# Who has starred in the most successful TV series? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 6, 2020, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007 "2020-01-06T02:31:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [January 6, 2020, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/21 "2020-01-06T04:28:13Z")
Is that more or less than three television seasons? ---
**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:** [January 6, 2020, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/22 "2020-01-06T04:29:12Z")
Dick Van Dyke (Dick Van Dyke Show, the entirely different _New_ Dick Van Dyke Show, Diagnosis Murder) Bill Cosby (I Spy, The Cosby Show, Cosby) Michael Landon (Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, Highway to Heaven) People you have to look up. Drew Carey (Drew Carey Show, Whose Line Is It Anyway, and, because no one said daytime doesn’t count. . . The Price is Right) Thomas Gibson (Chicago Hope, Dharma and Greg, Criminal Minds) Craig T. Nelson (Coach, Parenthood, The District) ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/23 "2020-01-06T04:32:57Z")
[Julia Louis-Dreyfus](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000506/?ref_=tt_cl_t1) has Seinfeld, New Adventures or Old Christine, and Veep. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/24 "2020-01-06T04:47:33Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Bill Cosby (I Spy, The Cosby Show, Cosby) I think _Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids_ should also count. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/25 "2020-01-06T04:49:35Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Is that more or less than three television seasons? In the UK it’s almost 13 episodes! ---
**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 6, 2020, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/26 "2020-01-06T05:54:03Z")
Bob Newhart deserves a mention for starring in three shows which were named after him, though only the first two were hits by the definition given in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/27 "2020-01-06T06:18:08Z")
I was going to say Adam Baldwin for The Last Ship, Chuck, and Firefl… Then I was sad. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/28 "2020-01-06T06:37:15Z")
But that does remind me that McSteamy has been a pretty successful TV actor. Has Adam Baldwin ever starred in anything on TV though? Seems like he’s always been a supporting actor. ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/29 "2020-01-06T08:00:48Z")
Carroll O’Connor —\* All in the Family, Archie Bunker’s Place\*, and _In the Heat of the Night_. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/30 "2020-01-06T09:18:58Z")
He’s a British actor doing British shows and yes, British shows have a lower episode count, but I think **David Jason** deserves consideration. I’ll give some detail here for those unfamiliar with British TV. **Open All Hours** was a gentle comedy about an old fashioned Northern English shop keeper. The star was **Ronnie Barker** but **Jason** was a co-star for the 4 seasons and 26 episodes. However nearly thirty years after the show finished the same basic show returned as **Still Open All Hours** with **Jason** , still portraying the same character although obviously much older, and now he is the clear star ( **Barker** , the actor and his character, having died.) The resurrected show alone ran for 6 series and 41 episodes. Sitcom **A Sharp Intake Of Breath** starring **Jason** managed three seasons and 22 episodes. Now considered one of the best loved British Sitcoms, Jason starred in **Only Fools And Horses** which had seven regular seasons and continued with one off Christmas Specials for years. He starred in Comedy Drama **The Darling Buds of May** which managed three seasons and a few specials. It provided an early role for **Catherine Zeta Jones** who later found some fame in Hollywood (and married **Michael Douglas**.) The Detective Drama **A Touch of Frost** tended to be broadcast as two or three episode stories once or twice a year so the 42 episodes over eighteen years count as 15 seasons. He provided the voice for **DangerMouse** in the animated children’s TV show of the same name. Ten seasons and 161 episodes. There was a spin off animated show called **Count Duckula** also voiced by **Jason** lasting four seasons and 65 episodes. Then there was the further animated spin off **Victor and Hugo** (with **Jason** voicing Hugo) but that only managed two seasons and 30 episodes. A mention has to be included for **Do Not Adjust Your TV Set**. An early live action Children’s TV comedy where **Jason** was one of the main cast which included several soon to be Monty Python stars. The show only managed two seasons. Although that’s significant for a British show. So **Jason** has five genuine shows across comedy, comedy drama and drama. Plus another couple of shows which count by British standards plus the three related animated shows he was lead voice for. Plus other shows which only lasted one season or were always intended as one off, multi-episode productions. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/31 "2020-01-06T09:59:41Z")
