Car 54, Where Are You? and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis are examples of this. Maybe 1/100 would primarily identify Fred Gwynne and Bob Denver with those shows in contrast to The Munsters and Gilligan's Island respectively.

This might be cheating but, Dick Van Dyke went from The New Dick Van Dyke Show to Diagnosis Murder. Cheating because the Original Dick Van Dyke Show is probably more iconic than Diagnosis Murder.

This might be cheating but, Dick Van Dyke went from The New Dick Van Dyke Show to Diagnosis Murder. Cheating because the Original Dick Van Dyke Show is probably more iconic than Diagnosis Murder.

It is cheating, Van Dyke is best known from the original series.

I have three:

Peter Falk: "The Trials of O'Brien" to Columbo

Larry Hagman: I Dream of Jeannie (Tony Nelson) to Dallas J.R. Ewing

Bea Arthur: Maude to Golden Girls Dorothy Zbornak

Tony Shalhoub - Wings to Monk

Both great shows but when thinking of Tony, I'm sure most people think of Monk.

Shannen Doherty went from starring as Kris Witherspoon on "Our House", a show most people likely don't even remember to her star-making role as Brenda Walsh on "Beverly Hills, 90210"

Judith Light went from "One Life to Live" to starring on "Who's the boss" as Angela Bower, though I LOVE OLTL, I think WTB is more Iconic.

Debra Messing went from "Ned & Stacey" to "Will & Grace"

Paul Reiser went from "My Two Dads" to the more iconic "Mad About You"

Jane Leeves went from "Murphy Brown" to "Frasier" (She had played Miles long-term girlfriend on MB)

Sarah Michelle Geller went from "All My Children" to the more iconic "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer"

Keri Russell went from "Malibu Shores" to the more iconic "Felicity"

Mayim Bialik went from "Blossom" to the much more iconic "Big Bang Theory"

Kate Jackson: from Dark Shadows to The Rookies, Charlie’s Angels(Original) and later Scarecrow & Mrs King

Patrick Duffy: The Man From Atlantis to Dallas & later Step By Step

Alfonso Riberio: Silver Spoons to The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Linda Evans: The Big Valley to Dynasty

Mary Frann: Days of Our Lives to Newhart

Markie Post: The Fall Guy to Night Court(Original)

Mayim Bialik: From child actress on Macgyer to Blossom and later part of the Big Bang ensemble and co-host of Jeopardy.

Tom Hanks: From Bossom Buddies and various TV guest star of the week type of roles to a movie career.

Woody Harrelson: From Cheers to a movie career.

Kelsey Grammer: Part of the Cheers ensemble, to headlining his own show which had a bigger impact than Cheers and decent movie career as a character actor.

Chris Pratt: From Parks and Rec to Guardians Of The Galaxy and beyond box buster stardom.

Jane Leeves played Blue on the sitcom Throb and later went on to Frasier and Hot in Cleveland.

Tony Shalhoub - Wings to Monk

Both great shows but when thinking of Tony, I'm sure most people think of Monk.

No I usually think of Wings where Tony Shalhoub played Antonio.

Ed.

Robert Conrad from Hawaiian Eye to The Wild, Wild West
Angela Cartwright from Make Room for Daddy to Lost in Space
June Lockhart from Lassie to Lost in Space
Mickey Dolenz from Circus Boy to The Monkees
Stephanie Powers from The Girl From UNCLE to Hart to Hart
Bill Cosby from I Spy to The Bill Cosby Show

Iconic is a matter of opinion, but a few more actors who upgraded to a leading role:

Mary Tyler Moore from The Dick Van Dyke Show to The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Gavin McLeod from The Mary Tyler Moore Show to the Captain of The Love Boat.

Bea Benaderet: usually uncredited voice actress (Looney Tunes, radio) and character actress (George Burns and Beverly Hillbillies), to voicing Betty Rubble on The Flintstones and lead star on Petticolt Junction.

Shannen Doherty went from starring as Kris Witherspoon on "Our House", a show most people likely don't even remember to her star-making role as Brenda Walsh on "Beverly Hills, 90210"

Judith Light went from "One Life to Live" to starring on "Who's the boss" as Angela Bower, though I LOVE OLTL, I think WTB is more Iconic.

Debra Messing went from "Ned & Stacey" to "Will & Grace"

Paul Reiser went from "My Two Dads" to the more iconic "Mad About You"

Jane Leeves went from "Murphy Brown" to "Frasier" (She had played Miles long-term girlfriend on MB)

Sarah Michelle Geller went from "All My Children" to the more iconic "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer"

Keri Russell went from "Malibu Shores" to the more iconic "Felicity"

Mayim Bialik went from "Blossom" to the much more iconic "Big Bang Theory"

Speaking of The Big Bang Theory, Kaley Cuoco going from 8 Simple Rules (which is sadly, best known for being the last time that John Ritter was working on when he did) Charmed to The Big Bang Theory.

