Favorite celebrity cameo/recurring role on a TV Show

[Riv86672]

It’s always fun when someone famous from some other entertainment industry, or sports, politics, RL or even another television actor of note etc. drops in on a show, or even ends up recurring over time.
What are your favorites?

But here’s the stipulations.
These ppl can’t be playing themselves, or fictionalized versions of themselves (sorry Prince on New Girl).
And, this isn’t a spot them before they were famous thing (sorry George Clooney on Facts of Life).

Ones I like...:

Brad Pitt as Will Colbert on Friends...:

As a high school friend of Ross, who hated Rachel a LOT.

Charlize Theron as Rita Leeds on Arrested Development...:

As a British Spy! But not really.

Bob Newhart on The Big Bang Theory...:

As Professor Proton.
He recurred several times, and every time was Gold.
After his character passed away he even showed up as a ‘Force Ghost”!

[caj]

Jean Smart on Frasier
As Lorna/Lana Lynley, a hot girl that Frasier and Niles went to high school with. She was on several episodes and could be smooth and sexy one minute and a raving lunatic the next. She was hilarious.

Georgia Engel and Fred Willard on Everybody Loves Raymond
As Pat and Hank McDougal, Robert's in-laws. They were a conservative, religious couple (and Amy's parents) who constantly clashed with the brash, sometimes obnoxious, Barone family.

Wil Wheaton as himself on The Big Bang Theory
A constant thorn in the side of Sheldon and other characters on the show, they used him to perfection IMO. Yet, he also felt like one of the gang when he would appear.

[LoganAlpha30X33]

Scott Grimes on Republic of Doyle, he played a hapless federal agent up in Canada, each of his appearances was really fun...

[GOLGO 13]

David Hasselhoff's appearances on Sponge-Bob Squarepants...feels right.

[Riv86672]

David Hasselhoff's appearances on Sponge-Bob Squarepants...feels right.

^^^but is wrong, at least for this thread. Wil Wheaton too unfortunately.

[Zero Hunter]

My current favorite is Craig Robinson as Doug Judy on Brooklyn 99. Every episode he has been in has been a blast.

[caj]

Kelsey Grammar on The Simpsons
As Sideshow Bob, the pompous and evil former sidekick of The Krusty The Clown Show, who continues unsuccessfully to try and kill Bart Simpson (and others).

[Comic-Reader Lad]

I think Will & Grace had a lot of luck in that area.

- Molly Shannon as Val Basset, Grace's crazy upstairs neighbor

- Leslie Jordan as Beverley Leslie

- Minnie Driver as Lorraine Finster

- Alec Baldwin as Malcom Widmark

- John Cleese as Lyle Finster

- Eileen Brennan as Zandra Zoggin

- Debbie Reynolds as Bobbi Adler

- Blythe Danner as Marilyn Truman

Will & Grace was also good at stunt casting celebrities either as fictional versions of themselves (Cher, Jennifer Lopez, Kevin Bacon) or as one-shot characters. Macauley Culkin, Adam Goldberg, and Parker Posey had great guest spots, among others.

[Cyke]

Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan, now and forever

At the time when her movie career was her focus, it was almost unheard of for an A-list movie actress to be on a syndicated show. She may have even been a factor in TNG surviving its disastrous 2nd season with the writer's strike and not-stellar ratings.

For that matter, since she's never listed as a main cast member, Michelle Yeoh on Discovery is something of a coup in and of itself. Likewise the only thing preventing Jason Isaacs from qualifying in this thread is that he was a main cast member.

[AnakinFlair]

I was surprised as hell when Dolph Lundgren took the roll of Constantine Kovar on Angel. I've never seen him on TV.

[Riv86672]

I was surprised as hell when Dolph Lundgren took the roll of Constantine Kovar on Angel. I've never seen him on TV.

You mean Arrow? And yeah, that IS a good one.

[Kirby101]

David Ducovny on Larry Sanders.

[Riv86672]

I think Will & Grace had a lot of luck in that area.

- Molly Shannon as Val Basset, Grace's crazy upstairs neighbor

- Leslie Jordan as Beverley Leslie

- Minnie Driver as Lorraine Finster

- Alec Baldwin as Malcom Widmark

- John Cleese as Lyle Finster

- Eileen Brennan as Zandra Zoggin

- Debbie Reynolds as Bobbi Adler

- Blythe Danner as Marilyn Truman

Will & Grace was also good at stunt casting celebrities either as fictional versions of themselves (Cher, Jennifer Lopez, Kevin Bacon) or as one-shot characters. Macauley Culkin, Adam Goldberg, and Parker Posey had great guest spots, among others.

Law & Order SVU may be the king of this. Check out this article...:

https://www.esquire.com/entertainmen...r-guest-stars/

While a few of the guest stars fall under the “before they were famous” stip, the majority are pretty big names; big enough for ppl to say “hey check out who’s on this ep. of SVU” anyway! Some of them are...:

Alec Baldwin

Carol Burnett

Hillary Duff

John Stamos

Jennifer Love Hewitt

Bob Saget

Angela Landsbury

Henry Winkler

Eric McCormack and Debra Messing (Speaking of Will & Grace)

And the late Jerry Lewis, John Ritter, and Robin Williams.

[caj]

Law & Order SVU may be the king of this. Check out this article...:

https://www.esquire.com/entertainmen...r-guest-stars/

While a few of the guest stars fall under the “before they were famous” stip, the majority are pretty big names; big enough for ppl to say “hey check out who’s on this ep. of SVU” anyway! Some of them are...:

Alec Baldwin

Carol Burnett

Hillary Duff

John Stamos

Jennifer Love Hewitt

Bob Saget

Angela Landsbury

Henry Winkler

Eric McCormack and Debra Messing (Speaking of Will & Grace)

And the late Jerry Lewis, John Ritter, and Robin Williams.

I'll add another - Joan Cusack from "Locum", the 1st episode of season 12. It was probably my favorite episode of the series so far. A really great episode and Cusack is really great in it.

[Riv86672]

I'll add another - Joan Cusack from "Locum", the 1st episode of season 12. It was probably my favorite episode of the series so far. A really great episode and Cusack is really great in it.

I remember that one! You’re right it was really great.

One thing I like about the guest spots on this show is it lets a lot of the actors and actresses go against type. We may never see them play parts like they do on SVU anywhere else.