I recently watched a rerun of "Head of the Class" starring Howard Hesseman, and an unknown Brad Pitt guest starred as a kid interested in one of the brainy girls from the Special Class (I'm not that well versed in the show to know all the character names).

I remember Matthew Perry guesting on "Growing Pains" as Carol Seaver's out of control alcoholic beau - who winds up killing himself in a car accident. --->for that matter, I also remember Perry guesting on "Beverly Hills: 90210" as a kid at the high school (I forget the reason why he was there).

george, bruce, and john were all on tv shows before they made it big.

who, Who, and Who?

George clooney (er), bruce wilis on that show, and John Travolta on I think Welcome back kotter.

Andrew Dice Clay = Crazy Larry on Diff'rent Strokes (school bully Willis is afraid of)

Adam Sandler = Theo's friend on The Cosby Show (Theo's prom episode)




*edited to take out Regulars and just leave Guest Stars

Just recently saw a repeat Friends on TBS: Michael Vartan(who plays Vaughn on Alias) played Richard's son. Monica thought to start a relationship, but it was too "icky"

I remember Martin and Roz (from Frasier) both appeared on the final season of Cheers.

Oh wait, you said "before they were famous". Mine aren't exactly household names, are they?

They were series regulars. I'm talking about guest spots.

I've seen Brad Pitt on an episode of 21 Jump Street. I think it had something to do with teen suicide (don't do it!). I don't remember him really saying very much. (Not to mention Johnny Depp, but he probably doesn't count, since he starred on that show.)

Tom Hanks as drunk Uncle Ned on Family Ties.

Was Clooney a regular on Roseanne? Also Teri Hatcher of the Radio shack commercials was once on an episode of Seinfeld. Courtney Cox in that Springsteen video.

Megan Mullally (Karen on Will & Grace) guested on an episode of Seinfeld as George's girlfriend.

edit: same thing was said above.

leonardo decaprio was on growing pains, though he was kinda a regular.

I saw Patrick Swayze on an episode of MASH once. Who can beat that?

I saw Adam Sandler on an episode of "The Cosby Show." Shooby-do-dowah

Check out Seaon One of Outer Limits, which, in addition to many top performers of the day from stage and screen, also showcased some unfamiliar faces: Robert Duvall, David McCallum, Carrol O'Connor and Leonard Nimoy, to name a few.

Another interesting note: the late Conrad Hall, who just won the Oscar for Road To Perdition was Director of Photography for many of these episodes.

I remember Clooney being on "Facts of Life" as some kind of House Painter.

Aunt Bea serves on a jury. The defendant: Jack Nicholson.

For a time frame, it's one of the eps in color......



A great show for spotting before-they-were-stars is Miami Vice; it's loaded with guest spots. Off the top of my head I remember Bruce Willis (this got him Moonlighting) and Jimmy Smits.....

Yes, Clooney was a regular on the Facts of Life (later years) and Roseanne (Early years). He got famous on E.R., unless you were referring to the 1984 tv comedy E/R. (How weird is that?)

Sandler also used to do bits on MTV's Remote Control. I don't remember it myself, but I saw clips of his appearances a year or two ago.

I remember Juliette Lewis on a short lived sitcom called I Married Dora. She was the only reason I watched that. Not a guest spot, but definitely before she was famous. Now she's in the "after famous" stage

And while we're on the subject, ya gotta love that trivia question: Name the actor who was a regular cast member of two different shows that had the same title, one a half-hour sitcom, the other a one hour drama.....


EDIT: Arrgh, Roto just beat me to it.......

Tom Hanks in Bosum Buddies, which predates his Family Ties appearances.

Wil Wheaton guested on "Family Ties" as Jennifer's friend.

I remember Meg Ryan had a couple guest spots on Charles in Charge

I haven't seen it, but Jeri Ryan (ST:Voyager, Boston Public) was in an episode of Who's the Boss? which she made fun of on last night's Conan repeat.

And speaking of late night talk shows, I remember Kristin Dunst saying she did a couple of comedy bits for Dave Letterman as a child actor.

Not a guest spot, but Seinfeld was a regular late in Benson's run.

Leno was on Lavern and Shirley as a recurring character.

Ted Danson played Laverne's fiance in a one-spot; he was a fireman who died in a fire. Danson also played a flaming (not that there's anything wrong with that) hairdresser on Taxi; it got him Cheers.

Billy Crystal as Mike's best friend from college on All in the Family:
"You're a nut, boy."
"Tell me again!"
"You're a nut, boy!"
"I love this guy!"

Jamie Leigh Curtis was a waitress on Columbo; it may have been the Spielberg ep.


BTW, I certainly hope we are all doing this without checking the IMDB first......

Yeah, this should all come from the cranium!