Big Stars in Early Projects - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

HauntedThunderman94 · 12-20-2014, 08:08 PM

The title is self-explanatory, I think. Discussion on what the big stars were doing before they were big stars (especially on TV).

Bonniegirl · 12-20-2014, 08:37 PM

Michael Douglas starting out on Streets of San Francisco than he later went on to be a big time movie star.

George Clooney started on Facts of life, Roseanne and a bigger TV role on ER before becoming a blockbuster movie star

Flying Dutchman · 12-20-2014, 11:32 PM

Michael J Fox Family Ties. Went on to do Teen wolf then Back to the Future and sealed his future as a star.

Jessica Beal started out 7th Heaven. Went on to become a star.

Mila Kunis. That 70s show. Is fastly becoming a big star.

Sarah Jessica Parker. Square Pegs went on to become a movie star.

Jason Bateman. Little House on the Prairie is a movie star today.

Shailene Woodley started out as a kid on The OC then went on to star in Secret life of an american teenager. Is now becoming an actress to recon with.

Then there are the TV stars that became big movie stars that are not anymore. e.g. Molly Ringwald. Facts of Life.

Michael Douglas Streets of San Francisco was one of the very few to come out of 70s TV and be a huge star. Oh one more star that was on an episode of the Streets of San Francisco who played a bodybuilder that was a murderer was Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Bonniegirl · 12-21-2014, 12:16 AM

Of course there was John Travolta. Starting off as Vinnie Barbarino on Welcome back Kotter. I'm thinking his first movie role was as Billy Nolan on the movie Carrie. After that he was still more popular playing Vinnie Barbarino. Than Saturday night Fever sky rocketed him to stardom!

factsoflife · 12-21-2014, 01:41 AM

How about Courteney Cox on Family Ties before hitting it big with Friends and the Scream movies?

Jennifer Garner starred on Alias, and guest-starred on shows like Felicity before becoming a major film star and marrying Ben Affleck.

Jennifer Lopez was a Fly Girl on "In Living Color" and appeared in TV shows like Hotel Malibu before becoming one of the most successful film stars and musicians of all-time.

James Franco and Seth Rogen on "Freaks and Geeks" before becoming hugely successful movie stars.

Bonniegirl · 12-21-2014, 02:56 AM

Ryan O'Neal guest starred on Leave it to Beaver in 1961, Wally goes steady was the episode name. He later went on to do Love Story and became a fairly famous actor.

Mace Dolex · 12-21-2014, 03:47 AM

Geena Davis did a guest spot on Family Ties and starred in the forgotten sitcom Sara before making it big in movies.

Michael Keaton had a short lived sitcom before doing movies.

Leonardo DiCaprio did a stint on Growing Pains before doing movies.

Edward216 · 12-21-2014, 03:50 AM

Another note about Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was also in a TV movie (It was on in the early 80s if I remember this was even before he'd made Terminator) about the life of actress Jayne Mansfield. Loni Anderson played Mansfield, having gotten quite popular as Jennifer on WKRP In Cincinnati. Schwarzenegger played her husband Mickey Hargitay. And Hargitay and Mansfield were of course the parents of actress Mariska Hargitay who has played Olivia Benson on Law And Order: SVU for several years.

Ed.

Edward216 · 12-21-2014, 03:58 AM

John Ritter before he became really well known and popular as Jack Tripper on Three's Company. He appeared in one episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and in some episodes of The Waltons as the pastor of their church, I'm sorry but I can't remember that character's name right now! :P

Ed.

Edward216 · 12-21-2014, 04:00 AM

Actress Meg Ryan before she became a big movie star was on the soap opera As The World Turns.

Ed.

William Hogan Jr · 12-21-2014, 10:52 AM

Clint Eastwood began his career as Rowdy Yates on Rawhide before beginning his movie and directing career, Steve Mcqueen was Josh Randall on Wanted Dead or Alive before he made it big in the movies.

Bonniegirl · 12-21-2014, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward216

John Ritter before he became really well known and popular as Jack Tripper on Three's Company. He appeared in one episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and in some episodes of The Waltons as the pastor of their church, I'm sorry but I can't remember that character's name right now! :P

Ed.

Reverend Matthew Fordwick

Also Sissy Spacek guest starred on the Waltons a couple of times before she went on to do Carrie and I guess Coal Minors daughter was the film that really made her a famous star!

HauntedThunderman94 · 12-21-2014, 03:17 PM

Emma Roberts starred in her own show on Nickelodeon called Unfabulous. Then she when on to do Valentine's Day, The Art of Getting By, Empire State, Scream 4, We're the Millers, and currently American Horror Story and the upcoming FOX show Scream Queens.

Bonniegirl · 12-21-2014, 03:28 PM

Probably Dobie Gillis was one of Warren Beatty's first acting gigs before getting into the movies.

factsoflife · 12-21-2014, 03:38 PM

Sandra Bullock starred on the short lived sitcom "Working Girl" before becoming a huge film star.

