Supporting leads to main leads in tv shows - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

waichingliu81 · 04-11-2008, 05:03 PM

this thread is on so-called tv actors and actresses, who started playing supporting characters in sitcoms, dramas etc, and later on became the main stars of their own shows. for example:

tony danza- taxi and who's the boss?
johnny galecki- roseanne and the big bang theory
raven simone- the cosby show and that's so raven?

JulieSomoski · 04-11-2008, 05:23 PM

John Ritter - supporting on The Walton's, starring on Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules

Marla Gibbs - supporting on The Jeffersons, starring on 227

Robert Guillaume - supporting on Soap, starring on Benson

Mary Tyler Moore - supporting on Dick Van Dyke, starring on MTM

Buffyboy323 · 04-11-2008, 06:09 PM

Kelsey Grammer - supporting on Cheers, starring on Frasier and Back To You.

Kirsty Alley - suporting on Cheers, starring on Veronica's Closet and Fat Actress.

Scott Baio - supporting on Happy Days, starring in Joanie Loves Chachi and Charles In Charge.

AB · 04-11-2008, 08:46 PM

Valerie Harper from The Mary Tyler Moore Show to Rhoda & The Hogan Family

Cloris Leachman from the MTM show to Phyllis

Ed Asner from the MTM show to the Lou Grant Show

Betty White from the MTM show to the Golden Girls

Ted Knight from the MTM show to Too Close For Comfort

Gavin Macleod from the MTM show to the Love Boat

LeeBlue · 04-11-2008, 11:12 PM

Abe Vigoda went from Barney Miller to Fish

Brad Garrett from Everybody Loves Raymond to Til Death

comedyfreak · 04-12-2008, 06:45 AM

Bob Denver Maynard from Dobie Gillis To Gilligan's Island

Audra Lindley and Norman Fell from Three's Company to The Ropers.

Linda Lavin from Det. Wentworth on Barney Miller to Alice.

Valerie Harper from Rhoda on Mary Tyler Moore to Rhoda to Valerie.

Sarah Chalke Becky #2 on Roseanne to Scrubs.

tv star collector · 04-12-2008, 08:51 AM

Sally Struthers (All in the Family, Gloria)
Jim Nabors (Andy Griffith Show, Gomer Pyle)
Pernell Roberts (Bonanza, Trapper John)
Michael Landon (Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, Highway to Heaven)
Ken Berry (F Troop, Mayberry RFD)
Dennis Weaver (Gunsmoke, Gentle Ben, McCloud)
Don Adams (The Bill Dana Show, Get Smart)
Richard Crenna (The Real McCoys, Slattery's People)
Kathy Nolan (The Real McCoys, Broadside)
Lee Majors (Big Valley, Men from Shiloh, Six Million Dollar Man, Fall Guy)

vlis · 04-12-2008, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tv star collector

Richard Crenna (The Real McCoys, Slattery's People)

and It Takes Two (with Patty Duke, Helen Hunt and Anthony Edwards)

JulieSomoski · 04-12-2008, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by annball1957

Valerie Harper from The Mary Tyler Moore Show to Rhoda & The Hogan Family

Cloris Leachman from the MTM show to Phyllis

Ed Asner from the MTM show to the Lou Grant Show

Betty White from the MTM show to the Golden Girls

Ted Knight from the MTM show to Too Close For Comfort

Gavin Macleod from the MTM show to the Love Boat

Boy, you pretty much covered the entire cast of Mary Tyler Moore-LOL

AB · 04-12-2008, 06:29 PM

Yeah lol! I forgot Gordy though.

John Amos as Gordy on MTM to James Evans on Good Times

repeatshistory · 04-13-2008, 02:11 AM

John Larroquette - Night Court (Dan Fielding) to the John Larroquette Show (John Hemingway).

JulieSomoski · 04-13-2008, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by annball1957

Yeah lol! I forgot Gordy though.

John Amos as Gordy on MTM to James Evans on Good Times

I stand corrected

Tubehead · 04-13-2008, 01:25 PM

Micheal J fox played in family ties then he started playing in spin city.

Furienna · 04-13-2008, 04:16 PM

He was also the star of "Family Ties" though.

And you guys have forgotten about JoMarie Payton as Harriet Winslow, supporting in "Perfect strangers", lead in "Family Matters".

Heather987 · 04-14-2008, 02:06 AM

OK I dont know all real names so some maybe the character name:

Sherman Hemsley - All In The Family/Jeffersons
Florida Evans - Maude/Good Times
Horation - NYPD Blue/CSI Miami (the red headed guy)
Lisa Bonet - TCS/A Different World
Mama - Carol Burnet Show/Mama Family
Julia Louis Dryfus - SNL/Day By Day/Seinfeld
Courtney Cox - Family Ties/Friends
Brian Austin Green - Knots Landing/90210

04-11-2008, 05:03 PM	#1
waichingliu81 debbie allen Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 28, 2006 Location: london, england, UK Posts: 4,347	Supporting leads to main leads in tv shows this thread is on so-called tv actors and actresses, who started playing supporting characters in sitcoms, dramas etc, and later on became the main stars of their own shows. for example: tony danza- taxi and who's the boss? johnny galecki- roseanne and the big bang theory raven simone- the cosby show and that's so raven?

