Weird Cameos in stuff.

[George White]

He turned up as an Eastern European hitman in an episode of The Professionals as well, which was bizarre. It was virtually a cameo too as he was only in the last 5 minutes before he gets killed.

The character was actually a South  American Carlos the Jackal-type. Like a lot of those foreign characters he was dubbed by either Robert Rietty or David DeKeyser.


There's another ep where David Bradley plays a Baader-Meinhof, sorry, Meyer-Helmut agent named Tony Kristo. Fortunately, Bradders does his own voice, not too far off what he does in The Strain

Lloyd-Pack alo played a Latino in Cuba, which being a Richard Lester film, is full of these. Dave King, Wolfe Morris, Earl Cameron, Ram John Holder...

Reminds me - was watching the Education of Sonny Carson - a pseudo-blaxploitation drama from 1974, New York-set and shot, Paramount, all-American cast, crew, locations - except then all of a sudden at a funeral, Porkpie himself turns up as the preacher. Now, by 1974, Holder was already a fixture on UK TV, but he had lived in New York in the 50s/early 60s, where he was a folk singer.   And around that time, had starred in a major NBC/BBC TV movie as Man Friday with Stanley Baker as Robinson Crusoe (having played the role in the play Man Friday with Colin Blakely as Crusoe).
Now, dozens of black British actors will go to the US and turn up in things that make people go "WTF? Is that him from (British TV show)?)" Holder wasn't the first. Errol John and Edric Connor had done stuff out west, and Calvin Lockhart became something of a leading man there.

Others
Simon Cadell in Meteor as BBC TV newsreader.
Bob Friend of Sky in Independence Day
Jeremy Thompson of Sky in various.
Robert Pugh in Nighthawks
Simon Jones in various US things, including a Murder She Wrote set in Montreal with Patrick McGoohan.

[Shaky]

Speaking of Hail Ceasar, I was very surprised to see a suddenly very aged Christopher Lambert in that as well.

[George White]

Yeah, didn't you hear? That's what winning the Prize does to you?

The 2006 BBC/CBC Wind in the Willows has a weird one - Woody Allen/Robert Altman favourite Michael Murphy as the Judge, except he's dubbed by Tom Baker. https://youtu.be/ThkM9dG6KA8?t=3188
It was a Canadian coproduction shot in Romania, and Murphy has been a Canadian resident thanks to his marriage to Wendy Crewson. And at the time, he was doing a lot of work for the CBC.  So he was there for Canadian content reasons.
But still, for someone who knows Murphy from Phase IV, Strange Behaviour, etc, its almost Heston inthe Two Ronnies-esque in its incongruity.
One day, you're in Manhattan, next you're doing wacky kids' TV with Matt Lucas as toad, the Gatiss rat-creature, and the Hoskins mole-man (Jesus, there's great Fantastic Four casting), and you have no real reason to be there, because all you're there for is for Tom Baker to shout over your shoulder. 

[George White]

Not really a cameo and I know he was (is?) an actor but the incongruity of seeing Christopher Biggins as Nero in I Claudius took some getting used to.

He's in Revelations, which was this US miniseries that is a sort-of-spinoff from the Omen. Written by David Seltzer, who wrote the Omen, it's a delving nto a lot of the same mythology, though it's probably not in the same canon. Both feature Professor Bugenhagen, but here it's Anatole not Carl.

[The Culture Bunker]

The character was actually a South  American Carlos the Jackal-type. Like a lot of those foreign characters he was dubbed by either Robert Rietty or David DeKeyser.

I did wonder re the voice, when watching it 25 odd years ago, as it didn't sound 'right' but I wouldn't have assumed it was dubbed as my teenage logic would have been "what's the point?".

The daft mop he had on was hopefully a wig. Not sure how you can have a character who is supposed to be a feared international assassin, but looks like he has his hair cut by his mam.

