Reverse of Soaplovers topic...

 

In the fickle world of primetime, who are some actors that managed at least 2 sizeable hit shows (maybe with some flops in there also...)

 

Michael Landon -  Bonanza, Little House, Highway to Heaven

 

Kate Jackson - The Rookies, Charlies Angels, Scarecrow and Mrs King (Baby Boom was a miss)

 

Larry Hagman - I Dream of Jeannie, Dallas (Good Life, Here We Go Again and Orleans were flops)

 

Robert Young - Father Knows Best, Marcus Welby MD

I mentioned it in the other thread, but:

 

Carrol O'Connor with All In The Family/Archie Bunker's Place and In The Heat Of The Night 

Edited March 12, 20187 yr by BetterForgotten

Using today’s far more forgiving definitions of “hits”:

 

Julianna Margulies - ER (a huge hit no doubt), The Good Wife

 

Michael C. Hall - Six Feet Under, Dexter

 

Bryan Cranston - Malcolm in the Middle, Breaking Bad

 

And someone I’d prefer not to mention but here goes:

 

Bill Cosby - I Spy, The Cosby Show

Bill Cosby Also had a hit with Fat Albert and The Cosby Kids (1972-1985).

 

Lee Majors......Big Valley (1965-1969), The Men From Shiloh the final season of The Virginian (1970-1971),  Owen Marshall Counselor At Law (1971-1973), The Six Million Dollar Man (1973-1978), The Fall Guy (1981-1986). 

 

Gavin McCloud.....The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977), The Love Boat (1977-1988)

 

Sharon Gless....Too many to name offhand

 

Marla Gibbs......The Jefersons (1975-1985), 227 (1985-1990)

 

Sherman Hemsley......The Jeffersons (1975-1985), Amen (1986-1991)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patricia Heaton - Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle 

 

Neil Flynn - Scrubs and The Middle 

 

Lauren Graham - Gilmore Girls and Parenthood 

 

Shelley Fabares - The Donna Reed Show, One Day at a Time, and Coach

 

Mike Farrell - M*A*S*H and Providence 

 

John Schneider - The Dukes of Hazzard, Smallville, and The Haves and Have Nots

 

Gerald McRaney - Simon and Simon, Major Dad, Promised Land, Deadwood,  House of Cards, and This is Us

 

Edited March 12, 20187 yr by amybrickwallace

A few suggestions:

 

Andy Griffith  - "The Andy Griffith Show", "Matlock"

 

Michael J. Fox - "Family Ties", "Spin City"

 

Courtney Thorne-Smith - "Melrose Place", "Ally McBeal", "According to Jim"

 

Heather Locklear - "T.J. Hooker", "Dynasty", "Melrose Place", "Spin City"

 

Bea Arthur - "Maude", "The Golden Girls"

 

Dennis Franz - "Hill Street Blues", "NYPD Blue"

 

and of course

Lucille Ball - ""I Love Lucy", "The Lucy Show", "Here's Lucy"

A few more:

 

Bob Newhart - The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart 

 

Tony Danza - Taxi and Who’s the Boss?

 

Neil Patrick Harris - Doogie Howser, MD and How I Met Your Mother

 

Johnny Galecki - Roseanne and The Big Bang Theory

 

Mayim Bialik - Blossom and The Big Bang Theory

 

Sela Ward - Sisters and House (loved Once and Again but not sure it could be called a “hit”)

 

Ed O’Neill - Married... with Children and Modern Family 

 

Katey Sagal - MWC and Sons of Anarchy 

 

Allison Janney - The West Wing and Mom

 

Richard Mulligan - Soap and Empty Nest

 

Kristy McNichol - Family and Empty Nest

 

 

Edited March 12, 20187 yr by Faulkner

A few British examples:

 

John Nettles - "Bergerac", "Midsomer Murders"

 

David Jason - "Only Fools and Horses", "A Touch of Frost", "The Wind in the Willows" (voice only)

 

Kevin Whateley - "Inspector Morse", "Lewis", "Peak Practice"

 

Julia Sawalha - "Absolutely Fabulous", "Lark Rise to Candleford"

 

Patricia Routledge - "Keeping Up Appearances", "Hetty Wainthropp Investigates"

Edited March 12, 20187 yr by I Am A Swede

8 minutes ago, I Am A Swede said:

A few British examples:

 

John Nettles - "Bergerac", "Midsomer Murders"

 

David Jason - "Only Fools and Horses", "A Touch of Frost", "The Wind in the Willows" (voice only)

