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[[caption-width:600:[[{{Airplane}} Jus' hang loose, blood. She gonna catch ya up on da' rebound on da' med side]]]]
A character that has limited screen time, and usually not much in the way of plot relevance, but is still one of the most memorable things in the movie. They may even be given top billing, or at least an "AndStarring" credit, along with the more obvious stars.

This is not the same principle as EnsembleDarkhorse, because the character is often played by an established actor, nor is it the same as DeadStarWalking, because the intent is not to fool you into thinking that the actor will appear more often. The character just appears, gives a show-stealing performance, and then is gone. Like a SpearCarrier, only way more righteous. Like a {{Cameo}}, except you don't have to recognize the actor to appreciate the scene for all its worth. You know you're dealing with this sort of character if you start referring to "their scene".

Many characters of this type will be clergymen of some kind, particularly in comedy. A good reason this works is because of TheVicar principle, and because clergymen are really only needed for [[WeddingDay wedding scenes]] anyway. The character type needn't be played for comedy, but frequently is. Often a LargeHam.

A OneSceneWonder gone [[CosmicHorror very, very wrong]] results in a BigLippedAlligatorMoment.

Also see KentBrockmanNews. Compare HamAndCheese and SpotlightStealingSquad. If another scene comes, he's an AscendedExtra.

----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Abel Nightroad is the ''main character'' of ''TrinityBlood'', but his superpowered form, the Crusnik, has so few appearances that it counts.
* ''GiantRobo'' has the remaining members of the BigBad ruling council, the Magnificent Ten. Plenty of people were disappointed at how they only got a few minutes between them to strut their stuff, but damn it was cool.
** They even have the established star thing going for them, as the cast of ''Giant Robo'' are all characters from previous anime & manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama.
* A common surprise for anyone that gets into ''SuzumiyaHaruhi'' via the hype around it is that [[MemeticMutation Internet meme]] EnsembleDarkhorse Tsuruya has a very small role in the show, with only one or two memorable scenes; her actual CharacterFocus comes a while later in the books on which the series is based.
** And of course, mention has to be made of Kimidori Emiri, who appeared ''once'' in ''one episode'', but got her own ImageSong album before some main characters. She, too, gets fleshed out a little later on in the books, but she's still a very minor character... so far.
* Similar to Emiri is Kazuhiko Amagasaki from ''TenchiMuyo'' who appeared briefly in the first episode of the original {{OVA}} series, but ended up with his own {{Omake}} comics and a much larger role in ''Tenchi in Tokyo''.
* Many fans of ''PrincessTutu'' consider a character who only appears in one episode as one of their favorites. Femio, an outlandish, beauty-obsessed, [[SuckMyRose rose-wielding]] ballet student shows up as a victim for the DarkMagicalGirl, and he's so hilarious that he's become a hugely popular character to the fandom, showing up in fanart, fanfic, cosplay and roleplaying nearly as much as the actual main characters of the show.
** Probably because he defeats the powers of darkness through ''sheer narcissism.''
* [[spoiler:Noriko and Kazumi’s]] appearance at the end of ''[[GunBuster Gunbuster]] 2'' stole the climax of the show. They were only in it for about 30 seconds had no lines and ''weren’t even seen'' yet they managed to turn a BitterSweetEnding into a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming.
* Gustav St. Germain from ''{{Baccano}}!'' fits this trope like a glove. He's in the series for a grand total of ten minutes, barely makes an impact on the plot, and yet he's probably just as memorable as some as the biggest {{Badass}}es in the series. Why? [[NorioWakamoto Well...]]
* Chiyo's Dad in ''AzumangaDaioh'' has a [[NorioWakamoto speaking]] part in about five skits, but is one of the mascots of the series.
* In retrospect, it's hard to remember that Kaworu appeared for only one episode in ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'', especially considering that he is in the most memorable scene in the entire series and the results of that scene trigger the end of the series (whichever one you go by). It may be interesting to note that he is getting a bigger role in TheRemake ''Rebuild of Evangelion''.