And since Who's the Boss? has also been mentioned, Katherine Helmond going from Soap to WTB and Tony Danza going from Taxi to WTB. It's not that Taxi has been completely forgotten, is just that I would say that WTB is the show that people would commonly associate Tony Danza with first and foremost.

Robert Conrad from Hawaiian Eye to The Wild, Wild West
Angela Cartwright from Make Room for Daddy to Lost in Space
June Lockhart from Lassie to Lost in Space
Mickey Dolenz from Circus Boy to The Monkees
Stephanie Powers from The Girl From UNCLE to Hart to Hart
Bill Cosby from I Spy to The Bill Cosby Show

No offense, but I would argue that I, Spy (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/ISpy) is the more iconic one of Bill Cosby's pre-Cosby Show series simply because of the historical significance (https://shadowandact.com/loose-adaptation-of-groundbreaking-1965-i-spy-series-lands-at-fox) behind it (https://www.popmatters.com/183284-groundbreaking-wonderfulness-i-spy-2495645439.html).

Robert Reed: "The Defenders" to "The Brady Bunch"

Speaking of The Big Bang Theory, Kaley Cuoco going from 8 Simple Rules (which is sadly, best known for being the last time that John Ritter was working on when he did) Charmed to The Big Bang Theory.

And since Who's the Boss? has also been mentioned, Katherine Helmond going from Soap to WTB and Tony Danza going from Taxi to WTB. It's not that Taxi has been completely forgotten, is just that I would say that WTB is the show that people would commonly associate Tony Danza with first and foremost.

Taxi had a more iconic cast (Danny Devito, Christopher Lloyd, Andy Kaufman, Judd Hirsch and etc) was a future launching point for the cast of Cheers and was way funnier then Who's The Boss.

Joseph Kearns
As an extra on Jack Benny & I Love Lucy to Dennis the Menace

Bea Author
As on All In The Family to Maude to The Golden Girls

Sherman Helmsley
As on All In The Family to The Jeffersons to Amen

Bob Newhart
As on The Bob Newhart Show to Newhart/The Bob Newhart Show (Finale)

Jackee Harris
As on 227 to Sister Sister to Days Of Our Lives

Marla Gibbs
As on The Jeffersons to 227 to Days of our Lives

Katey Segel
As from Married With Children to 8 Simple Rules to The Conners

Patricia Heaton
As from Everybody Loves Raymond to the middle.

Neil Flynn
As from Scrubs to the middle.

Ed O’Neil
As from Married With Children to Modern Family


Laurie Metcalf & Johnny Galecki & Sara Gilbert
As from Roseanne to Big Bang Theory to The Conners

Taxi had a more iconic cast (Danny Devito, Christopher Lloyd, Andy Kaufman, Judd Hirsch and etc) was a future launching point for the cast of Cheers and was way funnier then Who's The Boss.Who's the Boss? has had more visibility being syndicated a lot more over the years than Taxi. Also, Tony Danza was the lead on Who's the Boss? while only a supporting character on Taxi. I would agree that Taxi is better overall, but that is more because of other cast members like Marilu Henner, Andy Kaufman, Judd Hirsch, and Danniy DeVito. Some of the writers on Cheers started out on Taxi as well as Rhea Perlman with a much smaller part on the latter. But most of the Cheers cast was not on Taxi as well.

Melissa McCarthy. She was on the long running The Gilmore Girls but in a supporting role. And later went on to a starring role in the sitcom Mike & Molly as Molly, and now has a successful movie career.

Ed.

I'm not really understanding the question. Is this about people who were already stars on an iconic show (or became major stars) and then moved on to a more iconic/recognizable show that they're better remembered for? Because in this case, people are missing the more obvious ones, like:

Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle, Breaking Bad)

Don Knotts (Andy Griffith Show, Three's Company, but they might be even in terms of being iconic)

Jane Curtin (SNL, Third Rock from the Sun)

Vicki Lawrence (Carol Burnett Show, Mama's Family)

Tim Conway (McHale's Navy, Carol Burnett Show)

Michael Landon (Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie)

Penny Marshall (The Odd Couple, Laverne and Shirley)

Gale Gordon (Our Miss Brooks, The Lucy Show)

Bill Bixby (My Favorite Martian, The Incredible Hulk)

Lorenzo Music (Rhoda, Garfield and Friends)

Julie Kavner (Rhoda, The Simpsons)

Conrad Bain (Maude, Diff'rent Strokes)

Robert Guillaume (Soap, Benson)

Wayne Knight (Third Rock from the Sun, Seinfeld--he starred on both shows as the same time)

Jeffrey Tambor (The Ropers, The Larry Sanders Show)

Both Rene Auberjonois and Ethan Phillips of Benson went on to star in Deep Space Nine and Voyager, which are more iconic and they are better remembered for IMO

Jackee Harris
As on 227 to Sister Sister to Days Of Our Lives

She also started on Another World

Valerie Harper from MTM to Rhoda (I guess I'm looking at this wrong--as just going on to a show in which they're the star)

Valerie Harper from MTM to Rhoda (I guess I'm looking at this wrong--as just going on to a show in which they're the star)

At least you steered clear of Valerie's Family. :lol:

The question can lead to subjective opinions..

