Two Characters...One Actor, or...Two Actors...One Character - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Superbatboy · 11-24-2002, 08:30 AM

I know they're both horrible, but which one can you put up with better??? I personally don't have TOO much of a problem with Same character different actor, because things happen. Like actors want to leave series, or conflict of interest. But to me...there is no excuse for Same Actor different character.

Jimbo · 11-24-2002, 04:32 PM

Same actor/actress, different character:

Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha and Serena on "Bewitched".

Patty Duke as Patty and Kathy Lane on "The Patty Duke Show".

Larry Storch as Corporal Agarn and a number of different cousins on several episodes of "F Troop".

Sitcomwriter · 11-24-2002, 04:57 PM

Barbara Eden as Jeannie and Jeannie on "I dream of Jeannie"

Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina and Katrina on "Sabrina"

mister bluster · 11-24-2002, 07:24 PM

I got rather tired of the Steve/Stefan thing on Family Matters, especially after they seemed to have split into two different people. (I missed how that happened.)

Stormtracker TF · 11-24-2002, 11:46 PM

Two words: Chuck Cunnigham!

Chuck Cunnigham from Happy Days was played by two different actors in two different seasons.

Adamantium · 11-25-2002, 12:46 AM

The actress who played the original bosses' wife in the first two seasons of "Perfect Strangers". When the boss left the show, she returned as a different character.

mister bluster · 11-25-2002, 02:29 AM

Oh yeah, there were two different women who played Harriet Winslow. I liked the first one best. I don't know what happened to her. I hope she didn't die.

On I Love Lucy, there were actors and actresses who played different characters at different times too numerous to mention. None of that bothered me though.

James · 11-25-2002, 02:51 PM

Some that I can think of:

I. Same actor, different characters:

1. Sam Anderson - played both the person at the bank who gave Balki his checks when he learned about checking and Mr. Gorpley at the Chicago Chronicle on Perfect Strangers.

2. Florence Henderson and Robert Reed - played both Mike and Carol Brady as well as Carol's grandmother Connie Hutchins and Mike's grandfather Hank Brady in Episode #93, "You're Never Too Old", on The Brady Bunch

3. Ann B. Davis - played both Alice Nelson as well as her cousin Emma in Episode #69, "Sergeant Emma", on The Brady Bunch

4. There have been several instances where Bronson Pinchot plays a character other than Balki on Perfect Strangers. Come to think of it, I remember one episode in which Melanie Wilson and Rebecca Arthur played characters that looked just like Jennifer Lyons and Mary Ann Spencer, respectively, at a restaurant. Niko, from Greece, was played by Bronson Pinchot IIRC.

II. Different actors, same character:

1. Richard Thomas and Robert Wightman, John Boy Walton on The Waltons

2. Does it count that Patricia Neal played Olivia Walton in the 1971 movie "The Homecoming" but Michael Learned played Olivia during the series The Waltons?

Brian Damage · 11-25-2002, 04:42 PM

Friends had David Schwimmer play both Ross and Russ.

Diff'rent Strokes had two people play Maggie McKinley. Conrad Bain also played Mr. Drummond and I believe Phillip Drummond's Aunt.

Cheers had Rhea Perlman play Carla Tortelli and her sister whose name escapes me.

¤I Love Clay Aiken¤ · 11-25-2002, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TheFonz
Two words: Chuck Cunnigham!

Chuck Cunnigham from Happy Days was played by two different actors in two different seasons.

*nods* I liked them both, but #1 was better.

I liked Patty Duke as both, because that was the concept of the show.

I hate when its a different actor, but Darrin (Bewitched) didnt bother me too bad. York was MUCH better though.

Ugh.. when Mike & Carol played the greatparents, I thought I was gonna be sick. I mean..whos GREATgrandparents do that?!?

