What actors have played a character part and also play themselves in a TV series?

Judy Carne played Dr. Bellows' niece in an early episode of I Dream of Jeannie. Later in the series she played herself as part of a Laugh-in crossover episode.

Are there others who have done this?

Rick Springfield played the role of Dr. Noah Drake on soap opera "General Hospital".

He also performed as himself for the 2013 Nurses' Ball. What was funny was that Dr. Drake arranged for Rick Springfield to appear.

On a Mork and Mindy Mork meets Robin Williams in the creatively titled episode ‘Mork Meets Robin Williams’. So RW was himself and a character in that one.

A little clarification. I'm looking for actors who play a character part and later as themself without any connection between the two roles. With the Judy Carne example there is no reference or connection between her playing Dr. Bellows' niece in an early episode and then in a different episode playing herself.

Don't know if this is what you mean exactly, but on one episode of Last Man Standing, Tim Allen pulled double duty playing his regular character and his former Home Improvement character (Tim The Toolman Taylor).

Don't know if this is what you mean exactly, but on one episode of Last Man Standing, Tim Allen pulled double duty playing his regular character and his former Home Improvement character (Tim The Toolman Taylor).

Not really,. It looks like this happened in the same episode and that he was not playing himself.

This is a hard one to come up with answers which is why I only came up with the Judy Carne I Dream of Jeannie example.

So different episodes of the same show where the actor in one episode is playing a character and the other episode they are playing themself. There should be no connection between the to except for the show that it happened.

Thanks for trying.

"The Sopranos" actor Tony Sirico appeared as an exaggerated version of himself in live segments of a "Family Guy" episode.

He then voiced the character Vinny the Dog.

"The Sopranos" actor Tony Sirico appeared as an exaggerated version of himself in live segments of a "Family Guy" episode.

He then voiced the character Vinny the Dog.

I forgot about Vinny. Was this all in the same episode? I haven't watched Family Guy in a long time.

I forgot about Vinny. Was this all in the same episode? I haven't watched Family Guy in a long time.

No, his live scenes were from a 2015 episode.

Vinny the Dog first appeared in 2013 after Brian "died". He did 6 episodes.

No, his live scenes were from a 2015 episode.

Vinny the Dog first appeared in 2013 after Brian "died". He did 6 episodes.

That explains why I missed this. Soon after Brian "died" I stopped watching news episodes.

Thanks for searching this out.

Andy Gibb played himself in a Punky Brewster episode and then later played a character named Tony in a different episode of the same series.

Andy Gibb played himself in a Punky Brewster episode and then later played a character named Tony in a different episode of the same series.

Never knew he acted

Never knew he acted

He also appeared in an episode of Gimme a Break and he was in at least one Broadway play.

I have one, in an episode of The Lucy Show titled "Lucy and the Plumber," Jack Benny plays a plumber named Harry Tuttle, a few years later he plays himself in the episode "Lucy Gets Jack Benny's Account".

I have one, in an episode of The Lucy Show titled "Lucy and the Plumber," Jack Benny plays a plumber named Harry Tuttle, a few years later he plays himself in the episode "Lucy Gets Jack Benny's Account".

That works. It was funny seeing Bob Hope as Jack's assistant in the Plumber episode

On The Love Boat -
Milton Berle was on 6 times. The first 5 episodes he played different characters. The last on he played himself.
Jayne Meadows was on 7 times. Once as herself and the other 6 as different characters.
Steve Allen was on twice. Once as a character the other as himself.
Don Knotts was on twice. Once as a character the other as himself.
Gale Storm was on twice. Once as a character the other as herself.

Seth Meyers had an appearance on a Season 1 episode of The Mindy Project where he played Matt, a potential suitor for Mindy Kaling’s character.

Meyers returned as himself for a Season 4 episode.

Wayne Newton... Vega$

May or may not count, but Jackie Gleason hosted "The Jackie Gleason Show" where he would also appear as Ralph Kramden for sketches.

Wayne Newton... Vega$

So he played himself in one episode and a character in a different episode?

