Comedians and Comedy Actors who've gone far

[zomgmouse]

Yeah I liked John Oliver because of The Bugle podcast (and his appearance on Iannucci's Charm Offensive) but still a surprise to see quite how massive he is stateside now.

Ah yes, John "Car Salesman in Episode 1 of Green Wing" Oliver

[Pink Gregory]

Oh yeah that's a good shout. What sketch show was it where he played a parking attendant. That was bad.

Harry and Paul; seemingly a sketch nakedly about Enfield having a big benny about parking wardens in London.

Though having a CV that includes Parking Pataweyo and Huey P Newton is quite the unique achievement.

[mr. logic]

2 years before that he had a strong bit part in an episode of Band of Brothers. That's a show with a fascinating cast of where-are-they-nows. A friend-of-a-friend played one of the main Easy Company roles, where he did the pre-shoot boot camp and was flown over to meet the veteran he'd be portraying (attended his funeral and still keeps in touch with the family, seemingly), and the whole experience sounded pretty overwhelming for a young actor; I get the impression a lot of the cast never quite got over the momentousness of it, and the fact the series fell somewhat off the radar due to the 9/11 attacks occurring between the first two broadcasts must have been very odd for them all.
EDIT not much to do with comedy actors, sorry - although Jimmy Fallon has a cameo in one episode that sticks out like a sore bellend. And Simon Pegg has an understated yet historically accurate small role - I guess that's where he became BFFs with Ross from Coffee Friends.

On that one, didn't the producers prioritise the best physical match over everything?

[zomgmouse]

Steve Coogan

[paruses]

Steve Coogan

I was thinking about Coogan - hasn't he just had a steady and middling rise? Maybe he is huge in the US but would Americans Reacting say OMG/Gre Whizz if they saw hims as Alan like they do when they see House talking about Uttoxeter?

[turnstyle]

I'm still surprised and amused when I see Errol from 15 Storeys High popping up in the latest big budget Marvel trailer, even though I should be used to it now.

Likewise, this one still gets me. I remember seeing him in Prometheus and doing a double take. He'll always be Errol to me, and I can't watch him in anything without expecting him to shout 'Come wipe your hands on me coat!' at a moments notice. Actually, that would have improved Prometheus no end. Fucking hell Ridley Scott, what are you even doing.

Just looking at his IMDB, I see he has been in pretty much EVERYTHING, including playing 'Chinese Man' in Last of the Summer Wine in 1993. Glory days.

The description for the episode, 'Aladdin Gets on Your Wick', reads like the description for every other episode of the show, ever.

Foggy attempts to invent a new watercraft. Auntie Wainwright forces Smiler to take her unethical business practices on the road. Howard comes up with yet another bizarre idea for an extramarital tryst with Marina.

[Aleister Growley]

I'm still surprised to see Eamon Walker, (who was  the carer "Marigold" in the Alf Garnett "In Sickness and Health") turning up in HBO series and films with Tommy Lee Jones and Bruce Willis and that.

[Brundle-Fly]

Russel Brand: From being a junkie MTV presenter quite possibly on the road to Hell to rehab to a successful stand-up and albeit short-lived Hollywood movie star in less than a decade. Gone off the fame boil in recent years though.

[mrapollo]

A much smaller version of this but it's quite jarring to see Lieutenant Gruber from Allo Allo turning up in Seinfeld. And Star Trek too.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Peter Sellers went from zany radio comedy, to British cinema, to working twice with Kubrick, a string of Blake Edwards films, a leading man in a bunch of 60s/70s comedies and received two acting Oscar nominations. Also got married to the 22 year old Britt Ekland along the way.

And also married the 22 year old Lynne Frederick, it's almost like he had a type or something (the dirty bollocks, etc).

[BeardFaceMan]

A much smaller version of this but it's quite jarring to see Lieutenant Gruber from Allo Allo turning up in Seinfeld. And Star Trek too.

I had that when I saw Jim Robinson from Neighbours in Lost. Just shouldn't be happening.

[dissolute ocelot]

George Clooney's first notable acting role was playing Roseanne's supervisor in a few episodes of Roseanne.

Ariana Grande went from being a ditzy comedy actor in various Nickelodeon sitcoms (notably playing the dimwitted sidekick in Victorious) to becoming an international pop superstar. (Other Nick and Disney people have done similar, but they tended to play the lead role on TV not the comic relief.)

One who didn't quite make it was Ben Chaplin who left grubby British sitcom Game On for Hollywood rom-com The Truth About Cats & Dogs, although aside from a supporting role in Remains of the Day he didn't really do much else.

Alfie Allen (now best known for Game of Thrones) pops up as a child in an episode of Spaced.

[Ignatius_S]

...One who didn't quite make it was Ben Chaplin who left grubby British sitcom Game On for Hollywood rom-com The Truth About Cats & Dogs, although aside from a supporting role in Remains of the Day he didn't really do much else....

Nah, he's done loads - very recently, he was one of the main supports in The Dig, which was very received critically and pushed heavily by Netflix and a couple of years ago was the lead in Press, which really deserved a second series. Chaplin has also done a lot of theatre work.