For me Larry Hagman is Tony Nelson not JR Ewing. I've never watched Dallas.

Barbara Eden when from "How to Marry a Millionaire " to Jeannie. Jeannie being the more iconic character.

Bill Daley's characters on I Dream of Jeannie and The Bob Newhart Show for me are even with no true

The question can lead to subjective opinions..

For me Larry Hagman is Tony Nelson not JR Ewing. I've never watched Dallas.

Barbara Eden when from "How to Marry a Millionaire " to Jeannie. Jeannie being the more iconic character.

Bill Daley's characters on I Dream of Jeannie and The Bob Newhart Show for me are even with no true

I love Dallas and Bob Newhart but I think people will still be watching Jeannie when those other hits are long forgotten. Jeannie (like so many of the 60s shows) is forever.

I'm not really understanding the question. Is this about people who were already stars on an iconic show (or became major stars) and then moved on to a more iconic/recognizable show that they're better remembered for? Because in this case, people are missing the more obvious ones, like:

Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle, Breaking Bad)

Don Knotts (Andy Griffith Show, Three's Company, but they might be even in terms of being iconic)

Jane Curtin (SNL, Third Rock from the Sun)

Vicki Lawrence (Carol Burnett Show, Mama's Family)

Tim Conway (McHale's Navy, Carol Burnett Show)

Michael Landon (Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie)

Penny Marshall (The Odd Couple, Laverne and Shirley)

Gale Gordon (Our Miss Brooks, The Lucy Show)

Bill Bixby (My Favorite Martian, The Incredible Hulk)

Lorenzo Music (Rhoda, Garfield and Friends)

Julie Kavner (Rhoda, The Simpsons)

Conrad Bain (Maude, Diff'rent Strokes)

Robert Guillaume (Soap, Benson)

Wayne Knight (Third Rock from the Sun, Seinfeld--he starred on both shows as the same time)

Jeffrey Tambor (The Ropers, The Larry Sanders Show)

Both Rene Auberjonois and Ethan Phillips of Benson went on to star in Deep Space Nine and Voyager, which are more iconic and they are better remembered for IMO

Don Knotts is to me, probably the most interesting case. I suppose that a younger generation would likely recognize him more for being Ralph Furley on Three's Company. But his role as Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show is really what made him a household name. And both shows were hugely popular at their respective peaks. People seem to forget though, that Don was only on The Andy Griffith Show for the first five seasons, and I believe that it lasted for eight overall. Don Knotts was incidentally, also on Three's Company for about five seasons, beginning in Season 4.

At first I thought this was for people who left a show for another one that went on to be a hit.

Some that come to mind are Adam Brody leaving "Gilmore Girls" for "The O.C." and Jeanine Mason leaving "Grey's Anatomy" for "Roswell, New Mexico".

Don Knotts is to me, probably the most interesting case. I suppose that a younger generation would likely recognize him more for being Ralph Furley on Three's Company. But his role as Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show is really what made him a household name. And both shows were hugely popular at their respective peaks. People seem to forget though, that Don was only on The Andy Griffith Show for the first five seasons, and I believe that it lasted for eight overall. Don Knotts was incidentally, also on Three's Company for about five seasons, beginning in Season 4.

That's why the question is so subjective.

Like for me Jane Curtin's signature role work be a toss up between SNL cast member and Allie from Kate and Allie. I never watch 3rd Rock.

Bill Bixby for me would be Tim from My Favorite Martian with Tom Corbett from Courtship of Eddie's Father a close second. I never watched The Incredible Hulk

Michael Landon is another generational actors like Don Knotts. All 3 of his roles ( Bonanza, Little House on the Prarie, and Highway to Heaven) could easily meet the criteria of most iconic role based on which generation is responding to the question.

Moving on. Bernie Kopell was an excellent character actor who's most iconic character actor (recurring character) for me would be Seigfried on Get Smart and iconic lead character role would be Dr. Bricker on Love Boat. (That might have been his only Starring role character)

William Shallert was also a great character actor. His iconic recurring role for me would be Professor Pomfriff on Dobie Gillis and iconic lead role would be Martin Lane on Patty Duke Show.

That's why the question is so subjective.