* Lord Raptor in the ''{{Darkstalkers}}'' OVA, his depiction is often considered to be incredibly awesome (and is also one of ScottMcNeil's coolest performances). Only problem? He was only in the 1st episode for about 10 minutes...
* Several one-shot characters in ''{{Pokemon}}'' apply, even though many of them usually appear in only one episode they are often deemed as some of the show's most memorable characters. Whether its characters whom are actually from the games such as [[MostCommonSuperpower Lorelei/Kanna]], [[EagleLand Lt. Surge]] or Anime only characters such as [[WhipItGood A.J]] and [[{{Joshikousei}} Giselle]].
* A MemeticMutation version of this has been applied to a random crowdgoer in ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', wherein canonically unnamed "[[MemeticBadass Bruce Ironstaunch]]" gives a [[BicepPolishingGesture gesture]] which in Japan is a sign of support but in Western culture means "fuck you" when Rossiu announces [[spoiler:Simon's execution]].
** Even more popular are [[spoiler:Viral's wife and daughter from the LotusEaterMachine sequence]], two characters who only appeared in one twenty-second scene, had one line between them, and ''didn't even actually exist''.
* When the second visual novel episode of ''UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'' was released the Seven Stakes were revealed. Only 2 or 3 had any action in that part of the story, but the game still had small profiles on all of them, so their popularity exploded well before they got major roles later on.
* One reporter (whose name I ironically don't remember) in ''DeathNote''. He knew that Kira was killing reporters who spoke against him, and when the police surrounded the news station, he spoke out in support of them, then gave his full name on national television.
* Jinpei Matsuda of ''DetectiveConan''. He appeared in exactly ''one'' {{backstory}} arc of this LongRunner and its effects to the canon is arguably minor ([[ThatOneCase except for Inspector Sato]]), but he ''still'' listed as one of the main characters on the show's official website.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* WolverinePublicity is basically when this goes terribly wrong: instead of having one stand out moment of a character in a cameo role, the character dominates all the publicity only to be a relatively minor character. Basically putting the cart before the horse.
* Anytime Batman cameos in someone else's book, especially since, away from home, he gets to [[{{Unfunny}} be hilarious.]]
* Nazi dinosaur [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrannosaurus_Reich Tyrannosaurus Reich]].
* NeilGaiman specifically mentions that he didn't have Death appear more often in ''TheSandman'' because he didn't want to water down the effect and specialness of her appearances. He still found a way for her to show up in all of the trade paperbacks, however, even if sometimes it's just in a silent cameo.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* OrsonWelles's role as Cardinal Wolsey (the original TropeNamer) in the 1966 film version of ''AManForAllSeasons''. He's in two scenes, and is probably the best thing about this very excellent film. In a later version of the film, John Gielgud did a pretty decent, though less remarkable, job in the role as well.
** Orson Welles has another one in ''TheThirdMan'', as the chillingly evil Harry Lime, precisely because he plays the part as just a normal guy you wouldn't look twice at.
** Orson Welles ''[[RuleOfThree yet again]]'', as Father Mapple in the 1956 version of ''Moby-Dick'', which also can boast Gregory Peck and John Huston as stars, with a screenplay by RayBradbury.
* Alec Baldwin is in ''GlengarryGlenRoss'' for exactly one scene, in which he delivers a monologue that establishes the atmosphere of menace that overhangs the rest of the film. It's one of the more famous monolgues of cinema. Interestingly, the character does not appear in the original play.
* Notably Vincent Price in ''EdwardScissorhands'', who almost steals the film from Johnny Depp. In fact the film created him a whole new following, his mannerisms and deep character acting captivating a lot of new fans.
* Cyd Charisse in ''SingingInTheRain''. The entire "Broadway Melody" sequence is [[{{Padding}} completely superfluous to the plot]], and done entirely to try to recapture the glory of ''An American in Paris'', but Charisse's silent performance as an icy gangster moll is still one of the most memorable things in the film. The screaming fanboy who shows up at the movie premiere in the opening sequence is also surprisingly memorable.
