So after finding all those actors who got their start, or close to their start, on "Seinfeld", I started thinking of other shows where I remember young actors before they became famous. The two that jumped out in my mind were "Cheers" (which I'll detail in Early Roles III) and the following...
M*A*S*H
Bruno Kirby - S1, Ep1 "Pilot" 9/17/1972
In June of 1972, Kirby began starring in a sitcom called "The Super". It only lasted 10 episodes. A few months after the first episode of that failed series, he appeared as Pvt. Lorenzo Boone on the very first television episode of "M*A*S*H". Of course, Kirby would go on to much more fame and fortune, getting an important role in The Godfather, Part II, a tiny but memorable role in This Is Spinal Tap, and most recognizably as Billy Crystal's buddy in When Harry Met Sally and City Slickers. Unfortunately Bruno Kirby's life was cut short in 2006, at the age of 57, due to complications from leukemia.
Marcia Strassman - S1, Ep3 "Requiem For A Lightweight" 10/1/1972
She appeared in a few TV shows before "M*A*S*H", but Marica Strassman became recognizable after landing a recurring role as Nurse Margie Cutler on the show, her first episode being the third of the show's existence. If you're a fan of '70's television at all, you'll know Strassman went on to play Julie Kotter for more than 90 episodes of the extremely popular "Welcome Back, Kotter" opposite Gabe Kaplan beginning in 1975. In 1989, she showed up as the mom in the successful Honey, I Shrunk The Kids movie.
William Katt - S1, Ep12 "Dear Dad" 12/17/1972
He was only about 20 years old, and appeared in a TV movie or in uncredited roles here or there (including "Emergency"...I loved "Emergency"!), but nobody knew he'd become a huge star about 9 years later when he landed the lead on TV's "The Greatest American Hero". Katt would carve out a very successful acting career, appearing in more than 130 shows and movies through the years. In this episode, Katt plays a private who is trying to console his dying friend when Hawkeye, played by Alan Alda, shows up in a Santa Claus outfit to help out.
Burt Young - S2, Ep7 "L.I.P. (Local Indigenous Personnel) 10/27/1973
He was just starting to make a name for himself, appearing in small roles in a couple movies, but everybody would know Burt Young in a few short years. In 1976 he was cast as Paulie in a little movie called Rocky, and continued to play that role through all the incarnations of that film. And he's still going to this day, playing roles in just about anything that's offered to him. In this episode, he plays Lt. Willis who investigating some wrong doing at the 4077th.
John Ritter - S2, Ep13 "Deal Me Out" 12/8/1973
Like Burt Young above, John Ritter was just starting to make a name for himself in show business when his "M*A*S*H" episode aired. He had been in a few TV movies and bit roles in the cinema, but nobody knew who he was. In another 3 years, EVERYBODY would know! Being cast as one of the leads in one of the most popular sitcoms of all-time, Ritter would win awards for his portrayal of Jack Tripper on "Three's Company". In this episode, he plays Pvt. Carter who is taunted by Frank Burns and decides to do something about it.
Mary Kay Place - S3, Ep6 "Springtime" 10/15/1974
It was only her third role, but Mary Kay Place would go on to appear in more than 100 movies and TV shows in her career. Most notably, she was one of the baby-boomers in The Big Chill, appeared in 42 episodes of "Big Love", and gained critical acclaim for her work in the independent film Diane just a few years ago. She was also an Emmy winner for her role on "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" in 1977. In this episode she plays Lt. Louise Simmons, the object of Radar's affections.
Michael O'Keefe - S3, Ep13 "Mad Dogs And Servicemen" 12/10/1974
Before we knew him as the fast-thinking caddy Danny Noonan in 1980's Caddyshack, one of Michael O'Keefe very first TV roles was on "M*A*S*H". In fact, he came back a few years later playing an entirely different character. In this episode he plays Corporal Richard Travis, the lone survivor of a tank battle who is suffering from hysterical paralysis. O'Keefe went on to be nominated for an Oscar in 1981 for his part in The Great Santini opposite Robert Duvall and continues to show up in many TV shows to this day.
