Your Favourite "That Guy" Actors

[Jerzy Bondov]

I know this guy best from the harrowing episode of Six Feet Under where he kidnaps David and makes him smoke some crack, but also (as pictured below) from a film called Pathology about a group of pathologists who compete to do the best murder.


Also in underrated virginity themed slasher Cherry Falls. Plays a good "douchebag"

[phantom_power]

He is Michael Weston and I recognise him from Scrubs and a recurring role in Burn Notice where the main characters is called...Michael Westen

[Toki]

He is Michael Weston and I recognise him from Scrubs and a recurring role in Burn Notice where the main characters is called...Michael Westen

He's good in his one scene in Garden State, too. Think he was in The Last Kiss too, in a more substantial role.

[dead-ced-dead]

He's good in his one scene in Garden State, too. Think he was in The Last Kiss too, in a more substantial role.

I think he's good buddies with Zach Braff.

[Waking Life]

Philip Seymour Hoffman is the best 'that guy' graduate. It's difficult to classify him as such with hindsight - particularly since his supporting parts are very memorable - but I remember thinking of him as a 'that guy' back in the 90s, when he'd often pop up in various films and inevitably steal the scene. Was really pleased when he pushed past the character roles, although those are still his best performances.

I guess his memorable triple name also meant he was less of a 'that guy' in practice.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Philip Seymour Hoffman is the best 'that guy' graduate...

Paul Giamatti could possibly give him a run for his money. I remember him always being fifth billed in 90s action thrillers and the like, before sideways turned him into an unlikely leading man.

[George White]

Paul Giamatti could possibly give him a run for his money. I remember him always being fifth billed in 90s action thrillers and the like, before sideways turned him into an unlikely leading man.

He's in the 90 FMV game Ripper, alongide Walken, Karen Allen, and a nearly-dead Burgess Meredith.

[Glebe]

Watching Minder on ITV4 the other night (series 2 episode 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Worst Enemy'), I was driving myself mad trying to recall where I'd seen the incredibly-familiar looking police officer before; the actor in question is David Cann-lookalike John Ringham, whose vast IMDb resume includes main roles in Just Good Friends and The Piglet Files, a few episodes of Dad's Army and multiple episode of Doctor Who, not to mention appearances in a ton of sitcoms, dramas and the like (one of his last roles was a small part in V for Vendetta)... and yet the thing I really remember him from is this classic '80s Chocolate Orange ad!:

The character of Rose Mellers, who had apparently appeared before, is played by Ann Lynn, who also has a lot of credits including playing Raquel's Mum in Only Fools and Horses. Another familiar face, Tony Selby, also makes his second appearance as the same character. George Layton pops up too.

[beanheadmcginty]

Watching Minder on ITV4 the other night (series 2 episode 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Worst Enemy'), I was driving myself mad trying to recall where I'd seen the incredibly-familiar looking police officer before; the actor in question is David Cann-lookalike John Ringham, whose vast IMDb resume includes main roles in Just Good Friends and The Piglet Files, a few episodes of Dad's Army and multiple episode of Doctor Who, not to mention appearances in a ton of sitcoms, dramas and the like (one of his last roles was a small part in V for Vendetta)... and yet the thing I really remember him from is this classic '80s Chocolate Orange ad!:

The character of Rose Mellers, who had apparently appeared before, is played by Ann Lynn, who also has a lot of credits including playing Raquel's Mum in Only Fools and Horses. Another familiar face, Tony Selby, also makes his second appearance as the same character. George Layton pops up too.

Always misremember that advert as ending with him being chased by a giant chocolate orange rather than the ball of stone. Which would make much more sense in the context of the advert. It's Jaws' girlfriend's non-existent braces all over again.

[Glebe]

Always misremember that advert as ending with him being chased by a giant chocolate orange rather than the ball of stone. Which would make much more sense in the context of the advert. It's Jaws' girlfriend's non-existent braces all over again.

Soz for the belated reply Beany but yes, they missed a trick there! "It's not the years honey, it's the Chocolate Oranges!"

"This Guy" is my quintessential "That Guy"

Was gonna ask you who that was Jamie as I recognised him, then solved the mystery thanks to Google Lens... the late Antrim-born Harry Towb (I thought he was playing Nixon in that pic but evidently not). Remember watching Patton and going "It's the guy from The Day Today!" He has a very small role as an army chef in that. Apparently he popped up in everything from Barry Lyndon to Carry on at Your Convenience, not to mention classic kids TV programme You and Me alongside Cosmo and Dibs (described as 'rather ugly life-size furry puppets' here - fucking disgrace)!

[George White]

Soz for the belated reply Beany but yes, they missed a trick there! "It's not the years honey, it's the Chocolate Oranges!"

Was gonna ask you who that was Jamie as I recognised him, then solved the mystery thanks to Google Lens... the late Antrim-born Harry Towb (I thought he was playing Nixon in that pic but evidently not). Remember watching Patton and going "It's the guy from The Day Today!" He has a very small role as an army chef in that. Apparently he popped up in everything from Barry Lyndon to Carry on at Your Convenience, not to mention classic kids TV programme You and Me alongside Cosmo and Dibs (described as 'rather ugly life-size furry puppets' here - fucking disgrace)!