Like for me Jane Curtin's signature role work be a toss up between SNL cast member and Allie from Kate and Allie. I never watch 3rd Rock.

Bill Bixby for me would be Tim from My Favorite Martian with Tom Corbett from Courtship of Eddie's Father a close second. I never watched The Incredible Hulk

Michael Landon is another generational actors like Don Knotts. All 3 of his roles ( Bonanza, Little House on the Prarie, and Highway to Heaven) could easily meet the criteria of most iconic role based on which generation is responding to the question.

Moving on. Bernie Kopell was an excellent character actor who's most iconic character actor (recurring character) for me would be Seigfried on Get Smart and iconic lead character role would be Dr. Bricker on Love Boat. (That might have been his only Starring role character)

William Shallert was also a great character actor. His iconic recurring role for me would be Professor Pomfriff on Dobie Gillis and iconic lead role would be Martin Lane on Patty Duke Show.

Jane Curtain was funnier on Third Rock From The Sun.

Bill Bixby will always be remembered for "You wont like me when I am angry".

Like Robert Downey Jr is Iron Man, Larry Hagman will always be JR Ewing. He, Larry Hagman didn't even bother coming back for the I Dream Of Jeanie reunion movie.

Bea Arthur: Maude to Golden Girls Dorothy Zbornak

This is an excellent example.

Golden Girls is more iconic than Maude and Bea Arthur was the "star" of Maude.

Several if not most other examples throughout this thread, it seems what was suggested is actor of a show. I think star means lead or leading actor of a popular show, not just an actor in an ensemble of a show, sometimes not even a successful show.

Mayim Bialik went from "Blossom" to the much more iconic "Big Bang Theory"

I'd add Neil Patrick Harris from "Doogie Howser MD" to "How I Met Your Mother" with the latter being more iconic, maybe.

But both actors had huge gap of time period of life before coming back into presence. With their first show they were child stars.

Like Robert Downey Jr is Iron Man, Larry Hagman will always be JR Ewing. He, Larry Hagman didn't even bother coming back for the I Dream Of Jeanie reunion movie.

Yes, of course. After Who Shot JR became a cultural phenomenon, that became Hagman's most iconic, signature role, like what Captain Kirk became for Shatner. I can't imagine anyone seeing Major Nelson as his more famous role.

Hagman didn't return to the reunion because he absolutely hated it, but it's also for the reason that you stated. He had already made his mark in TV history as Ewing; no way was he going to taint it by returning to that show!

The question can lead to subjective opinions..

For me Larry Hagman is Tony Nelson not JR Ewing. I've never watched Dallas.

Barbara Eden when from "How to Marry a Millionaire " to Jeannie. Jeannie being the more iconic character.

Bill Daley's characters on I Dream of Jeannie and The Bob Newhart Show for me are even with no true

"For me Larry Hagman is Tony Nelson not JR Ewing. I've never watched Dallas"

That's being subjective, no question about it. For 5 seasons in the 80's Dallas ranked as either the number 1 or number 2 show in the Nielsen ratings for the season. The who shot J.R. reveal was one of the most watched episodes in the history of television. Hagman is JR Ewing one of television's most iconic characters, right up there with Archie Bunker, Perry Mason, Andy Taylor, Mary Richards, Lucy Ricardo, to suggest otherwise is preposterous.

Matthew Fox starred in Party of Five, and then moved to star in Lost.

Arguably, Lost is more iconic than Party of Five. Both were ensemble cast shows but he was a lead on Lost. But even on Lost, they had a lot of characters. I always liked Kate - Evangeline Lilly more, who went on to star in a supporting cast role in the Ant Man movie series. On Party of Five, he might have been the second most important person on the show.

Tracee Ellis Ross starred in Girlfriends and then Blackish. I think Blackish is more iconic than Girlfriends, but not sure. But she at least went from starring in CW show to a show on ABC.

Dabney Coleman had a recurring role on That Girl then went on to be Buffalo Bill.

He looked and acted so differently in those shows.

Car 54, Where Are You? and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis are examples of this. Maybe 1/100 would primarily identify Fred Gwynne and Bob Denver with those shows in contrast to The Munsters and Gilligan's Island respectively.

In addition to Fred Gwynne in Car 54 also Al Lewis moved on to Grandpa Munster and Charlotte Rae moved on to Edna Garrett (Different Strokes/Facts of Life)

Robert Fuller: from a four-season Western (Laramie, 1959-63, where he was Jess Harper) to a more iconic 6-season NBC medical/action series in the 70s called Emergency!, where he was Dr. Kelly Brackett.

I don’t know if this show was more successful than his breakout show but Ed O’Neill. I didn’t like Married with Children at all but he became the father of Modern Family, and I liked his portrayal as the father of the family. After Married, it was a couple of false starts for him before he got this show.