# What actor has portrayed the death of the same character the most times? (spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [January 12, 2023, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125 "2023-01-12T19:17:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/1 "2023-01-12T19:17:20Z")
I am just pointing out that unless we are nitpicking about multiverses, Patrick Stewart holds the record in my mine. We have seen him die as Charles Xavier three times: 1. He dies in X-men 3 2. He dies in Logan 3. He dies in Dr. Strange 2 \<–multiverse different one, but come on. It’s kind of weird that he has played that specific character’s death so many times. All of Professor X’s deaths were “real”, not fake-outs like Soap Operas often use for their repeated deaths. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/2 "2023-01-12T19:20:15Z")
I would specify different films, otherwise you get something like Tom Cruise in _Edge of Tomorrow_ with a very high number of deaths. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/3 "2023-01-12T19:20:27Z")
Bill Murray’s Phil Connors? Damn, ninja’d by a better time loop answer. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/4 "2023-01-12T19:22:17Z")
The Winner! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/5 "2023-01-12T20:47:42Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > I would specify different films, otherwise you get something like Tom Cruise in _Edge of Tomorrow_ with a very high number of deaths. Yes, OK, I appreciate that. Let’s say different movies and also one where death is the mechanic in it, like in those multiple deaths to reset things movies and series(Happy Death Day 1 and Happy Death Day 2U) ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/6 "2023-01-12T21:21:49Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > It’s kind of weird that he has played that specific character’s death so many times. Sorry to nitpick…but it’s not that weird when you consider the character’s comic book history: > **[The Many Deaths of Professor X - IGN](https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/18/the-many-deaths-of-professor-x)** > > Charles Xavier might have been the unluckiest guy in the Marvel Universe. We explore the many times he's been injured or killed over the years. This article is from 2012. Granted, not all of these are “actual” deaths - in fact, none of them are - it simply proves Marvel has been willing to go to the well on the “he’s dead, but not quite dead yet” motif repeatedly over the years. Much the same has happened with Odin since his debut in 1962 and I would guess Red Skull must be near the top of the list. “Dying” happens to pretty much all major comic book characters at one time or another; nevertheless, the unduly “death” prone Prof. X has earned notoriety for it. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/7 "2023-01-12T21:45:45Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > Sorry to nitpick…but it’s not that weird when you consider the character’s comic book history: > ~snip~ > “Dying” happens to pretty much all major comic book characters at one time or another; nevertheless, the unduly “death” prone Prof. X has earned notoriety for it. Yeah, but it’s weird to happen to the same character _portrayed by the same actor_ in multiple movies. Excluding guys like Wolverine whose whole ability is coming back to life, I can’t think of other examples in comic book movies. The few similar ones have fake-outs, like Bucky or Loki. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/8 "2023-01-12T21:51:44Z")
Matt Stone as Kenny McCormick in South Park? ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/9 "2023-01-12T23:04:24Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Let’s say different movies and also one where death is the mechanic in it, like in those multiple deaths to reset things movies and series(Happy Death Day 1 and Happy Death Day 2U) Would this exclude horror movie villains who keep dying but yet come back for another round of ass kicking and dying at the end? Robert Englund’s Freddy Krueger, Brad Douriff’s Chucky, Kane Hodder’s Jason Voorhees and Victor Crowley, etc. Of course that means having to change what counts as “dying” 😄. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/10 "2023-01-12T23:10:08Z")
In Palm Springs, Nyles has died many many times. Some accidental, some suicidal, others being hunted and killed by Roy ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/11 "2023-01-13T00:26:31Z")
But…that’s a Groundhog Day movie. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/12 "2023-01-13T00:58:06Z")
Surely, any character who dies multiple times must have some sort of technicality involved, at which point we’re just arguing about which technicalities count and which don’t. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/13 "2023-01-13T02:06:38Z")
Christopher Lee in Hammer’s Dracula movies? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/14 "2023-01-13T02:57:27Z")
Arnold Vosloo portrayed Imhotep in _The Mummy_ and _The Mummy Returns_. All told I think he died three times in the two films. The Death Star died twice. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/15 "2023-01-13T03:02:32Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Bill Murray’s Phil Connors? > > Damn, ninja’d by a better time loop answer. I think Murray looped a lot more times. Ramis suggested somewhere between 30 and 40 years. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/16 "2023-01-13T03:04:34Z")
Is Chris Lee as Dracula the most in any horror franchise? Michael Myers is portrayed by various people and does not always die. Freddy Krueger. I have no idea for sure if he dies in every movie. Jason is played by whoever they can find, quite a few actors. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/17 "2023-01-13T04:04:06Z")
John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness on Doctor Who and Torchwood. He died lots of times over the course of 18 TV years or so, and always came back to life because, well, I don’t know why. It was a plot point anyway. And he was really dead when he died, he just didn’t stay dead. ---
**Author:** ![WhyKickAMooCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc29f/32.png) [@WhyKickAMooCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyKickAMooCow)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/18 "2023-01-13T12:26:53Z")
Arnold Schwarzenegger always seems to die in Terminator movies. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/19 "2023-01-13T12:50:07Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness on Doctor Who and Torchwood. He died lots of times over the course of 18 TV years or so, and always came back to life because, well, I don’t know why. It was a plot point anyway. [It was Rose’s fault](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Parting_of_the_Ways) - she resurrected him using TARDIS time vortex energy and inadvertently made him immortal-ish. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125/20 "2023-01-13T13:02:38Z")
It’s something of a joke in the _Preacher_ TV series that angels and demons instantly resurrect, shown during comical fight scenes. Typically there’s an off-camera flash of light and the actor walks back into the fray, often stepping over the corpse of their just-killed former self. Tom Brooke as the angel “Fiore” _probably_ has the greatest number of total on-screen deaths, since at one point in the series he gets a job doing a magic show in Las Vegas where he gets killed on stage and just reappears, the audience assuming it’s a clever trick. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WE_RELgt-os/maxresdefault.jpg "Preacher Fight Scene with Angels + Intro (S01E06)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE_RELgt-os) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-has-portrayed-the-death-of-the-same-character-the-most-times-spoilers/978125.md?page=2)