Pamela Stephenson, of course, turned up in an episode of the Professionals, and had the pleasure of Lewis Collins not only slapping her unconscious, but then ripping her top open to remove a hand grenade that apparently takes about 20 seconds to go from being primed to detonating.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Pamela Stephenson was a jobbing actress playing glam ladies parts before she hit Carol Cleveland paydirt, so her part in " The Professionals" isn't really a weird cameo.
It's a good job me and Brundle Fly are observing this thread and ensuring the remit is properly carried out. Try harder, people!

[shagatha crustie]

MES as God in Ideal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdYBvwq3Mq4

[George White]

Pamela Stephenson was a jobbing actress playing glam ladies parts before she hit Carol Cleveland paydirt, so her part in " The Professionals" isn't really a weird cameo.
It's a good job me and Brundle Fly are observing this thread and ensuring the remit is properly carried out. Try harder, people!

She was the female lead in a weird Pete Walker horror, the Comeback, a vehicle for Jack Jones costarring Sheila Keith and Bill "Compo" Owen as a sinister couple, and David "Bosley/Grandpa Pickles" Doyle in a relative cameo.

[BeardFaceMan]

Boy George in The A-Team.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

MES as God in Ideal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdYBvwq3Mq4

Now, this is a better example  of what the thread title demands ( although Smitty is Jesus , rather than God); other  " hey, look who it is!"  Cameos on " Ideal" include John Robb , Mark Radclffe and Elena Poulo ( Smitty's last wife) as a group of pretentious art critic types ( Elena turns up a second time in another episode as the same critic and Janeanne Garafalo's mate), and the Jilted John/ John Shuttleworth feller as a surgeon who deals with internal organs on the black market.

[Brundle-Fly]

Now, this is a better example  of what the thread title demands ( although Smitty is Jesus , rather than God); other  " hey, look who it is!"  Cameos on " Ideal" include John Robb , Mark Radclffe and Elena Poulo ( Smitty's last wife) as a group of pretentious art critic types ( Elena turns up a second time in another episode as the same critic and Janeanne Garafalo's mate), and the Jilted John/ John Shuttleworth feller as a surgeon who deals with internal organs on the black market.

Not forgetting The Modfather, Paul Weller!

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Plus former Magazine Man and Bond Theme- esque instrumentalist Barry Adamson. " I ain't sayin'" !

[Brundle-Fly]

Lou Ferrigno's cameos as security guards/voices in various Hulk remakes/ Avengers outings are weird(ish) because they're always so perfunctory. When they hand him the script, do they ruffle his hair and fist-bump his cheek like a kindly uncle?

[ajsmith2]

Alan Bennett in 'Family Guy'. Still can't quite believe that really happened. It's not like he's famous at all in the US (is he? Maybe I missed something) so it doesn't have their stock in trade 'here's a random but recognisable pop culture figure popping up in a zany scenario' factor/explanation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUngJ2a3Rp4 (AB at around 3.55)

https://familyguy.fandom.com/wiki/Alan_Bennett

Apparently he is a fan of the show though. Did he request to do it?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-news/11114579/Alan-Bennett-I-probably-watch-more-rubbish-than-I-should.html

[Brundle-Fly]

Plus former Magazine Man and Bond Theme- esque instrumentalist Barry Adamson. " I ain't sayin'" !

Talking of Manchester post-punk types, 24 Hour Party People (2002) has more cameos than the Cheltenham W.I. annual gala luncheon of 1958

Tony Wilson as Wheel of Fortune director
Nigel Pivaro as an actor at Granada
Kenny Baker as a zookeeper
Howard Devoto as cleaner/himself
Rowetta as herself, reprising her time with Happy Mondays
Terri Seymour as herself, reprising her co-host gig on Wheel of Fortune
Paul Ryder as a drug dealer and head Hacienda doorman Pel
Clint Boon as Ernie, a train conductor
Elizabeth Dawn as Ian's mum
Martin Coogan, Steve's older brother
Jon DaSilva as himself, reprising his time as resident DJ at The Haçienda
Mark E. Smith (The Fall) as himself
Mike Pickering (former DJ at The Haçienda, Factory Records unofficial A&R)
Dave Haslam (former DJ at The Haçienda)
Vini Reilly (first artist of Factory Records) scene deleted, clip only
Keith Allen as Roger Ames
Gary Mounfield (The Stone Roses)
Fiona Allen who worked on the door at the Hacienda, playing herself.
Conrad Murray (Manchester music manager) as Bailey Brother


