Before They Were Famous

[Roman]

Looking at the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) website, I noticed the number of semi-regulars or character actors from Jack's TV show who became famous years after appearing on the show. None of the people listed below were prominent enough to play themselves on Jack's shows; most, it appears had small walk-on roles, although a few like Bea Benaderet, Joseph Kearns, Jack Albertson, Joe Besser, and Harold Gould appeared on several shows.

Bea Benaderet
Joseph Kearns (Mr. Wilson on Dennis the Menace)
Harry Shearer
Sheldon Leonard
Sean Connery (played a porter - 5 years before Dr. No)
Richard Deacon (Mel on the Dick Van Dyke Show, among other roles)
Frances Bavier (Aunt Bee on the Andy Griffith Show)
Joe Besser (least of the post-Curly Three Stooges and other better roles)
June Foray (cartoon voices too numerous to name)
Jack Albertson
William Schallert (Patty Duke's father on her TV show)
Hayden Rorke (Dr. Bellows on I Dream of Jeannie)
Alan Hale Jr. (the Skipper on Gilligan's Island)
Bernie Kopell
Richard Dawson
Harold Gould
Harvey Korman
Paul Lynde

Considering that Jack's show ended 40 years ago, it's not surprising that few from this list are still acting (or alive). But June Foray is still doing voices for cartoons (Granny on the godawful Baby Looney Tunes that my son watches - saw her name in the credits just to be sure) and, once in a while, Sean Connery and William Schallert will make an appearance. And, of course, we can still hear Harry Shearer every week (or every day in syndication) on The Simpsons.

[shimp scrampi]

I'd actually really be interested in seeing June Foray's appearance on Jack's show. She's only done but a scant handful of on-camera roles, and she is hilarious in her Green Acres episode (just out on the 3rd season DVD set) - where she plays a Mexican day-laborer Eddie Albert hires to run the Hooterville telephone company. I wonder if Mel Blanc gave her some pointers from his experience as "Sy"....