TV stars who were leads in multiple hit series

gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 114 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 2:04 PM

Self-explanatory.  I think from time to time about how hard it is for actors to end-up on one hit, much less two.  But quite a few have (playing a bit fast and loose with "star" and "hit" on a few of these). 

Michael Weatherly - NCIS, Bull

Tom Selleck - Magnum P.I., Blue Bloods

Kelsey Grammar - Cheers, Frasier

Ted Danson - Cheers, The Good Place

Julia Louis Dreyfuss (she's the only one I can think of in more than 2) - SNL, Seinfeld, Veep, New Adventures of Old Christine

Tim Allen - Home Improvement, Last Man Standing


justincredible Honorable Admin
37,969 posts 246 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 2:10 PM

Ted Danson was in Becker, as well. Not necessarily a hit, but 6 seasons is nothing to sneeze at.

justincredible Honorable Admin
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Mon, Jul 15, 2019 2:12 PM

Bob Newhart - The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart

queencitybuckeye Senior Member
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Mon, Jul 15, 2019 2:23 PM

Andy Griffith - Andy Griffith Show, Matlock.

justincredible Honorable Admin
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Mon, Jul 15, 2019 2:25 PM
posted by queencitybuckeye

Andy Griffith

Good one.

John Ritter - Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules

gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 114 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 2:29 PM

Michael Emerson - Lost, Person of Interest

James Spader - Boston Legal, The Blacklist, and I won't count his season on The Office

 

jmog Senior Member
7,737 posts 50 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 3:07 PM
posted by gut

Self-explanatory.  I think from time to time about how hard it is for actors to end-up on one hit, much less two.  But quite a few have (playing a bit fast and loose with "star" and "hit" on a few of these). 

Michael Weatherly - NCIS, Bull

Tom Selleck - Magnum P.I., Blue Bloods

Kelsey Grammar - Cheers, Frasier

Ted Danson - Cheers, The Good Place

Julia Louis Dreyfuss (she's the only one I can think of in more than 2) - SNL, Seinfeld, Veep, New Adventures of Old Christine

Tim Allen - Home Improvement, Last Man Standing


To be fair, Grammar wasn't a lead on Cheers. Danson was. Frasier was a support character on Cheers and got a spin off show.

jmog Senior Member
7,737 posts 50 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 3:09 PM

Neil Patrick Harris-Doogie Houser MD, How I Met Your Mother (he was the star of that show).

 

Ed O'Neill-Married With Children, Modern Family

8,788 posts 20 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 3:12 PM

Bryan Cranston: Malcolm in the Middle, Breaking Bad 

Elizabeth Moss: Mad Men, Handmaid's Tale

Alison Brie: Glow, Community 

jmog Senior Member
7,737 posts 50 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 3:12 PM

Courtney Cox-Friends, Cougar Town

Matt LeBlanc-Friends, Man of the House, Joey

jmog Senior Member
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Mon, Jul 15, 2019 3:13 PM

Mila Kunis-That 70's Show, Family Guy (voice of Meg)

Laura Prepon-That 70's Show, Orange is the New Black

8,788 posts 20 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 3:17 PM

Timothy Olyphant: Deadwood, Justified 

Fab4Runner Tits McGee
6,997 posts 64 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 3:43 PM

Kyle Chandler - Early Edition, Friday Night Lights, Bloodline.

gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 114 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 3:45 PM

Walter Goggins - The Shield, Justified, could maybe count Vice Principals

Michael Chiklis - The Commish, The Shield

Kiefer Sutherland - 24, Designated Survivor

gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 114 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 3:51 PM
posted by jmog


To be fair, Grammar wasn't a lead on Cheers. Danson was. Frasier was a support character on Cheers and got a spin off show.

I guess I meant regular/main character, not necessarily the lead.  Seinfeld would be a good example - George and Jerry's parents would count, but probably not Uncle Leo.  Newman and maybe Peterman, but probably not Puddy or Steinbrenner.

bigorangebuck22 Senior Member
322 posts 6 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 3:59 PM

Michael Landon - Little House on the Prairie,  Highway to Heaven

Ironman92 Administrator
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Mon, Jul 15, 2019 4:56 PM

John Larriquette

Night Court 

The John Larriquette Show

Boston Legal

 

Vicki Lawerence/Carol Burnett ....Carol Burnett Show and Mama’s Family

Ironman92 Administrator
56,729 posts 163 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 4:58 PM

Jim Nabors

Gomer Pyle/Andy Griffith Show

 

Ron Howard (Hapoy Days/Andy Griffith Show)

 

Kaley Cucuo....8 Simple Rules/BBT

justincredible Honorable Admin
37,969 posts 246 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 5:00 PM
posted by gut

I guess I meant regular/main character, not necessarily the lead.  Seinfeld would be a good example - George and Jerry's parents would count, but probably not Uncle Leo.  Newman and maybe Peterman, but probably not Puddy or Steinbrenner.

Outside of the main 4, and surprisingly, the cashier lady at Monk's, Newman was in the most episodes (45). Puddy was only in 10.

Heretic Son of the Sun
20,517 posts 201 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 5:07 PM

The Hoff -- Knight Rider, Baywatch

gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 114 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Jul 15, 2019 5:22 PM
posted by justincredible

Outside of the main 4, and surprisingly, the cashier lady at Monk's, Newman was in the most episodes (45). Puddy was only in 10.

Puddy was only in 10?  Wow.  He had to have been mentioned in at least 10 others, though?

If you bet me Newman was only in 45 out of 173 shows, I would have definitely taken the over.

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