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The same actors playing different parts in sitcoms or dramas

(November 2012)

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LL
Larry the Loafer
Nia Long played Will Smith's self-obsessed date in the second season of The Fresh Prince. She came back to play another of Will's love interests, Lisa, around Season 4 or 5 as Will's permanent girlfriend (and later wife).
MI
Michael
Most recent and prominent examples I can think of are Freema Agyeman and Karen Gillan both appearing as different characters in Doctor Who before returning as companions.

Tony Hawks guest starred as different characters in Red Dwarf so often, he became known as the "Fifth Dwarfer".


At least with Freema Agyeman they explained that the character she played before Martha was her cousin. I didn't realise Karen Gillam had previously appeared.


Indeed - as the soothsayer in "The Fires of Pompeii."

http://andrewsherman.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/karen-gillan-in-fires-of-pompeii.html

Colin Baker appeared in Doctor Who as Commander Maxil in the Arc of Infinity (1983, 5th Doctor)

Trevor Martin has appeared as no less than eight characters in the Whoniverse:
1) Time Lord (The War Games, TV)
2) The Doctor (Seven Keys To Doomsday, stage play)
3) Kaido/Guard 2/Ungar/Custodian of Data Store/Jenhegger (The Paradise of Death (1993 radio play))
4) Professor Capra (Flip Flop (2003 audio drama))
Last edited by Michael on 11 November 2012 2:00am
SO
Steven O
Edward Hardwicke appeared twice in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. In the series one episode "The Employment Exchange" as Mr Hooper, a clerk at the local labour exchange who bets Mr Bradshaw (played by George A. Cooper) that he can't get Frank to hold down a job for more than a week, and in the series three episode "Australia House" as Mr Lawrence, an emigration officer who is dealing with Frank's application to move to Australia and is driven to despair by him during the interview - eventually agreeing to the resettlement just to get Frank out of his office.

MA
Matt_1979
Most recent and prominent examples I can think of are Freema Agyeman and Karen Gillan both appearing as different characters in Doctor Who before returning as companions.

Tony Hawks guest starred as different characters in Red Dwarf so often, he became known as the "Fifth Dwarfer".


At least with Freema Agyeman they explained that the character she played before Martha was her cousin. I didn't realise Karen Gillam had previously appeared.


Indeed - as the soothsayer in "The Fires of Pompeii."

http://andrewsherman.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/karen-gillan-in-fires-of-pompeii.html

Colin Baker appeared in Doctor Who as Commander Maxil in the Arc of Infinity (1983, 5th Doctor)

Trevor Martin has appeared as no less than eight characters in the Whoniverse:
1) Time Lord (The War Games, TV)
2) The Doctor (Seven Keys To Doomsday, stage play)
3) Kaido/Guard 2/Ungar/Custodian of Data Store/Jenhegger (The Paradise of Death (1993 radio play))
4) Professor Capra (Flip Flop (2003 audio drama))


I had heard about Colin Baker appearing in a 5th Doctor episode (I think I vaguely remember seeing a repeat of the episode) - I can imagine this could have created continuity problems. It was very interesting to hear about Karen Gillam's character - I vaguely remember the character but I had no idea when Amy came into the series that the same actress had appeared before.
DA
davidhorman
I had heard about Colin Baker appearing in a 5th Doctor episode (I think I vaguely remember seeing a repeat of the episode) - I can imagine this could have created continuity problems.

Not really a continuity problem, although Colin Baker was apparently disappointed to get the first part because he thought that meant he couldn't be considered for the Doctor in future. Doctor Who also had Romana I regenerating into Romana II, played by Lalla Ward, who had played a different part in the previous season/episode - this was directly referenced with the Doctor being up in arms that Romana had chosen to take on the same form as someone else.

Oh yeah, and that same previous season had one episode with Mary Tamm playing four parts - Romana, Princess Strella (the similarity being one of those happy plot-driving coincidences) and their android doubles.