* Heavily lampshaded in ''{{Zoolander}}'', where they give DavidBowie's brief appearance as the Walk-Off judge a ludicrous amount of fanfare -- to the point of plastering his name on the screen and starting up the song, "Let's Dance."
* ''[[TheViewAskewniverse Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]'' does something similar for Mark Hamill's cameo, but ratcheted up the cheesiness. We get a still-shot of Mark with the phrase "HEY KIDS, IT'S MARK HAMILL!" ''(APPLAUSE)'' next to him.
** Averted when they had Carrie Fisher as the nun that gives them a lift.
** George Carlin's cameo as a hitchhiker is also very much an example.
** Not to mention Chris Rock as the director of ''Bluntman and Chronic''.
** And Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as themselves on the set of ''GoodWillHunting 2: Hunting Season''.
* Cary Elwes gets one in ''The Chase'', as a smarmy newscaster who has to apologize to his viewers due to Charlie Sheen's flipping off the camera. His character was named "Steve Horsegroovy", and he worked with "Frank Smuntz" and "Lolly Juniper". Lord only knows what was happening under the desk.
* ''ThePrincessBride'' has that very good scene with Billy Crystal and Carol Kane, but an even better example would be Peter Cook's role as the aptly titled Impressive Clergyman with the [[AcceptableTargets speech impediment]].
* ''FourWeddingsAndAFuneral'' has Rowan Atkinson in a minor role as Gerald, the priest who keeps screwing up his lines in Wedding Number Two. He gets the names of both parties wrong, mentions the Holy Goat and the Holy Spigot, and utters the classic line "awful wedded wife". He gets [[AndStarring the coveted ''and'']].
* Rowan Atkinson again in ''LoveActually'', as the man who takes ten minutes to do everything. He is among the top billed for the film. Originally he had a much, ''much'' larger role, but it was cut for time.
* John Hurt as Jellon Lamb, the BountyHunter who believes in neither God nor evolution, but ''is'' a big racist, in ''TheProposition''. Only in two scenes, but completely owns both of them, and is billed as one of the film's stars. In the Making Of featurette on the DVD, he mentions that many of the other actors had originally wanted his role, even though it would mean less screen time than some of them actually got.
* Speaking of actors named Hurt, William Hurt, in ''AHistoryOfViolence'', has a single scene as Joey Cusack's brother. It's about five to ten minutes long. He was nominated for an Oscar.
* ''SpaceJam'' has Bill Murray show up during the last round, to the annoyance and amazement of Swackhammer. As Bill puts it, he was let in because he was friends with the director...
* ''TrueRomance'' is filled with Wonders, including Gary Oldman as the menacing pimp, Christopher Walken as the formidable gangster, Dennis Hopper as the sacrificial father, and Brad Pitt as the clueless stoner.
* Pontius Pilate in ''MontyPython'''s ''{{Life of Brian}}'' is one of the most memorable aspects of the film, although Michael Palin plays many other roles in the film, so this one only ''sort'' of counts.
* Three of the best-remembered things in ''MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' are the Frenchman, the Black Knight, and the Knights Who Say Ni, the first two played by John Cleese and the last by Michael Palin.
* Powers Boothe and Rutger Hauer in ''SinCity'' are completely captivating in their one scene each.
* ''MirrorMask'' has Robert Llewellyn, Stephen Fry, and Lenny Henry in minor roles, as, respectively, a dim-witted griffon, a librarian, and [[TalkingToHimself the entire police force]].
* Patrick Stewart's cameo in the final scene of ''RobinHood: Men In Tights'', which he steals in classic LargeHam fashion. Appropriately enough, the same role (King Richard the Lionhearted) was played in ''Prince of Thieves'' by an uncredited Sean Connery who also stole that scene merely by showing up.
