[cmontyburns]

I'm using the term "star" loosely, really just meaning actors best known for their work in current or recent series.

Seems like I've had a rash of "before they were stars" sightings lately. In every case, they've been people that I had never heard of before their current work on whatever series they're on. But now that I know who they are, I'm seeing them in older work. (Sure, you could just pick someone and go to IMDB to see what they've done, but serendipity is more fun.)

For instance, in catching up with Gilmore Girls season four (currently in season six) on DVD, I saw Teddy Dunn, now a regular on Veronica Mars, in a one-episode stint as a date for Rory Gilmore. A couple of days ago, while flipping channels, I paused at the movie Remember the Titans, only to spot Ethan Suplee, now known as Randy on My Name is Earl, playing a college football player. I've had one or two others recently that slip my mind just now, but you get the idea.

What actors have you recognized in older work, now that you know who they are due to something newer?

 

[Jayjoans]

This happened to us just yesterday too, we flipped by that stupid TV movie about the couple and son that were driving from San Francisco to Idaho and decided that since INTERSTATE 80 was CLOSED due to snow they would find their way around it on smaller summer roads!!! The idiot factor is almost too much for me to continue....

Anyway, the stupid wife was played by Bobby's wife on The Practice. Evident that she is a one trick pony when it comes to acting, she played stupid wife just like she played Bobby's stupid wife.

zero star factor here, sorry

 

[alpacaboy]

Never heard of Ever Carradine before "Commander in Chief," recently saw her on an old episode of "Will and Grace."

Paula Marshall pops up quite a bit as a guest star in old series.

Normally, I'm really bad about recognizing guest stars though - I'll find out about old appearances from the equivalent to Tivo's Wish List.

 

[MasterOfPuppets]

This is really stretching star power...but when Scrabble was still on TV in reruns (I wouldn't know if it's still on The Game Show Network, I don't get it), I spotted Dennis "Mr. Belding" Haskins competing (That's from "Saved By The Bell", and no, it wasn't a "stars" show")...
There were actually quite a few that I've noticed as kids on "The Wonder Years"...excuse my spelling, but Giovanni Ribisi was on there, "Chuck" has been in beer commercials, David Schwimmer was on there, there were other side characters on there that went on to other things too, the same can't be said for ANY of the main characters though...

 

[Sparty99]

I thought about starting this exact same topic when I saw Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy) on an old episode of "The Job".

 

[aadam101]

I saw Fran Drescher in an episode of Night Court recently

 

[tivotvaddict]

Megan Mulally (sp?) of Will and Grace was on an episode of Press Your Luck (the Whammy game show) on GSN. The voice was a dead give away.

 

[Havana Brown]

I think many of us have had the same idea

Before they were stars

 

[Maui]

I saw Fran Drescher in an episode of Night Court recently

I saw her on an episode of Fame recently.

 

[kmcorbett]

Kristen Bell was a featured guest star on a season 1 episode of American Dreams.

 

[PJO1966]

Dennis Haysbert (24) was on an old episode of Magnum PI as a Naval officer.

Michael Dorn (Star Trek: Next Generation) was a paramedic on Knots Landing

 

[cherry ghost]

Almost every actress who ever played one of Jerry's girlfriends on Seinfeld has gone on to bigger things. The most obscure is probably Stiffler's mom(from American Pie and other things) was the woman who wouldn't submit to forceable massage.

 

[Lee L]

I was going to mention Seinfeld. Seems like every other show has some periodic character whos actor/actress went on to become a star.

 

[loubob57]

This is kind of the opposite in a way. When Friends started I remembered Jennifer Aniston from a low-fat salad dressing commercial.

 

[MasterOfPuppets]

This is kind of the opposite in a way. When Friends started I remembered Jennifer Aniston from a low-fat salad dressing commercial.

Don't forget the mighty Ferris Bueller TV series too...

 

[Chapper1]

This is kind of the opposite in a way. When Friends started I remembered Jennifer Aniston from a low-fat salad dressing commercial.

I remembered her from a short lived FOX show called "The Edge". It was a pretty good show, which of course, got cancelled...

 

[Royster]

Saw Master and Commander on HBO recently and was surprised to see Max Pirkis, Octavian from HOB's Rome, as a lowly midshipman. I also happened to stumble upon Proof, a 1991 Australian film with a very young Russell Crowe costarring with Hugo Weaving, Mr. Smith from the Matrix.

 

[DougF]

Dennis Haysbert (24) was on an old episode of Magnum PI as a Naval officer.

Michael Dorn (Star Trek: Next Generation) was a paramedic on Knots Landing

Look for Dennis Haysbert in several episodes of Buck Rogers, as well.

Michael Dorn was on CHiPs, too.

 

[jeff125va]

Definitely not a "star", and who knows maybe some people know this guy better from his soap opera days. But we were watching I Love the 90's last week and they showed Susan Lucci finally getting her Emmy. The guy who presented it was Shemar Moore, who plays Special Agent Morgan on Criminal Minds. He was on The Young & The Restless for like 10 years (had to look it up, wasn't 100% sure he was the presenter).

Other than that, I just realized how long it's been since I've watched reruns or older movies. Just got a few seasons of Seinfeld for Christmas though, I'm sure I'll come across some when I get to watching those. Or maybe I'll catch some walking through the room while my wife and son are watching Full House.

 

[SparkleMotion]

I often mention the Match Game '78 reruns on Game Show Network, when a hot young Wichita native named Kirstie Alley came out to match the stars.