04-11-2008, 06:09 PM	#3
Buffyboy323 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jun 24, 2005 Posts: 6,102	Kelsey Grammer - supporting on Cheers, starring on Frasier and Back To You. Kirsty Alley - suporting on Cheers, starring on Veronica's Closet and Fat Actress. Scott Baio - supporting on Happy Days, starring in Joanie Loves Chachi and Charles In Charge.
	Last edited by Buffyboy323; 04-21-2008 at 03:58 AM.

04-11-2008, 11:12 PM	#5
LeeBlue Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 16, 2006 Location: NYS Posts: 871	supporting leads to main leads in tv shows Abe Vigoda went from Barney Miller to Fish Brad Garrett from Everybody Loves Raymond to Til Death

04-12-2008, 06:45 AM	#6
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,061	Bob Denver Maynard from Dobie Gillis To Gilligan's Island Audra Lindley and Norman Fell from Three's Company to The Ropers. Linda Lavin from Det. Wentworth on Barney Miller to Alice. Valerie Harper from Rhoda on Mary Tyler Moore to Rhoda to Valerie. Sarah Chalke Becky #2 on Roseanne to Scrubs.
	__________________ www.facebook.com/comedyfreak

04-11-2008, 05:23 PM	#2
JulieSomoski Roseanne Reboot - March 27! Forum Veteran Join Date: Nov 06, 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 7,558	John Ritter - supporting on The Walton's, starring on Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules Marla Gibbs - supporting on The Jeffersons, starring on 227 Robert Guillaume - supporting on Soap, starring on Benson Mary Tyler Moore - supporting on Dick Van Dyke, starring on MTM
	__________________ Click here to view some great articles written by my husband and I! All views are appreciated! Watch: Medium, Fridays at 9pm, on CBS! Big Bang Theory, Mondays at 9:30pm, on CBS! The Mentalist, Thursdays at 10pm, on CBS! Old Christine, Wednesdays at 8pm, on CBS! ABC's Comedy Lineup, Starting Wednesdays at 8:30pm, on ABC!

04-11-2008, 08:46 PM	#4
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,428	Valerie Harper from The Mary Tyler Moore Show to Rhoda & The Hogan Family Cloris Leachman from the MTM show to Phyllis Ed Asner from the MTM show to the Lou Grant Show Betty White from the MTM show to the Golden Girls Ted Knight from the MTM show to Too Close For Comfort Gavin Macleod from the MTM show to the Love Boat

04-12-2008, 08:51 AM	#7
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,487	Sally Struthers (All in the Family, Gloria) Jim Nabors (Andy Griffith Show, Gomer Pyle) Pernell Roberts (Bonanza, Trapper John) Michael Landon (Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, Highway to Heaven) Ken Berry (F Troop, Mayberry RFD) Dennis Weaver (Gunsmoke, Gentle Ben, McCloud) Don Adams (The Bill Dana Show, Get Smart) Richard Crenna (The Real McCoys, Slattery's People) Kathy Nolan (The Real McCoys, Broadside) Lee Majors (Big Valley, Men from Shiloh, Six Million Dollar Man, Fall Guy)

04-12-2008, 06:29 PM	#10
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,428	Yeah lol! I forgot Gordy though. John Amos as Gordy on MTM to James Evans on Good Times

04-13-2008, 02:11 AM	#11
repeatshistory Doing my part to make your day Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 31, 2008 Location: Williams Bay, WI Posts: 381	John Larroquette - Night Court (Dan Fielding) to the John Larroquette Show (John Hemingway).

04-13-2008, 01:25 PM	#13
Tubehead Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 12, 2007 Location: chattanooga.tn Posts: 5,139	Micheal J fox played in family ties then he started playing in spin city.

04-13-2008, 04:16 PM	#14
Furienna Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Oct 22, 2006 Location: Örnsköldsvik, Sweden Posts: 6,280	He was also the star of "Family Ties" though. And you guys have forgotten about JoMarie Payton as Harriet Winslow, supporting in "Perfect strangers", lead in "Family Matters".

04-14-2008, 02:06 AM	#15
Heather987 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 13, 2004 Posts: 476	OK I dont know all real names so some maybe the character name: Sherman Hemsley - All In The Family/Jeffersons Florida Evans - Maude/Good Times Horation - NYPD Blue/CSI Miami (the red headed guy) Lisa Bonet - TCS/A Different World Mama - Carol Burnet Show/Mama Family Julia Louis Dryfus - SNL/Day By Day/Seinfeld Courtney Cox - Family Ties/Friends Brian Austin Green - Knots Landing/90210