Brian Dennehy - S5, Ep22 "Souvenirs" 3/1/1977
It was a busy year for Brian Dennehy in 1977 as he appeared in no less than 14 movies and TV shows, his first year in the business. One of those shows was "M*A*S*H", playing M.P. Ernie Connors who tries to get to the bottom of some possibly stolen goods. Dennehy would go on to have a great career in TV and film, appearing in fan favourites like First Blood, Cocoon, Silverado, F/X and dozens more. He was nominated for 6 Emmy awards for his television work, mostly playing in miniseries such as "Death Of A Salesman" and "Our Fathers".
Peter Riegert - S6, E4 "War Of Nerves" 10/11/1977
Once again, the name may not be familiar, but within a year he'd become pretty famous for sharing at the screen with one of the biggest stars of the day, John Belushi. In 1978, fans would see Riegert play Donald "Boon" Schoenstein in National Lampoon's Animal House. He would have a very steady career in TV and film, most recently appearing in top shows like "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt", "Dads", "The Good Wife" and "One Tree Hill". In this episode, and one other one, he takes over the role of Cpl. Igor Straminsky, normally played by Jeff Maxwell.
Shelley Long - S8, Ep16 "Bottle Fatigue" 1/7/1980
Did I mention "Cheers" above?? Weird, I didn't even realize Shelley Long would be part of the "M*A*S*H" list, but here we are. Obviously, Long would go on to become hugely popular a couple years later when she won the role of Diane Chambers on "Cheers", a role for which she'd earn 6 Emmy nominations, winning once in 1983. She was in a handful of TV movies and shows before showing up on "M*A*S*H" where she played Lt. Mendenhall, a date for the recently dried out Hawkeye Pierce.
Patrick Swayze - S9, Ep18 "Blood Brothers" 4/6/1981
It was only his third role in Hollywood, but Patrick Swayze would go on to become a mega-star after starring as Johnny Castle in 1987's Dirty Dancing. Of course he'd become a very familiar face in many other films including The Outsiders, Red Dawn, Road House, Point Break and Ghost. In this episode he plays Pvt. Gary Sturgis who wants to donate blood to his wounded friend, but is told he can't because he has leukaemia. Unfortunately this story would become somewhat prophetic, as Swayze passed away at the age of 57 from cancer.
Andrew Dice Clay - S11, Ep2 "Trick Or Treatment" 11/1/1982
Although he had been known on the stand-up circuit for a few years, Andrew Dice Clay hadn't done much on TV or in the movies. In fact, he appeared only a week before this appearance on "Diff'rent Strokes" and that was about all. He'd go on to make a huge name for himself as the crude and rude comic of the late '80's/early '90's. Most recently he's shown up on episodes of his own show "Dice" and the mini-series "Pam And Tommy" showing he actually does have some acting chops. On "M*A*S*H" he played Corp. Hrabosky, one of the injured men at the 4077th annual Halloween party. George Wendt made an early appearance on this episode as well, but he was already starring on "Cheers" at the time.
As I was researching different "M*A*S*H" episodes for this post, I realized there were other stars that appeared on the show, maybe not as early as the ones listed above, but early enough. Here's a few I saw along the way;
Ron Howard was already a known name because of his days as a kid actor. He started way back in 1959 when he was only 5 years old. At the ripe old age of 6 he'd land the role of Opie on "The Andy Griffith Show", a role he'd play until 1968. Of course his fame would only continue starring in "Happy Days" as Richie Cunningham for 11 years and directing some big box office successes like Splash, Cocoon, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind and many, many more. He appeared on episode 17 of the first season in 1973.
Joan Van Ark had already appeared in many TV shows before making her appearance in season 2, episode 3 of "M*A*S*H". She was seen on "Bonanza", "Gunsmoke", "Days Of Our Lives", "Hawaii Five-O", "The Odd Couple" and others. It would be another few years before she landed the role of Valene on "Dallas" in 1978, which led to 15 years playing that character on "Knots Landing".
