Name the actor based on TV and film roles (I can’t tell if these are easy or hard; I’ll give hints if needed):
1. A cop (tv), a shepherd (tv), a friend’s lawyer (tv)
Solved by Tom Hilton.
2. A nun (tv), a bipolar mother (tv), a soap star (movie)
TIE: Solved by Tom Hilton and Melville.
3. A bank employee (movie), an immigrant (tv), a political volunteer working backstage (movie)
Solved by Melville.
4. A bus driver (tv), a sheriff (movie), a pool player (movie)
TIE: Solved by Tom Hilton and Melville.
5. A law firm bigwig (tv), an expatriate (movie), a jazz saxophonist (obscure movie only I have seen)
HINT: A dancer (movies)
6. A medical resident (tv), a wine enthusiast (movie), a lesbian (movie)
Solved by Wendy.
7. A brother-in-law (movie), a reporter for the Boston Globe (tv), an advertising guy (tv)
HINT: God these are such easy clues, I don’t even know what to do with you people. Okay, a television production guy (tv)
Solved by Ben.
#1 is Ron Glass.
And I think #2 is Sally Field.
Should’ve known you’d get #1 instantly, Tom.
And #4 is Jackie Gleason.
#2 is Sally Field (The Flying Nun, Brothers & Sisters, Soapdish)
#3 is Carol Kane (Dog Day Afternoon, Taxi, Annie Hall)
#4 is Jackie Gleason (The Honeymooners, Smokey & the Bandit, The Hustler)
Mel, I’m giving you all three; you’re within 2 minutes.
Not sure what the third one is for Ron Glass, but the first two are Barney Miller and Firefly.
Sally Field is Flying Nun and Soapdish; not sure what the other one is.
Jackie Gleason is Honeymooners, Smokey & the Bandit, and The Hustler.
Melville, I don’t watch Brothers & Sisters — she’s bipolar? I meant Abby’s mother on ER. Amazing recurring role.
Thanks. And you must know I knew Ron Glass, too. (“Shepherd” is too big a clue for us Whedonites. 🙂 )
Of course you’re right. I vainly hoped the lowercase would divert you.
I was a HUGE Barney Miller fan.
Wow, fast & furious competition today!
One of my favorite Queen Latifah tracks samples the bass riff from the Barney Miller theme. Great stuff.
I don’t watch Brothers & Sisters, either. I just know she’s supposed to be the mother of a contentious family. I forgot about her role on ER (I was still watching it when she guest-starred.)
I loved Barney Miller, too. I wish TV Land would start showing it.
Melville, I watched the entire run of ER. She appeared in a guest role for years.
ER was an amazing showcase for talent; the list of guest stars was staggering. Off the top of my head, William H. Macy, Bob Newhart, Stanley Tucci, John Leguzamio, Alan Alda, Angela Bassett, Sally Field.
I might have thought of Bronson Pinchot from “Perfect Strangers.” I think his character was supposed to have been a shepherd (original meaning).
The only two I know were solved already….
Yes, I got #1 and #2 (just recently re-watched Soapdish and introduced my 17 year old to it). Too bad I was asleep when Melville and Tom were awake.
#6 is Sandra Oh, I think, but I can’t think when she played a lesbian.
[…] keeps my brain stimulated. Most times I have no clue what movies she’s talking about, but I thought I knew two of them today. Too bad they were already solved when I got there. Still, she’s a good […]
I believe #7 is Bill Pullman. (While You Were Sleeping, that one TV show where he played a reporter for the Boston Globe, and Lost Highway.)
Wait, never mind, I got the clues from #5 and #7 jumbled up.
Is #5 Bill Pullman?
Not Bill Pullman.
I’m stumped. 🙁 But I’m looking forward to finding out the ultra-obscure jazz movie. I know of a couple, but none with a star that fits the other clues.
I’m thinking that #7 is Timothy Busfield, with the bonus hint referring to Studio 60.