**Garry McDonald** A close call for Garry McDonald, an Australian actor and voted a National Living Treasure. Not only was he Norman Gunston - three seasons of _The Norman Gunston Show_ on ABC plus another on Channel 7, but he was the son in _Mother and Son_ (6 seasons) and the lead in Eggshells (2 seasons - 15 eps). **Shaun Micallef** He’s had two topical shows - _Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell_ (10 series), another newsy topical show - \*Newstopia \*(3 seasons) and _The Micallef Program_ (3 seasons), plus was host of the game show _Talkin Bout Your Generation_ (6 seasons). **[Working Dog Productions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Dog_Productions)** The winners as far as Australia is concerned has to be the acting and production ensemble Working Productions. There are about half a dozen mainstays in the group, who perform various acting and back of camera roles. Their work includes: D Generation (2 seasons + specials series on another channel) - strictly not Working Dog, but where they all started as a post-uni comedy The panel (7 seasons) Frontline (3 seasons) Utopia (4 seasons) ---
**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:** [January 6, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/32 "2020-01-06T15:04:36Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Bob Newhart deserves a mention for starring in three shows which were named after him, though only the first two were hits by the definition given in the OP. Actually Bob Newhart had four shows named after him! [He was host of a variety show in the 1960s that only lasted one season](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054522/). (He was also co-host of a different variety show that didn’t have his name in the title.) And while it doesn’t really count for this thread, Newhart also guest-hosted The Tonight Show more than 80 times. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2020, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/33 "2020-01-06T15:05:02Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > 1558 to 1603 and 1762 to 1796 aren’t long enough for you? They’d be in black & white. Maybe Kinescoped. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/34 "2020-01-06T17:25:06Z")
George Clooney starred in three very successful TV shows: Facts of Life Roseanne and E/R. And walked away from all of them. I guess he did all right for himself. ---
**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 6, 2020, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/35 "2020-01-06T18:05:03Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > George Clooney starred in three very successful TV shows: Facts of Life Roseanne and E/R. And walked away from all of them. He didn’t star in the first two, he had a recurring character role. He was only on **Rosanne** for 11 episodes, and 17 episodes of **The Facts of Life.** He did star in all 8 episodes of a series called **E/R** which was cancelled in the first season. The show that made him famous is actually called **ER** , no slash. He was also in 19 episodes of **Sisters** in a recurring role, and 16 episodes of **Bodies of Evidence** in a supporting cast role. ---
**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 6, 2020, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/36 "2020-01-06T18:18:46Z")
Nathan Fillion starred in **Castle** , **The Rookie** , and **Firefly** , the last doesn’t meet the criteria since it didn’t last long enough. He did play a supporting character in 60 episodes of **Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place**. Kelsey Grammer gets credit for **Cheers** and **Fraiser** , and he had starring roles in several other short lived shows like **Boss** , **Partners** , **Back to You** , and **Hank**. Matt LeBlanc has **Friends** , **Joey** , **Episodes** , and **Man with a Plan** which all qualify I think. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2020, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/37 "2020-01-06T18:20:10Z")
How many series of Top Gear was Matt Leblanc on? That might qualify as well. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/38 "2020-01-06T18:32:52Z")
Wikipedia says Robert Urich starred in 15 series and he died young at 55 > **[Robert Urich](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Urich)** > > Robert Michael Urich (December 19, 1946 – April 16, 2002) was an American film, television, and stage actor, and television producer. Over the course of his 30-year career, he starred in a record 15 television series. > Urich began his career in television in the early 1970s. After guest stints and roles in short-lived television series, he won a co-starring role in the action/crime drama series S.W.A.T. in 1975. In 1978, he landed the lead role of Dan Tanna in the crime drama series Vega$, whi... a lot of his only lasted 1 season ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/39 "2020-01-06T18:45:00Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Kelsey Grammer gets credit for **Cheers** and **Fraiser** , and he had starring roles in several other short lived shows like **Boss** , **Partners** , **Back to You** , and **Hank**. > > Matt LeBlanc has **Friends** , **Joey** , **Episodes** , and **Man with a Plan** which all qualify I think. Grammer was not a lead character on _Cheers_. E.g., he was nominated twice for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Emmies for that. I thought two of the LeBlanc shows were under 3 seasons. _Joey_ lasted only 2 but that _Man with a Plan_ is in its 4th season. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007/40 "2020-01-06T18:58:13Z")
Lee Majors was main cast in “The Big Valley” and the star of Six Million Dollar Man and The Fall Guy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-starred-in-the-most-successful-tv-series/846007.md?page=3)