Blythe Danner had been in about a dozen or so TV movies and shows before showing up on "M*A*S*H" in episode 22 of season 4 in 1976. She had 13-episode run on "Adam's Rib" in 1973 playing opposite Ken Howard, and had starred opposite Anthony Perkins and Beau Bridges in 1974's Lovin' Molly as Molly. She'd go on to be nominated for 5 Emmy awards, winning 2, and starring in dozens of films. And doesn't she look almost exactly like her daughter Gwyneth here??
James Cromwell has appeared in almost 200 movies and shows in his long career. He first got started in 1974 when he appeared on three episodes of "All In The Family" and an episode of "The Rockford Files". In 1977, after making more TV appearances and having a role in the movie Murder By Death, he showed up as Leo Bardonaro on episode 3 of season 6 of "M*A*S*H", the practical joking friend of BJ's. Cromwell would go on to be nominated for 6 Emmy awards, winning one, and one Oscar for his role in Babe, my favourite movie about a pig.
Philip Baker Hall, who I have always enjoyed in every movie I've seen him in, appeared on "M*A*S*H" in 1977, season 6 episode 6, and he looked so different than the actor we all know from Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Hard Eight, or his stints on "Seinfeld" or "Modern Family". He got his start in Hollywood only seven years prior to this episode, appearing in a few movies and a few TV shows including "Good Times" and the first episode of "Man From Atlantis". Hall sadly passed away earlier in the year at the age of 90.
Ed Begley Jr. may be the hardest working man in Hollywood. He has appeared in more than 300 TV episodes and movies in his long career and has been nominated for seven Emmy awards, mostly for his work on "St. Elsewhere" in the 1980's. He had made one-off appearances in a ton of TV shows from the 1970's before showing up on "M*A*S*H" in 1979; "Adam-12", "The FBI", "Mannix", "Maude", "Ironside" and "Happy Days" to name just a few. In his "M*A*S*H" appearance he played a klutz of a private who saved some of his buddies on the battlefield on episode one of season eight.
Joe Pantoliano had been working sporadically as a screen actor for about seven years before appearing on "M*A*S*H". His big break came in 1979 when he played the role of Pvt. Maggio in the TV version of From Here To Eternity, the role Frank Sinatra played in the movie. A couple of years later he had his bit role as a G.I. who swapped dog tags with a buddy of his on episode 2 of season 10 of "M*A*S*H". He'd go on to appear in over 100 more movies and TV shows including some of my faves; The Matrix, Midnight Run and Bound.
Rita Wilson, a few years before marrying Tom Hanks, made a couple of appearances on "M*A*S*H" as Nurse Lacey in season 10. She had already been around the Hollywood scene since 1972 when she briefly appeared on "The Brady Bunch" as a teenager. Many other bit roles would follow on some of the most popular shows of the 1970's; "Lou Grant", "CHiPs", "Hawaii Five-0" and, where I assume she first met her husband to be, "Bosom Buddies". She's still working to this day and has appeared in about 80 movies and shows in her career.
Laurence Fishburn had made a name for himself at a very young age when he appeared in Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now in 1979 at the ripe old age of 17. He actually appeared in a bunch of episodes of "One Life To Live" even before that. It wasn't until 1982 when we saw him in episode 14 of season 10 of "M*A*S*H". Still a youngster at the time, all of 21 years old, he would obviously go on to bigger and better things through the years. The Cotton Club, The Colour Purple, Boyz N The Hood, all The Matrix movies, and nominated for an Academy Award for What's Love Got To Do With It.
Jeffrey Tambor has shown up in literally hundreds of TV shows and movies in the last 45 years. I remember first seeing him in the "Three's Company" spinoff "The Ropers" that premiered in 1979. But he had already been on "Kojak", "Starsky And Hutch" and "Taxi" before that. He showed up on episode 3 of season 11 of "M*A*S*H" in 1982. He'd go on to be nominated for 9 Emmy awards, winning 2 of them for his fabulous role in "Transparent". But now, for me, he'll always be the patriarch of the Bluth family on "Arrested Development".
Ok, that's "M*A*S*H". next will be a look back at some of the popular folks that had early appearances on "Cheers". Stay tuned...
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