Actors/Actresses that Have Overcome Typecasting

My first exposure to Tom Hanks was Bosom Buddies...who knew he would have such an awesome career?

Also, first saw Sean Penn as Jeff Spicoli and figured "that stoner will never be in another movie"

Peg Bundy !

Katey Sagal...from "Married With Children" to "Sons of Anarchy".


And I agree with Woody Harrelson. Especially liked his acting in "No Country For Old Men"

Agreed, Woody Harrelson has had an incredible career, considering the dopiness of his first major role and that his father was a murderer.

Farrah Fawcett...I thought she was a dumb blonde when Charlie's Angels was on, but she evolved into an amazingly believable dramatic actress. Who knew. k

Carroll O'Conner IMHO is the all time great when it comes to breaking out of typecasting. On "All In The Family" he was a narrow minded bigot from New York. On "The Heat Of The Night" he was an open minded, non prejudiced southerner from Mississippi.

How about Robin Williams? He went from Mork & Mindy to several very good, serious roles in films such as Good Will Hunting, Insomnia and The Night Listener (not sure about the title of the last one, but I think it's correct).

Two extreme examples of actors who did not overcome the effects of typecasting...

Patrick McDermott (not Olivia Newton John's ex-boyfriend) played a drug dealer in 'Joe', and a chemist for a drug cartel in 'The French Connection'.

K.C. played a pimp in 'Across 110th Street', and a pimp in 'Super Fly'.

I believe they each appeared in only one other film.

Some actors are extremely talented. A lot of them are. They whittle about in some one dimensional role but they branch out and you realize they can sing and dance very well, also.

Other actors are one dimensional. Tom Cruise plays the exact same role in every movie I've seen him in. Sort of an arrogant over achiever.

Fred Gwynne thought he was typecast as Herman Munster but he was great in My Cousin Vinny and in addition to his acting career, Gwynne sang professionally, painted, and wrote and illustrated children's books. (the last part stolen from Wikipedia)

Hugh Laurie who played House is a British comedian singer.

I think some actors get typecast and then take it as a negative when it's really a testament to how they took a role and made it iconic. So much so, they the public associates the role with the actor.

Michael Richards, Kramer on Seinfeld, seems to have struggled afterward. I'm cringing at the trailers for "Kirstie". Hoping for the best though.

Most (I didn't say ALL) of the Sopranos cast seem to play Italian mobsters/floozies in all the movies and show I've seen them in. Granted most of these movies/shows were pre-Sopranos and I'm guess none of them really has to work any more. Check out the cast for Goodfellas for example.

Did Bob Denver ever get over the Krebs guy and Gilligan?

Michael J. Fox has done a very good job going from his child sitcom roots to the Back to the Future series. He is excellent on the Good Wife and very brave to continuing acting with his sickness.

Buddy Ebson went from Uncle Jed to Barnaby Jones. He was also an excellent song and dance man and I believe was to be the original Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz but had a reaction to the makeup.

Andy Griffith went from Andy Taylor to Matlock.

Jack Klugman went from Oscar Madison to Quincy ME, and many other great performances.