A couple of years ago, I spotted the ex-Coronation Street star, Martin (Emily Bishop's nephew, Geoffrey Nugent) Hancock in a pub in Manchester and drunkenly said as he walked past, "Blimey, it's Howard Devoto!".  He seemed really surprised and chuffed saying it was the first time anybody had recognised him for that rather than shouting in his face, "Alright Spider, where's Toyah tonight?"

[Glebe]

Pamela Stephenson was a jobbing actress playing glam ladies parts before she hit Carol Cleveland paydirt, so her part in " The Professionals" isn't really a weird cameo.
It's a good job me and Brundle Fly are observing this thread and ensuring the remit is properly carried out. Try harder, people!

Mentioned last page that Topol appeared in the last ever episode of Tales of the Unexpected... Stephenson appeared in the first.

[JaDanketies]

Did ya know Graham Linehan's children are in Adventure Time? In this episode.

Seems that Glinner tweeted a video of his kids impersonating characters from Adventure Time, Pendleton Ward saw it, and next thing ya know they're voice acting in some particularly wacky episode. This was in 2012, before all this mess happened.

[JaDanketies]

Pinhead from Hellraiser is in a bunch of Cradle of Filth songs, for instance in Her Ghost In The Fog he does the spoken-ish word bit a the start, but they got someone else to mime his words for the video.

[willpurry]

Sitcom guest actor type Gordon Peters is in Feardotcom.

[I.D. Smith]

Michael Palin in Home and Away

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=261ugmDCcBU

[George White]

Brenda from Rising Damp, Gabrielle Rose has been in tons of Vancouver-shot US TV and films. Lots of Stargate, X Files, Smallville, Dark Angel, Battlestar., Man in the High Castle, Once Upon A Time...
Actually Canadian, moved to the UK for drama school, got Rising Damp, then moved back to BC. Was also in some Atom Egoyan films.


Also, Andonia Katsaros, the snake charmer in Rising Damp - Fawcett's Python is in Time After Time, as HG's housekeeper. Again, moved to the US did some voices on Plastic Man, and eps of Suddenly Susan and Bob, the third Newhart series.


Trisha Noble, one of the girls in Carry On Camping turned up in loads of US TV in the 70s/early 80s. Night Gallery, Buck Rogers, TJ Hooker, McMillan and Wife, Love Boat, ironically for an Australian - Willow B- the US-pilot of Prsoner Cell Block H, Fantasy Island, Columbo, Mary Tyler Moore, as well as Up Pompeii, Callan, Tommy Cooper, Z Cars....

Julian Fellowes lived in Hollywood briefly, did two Lynda Carter TVms, then lost out the role to the replacement for Herve Villechaize in Fantasy Island to Christopher "Roger DeBris" Hewett.

[Glebe]

Ruth Madoc too.

Btw, how's your Squashed Ruth Madoc Auntie who works in my local Dunnes, George?

Julian Fellowes lived in Hollywood briefly

He's another one that did a Tales of the Unexpected.

[Shit Good Nose]

Alan Bennett in 'Family Guy'. Still can't quite believe that really happened. It's not like he's famous at all in the US (is he? Maybe I missed something) so it doesn't have their stock in trade 'here's a random but recognisable pop culture figure popping up in a zany scenario' factor/explanation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUngJ2a3Rp4 (AB at around 3.55)

https://familyguy.fandom.com/wiki/Alan_Bennett

Apparently he is a fan of the show though. Did he request to do it?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-news/11114579/Alan-Bennett-I-probably-watch-more-rubbish-than-I-should.html

