Stars billed as "Special Guest Star" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

McGillicuddy · 07-09-2009, 11:11 PM

I always thought this was strange. A star billed as "Special Guest Star", when they're a regular castmember.

Cloris Leachman Mary Tyler Moore
Heather Locklear Melrose Place
Luke Perry Beverly Hills 90210 (after he returned to series)

are their others?

Mr. Television · 07-10-2009, 12:16 AM

Jonathan Harris of Lost in Space

Marvo301 · 07-10-2009, 12:25 AM

Edward Hermann - Gilmore Girls

esl · 07-10-2009, 06:30 AM

I never got this "Special Guest Star". It seemed very popular in the '70s especially with Quinn Martin productions. Many of the "Special Guest Stars" I had never heard of and still do not know why they are special unless this was their only bit of professional acting, and that is what is so special about it.

"Tonights episode - 'There's a boil on my Bum' with special guest star Elmer Grumplemeier." Who?!?

factsoflife · 07-10-2009, 12:15 PM

it's just a special contract perk used to lure big name stars (or just people with big egos or big salaries) to a show and used to give them a special billing so that they stand out from the rest of the cast.

In the case of Heather Locklear it happened because she was originally signed onto only about a seasons worth of episodes and then her character Amanda took off with the audience and they opted to keep her on and let her keep the special guest star billing because they knew how popular she was.

megamanj2004 · 07-10-2009, 12:31 PM

Martin Landau as Rolland Hand - on the 1st season of "Mission: Impossible" when yet he appeared on nearly every episode of S1.

Henry Polic II as Jerry Silver on "Webster" - I never understood why in the heck they downgraded him from "Co-Starring" in S1 to "Special Guest Star" in other seasons. Other episodes had him credited as "Guest Star" when yet he was still with the show after S1 as a recurring character.

browneyes106 · 07-10-2009, 04:44 PM

It did bug me that on Melrose Place Heather Locker credit status never changed.

Mr. Television · 07-10-2009, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browneyes106

It did bug me that on Melrose Place Heather Locker credit status never changed.

It never bugged me. She earned it, She saved the show. Before she joined the cast, MP was in danger of being canceled.

factsoflife · 07-10-2009, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

It never bugged me. She earned it, She saved the show. Before she joined the cast, MP was in danger of being canceled.

I agree. Plus until she came on the shows ratings were floundering and it was not very noteworthy. She came on, turned the show into a cultural phemonenom and earned her status as "special guest star". As i understand it, her contract with MP was for the longest time was a month by month thing and that bascially they left it up to her wether she'd come back or not. which is why she was always billed as special guest star.

superpsych · 07-10-2009, 05:51 PM

Marcia Wallace- The Simpsons

Mr. Television · 07-10-2009, 07:53 PM

Audrey Landers, Priscilla Pointer and Howard Keel were all billed as Special Guest Stars on Dallas during the 1981-1982 season even though they were on most of the episodes.

McGillicuddy · 07-10-2009, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

Audrey Landers, Priscilla Pointer and Howard Keel were all billed as Special Guest Stars on Dallas during the 1981-1982 season even though they were on most of the episodes.

And Dynasty, Rock Hudson, Ali McGraw and George Hamilton, were Special Guest Stars.

wkomorow · 07-11-2009, 03:45 PM

Don't know if it counts, but I think that Marcia Wallace has a special fuest voice status on the Simpsons, although she is on nearly every week.

70s show watcher · 07-12-2009, 03:40 AM

johnithon winters had guest star billing on mork and mindy the entire 4th season

dakert · 07-12-2009, 11:42 AM

I will always remember John Travolta being special guest star during the 4th season (1978-79) of Welcome Back Kotter

07-09-2009, 11:11 PM	#1
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	Stars billed as "Special Guest Star" I always thought this was strange. A star billed as "Special Guest Star", when they're a regular castmember. Cloris Leachman Mary Tyler Moore Heather Locklear Melrose Place Luke Perry Beverly Hills 90210 (after he returned to series) are their others?

07-10-2009, 12:16 AM	#2
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Jonathan Harris of Lost in Space
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07-10-2009, 12:25 AM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,460	Edward Hermann - Gilmore Girls
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07-10-2009, 06:30 AM	#4
esl Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Apr 24, 2007 Location: Yokohama, Japan Posts: 50	Stars billed as "Special Guest Star" I never got this "Special Guest Star". It seemed very popular in the '70s especially with Quinn Martin productions. Many of the "Special Guest Stars" I had never heard of and still do not know why they are special unless this was their only bit of professional acting, and that is what is so special about it. "Tonights episode - 'There's a boil on my Bum' with special guest star Elmer Grumplemeier." Who?!?

07-10-2009, 12:15 PM	#5
factsoflife Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 11, 2000 Posts: 8,747	it's just a special contract perk used to lure big name stars (or just people with big egos or big salaries) to a show and used to give them a special billing so that they stand out from the rest of the cast. In the case of Heather Locklear it happened because she was originally signed onto only about a seasons worth of episodes and then her character Amanda took off with the audience and they opted to keep her on and let her keep the special guest star billing because they knew how popular she was.
	__________________ "and to the fans. I was only supposed to be on every other Tuesday. But, thanks to you, I'm here, and I promise! I will try my best never to let you down. I am going back into that studio on Monday, and I'm going to play Erica Kane for all she's worth!"-- Susan Lucci, May 1999 Daytime Emmy Speech.

07-10-2009, 12:31 PM	#6
megamanj2004 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 21, 2004 Posts: 2,361	Martin Landau as Rolland Hand - on the 1st season of "Mission: Impossible" when yet he appeared on nearly every episode of S1. Henry Polic II as Jerry Silver on "Webster" - I never understood why in the heck they downgraded him from "Co-Starring" in S1 to "Special Guest Star" in other seasons. Other episodes had him credited as "Guest Star" when yet he was still with the show after S1 as a recurring character.
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07-10-2009, 04:44 PM	#7
browneyes106 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 01, 2008 Posts: 6,094	It did bug me that on Melrose Place Heather Locker credit status never changed.

07-10-2009, 05:51 PM	#10
superpsych Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 18, 2006 Posts: 45	Marcia Wallace- The Simpsons

07-10-2009, 07:53 PM	#11
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Audrey Landers, Priscilla Pointer and Howard Keel were all billed as Special Guest Stars on Dallas during the 1981-1982 season even though they were on most of the episodes.

07-11-2009, 03:45 PM	#13
wkomorow Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 24, 2005 Posts: 227	Don't know if it counts, but I think that Marcia Wallace has a special fuest voice status on the Simpsons, although she is on nearly every week.
	__________________ “Those who are lifting the world upward and onward are those who encourage more than criticize.” —Elizabeth Harrison

07-12-2009, 03:40 AM	#14
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,549	johnithon winters had guest star billing on mork and mindy the entire 4th season

07-12-2009, 11:42 AM	#15
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,411	I will always remember John Travolta being special guest star during the 4th season (1978-79) of Welcome Back Kotter