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Today's Stars... Yesterday! Who Have You Spotted?
Ali Larter by Chris Haston/NBC; Steven W. Bailey courtesy ABC; Lisa Edelstein by Adam Taylor/Fox
With the long Memorial Day holiday this weekend, let's have some fun and play a game!
We've actually played this game before, last October. I had a different blog back then, called "DVD Guy", and I called the game "Today's Stars...Yesterday!" We all had a great deal of fun, and lots of readers chimed in with their own examples of big-name celebs they've seen "in smaller roles, during leaner times".
The way to play is very simple: Think of hot "new" stars that you see in any current TV show, and try to think of where you've spotted them on DVDs of older programs. Probably only slightly older shows, but there's absolutely no limit. Let's just have a blast with it! I'll give us several examples, just to get us started:
• Grey's Anatomy wrapped their fourth season last night, and the younger Dr. Grey wrapped her first full season in the show. Chyler Leigh's straight-laced turn as "Lexi" might not make her recognizable, though, to the few of us who saw her as punk-rockin', spike-mohawk-haired "Tuesday" in 2002's short-lived series That '80s Show.
• Digging back to the first 3 seasons of Anatomy, "Joe the Bartender" was frequently seen pouring after-hours drinks and offering an ear to bend. Joe's played by Steven W. Bailey, but how many of you remember that Steve was also the title "character" in Fox's so-called reality series My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance, back in early 2004?
• Speaking of medical shows, how about House? Before the lovely Lisa Edelstein took on the role of "Cuddy", you could spot her on an episode found on the Just Shoot Me - Seasons 1 & 2 DVD set: she appeared as an old friend of Maya's in a story called by the not-so-lovely name of "Sewer".
• That lone Just Shoot Me DVD set also brings us Will & Grace's Megan Mullally in an episode called "Ambushed," and Ali Larter of Heroes as a smart-but-ditzy young lady who's got to chose between scholarship and modeling in "College or Collagen".
• Getting back to Lisa Edelstein for a second, it's also fun to point out she played a transsexual(!) in the fourth season of Ally McBeal, first appearing in an episode ironically called "Girl's Night Out". That same episode also featured Marcia Cross of Desperate Housewives. And of course Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., was seen during most of that fourth season as Ally's romantic interest, Larry Paul.
I've got more — lots more, and without overlapping anything from last October's round of the game, either. But it's your turn: how many can you come up with? Of the rising TV stars that everybody is enjoying now, where have you seen them before they struck it big? Just like last time, tell us which TV-on-DVD sets other fans should be picking up, to see these actors and actresses long before they were ready for prime time. Share the most interesting ones you can think of with everbody! — David Lambert
Pre-order Grey's Anatomy - Season 4 from Amazon
Purchase Heroes - Season 1 from Amazon
Purchase House - Season 3 from Amazon
Purchase Just Shoot Me - Seasons 1 & 2 from Amazon
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May 23, 2008 11:19 AM
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Oooh, fun!
Here's a couple off the top of my head:
Jake Weber from Medium was a creepy psycho in an episode of Law & Order:CI from 2003, I think, if I remember correctly. Been a while since I've seen the repeat on USA Network, but when I did, I said, "That's Joe!"
Alicia Coppola from Jericho was also in the same series, different episode. This one also from 2003. She was a scheming woman who married a guy so she could set him up as the fall guy for a crime. But she wasn't charged with anything and just sauntered out of the office after a stare-down with Goren, head tilting and all.
Speaking of Medium, Coppola was also in that show, I think from the first or second season, playing Mrs. Church.
Sorry to have two L&O episodes, but it's what my husband watches on TiVo, so I have to sit through it or find something else to do. These were two I sat through. (Vincent D'Onofrio overacts and Kathryn Erbe needs a barrette or a haircut, but these are points for a different post.)
As for box sets, I'd have to refer again to Jericho, which is about to be released next month. Both seasons (sniff) of the series that got thrown under a bus twice by CBS are coming out in a set.
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Jericho-The-Complete-Series/9582
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May 26, 2008 8:42 AM
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so I know this isn't THAT big a name, but Hamish Linklater, who plays Christine's brother Matthew on the New Adventures of Old Christine, was Victor Von Doom's secretary in the first Fantastic Four movie. I just rewatched it yesterday and it made me laugh.
I know there's many more, but I can't think of them right now.
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May 26, 2008 12:14 PM
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My favorite spotting: Masi Oka, playing a college student, in a Gilmore Girls episode (Season 2, "The Roadtrip to Harvard").