Bennett is known by those Americans "in the know" (i.e. other playwrights, hardcore fans of modern British plays etc), and he has been namechecked on quite a few FG commentaries prior to appearing on the show.  I always thought it was just the show trying to reach a higher brow, as at the time he was on there was when it was at its gutter scraping worst as far as most people were concerned, but MacFarlane and a lot of the other main writers do have an awareness of and fondness for yer Bennetts, Pinters, Jarmans, Shaws etc.  For all the pisstaking of Brits, I think they have a general high regard for British literature and comedy.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Alan Bennett's quite well known to certain American types , y'know, " The New Yorker" magazine reader sorts. His " The History Boys" play was quite a big hit on Broadway, think it won a Tony or two.

He'll be known by older yanks for " Beyond The Fringe", too. That was as big a hit in Yankee Doodle Dandy land as Monty Python went on to be.

[ajsmith2]

He'll be known by older yanks for " Beyond The Fringe", too. That was as big a hit in Yankee Doodle Dandy land as Monty Python went on to be.

Fair dos, although I think it'd be equally fair to say that while being as huge at the time in the US BtF didn't have the enduring multi generational impact of Python over there (It's rep was based on the live show mainly, no TV or movies to really permeate the influence across the country for decades to come).

Trying to imagine what the US in UK reverse equivalent would be? Jules Feiffer guesting on Little Britain maybe?

[George White]

Btw, how's your Squashed Ruth Madoc Auntie who works in my local Dunnes, George?

He's another one that did a Tales of the Unexpected.

She's in Tallaght.

Everyone did a Tales of the Unexpected.
Joseph Cotten, Jose Ferrer, John Gielgud, Jacobi, Joan Collins, Richard Basehart, Don Johnson, Brad Dourif, Telly Savalas, Eli Wallach, Sharon Gless, Julie Harris, Shane Rimmer (a rare lead), Elaine Stritch, Colin Blakely, Harry H. Corbett, Cribbins, Susan George, Judy Geeson, Janet Leigh, Rod Taylor, Charles Dance, Michael Hordern, Anna Neagle, Dirty Denholm, Siobhan McKenna, Cyril Cusack, Michael Gambon, John Mills, Wendy Hiller, Ian Holm, Sian Phillips.
One of the last ones has David Suchet trying to kill wife Nina van Pallandt, of Nina and Frederik fame.
Now, there's someone with a weird CV.
After breaking up with her husband and a few gigs on Morecambe and Wise and Jackanory, she moved to Hollywood, became the girlfriend of Howard Hughes hoaxer Clifford Irving, then became a regular in the films of Robert Altman - notably the Long Goodbye, and had roles in a few B-movies, a lead age 52 in the women-in-prison flick Jungle Warriors and a minor role in The Sword and the Sorcerer.. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0887684/ Plus American Gigolo and Cutter's Way.

[markburgle]

Michael Palin in Home and Away

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=261ugmDCcBU

Yeah, so bizarre. Nothing to do with the plot or anything

[I.D. Smith]

Yeah, so bizarre. Nothing to do with the plot or anything

I think the only reason it happened was because he was in Australia filming Full Circle at the time, and he happened to be near where they filmed (Summer Bay), so since he was in the area at the time he managed to bag himself a cameo (or they asked him)

[Brundle-Fly]

Sammy Davies Jnr as himself in Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Wisely omitted from the final cut. Completely pointless scene but I love the idea of Sammy knowing Bond but what the hell does he mean with that bizarre cake comment?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTZCtdoBtQU

[non capisco]

Sammy Davies Jnr as himself in Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Wisely omitted from the final cut. Completely pointless scene but I love the idea of Sammy knowing Bond but what the hell does he mean with that bizarre cake comment?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTZCtdoBtQU

At a guess that Bond in his white tux looks like the groom on top of a wedding cake? Fuck knows. Diamonds Are Forever's script is a right old mess. It also has Tiffany Case exclaiming "You just killed James Bond!" when he swaps his wallet with the corpse of diamond smuggler Peter Franks. Some secret agent he is if people know him by reputation and members of the Rat Pack actually recognise who he is on sight.