than a hottie. Also, i have to puase to ritually curse Joe Quesada. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/37 "2010-09-30T17:37:46Z")
Maude’s grandson (Philip?) was only referred to from time to time in the early run of the show, but he eventually did make some appearences. I think the reason was that Lear wanted the show to be a mature comedy, and introducing a pre-teen would have made it too close to a regular sitcom. I think his first appearance was when his mum caught him playing “doctor” with the girl next door and marched him through the living room and up the stairs. He had his head down low and no speaking part. I do remember him in at least one part where he and Walter were watching “Josie and the Pussycats” (the cartoon, of course, not the movie) in a nice granddad-grandson scene. ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/38 "2010-09-30T17:38:31Z")
Kathleen Turner as Chandler’s dad in Friends. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/39 "2010-09-30T17:39:45Z")
On _Dallas_, Jock’s buddy Punk Anderson was mentioned a lot in the earliest episodes, but IIRC, he did not make an appearance on the show until the 2nd season. Archie on _All in the Family_ talked a lot about his co-worker Stretch Cunningham before he ever appeared in an episode. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596/40 "2010-09-30T17:41:28Z")
The recent Straight Dope rerun about The Prisoner mentioned that Number 1 was revealed to be a doppelganger of the Number 6 in the last episode. Cheers had several members of Carla’s family appear as characters long after they been mentioned on the show. Wings had Helen’s mother, sister, and brother-in-law appear late in the run. On Bewitched, Endora’s husband didn’t make an appearance for a while, but it may not have all that long. Kung Fu brought in Danny Caine, Kwai Chang’s brother, in one of the last episodes. In the movies, True Grit (the real one with the Duke), had recurring references to Lawyer Dagget, painted as a dominant force, who was revealed at the end of the film in the form of the diminutive squeaky voiced actor John Fiedler. > [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > > [@Sampiro](#): > > > > Only in the final episode. What I never understood about that gimmick was that they used an actor, Earl Hindman, who’d had a long career in movies and TV- he was on soap operas for many years- so [his face](http://lifeinlegacy.com/2004/0103/HindmanEarl.jpg) was well known and easily found in any number of videos and likely to be on television at any time. An unknown would perhaps have been more enigmatic. > > Not quite true. I remember a Halloween episode where Wilson worn a “Phantom-logo” type mask, covering the top half of his face and showing the bottem half. One episode showed some scenes shot after the story with the cast in front of the audience. Wilson held up a cardboard cut-out of a fence in front of his face. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-were-unseen-until-later-in-the-series/555596.md?page=3)