David
Last edited by davidhorman on 11 November 2012 4:57pm
IT
itsrobert Founding member
On a similar theme to this thread, I'm currently watching The West Wing and I keep finding it amusing that many of the guest stars seemingly did the rounds on 90s American sitcoms. I've lost count of the number that also appeared in Seinfeld, amongst others. But I suppose, like Gavin said, if they're good actors, they get used frequently. It's good for me as it means I can play the 'spot the guest star' game Very Happy
ST
stevek2
going back to terry and june and the charcter of malcom a bit of digging may reveal the reason why the changed the actor

Malcom was first played by Terence Alexander in series one and two, made in 79/80 Terence then went onto to play Charlie Hungerford in Bergerac from 81 to 91. this meant Malcom had to be recast, but did not appear until series 8 and 9 made between 85 and 87. Terence Alexander was by then well know for his Bergerac role so was probably invited back for a 'guest' appearance as an inebriated butler.

so mystery solved Wink
WH
Whataday Founding member
One Foot In The Grave used to use the same actors quite a lot for bit parts.


Yes, a chap who played the owner of a car garage in one of the early episodes, when Victor's car wouldn't start (infact the episode where Mr Swaney first appeared) later played a rogue-locksmith in a later series.


Yes, the only reason Mr Swainey's character reappeared in the 2nd season was that David Renwick wanted to use the actor again as he felt it worked so well. He was therefore crowbarred into the script as the Meldrew's new neighbour.

Also there's an episode where Victor goes to buy a pair of shoes that belonged to a man that had just (30 mins earlier) died. The actress that played his wife later played the receptionist in the episode set entirely in a solicitors waiting room.

Not quite the same, but there was an instance in One Foot is in a scene where Victor and Margaret mistake two children as the sons of a an old acquaintance that turns up unexpectedly. As Victor kicks them out upon realising his mistake, the boys can be heard off camera shouting "ahh you miserable old git!" This audio was taken from an earlier episode and was dubbed over the top. They obviously felt the children should have shouted some abuse but hadn't got the actors to say it, so they pinched it from a previous episode.
RW
Robert Williams Founding member
going back to terry and june and the charcter of malcom a bit of digging may reveal the reason why the changed the actor

Malcom was first played by Terence Alexander in series one and two, made in 79/80 Terence then went onto to play Charlie Hungerford in Bergerac from 81 to 91. this meant Malcom had to be recast, but did not appear until series 8 and 9 made between 85 and 87. Terence Alexander was by then well know for his Bergerac role so was probably invited back for a 'guest' appearance as an inebriated butler.

so mystery solved Wink

There were actually three Malcolms - the first, as you say, was Terence Alexander, who appeared in the first two series. The Malcolm in the last two series was played by John Quayle.

However the Malcolm in question, who appeared from series 3-7, was played by Tim Barrett, and it is he who reappeared as the drunken butler in series 9.
ST
stevek2
thanks for that, it didn't mention the 2nd malcom (Tim Barrett) on the wyki bit I read, maybe he had other engagements so was unavailable for the whole series so just did a guest spot

as for whoever wrote the wyki page, they obviously forgot about the malcom in the middle Rolling Eyes
MA
Matt_1979
going back to terry and june and the charcter of malcom a bit of digging may reveal the reason why the changed the actor

Malcom was first played by Terence Alexander in series one and two, made in 79/80 Terence then went onto to play Charlie Hungerford in Bergerac from 81 to 91. this meant Malcom had to be recast, but did not appear until series 8 and 9 made between 85 and 87. Terence Alexander was by then well know for his Bergerac role so was probably invited back for a 'guest' appearance as an inebriated butler.

so mystery solved Wink

There were actually three Malcolms - the first, as you say, was Terence Alexander, who appeared in the first two series. The Malcolm in the last two series was played by John Quayle.

However the Malcolm in question, who appeared from series 3-7, was played by Tim Barrett, and it is he who reappeared as the drunken butler in series 9.


I had heard about the three Malcolms, although I only remember Tim Barrett and John Quayle. It seems a bit odd that he appeared as a guest character, unless, as it has been said, Tim Barrett wasn't available for Series 8 and 9. I am certain viewers would have noticed, though Very Happy
TV
TVN
Alison King played another role in Coronation Street prior to being cast as Carla Connor.

There have been a couple of Neighbours regulars over the years who have previously played other parts. I think Karl Kennedy is one.

In ER, Frank Martin (desk clerk) appeared previously as a police officer who had been shot. When the actor won the desk clerk role, the proposed name of the character was changed to Martin.

Inversely, some characters have had their actors changed overnight, excluding those who have disappeared and come back later. These include:

Steph Scully, Declan Napier and Libby Kennedy in Neighbours.

Carol Willick in Friends.

Makes me wonder why Neighours bosses havent brought back Michaela Banas as Libby since Kim Valentine has apparently disappeared. Some big storylines seem to have just fallen off the radar

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