Bit roles before they were "famous"

[DeeEss57]

Patrick Stewart and Liam Neeson in "Excalibur"

Seven years before that, Patrick Stewart played Clement Atlee in 'A Gathring Storm' with Richard Burton as Churchill, and he played a thug in 'Hennessy'.


DES

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

Courtney Cox - Masters of the Universe
Matt LeBlanc - Ketchup Commercial
Nicole Kidman - BMX Bandits
Russell Crowe - Neighbours
Jack Black - Enemy Of The State
Jeremy Irons - Playschool

 

[stj]

Robert Duncan McNiell in Masters of the Universe too!

Liam Neeson was also in Excalibur, which if I recall correctly managed to snarf up most of the later to be famous Irish actors.

I've forgotten which Randolph Scott western it was, but I was amazed to see Anthony Quinn as a miscellaneous Apache brave.

Some that struck me were Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice) in the Vigilante epsiode of Threshold, Maggie Grace in an episode of Miracles (forgot the title,) and the ubiquitous Zachary Quinto as a Confederate soldier in yet another episode of Miracles!

 

[Misfit Toy]

There's an episode of Young Indiana Jones that features both Daniel Craig and Catherine Zeta Jones.

 

[JonathonWally]

Some that struck me were Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice) in the Vigilante epsiode of Threshold,

Jeffrey Donovan, who is an awesome actor had many roles before that one.


Another would be Adam Sandler on The Cosby Show.


I also wouldn't consider Masters of the Universe "bit parts" for either of the 2 actors listed, considering they were giant roles in the movie and the movie was about them.

 

[Cap'n Caveman]

Clint Eastwood was in "Rawhide"

I don't think that qualifies as a "bit" role, since he was the star of that show, which ran for about 8 years.

The first thing that came to mind was Eastwood's role in "Revenge of the Creature". I did not see that movie until I had already seen his spaghetti westerns, so it was more like why is a famous actor appearing in a bit part like that?

I have been looking at Roger Corman's filmography at IMDB. A lot of actors and directors who became famous have been involved in his movies.

 

[aladinsane]

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.

I hope this hasn't been posted--haven't gotten through the thread yet--but Ford also has a small part in Apocalypse Now.

 

[Sephiroth]

oh, i LOVE shows/movies where bit players/one time charaters ended up famous, i collect them

Seth Green was on Tales from the dark side
Tobey McGuire was on Eerie Indiana
Grace Park was on Stargate SG-1

 

[CorporalClegg]

One of my favorites is Cuba Gooding in the barber's chair in "Coming to America" while the Eddie Murphies are arguing about boxing.

 

[Aragorn]

Liam Neeson in Excalibur? Hell, Liam Neeson in Krull!

 

[John Picard]

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

George Clooney was also in E/R

 

[backstept]

Wil Wheaton and Matt LeBlanc did an episode of Monsters called 'Shave and a Haircut, Two Bites'

I can't find the blog post now, but Wil tells a great story about how Matt introduced him to The Simpsons cartoon television show program

 

[Aragorn]

Matt LeBlanc had a few episodes on Married With Children, one of which was centered around him and his father and barely had Ed O'Neill because they were testing spinoff possibilities.

 

[Mike Farley]

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.

I hope this hasn't been posted--haven't gotten through the thread yet--but Ford also has a small part in Apocalypse Now.

And while it is technically after he became famous for STAR WARS, Ford also has a small, but fun, cameo in More American Graffiti.

 

[propita]

Robert Duvall's first appearance was as Boo Radley in "To Kill a Mockingbird." He appears only at the end, but his off-screen character is referred to throughout the film (after all, Boo "is" the mockingbird the title analogizes to).

 

[kitkat]

Liam Neeson in Excalibur? Hell, Liam Neeson in Krull!

OMG, I love Liam Neeson and I totally did not know he was in Krull. I'll have to go back and watch it again.

 

[Samurai8472]

Richard Dryfuss's small bit in "The Graduate"

 

[Chris3123]

Ashley Judd was Ensign Robin Lefler on two episodes of TNG.

 

[ManOnTheWave]

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

How so ?

She was very popular in the 70s. When they'd air the movie on tv, the adverts for it gave her first or second billing. She was in maybe three scenes and had as many lines.

Andrew "Dice" Clay appeared more or less as himself in a slasher movie spoof called Whacko, something like ten years before he became famous as a comedian.

Daniel Dae Kim played a med student on Sienfeld. His head shot was also used on a hair dye for men box.

Matt LeBlanc was on an episode of Red Shoe Diaries. David Duchovny starred in the pilot. He narrated the weekly series concurrently with starring in X-Files.

 

[M'Sharak]

Robert Duvall's first appearance was as Boo Radley in "To Kill a Mockingbird." He appears only at the end, but his off-screen character is referred to throughout the film (after all, Boo "is" the mockingbird the title analogizes to).

I also remember Duvall as an Evil Villain out to control the West on an episode of The Wild Wild West ('The Night of the Falcon', iinm, about 1967.)