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May 26, 2008 12:37 PM
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Just caught this one last night!! Couldn't believe it when i saw Dr. Erica Hahn at the bottom of Buffalo Bill's People Pitt putting "The Lotion in the Basket!!" Before Crossing Jordan (LOVED HER!!) and Grey's Anatomy (STILL LOVING HER) she played Catherine Martin in Silence of the Lambs!! ![]<img border=](http://community.tvguide.com/images/emoticons/devil.gif) ">
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May 26, 2008 1:32 PM
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I just finished Season 2 of Angel and started Season 3, which is just about the time Daniel Dae Kim was introduced as evil lawyer Gavin Park. He also played Agent Baker on 24, plus a security officer on one of the Star Trek series (Enterprise, I think). All before his star-making turn as Jin on Lost. Still one of my favorite actors and it all started on Angel 
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May 26, 2008 1:57 PM
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Couldn't believe it when i saw Dr. Erica Hahn at the bottom of Buffalo Bill's People Pitt putting "The Lotion in the Basket!!" Before Crossing Jordan (LOVED HER!!) and Grey's Anatomy (STILL LOVING HER) she played Catherine Martin in Silence of the Lambs!!
I couldn't believe it when it was recently pointed out that that goodie-tuckin' pyscho, Buffalo Bill, was played by Ted Levine, Captain Stottlemeyer of Monk fame!
How creepy is that?!?!
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May 26, 2008 2:20 PM
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how about meredith gray on law & order: svu. she was sooo creepy as a girl who drugged her sister and friend so that her boyfriend could have sex with them and then killed them. she was so cold blooded does anyone remember that episode?
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May 26, 2008 4:28 PM
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the other day Bewitched(the Kidman/Farrell movie, not the tv show)was on and I recognized Kate Walshfrom Grey's and Private Practice as a cocktail waitress who shoots down Kidman's father at the party near the end of the movie. Also David Krumholtz (sp?) was Bernard the Elf in the first two Santa Clause movies.
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May 26, 2008 4:40 PM
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Ohhh...speaking of Masi Oka ("Hiro" on Heroes: I was enjoying the 2nd season of Joey (ordered from Canada) and saw Masi play a friend of Joey's nephew. Joey was going to move out of the condo he shared with his nephew, and the friends moved in. Plans changed at the last minute, and Joey shared a bunk bed with this nerdy character. Masi leans over from the top bunk and, upside down, asks: "I understand that you've had sex with women. Can I ask you something? Does it hurt?" ROFL!
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May 26, 2008 4:49 PM
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House's Hugh Laurie was in season four of Friends, the one in London. When Rachel flies over to stop the wedding, Hugh is sitting next to her and by the end of the flight, gives Rachel an earful about her situation. It's fun hearing him with his British accent too!
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May 26, 2008 7:27 PM
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Josh Holloway (Lost) was on the first episode of Angel... He played a vampire (but not for long, he got "dusted" by Angel before the opening credits).
Emily Deschanel (Bones) played an EMT on Crossing Jordan (Episode "All the News Fit to Print, season 03), her hair was very different...
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May 26, 2008 8:49 PM
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Here is another Masi Oka sighting... he played Franklin (a lab technician) in a few episodes of Scrubs.
Chyler Leigh was also in the short lived (but really good show) Reunion as well as playing one of the main roles in Not Another Teen Movie
Scott Patterson (Gilmore Girls and Aliens in America) was on an episode of Will and Grace
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May 26, 2008 8:56 PM
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for me, the biggest surprise was jeff fahey on lost. i saw his name in the credits and never realized he was the helicopter pilot, frank. upon a second viewing and having checked to see which character was him, i could recognize his voice. i remember him from the early 80s on a soap then later in silverado and lawnmower man. always loved those eyes, but i have yet to see frank's eyes. he's always squinting into the sun or hidden under his hair.
btw, kate walsh and sandra oh played lovers in under the tuscan sun. diane lane's character in the movie reminds me of meredith. (i assume katherine heigl's turn as isabel "izzie" evans who had a brief romantic involvement named alex on roswell? )
i'll catch a law & order from the early yrs and find people i had no idea were in the biz that young. i stumbled upon a mini version of david krumholtz on the stand. i checked his filmography and sure enough, it was a 15 yr old krumholtz. another time i came across a young girl on the stand and had to remark that if they ever need a daughter for bailey, this girl is it. it was chandra wilson. i think she was 19. i guess soaps and law & order are good starting points for young actors.
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May 26, 2008 9:18 PM
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From House:
Lisa Edelstein was in the first few episodes of "West Wing" (season 1) as the call girl Sam was involved with.
Olivia Wilde was Marissa's lesbian girlfriend on "The O.C."
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May 26, 2008 9:19 PM
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