** Patrick Stewart has a few of these:
*** His role as Mr. Perdue in [=~L.A. Story.~=]. "You think with a financial statement like this you can have the duck?"
*** His cameo near the end of ''XMen Origins: Wolverine'' elicited applause from some theater audiences.
*** His role in ''Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'' and its sequel ''Smiley's People'', oddly enough, as the BigBad. These being spy shows, the Russian superspy [[TheVoiceless who refuses to talk]] only appears in one scene of each.
* ''Smiley's People'' also features a memorable role from Michael Gough, better known as [[Film/{{Batman}} Alfred Pennyworth]], who plays a Russian general in . This series also briefly had a very young Alan Rickman as a desk clerk. With a line and everything.
* The film version of ''{{Stardust}}'' has Ricky Gervais as an amusing fence, and, more infamously, RobertDeNiro as [[spoiler:Captain Shakespeare, the [[ZeppelinsFromAnotherWorld zeppelin-based]] CampGay {{Pirate}}.]] Both have more than one scene, however, but Peter O'Toole does briefly appear as a dying king. There's also David Kelly as a [[OldMaster 97-year old martial arts master]] in a few scenes.
* ChristopherLee, essentially as himself, in ''CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory''. The twist is that he takes all of the {{Dracula}} and [[TheLordOfTheRings Saruman]] mannerisms and transposes them onto a dentist. Just imagine Christopher Lee throwing his resonant ''basso'' into the word "Lollipops." (To be fair, it'd be very tricky for ''anyone'' to not consider Christopher Lee frightening, let alone as a dentist.) Unfortunately, he's supposed to be JohnnyDepp's father, which just doesn't make sense, especially because Depp does the whole movie as Mr. Rogers.
* Pontius Pilate again, in ''{{The Last Temptation of Christ}}''. Played by DavidBowie, no less.
* In the film ''{{Constantine}}'', Peter Stormare and Tilda Swinton have brief appearances as Satan and Gabriel, respectively.
* ''The Hurt Locker'' has many of these, most notably Ralph Fiennes.
* HannibalLecter started out as one of these in ''Manhunter'', back when he was Brian Cox. Three scenes, owns the movie. He doesn't even do much except sit there with his jaw hanging out, [[HannibalLecture taunt the hero]], and talk on the telephone, and yet... and yet...
* Ben Affleck's character in ''Boiler Room'' delivers a monologue that sets the tone for the film, in a direct play on Alec Baldwin's character from ''Glengarry Glen Ross''.
* Sir Alec Guiness often does this, and the smaller his role, the more memorable it often is. He managed to upstage both Peter O'Toole (in ''LawrenceOfArabia'') and Omar Sharif (''DrZhivago'') playing roles which, while crucial to the films, had relatively little screen time. He has a memorable role as Pope Innocent in ''Brother Sun, Sister Moon''. He was so mesmerizing Jacob Marley in the musical ''Scrooge'' that he earned an additional scene, NotInTheBook, that appears in longer versions of the film.
* All three ''{{Film/Spider-Man}}'' movies featured Bruce Campbell in a different {{Cameo}} role each time, but it wasn't until the third that he became a OneSceneWonder with his [[FunnyForeigner amusing]] [[AcceptableTargets French]] maitre'd.
* ''Film/IronMan'': Tony's heroic fire-extinguisher robot steals the show. There's also a secret cameo by [[spoiler:Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, appearing after the credits.]]
* Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet in ''{{Casablanca}}'', as, respectively, the conniving Guillermo Ugarte and the scheming restaurateur Mr. Ferrari.
* Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet also appear in [[http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=iwRNYZs_I88 this scene]] in ''Hollywood Canteen''.
* ''{{Grindhouse}}'' features several:
** BruceWillis in ''Planet Terror''. He was on the set for so little time that QuentinTarantino didn't even know he was in the movie until they started shooting his scenes. The effect was ruined, however, when [[TrailersAlwaysSpoil they put him on the cover and included him in ads]], as the planned reaction was "Oh, Bruce Willis is in this movie?"
