Something I've always wondered...

[littlebelle]

Please reply if you know the answer.

When doing an opening theme for a sitcom or drama, in which order do they display the actor's names? In some shows it seems like they do it by age and in some it seems like they do it by credibility aka how famous you are. Someone be an angel and answer my burning question!

Thanks!

[treky]

I think they mostly do it in alphabetical order.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by treky

I think they mostly do it in alphabetical order.

Experience has a lot to do with the billing especially with the lead actor or actress. Most dramas that I've seen usually credited their casts alphabetically but I'm not aware of many sitcoms that did. Another factor to consider are shows with more than one popular star, Dallas is a very good example. Larry Hagman was the main star of the show but he and the other cast members were credited alphabetically which was fair to everyone. Unfortunately, there have been those who have at one time or another demanded top billing which can throw the alphabetical idea completely out the window.

[Big C]

I have an example of what Zoneboy is referring to: look at the Step By Step credits.

Patrick and Suzanne were first, for they had lots of experience.

The next three, Staci, Sasha and Brandon, also had a good amount of experience.

The rest (Christine, Angela, Christopher) were very inexperienced at the time.

[littlebelle]

I've never heard of the alphabetical thing... I don't know any show that does that. Charmed really confused me on this because it used to be Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano and then the supporting actors. After Shannen's departure, they switched up the order and did Alyssa Milano first then Holly then Rose. Even though Alyssa had previously been last. In Party of Five they credited Scott Wolf first even though Matthew Fox had more cred. and was older.

[Mr. Television]

In Full House Bob Saget was really the lead but John Stamos got top billing because he was more well known at the time.

[JT]

I think for most shows, the order depends on whose name is going to draw in the audience. Sometimes, they might divide the leads and supporters, but still order by experience within each category. Example: "Three's Company." Audra Lindley and Norman Fell were both much more identifiable than any of the main three, but the main three were credited first because it was their show. Of the main three, John Ritter was most identifiable. Between Joyce and Suzanne, it's hard to say who had more of a name when the show debuted, but I guess the producers decided Joyce did.

I've never seen any show, I don't think, where the cast is credited in order of age. Many soaps, throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s credited their casts in order of longest time on the show, but only "Days of our Lives" still credits this way.

[Furienna]

The Huxtables on "The Cosby show" sure were credited in order of age: Bill Cosby (Cliff, the father) Phylicia Rashad (Clair, the mother), Sabrina LeBeauf (Sondra, the oldest child), Lisa Bonet (Denise, the second child), Malcolm Jamal Warner (Theo, the third child), Tempesst Bledsoe (Vanessa, the fourth child) and then Keshia Knight Pulliam (Rudy, the fifth and youngest child). When new characters were added to that show, the actors who played Sondra's and Denise's husbands were credited along Sabrina and Lisa, and then came Raven Symoné (Olivia) and Erika Alexander (Pam) at last. I also think "Family Matters" , "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and "7th Heaven" mostly followed the "father, mother, and then the kids in order or age" formula.

A totally different kind of formula can be seen on the classic britcom "Allo allo", which was order of "appearance". This meant that the actor, who was the first to be seen in an episode, also was the first to be credited, and then the second actor to be seen was the second to be credited, etc etc. The first actor to be seen and credited was (I think) always Gorden Kaye, but after that, the order of how the actors were credited could vary from episode to episode.

[Ireneparalegal]

Depends, some shows go alphabetically (so no egos get hurt). The nighttime drama, DALLAS did this throughout its entire run.

Others go by WHO'S WHO, or put the bigger stars first then the minor stars.

[littlebelle]

Originally Posted by JT

I think for most shows, the order depends on whose name is going to draw in the audience. Sometimes, they might divide the leads and supporters, but still order by experience within each category. Example: "Three's Company." Audra Lindley and Norman Fell were both much more identifiable than any of the main three, but the main three were credited first because it was their show. Of the main three, John Ritter was most identifiable. Between Joyce and Suzanne, it's hard to say who had more of a name when the show debuted, but I guess the producers decided Joyce did.

I've never seen any show, I don't think, where the cast is credited in order of age. Many soaps, throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s credited their casts in order of longest time on the show, but only "Days of our Lives" still credits this way.

I noticed that you are a "All my Children" fan... I have a question for you.

Is Christian Campbell a regular cast member? If not, could you possibly tell me what episodes he's in?

Thanks!