Bit roles before they were "famous"

Discussion in 'TV & Media' started by The Borgified Corpse, Jan 15, 2009.

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  1. The Borgified Corpse

    The Borgified Corpse Admiral Admiral

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    I recently got to thinking about watching old movies with actors in little bit roles that weren't anything back then but are suddenly noteworthy because the actor went on to become much more famous for something else.

    This has happened to me a few times lately where I've gone, "Ooh! Ooh! It's that guy!"

    An obvious one is a very young, pre-Buffy/Angel, pre-Playboy, prepubescent Mercedes McNabb appears a couple of times in the early 1990s movie versions of The Addams Family & Addams Family Values. She plays a girlscout selling cookies in the first film and has a sizable supporting role in the 2nd as the stuck up rich girl at camp.

    A pre-Sex & the City Cynthia Nixon also appears in Addams Family Values as a hippy nanny.

    A pre-Heroes Masi Oka plays a Japanese pedestrian who explains that, due to copyright reasons, the monster chasing them isn't actually Godzilla in Austin Powers in Goldmember.
     
  2. PKTrekGirl

    PKTrekGirl Arrogant Niner Thug Admiral

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    I believe I read that Kevin Costner was the corpse being dressed in the opening credits of The Big Chill.

    Johnny Depp has only a few lines in Platoon.
     
  3. Non Sync

    Non Sync Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Farrah Fawcett had a minor role in Logan's Run but on some airings you would have thought she had the lead.
     
  4. MeanJoePhaser

    MeanJoePhaser Admiral

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    John Travolta in The Devil's Rain.

    Jack Nicholson in Little Shop of Horrors.

    Djimon Hounsou as a Horus guard in Stargate.
     
  5. Spot's Meow

    Spot's Meow Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I was watching Dr. Strangelove the other day and noticed that a young James Earl Jones was one of the co-pilots on the plane. That was weird but cool.
     
  6. Small White Car

    Small White Car Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Here's a good one. Remember the early GEICO Gecko ad where he tries out to be in a GEICO commercial?

    [​IMG]

    Then, the Taco Bell Dog comes out of the interview.

    [​IMG]
    "Oh great, a talking Gecko!"

    Well, halfway through the ad, look who's sitting next to the Gecko!

    [​IMG]

    It's Saturday Night Live's Fred Armisen!

    I can't PROVE this one...it's nowhere online. But damned if I'm not pretty sure! It's even more obvious in the moving video than it is in this still photo.
     
  7. Kira's Mom

    Kira's Mom Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Haha! I forgot about that.

    How about Brad Pitt's guest spot on Growing Pains? Lame. :lol:
     
  8. Skywalker

    Skywalker Admiral Admiral

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    George Clooney was in several episodes of The Facts of Life back in the late '80s.
     
  9. Magisterfrodo

    Magisterfrodo Vice Admiral Admiral

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    In the first episode of the TV show Angel, the first vampire to get dusted is Sawyer from Lost.

    Of course, Kiera Knightely is barely noticeable in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

    Liam Neeson has a minor role in a great movie called The Mission back in 1985, which starred Jeremy Irons and Robert DeNiro.

    Brad Pitt in Cool World is pretty fun.

    Daniel Craig is a pretty nasty Afrikaaner soldier in The Power of One which came out in the early 90's and starred Morgan Freeman among others.

    Bill Pullman is a spiky-haired punk that is the first guy killed in the original Terminator.

    Edward James Olmos is in Bladerunner.
     
  10. Capt. Vulcan

    Capt. Vulcan Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Simon Pegg has a small role in Band of Brothers.
     
  11. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    No, you're thinking of Bill Paxton.
     
  12. OdoWanKenobi

    OdoWanKenobi Admiral Admiral

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    I wouldn't call EJO's role in Blad Runner a bit role. as he's a pretty important character (and according to some theories the true Blade Runner)
     
  13. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Commodore Commodore

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    Harrison Ford in American Graffiti. His role is small but pivotal. Taking on greater significance with knowledge of his later career. Bob Falfa is almost a prototype for Han Solo. Of course its also the first time he worked with George Lucas.
     
  14. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Teri Hatcher on ST:TNG
     
  15. Canadave

    Canadave Vice Admiral Admiral

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    His first film role, actually.

    The only thing that comes to mind for me is Jeff Goldblum in The Right Stuff, as the-dude-who-runs-down-corridors-at-NASA-a-lot.
     
  16. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    American Graffiti almost had a much closer link with SW. To wit: Robert J. Sawyer's outline for the novel that almost existed:

    Alien Exodus
     
  17. LutherSloan

    LutherSloan Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Vin Diesel has a small role in 'Saving Private Ryan' before he became a household name.

    Kirsten Dunst, of course, appeared in one episode of ST:TNG when she was like 8 or so.

    Zachary Quinto was in a full season of '24' (Season 3, plus the video game) before he became famous for his role on 'Heroes'.
     
  18. Bad Bishop

    Bad Bishop Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Kevin Spacey guest-starred as a corrupt cop on The Equalizer.

    Julia Roberts was on Miami Vice.
     
  19. Messianni

    Messianni Commodore Commodore

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    And even before that, he appeared for one scene as a "snobby" art student on an episode of Six Feet Under.
     
  20. OdoWanKenobi

    OdoWanKenobi Admiral Admiral

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    And before even that Quinto was in Hospital sim video game that I actually remember playing as a recurring hypochondriac
     
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