** Tarantino himself has a memorable cameo in ''Planet Terror'' as a soldier who attempts to rape the heroine as his zombified genitals decompose in front of her.
** In one the fake trailers, for ''Werewolf Women of the SS'', features NicolasCage as FuManchu [[CrowningMomentOfFunny for no apparent reason.]] It's almost enough to wash the bad taste from ''TheWickerMan'' right out of your mouth.
* ChristopherWalken has a habit of appearing in small roles in just about anything. A good solid chunk of his roles are him just showing up in the middle of the movie, stealing a scene, and going on his merry way, as aptly illustrated by [[http://i414.photobucket.com/albums/pp229/sessile29/81ae9a2f.jpg this poster]]. Walken is firmly on record as [[MoneyDearBoy never turning down a paying gig]]. It doesn't matter how bad your movie is; you give him money, and Christopher Walken will show up and ''act''.
** He has a single scene in ''PulpFiction'' in which he tells an inappropriatelty graphic story to young Butch about the journey of his father's watch.
** This explains his presence in ''[[SoBadItsGood The Affair of the Necklace]]''. Anyone could have played [[PhonyPsychic Count Cagliostro]], but they wouldn't have made him the most entertaining part of the film. Well, the second most, but to be fair it's very hard to compete with the dead gopher they glued to Simon Baker's head as a wig, and it did have a lot more screen time.
* Who can forget CPR Kid/Wallet Guy from ''BackToTheFuture Part II''? He only has a few minutes of screen time in the whole movie, but he's memorable for repeating the "wallet" line.
* It's hard to see a ''TheLittleShopOfHorrors'' poster that doesn't advertise JackNicholson's appearance as "dentist patient number one". In fact, the whole dentist subplot became so memorable, in [[LittleShopOfHorrors the Broadway adaptation]], it was enlarged to put the dentist as ThePaolo. Bill Murray's played Nicholson's old part in the film adaptation of the musical.
* Viggo Mortensen has a small part playing {{Satan}} in ''TheProphecy''. He only has three scenes, two of which are fairly short, but they're the best part of the movie and and very, very chilling, particularly the first scene. Considering the main villain is Christopher Walken as an evil angel, that's a tall order.
* Mortensen also has a memorable one scene as the wheelchair-bound Lalin in ''Carlito's Way''.
* In ''[[TransformersFilmSeries Transformers]]'', Bernie Mac plays a memorable used car salesman and appears in only one scene.
** Sideswipe is shown being absolutely {{Badass}} in the opening scene or Revenge Of the Fallen, but barely appears in the rest of the movie.
* In ''ThePrestige'', DavidBowie appears as Nikola Tesla, and Andy Serkis appears as his helper.
* George Carlin's appearance as Cardinal Glick in Kevin Smith's ''{{Dogma}}''. Also as the Hobo in ''[[TheViewAskewniverse Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]''.
* ''TheBigLebowski'' is basically built around One Scene Wonders, with the plot involving Lebowski wandering the LA area meeting quirky people who are rarely seen again. One of the most notable is John Turturro as Jesus Quintana. He has only two brief scenes and is probably the best-remembered part of the film with his line, "[[MemeticMutation Nobody fucks wi' da Jesus!]]"
* John Houseman's first real movie role was an example of this trope in ''Seven Days In May''. So was his last real movie role as the hilariously unflappable driving instructor in ''TheNakedGun''.
* ''DeadMan'' is another film built around the concept of One Scene Wonders. Crispin Glover appears as the philosphical fireman, Robert Mitchum as the shotgun-toting industrialist, Gabriel Byrne as the love-sick rich kid, Billy Bob Thorton as a mountain man, Iggy Pop as a bible-quoting crossdresser, and Alfred Molina as a racist missionary. All have exactly one scene except Mitchum, who has two.