12-20-2014, 08:08 PM	#1
HauntedThunderman94 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 09, 2013 Posts: 495	Big Stars in Early Projects The title is self-explanatory, I think. Discussion on what the big stars were doing before they were big stars (especially on TV).

12-20-2014, 08:37 PM	#2
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,715	Michael Douglas starting out on Streets of San Francisco than he later went on to be a big time movie star. George Clooney started on Facts of life, Roseanne and a bigger TV role on ER before becoming a blockbuster movie star
	Last edited by Bonniegirl; 12-21-2014 at 12:17 AM.

12-21-2014, 01:41 AM	#5
factsoflife Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 11, 2000 Posts: 8,744	How about Courteney Cox on Family Ties before hitting it big with Friends and the Scream movies? Jennifer Garner starred on Alias, and guest-starred on shows like Felicity before becoming a major film star and marrying Ben Affleck. Jennifer Lopez was a Fly Girl on "In Living Color" and appeared in TV shows like Hotel Malibu before becoming one of the most successful film stars and musicians of all-time. James Franco and Seth Rogen on "Freaks and Geeks" before becoming hugely successful movie stars.
	__________________ "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.

12-20-2014, 11:32 PM	#3
Flying Dutchman Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2004 Location: New York Posts: 1,266	Michael J Fox Family Ties. Went on to do Teen wolf then Back to the Future and sealed his future as a star. Jessica Beal started out 7th Heaven. Went on to become a star. Mila Kunis. That 70s show. Is fastly becoming a big star. Sarah Jessica Parker. Square Pegs went on to become a movie star. Jason Bateman. Little House on the Prairie is a movie star today. Shailene Woodley started out as a kid on The OC then went on to star in Secret life of an american teenager. Is now becoming an actress to recon with. Then there are the TV stars that became big movie stars that are not anymore. e.g. Molly Ringwald. Facts of Life. Michael Douglas Streets of San Francisco was one of the very few to come out of 70s TV and be a huge star. Oh one more star that was on an episode of the Streets of San Francisco who played a bodybuilder that was a murderer was Arnold Schwarzenegger.

12-21-2014, 12:16 AM	#4
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,715	Of course there was John Travolta. Starting off as Vinnie Barbarino on Welcome back Kotter. I'm thinking his first movie role was as Billy Nolan on the movie Carrie. After that he was still more popular playing Vinnie Barbarino. Than Saturday night Fever sky rocketed him to stardom!

12-21-2014, 02:56 AM	#6
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,715	Ryan O'Neal guest starred on Leave it to Beaver in 1961, Wally goes steady was the episode name. He later went on to do Love Story and became a fairly famous actor.

12-21-2014, 03:47 AM	#7
Mace Dolex Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 12, 2013 Posts: 2,668	Geena Davis did a guest spot on Family Ties and starred in the forgotten sitcom Sara before making it big in movies. Michael Keaton had a short lived sitcom before doing movies. Leonardo DiCaprio did a stint on Growing Pains before doing movies.

12-21-2014, 03:50 AM	#8
Edward216 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 18, 2014 Location: Central Time Zone Posts: 4,640	Another note about Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was also in a TV movie (It was on in the early 80s if I remember this was even before he'd made Terminator) about the life of actress Jayne Mansfield. Loni Anderson played Mansfield, having gotten quite popular as Jennifer on WKRP In Cincinnati. Schwarzenegger played her husband Mickey Hargitay. And Hargitay and Mansfield were of course the parents of actress Mariska Hargitay who has played Olivia Benson on Law And Order: SVU for several years. Ed.

12-21-2014, 03:58 AM	#9
Edward216 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 18, 2014 Location: Central Time Zone Posts: 4,640	John Ritter before he became really well known and popular as Jack Tripper on Three's Company. He appeared in one episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and in some episodes of The Waltons as the pastor of their church, I'm sorry but I can't remember that character's name right now! :P Ed.

12-21-2014, 04:00 AM	#10
Edward216 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 18, 2014 Location: Central Time Zone Posts: 4,640	Actress Meg Ryan before she became a big movie star was on the soap opera As The World Turns. Ed.

12-21-2014, 10:52 AM	#11
William Hogan Jr Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 28, 2008 Location: Mayodan, N.C. Posts: 324	Clint Eastwood began his career as Rowdy Yates on Rawhide before beginning his movie and directing career, Steve Mcqueen was Josh Randall on Wanted Dead or Alive before he made it big in the movies.

12-21-2014, 03:17 PM	#13
HauntedThunderman94 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 09, 2013 Posts: 495	Emma Roberts starred in her own show on Nickelodeon called Unfabulous. Then she when on to do Valentine's Day, The Art of Getting By, Empire State, Scream 4, We're the Millers, and currently American Horror Story and the upcoming FOX show Scream Queens.

12-21-2014, 03:28 PM	#14
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,715	Probably Dobie Gillis was one of Warren Beatty's first acting gigs before getting into the movies.

12-21-2014, 03:38 PM	#15
factsoflife Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 11, 2000 Posts: 8,744	Sandra Bullock starred on the short lived sitcom "Working Girl" before becoming a huge film star.