Humble Beginnings-We Knew Them When

[Madame X]

Which actors had major film careers after being "discovered" on TV?

Sally Field (Gidget, Flying Nun)
George Clooney (Facts of Life, Roseanne)
Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies)
Danny DeVito (Taxi)
John Travolta (Welcome Back, Kotter)

[catlover79]

Here are some actors who got their start on soaps:

Kim Delaney and Sarah Michelle Gellar (All My Children)

Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Anne Heche (Another World)

Meg Ryan, Marisa Tomei, Julianne Moore (As the World Turns)

Demi Moore and Janine Turner (General Hospital)

James Earl Jones, Billy Dee Williams, Cecily Tyson, Kevin Bacon, Shelley Stringfield (Guiding Light)

Ryan Phillippe (One Live to Live)

Jesse Metcalfe (Passions)

Marg Helgenberger, Yasmine Bleeth, Kate Mulgrew (Ryan's Hope)

I know there are more, but these were the only ones I could think of at the moment...

[treky]

Tom Hanks

[freshprinceofLA]

I don't know if these 2 count Will Smith (Fresh Prince), Queen Latifiah (Living Single).

Tim allen (home improvement)
Ashton Kutcher (that 70's show)

[comedyfreak]

Here are some actors who got their start on soaps:

Kim Delaney and Sarah Michelle Gellar (All My Children)

Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Anne Heche (Another World)

Meg Ryan, Marisa Tomei, Julianne Moore (As the World Turns)

Demi Moore and Janine Turner (General Hospital)

James Earl Jones, Billy Dee Williams, Cecily Tyson, Kevin Bacon, Shelley Stringfield (Guiding Light)

Ryan Phillippe (One Live to Live)

Jesse Metcalfe (Passions)

Marg Helgenberger, Yasmine Bleeth, Kate Mulgrew (Ryan's Hope)

I know there are more, but these were the only ones I could think of at the moment...
OMG!!:eek: You forgot...........................................................

"Blackie" John Stamos (General Hospital)
"Noah" Rick Springfield (General Hospital)
Richard Simmons (General Hospital)

Mrs. Ed Hall Phylicia Rashad (One Life To Live)

Ashton Kutcher (That 70's Show)
Topher Grace (That 70's Show)
Actors who went on to direct
Ron Howard
Penny Marshall
Rob Reiner
Mel Gibson

[waichingliu81]

will smith would be the most obvious one, followed by michael j fox (family ties), christopher lloyd (taxi), danny devito (taxi) and robin williams (mork and mindy), martin lawrence (martin) then again, robin williams probably started out as a stand up comic before he moved to tv and then onto film, cheers's woody harrelson and ted danson

[Jaqui-Michel]

David Hasselhoff - Young & The Restless
Robin Wright Penn - Santa Barbara