* Crispin Glover also had a relatively minor, non-speaking villain role as the Thin Man in the first ''CharliesAngels'' film. His role was so popular that he got carried over into the second film despite his apparent death.
* Glover was also in ''Wild At Heart'' as Cousin "I'm making my LUNCH!!!!" Dell?
* DavidTennant, while not the best thing about ''HarryPotter and the Goblet of Fire,'' certainly puts in a show-stopping performance as Barty Crouch Jr.
* The ''HarryPotter'' film series has a few:
** Jeff Rawle's tragic scene as Amos Diggory crying over Cedric's body.
** Julie Christie as Madame Rosmerta in ''HarryPotter and the Prisoner of Azkaban''.
** Emma Thompson, ''Prisoner of Azkaban'' as well as in the ''Order of the Phoenix''.
** John Hurt as Ollivander in the first movie. If you'll pardon the pun, spellbinding.
* In ''{{Network}}'', Ned Beatty as ominous CEO Arthur Jensen. The guy's onscreen probably five, ten minutes, but his speech is utterly fantastic. "You have ''meddled with the primal forces of nature'', Mr. Beale, and ''I WON'T HAVE IT! IS THAT CLEAR??''" And then there's Beatrice Straight in the same film, who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for what was, at the time, the shortest amount of time an Oscar-winning role had been onscreen.
* Thomas Haden Church as the CEO of Brawndo in ''{{Idiocracy}}''. Two minutes of pure hilarity. "The computer's doing that auto-layoff thingy!"
* Bryan Forbes' comic period piece ''The Wrong Box'', from 1966, has a big cast of British stars including Michael Caine, Ralph Richardson, John Mills, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Nanette Newman, and Tony Hancock. But it's PeterSellers as a [[Main/CrazyCatLady pathetic, old, deranged, cat-loving doctor]] called on to provide a death certificate who steals the movie with two scenes totaling less than 10 minutes screen time.
* StephenFry as the humorously incompetent police inspector in ''GosfordPark''.
* Steve Carell as Uncle Arthur in ''{{Bewitched}}''.
* Steve Carell again in ''BruceAlmighty'', to the point where he was ([[SoBadItsHorrible unfortunately]]) the main character in the sequel.
* William Fichtner, being one of the great Hollywood character actors, has more than his share of these.
** He's the ice-hearted, millionaire stage dad in ''BladesOfGlory'', disappearing shortly after the opening credits.
** He plays the shotgun-toting mob banker in ''TheDarkKnight''.
* James Mason in ''Voyage of the Damned''.
* Yet another man of the cloth, Peter Vaughan as a hardassed Bishop of Dinge in the Liam Neeson version of ''LesMiserables''.
* Gene Hackman's hermit character in ''YoungFrankenstein''. He evidently took the role because MelBrooks dared him to.
* The famous mime MarcelMarceau has a cameo in [[MelBrooks Brooks']] ''SilentMovie''. He's the only character with a line! Oh the irony.
* ''NotesOnAScandal''. Bill Nighy. He is in two scenes. The first introduces his character, the second is an argument with his wife, (Cate Blanchett) when he discovers that she's been having an affair with one of her fifteen year-old students. The movie stars two excellent actors in Judi Dench and the aforementioned Blanchett, both at the top of their respective games. The subject matter is titillating, and the script is well written. It would take one heck of an actor to draw attention, even momentarily, away from all of that to show the real human cost of such a scandal. Bill Nighy is such an actor.
* RobinWilliams as a Russian gynecologist in ''Nine Months''. He only shows up twice, but you'll remember him (of course you will, he's RobinWilliams).
** To the extent that the character was featured [[WolverinePublicity overextensively]] in the [[NeverTrustATrailer trailer]].
** He has two brief scenes in Kenneth Branagh's DeadAgain as a former psychiatrist that are quite memorable. It's officially [[TheCameo a cameo]] too, as Williams didn't want to be credited or appear in promotional material [[ViewersAreMorons lest people assume the film a comedy]].
