# Watching an old movie / TV show: "Hey, there's that actor from the other, more recent thing!" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 14, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473 "2021-07-14T15:24:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/21 "2021-07-14T22:51:50Z")
I’m watching 1969’s Battle of Britain: at 1:02 there’s a scene that cuts to three shots in three cockpits. Robert Shaw says “tallyho!” Edward Fox says “tallyho!”. Ian McShane doesn’t say anything, but I expect him to say “cocksucker!” ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/22 "2021-07-14T22:57:21Z")
IIRC, Jonathan Banks also played a psycho murderer on _ **Hill Street Blues** _. His performance really freaked me out. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/23 "2021-07-14T23:01:32Z")
Elizabeth Montgomery’s “love interest” in that episode of _ **The Untouchables** _ (a two-parter, I think) was David White, who played opposite her as “Larry Tate” in _ **Bewitched** _. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/24 "2021-07-14T23:13:15Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > IIRC, Jonathan Banks also played a psycho murderer on _ **Hill Street Blues** _ . His performance really freaked me out. I’m pretty sure Jonathan Banks played a _lot_ of bad guys in various 1980s/90s TV shows. IIRC he’s said in interviews that he really enjoys playing villains. How about another _Breaking Bad_ actor? Actually, even before Breaking Bad, when I knew him mainly from _Malcolm in the Middle_, I was watching a rerun of _Seinfeld_ and went “Hey, there’s Bryan Cranston.” He was in a few episodes where he played Tim Whatley, Jerry’s dentist and a love interest of Elaine’s. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/25 "2021-07-14T23:17:56Z")
It’s been noted here numerous times that young Susan Caputo, who appeared in two episodes of Rod Serling’s _ **The Twilight Zone** _, grew up to be Brittany Morgan, who played “Katherine Wentworth,” Pam Ewing’s crazy half sister on _ **Dallas** _. She was the one who “killed” Bobby Ewing at the end of the 1984–85 season by running him over in her car. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/26 "2021-07-14T23:20:25Z")
As a teen in the 80s, I loved the film “Witness” — still do. Circa 2010, I saw it with my wife (first time for her, about the 20th for me), and she said, “Hey, there’s Viggo Mortensen playing an Amish dude!” I laughed — “yeah, right. Lay off the crack, hon.” Of course, it turns out she was right. (A lot of weird casting in that movie: a Russian ballet dancer, a Broadway diva…) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/27 "2021-07-14T23:21:16Z")
^ You need coffee, **terentii**. Suzanne Cupito was Morgan Brittany. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/28 "2021-07-14T23:21:47Z")
I was very proud of myself for when I was watching the Max Headroom series (alas 20 seconds into the future was too far ahead of its time), thinking “Hey [Murry](https://www.aveleyman.com/Gallery/2017/T/tve16866-637-19870331-0.jpg) sounds an awful lot like [George Bluth Sr.](https://a1cf74336522e87f135f-2f21ace9a6cf0052456644b80fa06d4f.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/images/characters_opt/p-arrested-development-jeffrey-tambor.jpg)” Turns out I was right. I think I tend to recognize actors at least as much by their voice as by their face. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/29 "2021-07-14T23:41:47Z")
Watching _Deadwood_, that rich guy from back east who rolled into town and bought a gold claim looked really familiar. I went to IMDB and realized he was [Timothy Omundson](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0648486/?ref_=tt_cl_t_16), who I knew as Detective Lassiter from _Psych_. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/30 "2021-07-14T23:44:49Z")
Watching “The Amazing Transparent Man” Rifftrax I noticed that a prison guard was played by Patrick Crenshaw - aka Blue from “Old School”. “You’re my boy, Blue!” ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/31 "2021-07-14T23:45:15Z")
Turns out she appeared under more than one name. But yes, that is the correct combination. > **[Morgan BRITTANY](https://en.notrecinema.com/communaute/stars/stars.php3?staridx=80109)** > > Some films in the filmography of Morgan BRITTANY ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/32 "2021-07-15T01:19:17Z")
Falk had a small role in a flick called “Pressure Point” starring Sidney Poitier and Bobby Darin. I recommend it highly. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/33 "2021-07-15T01:23:20Z")
Or his character in Buckaroo Banzai. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/34 "2021-07-15T16:53:32Z")
He also made an appearance on _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_: [Golin Shel-la | Memory Alpha | Fandom](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Golin_Shel-la) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/35 "2021-07-15T16:59:18Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > How about another _Breaking Bad_ actor? Actually, even before Breaking Bad, when I knew him mainly from _Malcolm in the Middle_ , I was watching a rerun of _Seinfeld_ and went “Hey, there’s Bryan Cranston.” He was in a few episodes where he played Tim Whatley, Jerry’s dentist and a love interest of Elaine’s. Seinfeld was full of actors and actresses who went on to more recognizable lead roles. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/36 "2021-07-15T17:31:55Z")
I remember Sheree North as Lou Grant’s girlfriend on _ **MTM** _. Just now she turned up in a 1974 episode of _ **Hawaii Five-O** _ as the cheating wife of the villain. But she was also Kramer’s mother “Babs” on _ **Seinfeld** _. Incidentally, this is another episode in which the “expert” advising McGarrett is actually a bad guy. > **["Hawaii Five-O" A Hawaiian Nightmare (TV Episode 1974) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0597986/?ref_=tt_ch)** > > A Hawaiian Nightmare: Directed by Charles S. Dubin. With Jack Lord, James MacArthur, Al Harrington, Kam Fong. A man who's an expert in both geology and explosives, owes loan sharks more than $72,000. He has planted explosives that, if set off, will... ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/37 "2021-07-15T18:02:47Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Seinfeld was full of actors and actresses who went on to more recognizable lead roles. That’s because their talents were real, and they were spectacular. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/38 "2021-07-15T18:07:57Z")
This [article](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/seinfeld-guest-stars-now-soup-nazi-close-talker-teri-hatcher-1221401/jon-favreau-eric-the-clown/) from The Hollywood Reporter lists some actors who guested on Seinfeld before more recognizable roles, including, yes, Teri Hatcher (of the spectacular breasts). ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/39 "2021-07-15T18:51:23Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Leslie Nielsen played a musician/conductor in a movie called _ **Counterpoint** _ (1968), about a symphony orchestra that’s captured by the SS during the Battle of the Bulge while they’re on a USO tour. (The musicians, not the Nazis.) At one point before the big climax, he has an long talk about their plight with the orchestra’s leader, Charlton Heston > > Not too long ago, I watched this movie for the first time in years. That particular scene was so _grave_, so _serious_, so _deadpan_, I was convulsed in laughter the whole time it was on. Roles like this are _why_ Leslie Nielsen was in _Airplane_ - he was known for serious, dramatic roles; the directors thought that bringing that grave mien to declaim lines like, "I _am_ serious. And don’t call me ‘Shirley’ " would heighten the absurdity. Then it turned out that Nielsen had a gift for deadpan comedy, and his career went in a different direction. I know he did do at least one more non-comic role; he played a jealous husband who murdered his wife and her lover, and was then killed by their zombies, in Stephen King’s _Creepshow._ Vis à vis Peter Falk, I’m surprised no one has yet pointed out that he played Fred Savage’s grandfather in _The Princess Bride_. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473/40 "2021-07-16T13:40:52Z")
Falk was also a taxi driver in _It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World_, and much later played a fictional version of himself (who turned out to be an angel) in _Wings of Desire_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-an-old-movie-tv-show-hey-theres-that-actor-from-the-other-more-recent-thing/946473.md?page=3)