May or may not count, but Jackie Gleason hosted "The Jackie Gleason Show" where he would also appear as Ralph Kramden for sketches.

The Honeymooners sketches even though part of the Gleason Show they were separate from the rest of the show. Gleason also played a bartender in the Gleason Show. In either case Gleason did play himself and the character he was portraying in same sketches.

Kind of like The Family sketches on The Carol Burnett Show. Those characters didn't cross into the rest of the show. This would hold true for any other variety or sketch show such as Laugh-In, etc provided the actor did play a character and themself in the same sketch.

Fun thread!!!

On The Joey Bishop Show, Danny Thomas appeared as Danny Williams from Make Room for Daddy in a season one episode. He returned for a season two episode AND a season three episode playing himself. Which is funny because in the fourth season, Rusty Hamer played Rusty Williams in a few episodes, so those characters from Make Room for Daddy still existed in the Bishop-verse as did Danny Thomas.

On The Joey Bishop Show, Danny Thomas appeared as Danny Williams from Make Room for Daddy in a season one episode. He returned for a season two episode AND a season three episode playing himself. Which is funny because in the fourth season, Rusty Hamer played Rusty Williams in a few episodes, so those characters from Make Room for Daddy still existed in the Bishop-verse as did Danny Thomas.

He was also on his daughter’s show, That Girl as himself in the episode "Those Friars" and a cameo as a priest in the episode, "My Sister's Keeper", Marlo's brother, Tony and sister, Terre was also on that episode.

Fun thread!!!

Thanks, feel free to add to the list.

This would hold true for any other variety or sketch show such as Laugh-In, etc provided the actor did play a character and themself in the same sketch.

That applies for the countless SNL hosts who also appeared in sketches during their episodes.

Alan Thicke played talk show host Dennis Dupree on "Hope & Gloria" who had a grudge against the actor for ruining his professional career because he looks like him.

"Hope & Gloria" did an episode where the "Growing Pains" cast appeared on Dupree's talk show where he confronts Alan Thicke (who did double duty for the episode).

Paul Winchell: On The Lucy Show, he played himself once (1966) and the next season played a character in 2 episodes (1967).

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" featured a "Seinfeld" reunion in 2009 where the cast appeared as themselves as well as portraying their "Seinfeld" characters.

The episode featured Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards and Jason Alexander.

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" featured a "Seinfeld" reunion in 2009 where the cast appeared as themselves as well as portraying their "Seinfeld" characters.

The episode featured Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards and Jason Alexander.

Was this on the same episode or different ones. This works if it was different episodes.

In an episode of the game show Password Plus Carol Burnett and Vicki Lawence were themselves. On a different episode they played their characters from The Family - Eunice and Thelma.

Alan Thicke played talk show host Dennis Dupree on "Hope & Gloria" who had a grudge against the actor for ruining his professional career because he looks like him.

"Hope & Gloria" did an episode where the "Growing Pains" cast appeared on Dupree's talk show where he confronts Alan Thicke (who did double duty for the episode).

Are these examples for the same episode of those shows or separate? There are far more examples of actors playing a character and themselves in the same episode of a show.

There are not as many where the actor in one show's episode plays a character and then in a separate episode of the same show as themselves. Yet I discovering from the thread that there are far more examples that I thought there were for the criteria set.

Sanford and Son Redd Foxx played himself in the final season's "Redd Meets Fred" episode.

Sanford and Son Redd Foxx played himself in the final season's "Redd Meets Fred" episode.

Was this from one episode or two? If two then it works for this list.

Jon Bauman was on Password Plus for many episodes as his Sha Na Na character "Bowzer" as well as a few other episodes as himself

The Lucy Show (again): Ruta Lee played herself in Season 6 episode (reading a play script with Milton Berle), having been a one-time character in a Season 5 episode (1967).

The Lucy Show (again): Ruta Lee played herself in Season 6 episode (reading a play script with Milton Berle), having been a one-time character in a Season 5 episode (1967).

Wow, she was only on two episodes. I could have swore she was on many others.