* King Osric in ''ConanTheBarbarian'' is exactly this: he's played by Max Von Sydow, appears in only one scene and does his monologue in an incredibly humane and intriguing way.
* Randy Quaid's character in ''The Ice Harvest'' was apparently supposed to be one of these, with how many clips from his one scene were used in the trailer. So few people saw the film that it didn't really work out.
* Will Ferrel as Mustafa in the first ''AustinPowers''. Short scene, infinitely memorable.
* Alfred Molina as strung-out drug kingpin Rahad Jackson in ''BoogieNights''. You will never be able to listen to "Jesse's Girl" the same way ever again.
* Ben Stein in, of course, ''FerrisBuellersDayOff''. "Bueller? Bueller?"
** Also, Charlie Sheen.
* Marissa Jaret Winokur's sullen fast-food server, Janine ("You are ''so busted!''"), in ''AmericanBeauty''. At this troper's screening of the film, the character's smug little smirk at Annette Bening not only elicited laughs from the audience, but actual ''applause''.
* Both the lemur king (Sasha Baron Cohen) and the penguins in ''{{Madagascar}}''. Both had extended roles in the sequel, and remain the funniest things in both movies, to the point where some reviews are lamenting the fact that the main cast has to appear ''at all''.
** To the point where the penguins and the lemurs now have their own [[ThePenguinsOfMadagascar half hour show on Nickelodeon]] where the main four from the movies ''don't'' appear at all. This troper likes it vastly more than she did the movies.
* In the classic, star-studded movie version of AgathaChristie's ''Murder on the Orient Express'' from 1974, Ingrid Bergman won an Oscar for her role as the half-crazy Swedish missionary Greta Ohlsson, who is practically only seen onscreen during a 7 minute near-monologue.
* Dame Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth I needed only 9 minutes of screen time to run away with ''{{Shakespeare in Love}}'' and an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
-->"Have her then, but you're a lordly fool. She's been plucked since I saw her last, and not by you... it takes a woman to know it."
** Some of her performances as M in the JamesBond series might fall in this category as well.
--->[[CrowningMomentofFunny Christ, I miss the Cold War.]]
*** A lot of the Bond supporting cast (M, Q, Monneypenny) only shows up for one or two short scenes in each film... but Bond wouldn't feel like Bond if they didn't.
* Barbara Billingsly in ''{{Airplane}}'', even though she's only in one scene, has one of the greatest comedic moments in movie history: "I speak jive!"
** Don't forget [[CloudCuckooLander Johnny]].
* Sammy Davis, Jr, in ''SweetCharity''. He shows up, blows the rest of the cast right off the screen with a stunning rendition of the movie's best song ("Rhythm of Life"), then vanishes, his hipster-preacher character and the sequence in which he appears having absolutely nothing to do with the storyline. Classic Wonder.
* In ''WhenHarryMetSally'', Estelle Reiner brings down the house with her one and only line, which is the most memorable line in the film: "I'll have what she's having!" (She's director Rob Reiner's mother.)
* Justin Long as a matter-of-fact gay porn star in ''ZackAndMiriMakeAPorno''.
** And Brandon Routh as his boyfriend.
* The Street Preacher, Dolph Lundgren's Jesus-obsessed cyborg hitman, is easily the best part of ''JohnnyMnemonic''. Admittedly, that's not saying much, but he easily outshines the film's other attempts at {{One Scene Wonder}}s (Ice-T playing... Ice-T the urban revolutionary, and Henry Rollins playing... Henry Rollins the cyborg medic).
-->'''Street Preacher:''' Do you want him brought to you, or to Jesus?
** Still, you have to admit that Henry Rollins the cyborg medic is pretty entertaining.
* In ''[[StarWars Attack of the Clones]]'', one of the most memorable of the admittedly few good scenes is the one with the guy who tries to sell Obi-Wan some death sticks.
** In the previous film, Darth Maul. Guy speaks about fifteen words over the course of maybe a half dozen scenes, but is arguably the single coolest thing in the entire prequel trilogy.
