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Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

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    Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

    So, I was just re-watching the first series of Black Adder on DVD, and who should turn up playing a minor peasant character? Oscar-winning, Golden Globe-winning, BAFTA-winning Jim Broadbent, when no-one knew who he was. I'd recognise that nose anywhere.

    You know what to do...

    #2
    Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

    Was he the Spanish interpreter?

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      #3
      Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

      Ah, you're absolutely right. The amusingly-named Don Speekenglish, in the Queen Of Spain's Beard episode.

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        #4
        Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

        The earliest Jim Broadbent role I remember was the quiz show host in Time Bandits. Even by the time he starred in Life Is Sweet (1990), though, I didn't recognise him as a particularly famous actor. Looking through his acting credits on IMDB, I suppose it was his turn in Only Fools And Horses that really made him a household name.

        Oh, and Jeremy Irons in Play Away is usually the example that crops up when this subject is raised.

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          #5
          Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

          He was the original choice for Derek Trotter.

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            #6
            Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

            I first became aware of him when he was in the National Theatre of Brent.

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              #7
              Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

              Forest Whitaker in Platoon? Or was he reasonably famous by then?

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                #8
                Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                If we're talking Hollywood films, what's actually surprising is how seldom it happens, and how many big stars just seem to arrive more-or-less fully-formed, without ever playing an irrelevant extra or someone who sells the hero a burger.

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                  #9
                  Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                  I used to think of Minnie Driver's appearance in Knowing Me, Knowing You With Alan Partridge in those terms, but in recent years Minnie Driver's star status has gently settled down to the level where a bit-part on a Steve Coogan show is exactly where you'd expect to see her.

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                    #10
                    Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                    I think Forest Whittaker was reasonably on the map. Now Johnny Depp in Platoon, I reckon fits better here. As does Dr Cox from Scrubs in Platoon...

                    Does Liam Neeson in The Mission count?

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                      #11
                      Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

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                        #12
                        Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                        Michael Caine has two lines as an exasperated copper in the superb The Day The Earth Caught Fire from 1961.

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                          #13
                          Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

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                            #14
                            Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                            Purves Grundy wrote:
                            Michael Caine has two lines as an exasperated copper in the superb The Day The Earth Caught Fire from 1961.
                            Not a lot of people know that.

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                              #15
                              Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                              Patrick Stewart as Sejanus in I, Claudius. He had been in a couple things before then and was an established RSC actor, but seeing him hove into view in a terrible wig was probably the first time he imposed himself on the national conciousness.

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                                #16
                                Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                                If we are talking about Hollywood rather than thesps per se then Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce in Neighbours spring to mind. The guy that now plays the Boss in Ugly Betty was, of course, Jim Robinson on "Neighbours" but that's hardly a bit part.

                                Loads of people have been in soaps as bit part players - Ruth Jones in "Eastenders, Ben Kingsley, Patrick Stewart, Joanna Lumley and Prunella Scales in Coronation Street. Obviously, Ian McKellen went the other way but that isn't the thread. Apparently, Lawrence Olivier wanted to do Corrie as well but kicked the bucket before he was able to.

                                The Archers still has a load of thesps regularly in there including Tamsin Greig from Green Wing and Black Books and the girl that plays Dawn in the Office is still there (I think).There are loads of less famous thesps on there as well from the theatre.

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                                  #17
                                  Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                                  Whose in GO's pic?

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                                    #18
                                    Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                                    Bored Of The Dance wrote:
                                    Whose in GO's pic?
                                    Just 'cos it's not some recent Hollywood star, you children just don't know haven't got a clue...

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                                      #19
                                      Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                                      George Cole and the great Alistair Sim.

                                      Somewhere in Joe Dante's Matinee is Naomi Watts.

                                      Daniel Day-Lewis started off in Shoestring.

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                                        #20
                                        Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                                        Sylvester Stallone in Woody Allen's Bananas.

                                        James Gandolfini in Get Shorty

                                        William Shatner in The Brothers Karamazov (not really a bit part, but amusing nonetheless).

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                                          #21
                                          Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                                          Pierce Brosnan making Bob Hoskins shit himself at the end of The Long Good Friday.

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                                            #22
                                            Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                                            Wyatt Earp wrote:
                                            Is that Martin Kemp?

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                                              #23
                                              Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                                              As a boy, George Cole was in Olivier's film version of Henry V (and I knew that without recourse to IMDB - I remember our English teacher recognising him when we watched the film in class).

                                              Brad Pitt has a few early career bit parts under his belt, but his cameo in Thelma And Louise was one of those real 'superstar credentials-establishing' cameos.

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                                                #24
                                                Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                                                he girl that plays Dawn in the Office is still there (I think).
                                                Lucy Davis left The Archers: her character, Hayley Tucker, is now played by Lorraine Coady.

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                                                  #25
                                                  Famous thesps in bit-parts before they were famous

                                                  King Mob wrote:
                                                  As a boy, George Cole was in Olivier's film version of Henry V (and I knew that without recourse to IMDB - I remember our English teacher recognising him when we watched the film in class).

                                                  Brad Pitt has a few early career bit parts under his belt, but his cameo in Thelma And Louise was one of those real 'superstar credentials-establishing' cameos.
                                                  You think? I already knew who Brad Pitt was when I saw that film. I thought "Oh look, there's Brad Pitt". I thought they cast him specifically because he was already Hollywood's Mr Sexy.

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