 

Kevin Whateley - "Inspector Morse", "Lewis", "Peak Practice"

 

Julia Sawalha - "Absolutely Fabulous", "Lark Rise to Candleford"

 

Patricia Routledge - "Keeping Up Appearances", "Hetty Wainthropp Investigates"

Jack Davenport - This Life, Coupling

 

Matt Smith - Doctor Who, The Crown

 

Ronnie Barker - Porridge, Open All Hours, The Two Ronnies 

 

Dawn French - The Vicar of Dibley, French and Saunders

 

Jennifer Saunders - Absolutely Fabulous, French and Saunders

 

Aidan Turner - Being Human, Poldark

 

 

Andre Braugher-Homicide Life On The Street, Last Resort,  Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Scott  Bakula -Quantum Leap, NCIS New Orleans

Betty White-To many to name.

William Shatner-Star Trek, TJ Hooker, Boston Legal

James Spador-The Blacklist, Boston Legal

John Larraoquette-Night Court, The John Larraoquette Show, Boston Legal, The Librarians

Adam Baldwin-Chuck, Firefly

Nathan Fillion-Firefly, Castle

David Boreanaz -Angel, Buffy, Bones, Seal Team

Heather Locklear-Dynasty, TJ Hooker

 

 

 

Edited March 12, 20187 yr by reallyhateskateonlost

I'd say "Once and Again" qualifies as a hit since it ran for (I think) four seasons.  Now, was it as big as "thirtysomething" or "My So-Called Life"?  Prolly not.

 

Ted Danson: "Cheers," "Becker," "C.S.I.," maybe "Damages," maybe "Bored to Death," maybe "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and for the time being, "The Good Place."  Even with his flop shows ("Ink," "Help Me Help You," "C.S.I.: Cyber" and probably another one I'm forgetting), he has a better post-series track record than any of his former "Cheers" castmates, including Kelsey Grammer.  (Woody Harrelson doesn't count, since his roles on "Will & Grace" and "True Detective" were meant to be short-term and he has concentrated more on films since the end of "Cheers" back in '93.)

Edited March 12, 20187 yr by Khan

2 hours ago, I Am A Swede said:

David Jason - "Only Fools and Horses", "A Touch of Frost", "The Wind in the Willows" (voice only)

 

I'd add "Open All Hours" to the list.

1 hour ago, reallyhateskateonlost said:

Adam Baldwin-Chuck, Firefly

Nathan Fillion-Firefly, Castle

 

I can't really count anyone from "Firefly" since that show ran only for one (albeit glorious) season.

Edited March 12, 20187 yr by Khan

40 minutes ago, Khan said:

I'd say "Once and Again" qualifies as a hit since it ran for (I think) four seasons.  Now, was it as big as "thirtysomething" or "My So-Called Life"?  Prolly not.

 

 

Well, I was even quibbling with MSCL being a “hit” since it only managed a season (I know it’s fondly remembered), so I’ll add another:

 

Claire Danes - My So-Called Life, Homeland

 

Then:

 

Mandy Patinkin - Chicago Hope, Homeland, Criminal Minds, Dead Like Me (although a couple of those were short-lived)

 

Alyson Hannigan - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, How I Met Your Mother

 

Kristin Davis - Melrose Place, Sex and the City

 

Marcia Cross - Melrose Place, Desperate Housewives 

 

Teri Hatcher - Lois and Clark, Desperate Housewives 

 

Nicollette Sheridan - Knots Landing, Desperate Housewives 

 

Susan Sullivan - Falcon Crest, Dharma and Greg

 

Thomas Gibson - Chicago Hope, Dharma and Greg, Criminal Minds

 

Jimmy Smits - L.A. Law, NYPD Blue, The West Wing

 

Portia de Rossi - Ally McBeal, Arrested Development

Edited March 12, 20187 yr by Faulkner

You're right, Faulkner: technically speaking, MSCL wasn't a "hit."  But it's also one of those short-lived series (like "Firefly," which was mentioned above) that its fans embraced and remember fondly to this day.

 

Wasn't Mandy Patinkin in "Dead Like Me" as well?

3 minutes ago, Khan said:

You're right, Faulkner: technically speaking, MSCL wasn't a "hit."  But it's also one of those short-lived series (like "Firefly," which was mentioned above) that its fans embraced and remember fondly to this day.

 

Wasn't Mandy Patinkin in "Dead Like Me" as well?

Yep. I added Dead Like Me (I never watched that show but I remember now he was in it).