[Ignatius_S]

I'm still surprised to see Eamon Walker, (who was  the carer "Marigold" in the Alf Garnett "In Sickness and Health") turning up in HBO series and films with Tommy Lee Jones and Bruce Willis and that.

Yup, he's one that instantly thought of when I saw this thread!

[Ignatius_S]

A much smaller version of this but it's quite jarring to see Lieutenant Gruber from Allo Allo turning up in Seinfeld. And Star Trek too.

Siner is a good example of someone that managed to have a career either side of the Atlantic simultaneously at times, but which wasn't really recognised.

[dead-ced-dead]

Nah, he's done loads - very recently, he was one of the main supports in The Dig, which was very received critically and pushed heavily by Netflix and a couple of years ago was the lead in Press, which really deserved a second series. Chaplin has also done a lot of theatre work.

Chaplin's work in Hollywood was shortlived, but as you say, he seems to be more at home in indie films and theatre. Still, even the worst blockbuster is better than Game On.

[sutin]

Yeah I liked John Oliver because of The Bugle podcast (and his appearance on Iannucci's Charm Offensive) but still a surprise to see quite how massive he is stateside now.

He seems quite surprised too (judging on his RHLSTP interview a few months back). Not that he doesn't deserve success, but I think he was in the right place at the right time. Good on him.

[Leej88]

Jennifer Saunders Friends and Shrek 2.

[studpuppet]

I remember my parents going to a taping of the first series of dinnerladies, and they told us how Victoria Wood had introduced Twinkle as, "This girl's a real actress, not like the rest of us."

[peanutbutter]

On The Hour having 4 academy award screenplay nominees all for different projects seems like a pretty big achievement

Hannah Gadsby seemed to very quickly transform from a person you could get half price tickets for at the Fringe to being a top tier international comedian. I know Nanette was massive but it did seem like the 2-3 shows before that were showing some kind of abrupt growth too so I wouldn't put it all down to one hit




The strange bit about Benedict Wong to me is how 15 Storeys High seemed to do absolutely nothing for his career. I know it was a flop and all but he's so ridiculously good in it you'd've thought it'd lead to constant opportunities.

[Jackson K Pollock]

Ooh, I've thought of a good one! Peter Baynham. From being Lee & Herring's whipping boy/the face of Pot Noodles, to Oscar-nominated writer for the Borat films, that's an incredible rise. Seems like a really nice guy too, based on the few interviews I've heard/read from him.

Also, you could argue Peter Serafinowicz has done really well from quite humble origins. I feel like for years he was just the guy who would pop up in someone else's radio comedy whenever a Terry Wogan impression or some such was required.

Now he's a sometime-Hollywood actor, and really respected V/O artist in the States forever popping up in, well, just about every cool animated series going.

[Better Midlands]

Kind of fits in here and I'll post cos it popped up on my feed this morning and is a pretty ridiculous clickbait article.

https://www.mylondon.news/news/celebs/only-fools-horses-extra-who-20967836.amp

The Only Fools and Horses extra who has taken Hollywood by storm since appearing alongside the 'Bunch of Wallies'

It's David Thewlis.

[The Culture Bunker]

The strange bit about Benedict Wong to me is how 15 Storeys High seemed to do absolutely nothing for his career. I know it was a flop and all but he's so ridiculously good in it you'd've thought it'd lead to constant opportunities.

He did an interview around the time of Dr Strange where he said he was on the verge of packing acting in at one point due to all the roles he was getting offered being stereotypes - then he got the part of Kublai Khan in that Marco Polo show and he's not looked back since.

[Blue Jam]

James McAvoy as the landlord's daughter's boyfriend in Early Doors.

OH MY GOD YES

Watched that recently, had clean forgotten he was in it.

I came here to nominate Peter Baynham. Doing alright for himself innee?

[Leej88]

Lee evans Mousehunt and There's something about Mary.

[studpuppet]

It's David Thewlis.

I always get him mixed up with Paul Ritter.


Benedict 'Cabin Pressure' Cumberbatch managed to break out of radio comedy fairly well.

[Blue Jam]

Most of the cast of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, with the notable exception of the star:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115288/

[Blue Jam]

Jack Whitehall now seems to be well along the James Corden path. Got loads of parts in upcoming family films, I wouldn't be surprised if he was to get a chat show at some point.

[Bad Ambassador]

Most of the cast of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, with the notable exception of the star:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115288/

More than some of the unknown cast went on to have significant roles, such as Toni in Peep Show and Meg in Motherland, as well as Malcolm Tucker, Shelley, Johnson, Fran Katzenjammer, Jim Trott, Lee Mack's dad (not Bobby Ball) and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle.

A friend of mine who does audio description told me that Gary Bakewell is a colleague.

[robhug]

Jack Whitehall now seems to be well along the James Corden path. Got loads of parts in upcoming family films, I wouldn't be surprised if he was to get a chat show at some point.

hopefully he fucks off stateside too