Mysty Eyes · 11-26-2002, 12:26 AM

SAME CHARACTER, DIFFERENT ACTOR:
MASH
Father Mulcahy - George Morgan played him in the first episode; William Christopher was there for the rest of the series.

Bewitched
Gladys Kravitz - Alice Pearce, then Sandra Gould
Louise Tate - Irene Vernon, then Kasey Rogers

SAME ACTOR, DIFFERENT CHARACTER:
Addams Family
Carolyn Jones played both Morticia and her sister Ophelia.

Get Smart
In one episode Don Adams played (of course) Maxwell Smart, but also was some member of royalty that Max was standing in for to catch the culprits in an assassination plot.

And then, of course, while some consider this next show to be a drama, I always saw it as a sitcom. Sooooooo...

Batman
Adam West - Bruce Wayne and Batman
Burt Ward - Dick Grayson and Robin
Yvonne Craig - Barbara Gordon and Batgirl

James · 11-26-2002, 02:52 PM

Also, in one episode of Home Improvement Richard Karn played both Al Borland and his brother Cal.

dawsongirl · 11-26-2002, 02:56 PM

The first thing I thought of was on Hogan's Heroes, when Ivan Dixon left, he was replaced by Kenneth Washington, but the character changed. Well, the name changed, Kinch and Baker were practically the same person.

But I liked that better than if Washington would have come in as Kinch.

AKA · 01-07-2003, 06:07 AM

Jon Lovitz played three different characters on NewsRadio - a psycho in a ward befriended by Bill McNeil, a man about to jump off of the WNYX building, and finally Max Louis after the death of Phil Hartman.

Jimbo · 01-07-2003, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ¤MsConanOBrien¤
I hate when its a different actor, but Darrin (Bewitched) didnt bother me too bad. York was MUCH better though.

Although everybody knows that Dick York played "Darrin #1" and Dick Sargent played "Darrin #2", here's a bit of trivia that many people may not know:

When Elizabeth Montgomery and her husband, Producer William Asher, were first casting the various roles on "Bewitched", they originally wanted Dick Sargent to play the part of Darrin right from the start. Sargent was unable to do the show because of other commitments, and so Dick York was given the role instead. Several years later, when York had to leave the show due to his health problems, they immediately approached Dick Sargent again about joining the cast as "Darrin", and this time he was available. The rest, as they say, is TV history.

11-24-2002, 08:30 AM	#1
Superbatboy The Brandon Show Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: California..USA Posts: 793	Two Characters...One Actor, or...Two Actors...One Character I know they're both horrible, but which one can you put up with better??? I personally don't have TOO much of a problem with Same character different actor, because things happen. Like actors want to leave series, or conflict of interest. But to me...there is no excuse for Same Actor different character.
	__________________ "Marion, stop cackling I've been waiting 10 years for you to lay that egg"

11-24-2002, 11:46 PM	#5
Stormtracker TF Happy Easter! Moderator Forum Idol Join Date: Jul 19, 2002 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 102,598	Two words: Chuck Cunnigham! Chuck Cunnigham from Happy Days was played by two different actors in two different seasons.
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11-24-2002, 04:32 PM	#2
Jimbo Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 29, 2001 Location: United States of America-One Nation UNDER GOD! Posts: 471	Same actor/actress, different character: Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha and Serena on "Bewitched". Patty Duke as Patty and Kathy Lane on "The Patty Duke Show". Larry Storch as Corporal Agarn and a number of different cousins on several episodes of "F Troop".

11-24-2002, 04:57 PM	#3
Sitcomwriter Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 27, 2001 Posts: 7,356	Barbara Eden as Jeannie and Jeannie on "I dream of Jeannie" Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina and Katrina on "Sabrina"

11-24-2002, 07:24 PM	#4
mister bluster Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 24, 2002 Posts: 184	I got rather tired of the Steve/Stefan thing on Family Matters, especially after they seemed to have split into two different people. (I missed how that happened.)

