History Main / CriminalDoppelganger

* The ''Series/{{Tracker}}'' episode "Double Down" involves Zin using the man Cole had taken his human morph from to get Cole arrested for murder. A subversion, since he wasn't actually the murderer either-Zin used some fancy video manipulation and footage from the suspected killer having been tricked into a fake movie shoot.

This is a subtrope of IdenticalStranger and GuiltByCoincidence; is a SisterTrope to EvilTwin (evil identical twin), EvilDoppelganger (evil AlternateUniverse persona), EvilCounterpart (evil character with a similar persona to a non-evil character), and EvilKnockoff (intentionally created evil duplicate); and is also an UndeadHorseTrope.

* A man named Michael [=McAlister=] happened to look just like a serial rapist named Rodney Derr who lived in the same apartment complex and went to jail. While Derr was eventually found and tried for other rape charges, [=McAlister=] wasn't exonerated and arrested again for a DUI charge before finally being pardoned in 2015. The officers remarked how [[RealityIsUnrealistic unlikely it was for an innocent guy to look just like a criminal living the same area.]]

* ''Series/OrphanBlack'' has an example of the main character being one of these. The show starts with Sarah Manning, a former hustler with a criminal record, see a woman who looks exactly like her at the subway station. Moments later, the woman kills herself by running in front of a train. Sarah takes this as an opportunity to impersonate her. It's not just IdenticalStranger, though. [[CloningBlues It's a lot more complicated than that.]]

* ''Series/TheATeam'' episode "Showdown" has a drug lord terrorizing his enemies with his trio of goons. Said goons were ordered by the same BigBad to disguise themselves as the A-team (minus Murdock, who doesn't get a fake and is mad about it) so that everyone else will put the blame on the real ones. That is until the real A-team show up...

* Another notable example is the case of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Beck_case Adolf Beck.]] He was mistaken for a serial con artist named John Smith and convicted after a bungled investigation concluded that Beck was said con artist living under a false name. He was then cleared partially (of being John Smith) and released after the sentence was over, but was accused again. This time, the judge had some doubts and postponed sentencing. Ten days later they caught the real John Smith, who resembled Adolf but had a scar which proved that he was the actual criminal.
* Actors who portray criminals in televised recreations of real crimes in various police reality shows are often mistaken for actual criminals by viewers who can't tell the difference between a dramatization and actual security footage. At least once, the producers of ''Series/AmericasMostWanted'' actually had to have a special card printed up for a re-enactment actress because so many people were calling the police on her.

* In 1989 Carlos [=DeLuna=] was executed for murder, all the while claiming it was another man named Carlos Hernandez. Many years later investigators proved that not only did Carlos Hernandez exist, he looked just like [=DeLuna=] and in fact had boasted to his family members that he had been the one who committed the murder. While the Prosecutor maintains that [=DeLuna=] is guilty he admits that he should have looked into Hernandez while the victim's brother has come to believe that Hernandez was the killer.

** * In another episode, crooks found a doppleganger for Superman, who they used to smear his name by robbing people dressed in the suit. The only difference is that when the crook spoke, his normal accent was a Brooklyn "deese, do'se, and d'ems," like the gangster he was, instead of Superman's perfect mid-Western American accent.

* In ''Series/EvenStevens'' Louis gets WrongfullyAccused for the acts of another student from another school who looks exactly like him and has the same name as he does.

* ''Series/{{Gunsmoke}}'': The 1972 episode "Alias: Festus Hagen" sees the dumbfounded, loveable and dim-witted deputy sheriff arrested as a bloodthirsty outlaw named Frank Eaton. Eaton had been wanted for bank robbery, murder and numerous other crimes, and the impression on the community at first is that Festus had cleverly been concealing his identity. But Matt realizes quickly that something is amiss and seeks to clear his friend's name. Sure enough, Matt tracks down the real Frank Eaton ... and sure enough, he exactly resembles Festus. Eventually, Festus escapes custody (just before he is to stand trial), meets Eaton and the two get into that episode's requisite brawl. When Eaton gets the upper hand and is clearly winning, it is the U.S. Marshall who arrested Festus in the first place who comes to the rescue.
* Both ''Series/HappyEverAfter'' and ''Series/TerryAndJune'' had an episode where the photofit of a crime suspect resembled Creator/TerryScott.

* The premise of the short-lived syndicated show, ''Series/{{Two}}''. Gus McClain is convicted of murdering his wife, only he didn't do it. Booth Williams - a twin brother he never knew he had - did.

* The plot of ''Film/TheAddamsFamily'' revolves around the Addams' lawyer trying to embezzle money from them in order to pay off the LoanShark he owes money to. The loan shark's son happens to look a lot like Gomez Addams' long lost brother Fester. They all hatch a plan for the son to impersonate Fester, gain the Addams' trust and then take their money. [[spoiler:It turns out that the man actually ''is'' Fester, who was found by the loan shark 25 years prior after a bout of amnesia.]]

* Near the end of the ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' episode "Hookey". While Arnold and Gerald are SkippingSchool, narrowly avoiding being caught everywhere they go, they attempt to disguise themselves to avoid drawing attention to everyone, except for the police, who mistake them for soda thieves that were at large and arrest them. Their disguises made them look as lifelike as the real thing. Arnold and Gerald decide to go back to school and turn themselves in after the police let them go upon capturing the real soda thieves.

* In the ''LightNovel/DirtyPair'', Kei and Yuri get mistaken for notorious criminals Pete and Moira. Kei and Yuri end up finding the crooked pair in order to take them down and [[ClearMyName restore their reputation]]. As galaxy renowned WWWA consultants, they were naturally [[ComicalOverreacting very insulted]]. They also didn't expect them to be a pair of old [[SpearCounterpart men]].

