Younger Actors in an Older Role - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Madame X · 04-12-2007, 11:42 AM

Were there any sitcom actors who played a role that was way older than themselves?

The only ones I can think of right now are Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo and Vicki Lawrence as Thelma Harper. They were both excellent!

A lot of actors occasionally dressed as older people, like Lucy & Ethel, and the Brady parents, but I am looking for the ones for which being old was their main role.

Dusty's Fan · 04-12-2007, 12:43 PM

Irene Ryan as "Granny" on The Beverly Hillbillies. While she was about to turn 60 when beginning the role, she was still playing a significantly older character.

andress_jade · 04-12-2007, 07:12 PM

Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie, she was 2000 years old but looked 20 something. She looked good for a 2000 year old! LOL!

What about Samantha on Bewitched? Wasn't her character significantly older than she looked?

snl 70s show fan · 04-12-2007, 08:29 PM

richard crenna was 26 when he started playing high schooler walter denton on our miss brooks on tv and he had played the role on radio for several years before that

kambreesuncle · 04-12-2007, 09:25 PM

Redd Foxx played the "Over 60" Fred Sanford on S&S when actually he was only in his early 50's and Whitman Mayo who played the "Over 60" Grady was only in his early 40's.

freshprinceofLA · 04-12-2007, 09:36 PM

I think on growing pains they made maggie (joanna kerns) older than Jason (Alan Thicke) when in reality I believe that Alan Thicke is like 6 yrs older than Joanna Kerns.

comedyfreak · 04-12-2007, 11:44 PM

John Amos played an older character to seem like he was older than Esther Rolle who was more than ten years older than John was.

Frank Caddy who played Sam Drucker in Petticoat and Green Acres was only in his 40's was playing a character who was in his 60's.

wkomorow · 04-13-2007, 09:49 PM

Kenneth Waller was only 53 when he playes Old Mr Grace in Are you Being Served. Abe Vigoda was in his fities during Barney Miller and Fish.

treky · 04-14-2007, 12:06 AM

Tony Ranndal played Felixes father 3 times on "THE ODD COUPLE" and Jack Klugman played Oscars father once.
Dick Van Dyke played Robs grandfather once on "THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW".
Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore played the older Rob & Laura Petrie once in a sketch on "THE MARY TYLER MOORE HOUR"-a short lived show she had after her sitcom.
(the sketch is on one of the DVD sets of THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW)

catlover79 · 04-14-2007, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andress_jade

Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie, she was 2000 years old but looked 20 something. She looked good for a 2000 year old! LOL!

What about Samantha on Bewitched? Wasn't her character significantly older than she looked?

Yes, Samantha was several centuries older than Darrin. That was established way back in Season 1, in an episode entitled "Eye of the Beholder". That was such a beautiful, sweet episode.

When Taxi debuted in 1978, Marilu Henner (Elaine Nardo) was 26 years old and her character, a divorced mom with 2 kids, had to be 5-10 years older. I think I read where they dressed her older and Ms. Henner emulated her sister, who was about 10 years older than her in real life.

Penny Lane · 04-14-2007, 01:07 PM

Melissa Gilbert was supposed to be a grown up Laura Ingalls, married and a school teacher. But to me she looked like a little girl playing dress up.

treky · 04-15-2007, 02:44 AM

Gary Burghoff played Radars mother once on MASH.

catlover79 · 04-15-2007, 10:48 AM

Richard Sanders played Les Nessman's mother on WKRP, and Bronson Pinchot also played Balki's mother on Perfect Strangers. I believe in both cases they were both one-shots.

pbsausie · 05-11-2007, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penny Lane

Melissa Gilbert was supposed to be a grown up Laura Ingalls, married and a school teacher. But to me she looked like a little girl playing dress up.

How old was Melissa at that point?

Kristen · 05-11-2007, 04:32 AM

Bea Arthur played Dorothy's grandmother in a flashback once on The Golden Girls.

04-12-2007, 11:42 AM	#1
Madame X Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2006 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,831	Younger Actors in an Older Role Were there any sitcom actors who played a role that was way older than themselves? The only ones I can think of right now are Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo and Vicki Lawrence as Thelma Harper. They were both excellent! A lot of actors occasionally dressed as older people, like Lucy & Ethel, and the Brady parents, but I am looking for the ones for which being old was their main role.

04-12-2007, 07:12 PM	#3
andress_jade Life Goes On... Moderator Senior Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2004 Location: Iola, KS or Glenbrook Posts: 1,220	Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie, she was 2000 years old but looked 20 something. She looked good for a 2000 year old! LOL! What about Samantha on Bewitched? Wasn't her character significantly older than she looked?
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04-12-2007, 09:36 PM	#6
freshprinceofLA The Bosses Senior Member Join Date: Aug 09, 2005 Location: A small town in: Los Angeles, California Posts: 2,810	I think on growing pains they made maggie (joanna kerns) older than Jason (Alan Thicke) when in reality I believe that Alan Thicke is like 6 yrs older than Joanna Kerns.
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04-12-2007, 11:44 PM	#7
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,061	John Amos played an older character to seem like he was older than Esther Rolle who was more than ten years older than John was. Frank Caddy who played Sam Drucker in Petticoat and Green Acres was only in his 40's was playing a character who was in his 60's.
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04-14-2007, 12:06 AM	#9
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	Tony Ranndal played Felixes father 3 times on "THE ODD COUPLE" and Jack Klugman played Oscars father once. Dick Van Dyke played Robs grandfather once on "THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW". Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore played the older Rob & Laura Petrie once in a sketch on "THE MARY TYLER MOORE HOUR"-a short lived show she had after her sitcom. (the sketch is on one of the DVD sets of THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW)
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04-12-2007, 12:43 PM	#2
Dusty's Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 13, 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,092	Irene Ryan as "Granny" on The Beverly Hillbillies. While she was about to turn 60 when beginning the role, she was still playing a significantly older character.

04-12-2007, 08:29 PM	#4
snl 70s show fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 14, 2005 Location: in the forman basment Posts: 2,454	richard crenna was 26 when he started playing high schooler walter denton on our miss brooks on tv and he had played the role on radio for several years before that

04-12-2007, 09:25 PM	#5
kambreesuncle Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 10, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 62	Redd Foxx played the "Over 60" Fred Sanford on S&S when actually he was only in his early 50's and Whitman Mayo who played the "Over 60" Grady was only in his early 40's.

04-13-2007, 09:49 PM	#8
wkomorow Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 24, 2005 Posts: 227	Kenneth Waller was only 53 when he playes Old Mr Grace in Are you Being Served. Abe Vigoda was in his fities during Barney Miller and Fish.

04-14-2007, 01:07 PM	#11
Penny Lane Butter Pie Forum Icon Join Date: Jul 03, 2001 Location: Beneath the blue suburban skies Posts: 51,270	Melissa Gilbert was supposed to be a grown up Laura Ingalls, married and a school teacher. But to me she looked like a little girl playing dress up.
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04-15-2007, 02:44 AM	#12
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	Gary Burghoff played Radars mother once on MASH.

04-15-2007, 10:48 AM	#13
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	Richard Sanders played Les Nessman's mother on WKRP, and Bronson Pinchot also played Balki's mother on Perfect Strangers. I believe in both cases they were both one-shots.

05-11-2007, 04:32 AM	#15
Kristen Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 17, 2000 Location: New York, USA Posts: 4,042	Bea Arthur played Dorothy's grandmother in a flashback once on The Golden Girls.
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