# Who played the most different characters on a series? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265 "2008-01-28T02:38:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/21 "2008-01-29T00:06:24Z")
Back in the 1970s Ellery Queen had a stable of actors that were in every show and a number of them played a different character each show. In the '60s Richard Boone had a rep company series and on each program everyone played different parts. Boone would be the hero one week, the villian the next and a bit part the next. It only lasted a season, but it was an interesting experiment. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/22 "2008-01-29T00:36:55Z")
I had never noticed that about the Ellery Queen series, but the Nero Wolfe series on A&E a few years ago did the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/23 "2008-01-29T00:41:24Z")
[QUOTE=LurkMeister] I had never noticed that about the Ellery Queen series, but the Nero Wolfe series on A&E a few years ago did the same thing. [/QUOTE] I could well be wrong. I should not post when I am very tired, so I will check the cast lists on EQ. ---
**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 29, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/24 "2008-01-29T01:12:54Z")
The oft-discussed [Charles Lane](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0485272/filmoseries#tt0057733) played eight different characters in eight different episodes of Bewitched. It’s not a record, but this thread wouldn’t be complete without at least one Charles Lane reference. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/25 "2008-01-29T01:32:11Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] Jeffrey Combs played many many roles in Star Trek (I think 7) . Not quite the same thing because he played them on several different series but all of them in the Star Trek universe. Most of the characters were important ones that had several appearances each. [/QUOTE] Nine. Vaughn Armstrong has him beat at thirteen, though. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/26 "2008-01-29T01:48:17Z")
[QUOTE=TV time] Back in the 1970s Ellery Queen had a stable of actors that were in every show and a number of them played a different character each show. In the '60s Richard Boone had a rep company series and on each program everyone played different parts. Boone would be the hero one week, the villian the next and a bit part the next. It only lasted a season, but it was an interesting experiment. [/QUOTE] I didn’t know that. I always thought Dark Shadows was the only TV show that had almost all the actors playing more than one role. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/27 "2008-01-29T04:43:44Z")
[QUOTE=Lunar Saltlick] Larry David played many characters on _Seinfeld_. He was the first Newman, Steinbrenner, Mr. Costanza’s accountant, a jerk on a plane, a mad scientist (or spaceman or something) in a TV show Jerry was watching, and a few other characters. Don’t have a complete list. [/QUOTE] He was also the man in the cape. ---
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/28 "2008-01-31T16:49:05Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] He was also the man in the cape. [/QUOTE] You’re right - he was. But the man in the cape was Mr. Costanza’s accountant, so we can’t count him twice. ---
**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/29 "2008-01-31T16:57:33Z")
[QUOTE=Lunar Saltlick] You’re right - he was. But the man in the cape was Mr. Costanza’s accountant, so we can’t count him twice. [/QUOTE] I believe the man in the cape was Frank’s lawyer, not accountant. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/30 "2008-01-31T17:05:24Z")
[QUOTE=Terrifel] Mel Blanc played quite a few characters on the Jack Benny Program over the years. [/QUOTE] And again, if we count animated shows, he would have about a thousand roles. ---
**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 31, 2008, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/31 "2008-01-31T17:16:50Z")
Yeah, if we count animated shows, it becomes a lot easier to find actors who played multiple roles on the same series. For example, on The Simpsons, Dan Castelanetta, Harry Shearer, and Hank Azaria all play numerous regular and one-time characters. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/32 "2008-01-31T17:17:17Z")
[QUOTE=milquetoast] I believe the man in the cape was Frank’s lawyer, not accountant. [/QUOTE] LD was also a guy who (I beleive) sold pizza on the street. I beleive the episode involved lips on a dollar bill. IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265/33 "2008-01-31T18:05:54Z")
[QUOTE=LurkMeister] I had never noticed that about the Ellery Queen series, but the Nero Wolfe series on A&E a few years ago did the same thing. [/QUOTE] I was going to post this also. George Plimpton was one of the cast members, usually playing an older rich lawyer. Great show btw. We rewatched it on DVD and liked it even better than when it was first on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-played-the-most-different-characters-on-a-series/435265.md?page=1)