Worked with Granda a few times on The Blue Max and Manions of America.
Also in the staggering priestploitation film Conspiracy of Silence.
Some people on here often joke whenever Towb is mentioned, I will pop up.

[Glebe]

:)

[George White]

But it's because I  try to be a champion for jobbing Irish character actors abroad.
He's also in Armando's Clinton - His Struggle with Dirt, as Ken Starr.
Clinton is played by another familiar Rentayank, Don Fellows (one of the Top Men in Raiders alongside Bill Hootkins, the US General in East Houston in Superman II and the guy who buys Kent Farm in Superman IV)..

[Glebe]

Worked with Granda a few times on The Blue Max and Manions of America.

Fuck's sake, I misread that as 'Granada'!☺️ Nice one George your Gramps must have met his share of famous faces.

[lipsink]

"This Guy" is my quintessential "That Guy"

Wasn't he Norn Irish in that Terror of the Autons episode too? Loved him grabbing the seat to suffocate himself in that scene. One of the most iconic Doctor Who deaths in my opinion.

[Jerzy Bondov]

Worked with Granda a few times on The Blue Max and Manions of America.
Also in the staggering priestploitation film Conspiracy of Silence.
Some people on here often joke whenever Towb is mentioned, I will pop up.

looked that priest movie up, read the single review on Letterboxd, thought it was a good review, looked who wrote it and it's YOU. It's on Prime so it's not even like it's hard to find now. Might give it a go and join you.

[jamiefairlie]

looked that priest movie up, read the single review on Letterboxd, thought it was a good review, looked who wrote it and it's YOU. It's on Prime so it's not even like it's hard to find now. Might give it a go and join you.

Stuff and nonsense, we only exist on this forum, it's like the Star Trek holodeck (apart from that Moriarty one)

[dead-ced-dead]

Ultimate that guy and probable multi thread entrant, M. Emmet Walsh joined that great character actor green room in the sky the other day.

[Glebe]

Ultimate that guy and probable multi thread entrant, M. Emmet Walsh joined that great character actor green room in the sky the other day.

Aye, RIP mate. To my shame I have still never seen Blood Simple. He has a small role in Knives Out which was on the other night. Nice to see him in Calvary a few years back too.

[Sonny_Jim]

Pretty sure we've had William Morgan Sheppard at least once but fuck it here he is again, only because I've just realised that he's in the film reboot of Star Trek as one of the Vulcan science ministers (he's also in Star Trek V, TNG, Voyager AND Babylon 5).  Probably best known for Elvira: Mistress of the dark but you may have also seen him in The Prestige .  And to fuck my hat to the sun and back he's also in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty as some of the soldiers.

Fair play to him and RIP, looking at his Wikipedia he was always working and I always enjoyed his performances.

EDIT:  Also voiced one of the characters in Biker mice from Mars:

[George White]

Don't forget Hawk the Slayer and Day of the Triffids

[Glebe]

And Blank Reg in Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future!



I can't be arsed combing through the thread, but I'm not sure if Paul L. Smith has been mentioned yet... he was of course the original Beast Rabban in Lynch's Dune, oh and Bluto in Altman's Popeye among other things but I really know him as Brion James' 'exterminator' partner in Sam Raimi's Crimewave and as the 'is-he-or-isn't-he-the killer?' college gardener in unintentionally (or is it?!) hilarious cult horror Pieces.

[Glebe]

I was wracking my brains watching Everything Everywhere All at Once trying to think where I knew the grandfather from... all it turns out James Hong has had a pretty extensive career, I'm most familiar with him as Blade Runner's Chew ("I just do eyes...") although he's probably best known for his role as the bad guy in Big Trouble in Little China (guess what? Still not seen that!). Just discovered he played the Japanese soldier in Airplane! Nice to see him still going strong a few years off 100!

[The Culture Bunker]

He's great in 'Big Trouble in Little China'. His gleeful "indeed!" to Kurt Russell's Jack Burton saying "then you go off and rule the universe?" is fantastic.

[Glebe]

It's on Disney+, almost watched it awhile ago... I will get around to it!

[dead-ced-dead]

It's on Disney+, almost watched it awhile ago... I will get around to it!

Watch it soon, fool!

[Glebe]

My brother was over and I suggested it for a movie night but he turned it down. We did watch They Live on another occasion mind!

[dead-ced-dead]

My brother was over and I suggested it for a movie night but he turned it down. We did watch They Live on another occasion mind!

Hand in your Kurt Russell card, Glebe. You've been warned.

[Glebe]

Hand in your Kurt Russell card, Glebe. You've been warned.

Guess what? Never saw Escape From New York neither!😯

[dead-ced-dead]

Guess what? Never saw Escape From New York neither!😯

You, sir, are worse than Hitler!