11-25-2002, 12:46 AM	#6
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,826	The actress who played the original bosses' wife in the first two seasons of "Perfect Strangers". When the boss left the show, she returned as a different character.

11-25-2002, 02:29 AM	#7
mister bluster Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 24, 2002 Posts: 184	Oh yeah, there were two different women who played Harriet Winslow. I liked the first one best. I don't know what happened to her. I hope she didn't die. On I Love Lucy, there were actors and actresses who played different characters at different times too numerous to mention. None of that bothered me though.

11-25-2002, 02:51 PM	#8
James Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 07, 2001 Location: Dayton, Ohio, USA Posts: 6,370	Some that I can think of: I. Same actor, different characters: 1. Sam Anderson - played both the person at the bank who gave Balki his checks when he learned about checking and Mr. Gorpley at the Chicago Chronicle on Perfect Strangers. 2. Florence Henderson and Robert Reed - played both Mike and Carol Brady as well as Carol's grandmother Connie Hutchins and Mike's grandfather Hank Brady in Episode #93, "You're Never Too Old", on The Brady Bunch 3. Ann B. Davis - played both Alice Nelson as well as her cousin Emma in Episode #69, "Sergeant Emma", on The Brady Bunch 4. There have been several instances where Bronson Pinchot plays a character other than Balki on Perfect Strangers. Come to think of it, I remember one episode in which Melanie Wilson and Rebecca Arthur played characters that looked just like Jennifer Lyons and Mary Ann Spencer, respectively, at a restaurant. Niko, from Greece, was played by Bronson Pinchot IIRC. II. Different actors, same character: 1. Richard Thomas and Robert Wightman, John Boy Walton on The Waltons 2. Does it count that Patricia Neal played Olivia Walton in the 1971 movie "The Homecoming" but Michael Learned played Olivia during the series The Waltons?

11-25-2002, 04:42 PM	#9
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Friends had David Schwimmer play both Ross and Russ. Diff'rent Strokes had two people play Maggie McKinley. Conrad Bain also played Mr. Drummond and I believe Phillip Drummond's Aunt. Cheers had Rhea Perlman play Carla Tortelli and her sister whose name escapes me.
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

11-26-2002, 12:26 AM	#11
Mysty Eyes Dreaming... Senior Member Join Date: Feb 04, 2002 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 1,144	SAME CHARACTER, DIFFERENT ACTOR: MASH Father Mulcahy - George Morgan played him in the first episode; William Christopher was there for the rest of the series. Bewitched Gladys Kravitz - Alice Pearce, then Sandra Gould Louise Tate - Irene Vernon, then Kasey Rogers SAME ACTOR, DIFFERENT CHARACTER: Addams Family Carolyn Jones played both Morticia and her sister Ophelia. Get Smart In one episode Don Adams played (of course) Maxwell Smart, but also was some member of royalty that Max was standing in for to catch the culprits in an assassination plot. And then, of course, while some consider this next show to be a drama, I always saw it as a sitcom. Sooooooo... Batman Adam West - Bruce Wayne and Batman Burt Ward - Dick Grayson and Robin Yvonne Craig - Barbara Gordon and Batgirl

11-26-2002, 02:52 PM	#12
James Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 07, 2001 Location: Dayton, Ohio, USA Posts: 6,370	Also, in one episode of Home Improvement Richard Karn played both Al Borland and his brother Cal.

11-26-2002, 02:56 PM	#13
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,128	The first thing I thought of was on Hogan's Heroes, when Ivan Dixon left, he was replaced by Kenneth Washington, but the character changed. Well, the name changed, Kinch and Baker were practically the same person. But I liked that better than if Washington would have come in as Kinch.

01-07-2003, 06:07 AM	#14
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Jon Lovitz played three different characters on NewsRadio - a psycho in a ward befriended by Bill McNeil, a man about to jump off of the WNYX building, and finally Max Louis after the death of Phil Hartman.