* The 1990 comedy ''Film/{{Bullseye|1990}}'' features Creator/MichaelCaine and Creator/RogerMoore playing a pair of [[ConMan Con Men]] who attempt to exploit their resemblance to a pair of nuclear physicists (also played by Caine and Moore) who believe they have invented a limitless supply of energy. At the end of the movie, they lose all their money investing in a movie about themselves starring John Cleese, [[spoiler:who turned out to be a conman who just happened to look like Cleese (played of course, by Creator/JohnCleese).]]

* The 1990 comedy ''Film/{{Bullseye}}'' features Creator/MichaelCaine and Creator/RogerMoore playing a pair of [[ConMan Con Men]] who attempt to exploit their resemblance to a pair of nuclear physicists (also played by Caine and Moore) who believe they have invented a limitless supply of energy. At the end of the movie, they lose all their money investing in a movie about themselves starring John Cleese, [[spoiler:who turned out to be a conman who just happened to look like Cleese (played of course, by Creator/JohnCleese).]]

*** Another short, "WesternAnimation/CornOnTheCop", which is set on [[HalloweenEpisode Halloween]], has a criminal [[DisguisedInDrag disguising himself as Granny]] and holding up a grocery store, prompting incompetent policemen Daffy and Porky to try to arrest either the robber or Granny, who, thinking they were kids in costumes, becomes aggravated with them.
** ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'': "[[ShoutOut America's]] [[AffectionateParody Least]] [[Series/AmericasMostWanted Wanted]]", the second segment of the episode "[[Recap/TinyToonAdventuresS1E62HeresHamton Here's Hamton]]", dealt with a criminal by the name of Knuckles Cutlet, who looked just like Hamton except for facial hair, a scar, and a missing tooth. Naturally, Plucky can't tell the difference, and in the end, the real Hamton ends up in prison while Knuckles tries to kill Plucky.

* ''Franchise/LooneyTunes''L

* One early ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' short had a criminal who looked just like Porky Pig, an outstanding citizen working as a bank clerk. So he takes Porky's place in order to rob the bank. Porky's girlfriend Petunia is able to tell them apart because the criminal is more receptive to her flirting, while Porky becomes bashful and awkward.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'' did a similar plot with Daffy and Porky. Apparently there are a lot of criminal pigs in that universe.

* Zig-zagged in ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'' episode "Powerpuff Bluff". Three hardened criminals apply horrible costumes of the girls and everyone in Townsville (except Ms. Bellum) buys them as the real Powerpuff Girls . Then, during the climactic fight, both the girl and the criminals get confused and accidentally attack their comrades.
* ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'': "[[ShoutOut America's]] [[AffectionateParody Least]] [[Series/AmericasMostWanted Wanted]]", the second segment of the episode "[[Recap/TinyToonAdventuresS1E62HeresHamton Here's Hamton]]", dealt with a criminal by the name of Knuckles Cutlet, who looked just like Hamton except for facial hair, a scar, and a missing tooth. Naturally, Plucky can't tell the difference, and in the end, the real Hamton ends up in prison while Knuckles tries to kill Plucky.

* In ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia Legends'', if Vyse's Swashbuckler Rating is high enough, he'll eventually run into a group of criminals masquerading as him, Aika, and Fina, who eventually ruin the real Vyse's reputation by robbing civilians for money. After defeating them in a BonusBoss battle, Vyse's reputation and title are restored, and the imposters promise not to use their names in vain again.

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': Bruce Wayne's childhood friend Thomas Elliot (a.k.a. [[spoiler: Hush]]) got facial reconstruction surgery to look more like Bruce so that he can impersonate him and more easily get away with sapping from Bruce's wealth.

* The 1990 comedy ''Film/{{Bullseye}}'' features Creator/MichaelCaine and Creator/RogerMoore playing a pair of [[ConMan Con Men]] who attempt to exploit their resemblance to a pair of nuclear physicists (also played by Caine and Moore) who believe they have invented a limitless supply of energy. At the end of the movie, they lose all their money investing in a movie about themselves starring John Cleese, [[spoiler: who turned out to be a conman who just happened to look like Cleese (played of course, by Creator/JohnCleese).]]

* ''Literature/LesMiserables'' has Champmathieu gets arrested in Jean Valjean's place because he just happens to look exactly like him. Notable: Jean Valjean is a criminal, too-- a convict who has broken his parole for years. Champmathieu (who is mentally disabled) has been caught for petty crime, but because he's mistaken for Valjean, he could be seeing prison for life. [[spoiler: Jean Valjean comes forward, and not only demonstrates their resemblance, but recalls details of his fellow inmates that only the real Valjean could know.]]

* In ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'', [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] suffers from this during [[BusmansHoliday his vacation]] to Delfino Island. [[spoiler: Bowser Jr. posing as]] [[EvilKnockoff Shadow Mario]] has polluted the island, and the player is charged with cleaning it up after being accused and found guilty in a KangarooCourt.

* Zig-zagged in ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'' episode "Powerpuff Bluff". Three hardened criminals apply horrible costumes of the girls and everyone in Townsville (except Ms. Bellum) buys it as the real Powerpuffs.

* The titular hero of ''ComicBook/CosmoCat'' uses pills called Cosmic Catnip Capsules to keep his powers up. An unnamed lookalike finds some capsules that Cosmo misplaced, and uses them to go on a crime spree dressed like Cosmo. Despite looking exactly like the hero, the doppelganger has a bandage on his right temple and a cigar in his teeth, so the readers can still easily tell who's who.