** And from the original trilogy, Boba Fett had only a handful of speaking lines and appeared for a total of ten minutes throughout, but was so popular he was written in to the prequel and even has books focused on him. It's probably the outfit.
*** More likely it was his ability to talk back to Darth freaking Vader and ''live''.
*** Written into the prequel? [[spoiler:He ''was'' the clones. All of them. Including himself.]]
* Chris Sarandon's outstanding turn as AlPacino's pre-op transgendered girlfriend in the classic ''DogDayAfternoon'' garnered him an Oscar nomination and made his career, despite his appearing in only two scenes.
* NeilPatrickHarris' much-loved cameo in ''HaroldAndKumar Go to White Castle''.
* The advertisements for the 1976 movie ''Car Wash'' featured Richard Pryor's name and face everywhere. He was in the movie for one scene that lasted less than seven minutes.
* John Vernon in ''Killer Klowns from Outer Space''. "Killer clowns, from outer space. Holy shit!"
* Super-obscure example: Danny Glover in ''Out'' (aka ''[[LousyAlternateTitles Deadly Drifter]]''). Granted, he made it before rising to stardom with ''LethalWeapon'', but if he hadn't, [[SoBadItsHorrible nobody would ever have had a reason to give two farts about it, anyway]].
* Charles Durning as the Governor of Texas in ''TheBestLittleWhorehouseInTexas'', which got him nominated for a Supporting Actor Oscar. It helps that he has one of the funniest musical numbers in the movie, "Sidestep", where he celebrates his ability to dodge questions put to him by the press.
* This troper is fairly certain that Pinhead's brief yet ultimately memorable appearances in the first ''{{Hellraiser}}'' film counts as this. So much so that he went on to define the entire series.
** That's exactly what happened: the original plan was to have Julia as the recurring villain, thus turning her into a rare female slasher villain. However, Pinhead's popularity caused the whole thing to be reworked.
* Graeme Garden has two scenes in the 1986 film version of ''Whoops Apocalypse'', both as different (but identical) creaky old servants limping hurriedly down different (but identical) corridors to get to a telephone and complete a call (which they fail to do). It's one of the more memorable sequences in the film.
* Telly Savalas turns up close to the end of ''HorrorExpress'' and stops the story cold with his portrayal of swaggering, vodka-swilling Tsarist Captain Kazan. An aristocrat threatens to send him to Siberia, his reply is a bemused "I ''am'' in Siberia."
* RobertDeNiro received second billing for TerryGilliam's ''{{Brazil}}'' despite being onscreen for one scene. Bob Hoskins was fifth billed with the same number of scenes.
* Parodied in ''WaynesWorld 2''. When Wayne stops at a gas station to ask for directions to Gordon Street, the attendant starts to give a monologue about a "girl who lived on Gordon Street." A disgusted Wayne/Mike Myers asks "[[WhoWritesThisCrap Do we have to put up with this? I mean, I know it's a small part, but I think we can do better than this.]]" The gas station attendant is led away and replaced by Charlton Heston, whose monologue reduces Wayne/Myers to tears.
* JohnWayne as a Roman centurion at the end of ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'', where, after Jesus is crucified, he says only one line: "Truly this man was the son of [[strike:God]] ''[[FunetikAksent GAWWWD]]''."
** He also makes a brief and uncredited appearance as General Ulysses S. Grant in ''How The West Was Won''.
* Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool in [[Film/{{Wolverine}} X Men Origins: Wolverine]]. Only on screen for about ten minutes ([[spoiler:unless you count his Reynolds free appearance as Weapon XI at the film's climax]]), most awesome thing in the film.
* Captain Richard Robau in the new ''[[{{Film/StarTrek}} Star Trek]]''. [[MemeticBadass If the internet is to believed]] he is one tough badass, getting [[spoiler:killed in a few minutes and still being awesome]].
** Bruce Greenwood, a character actor, having not much more screen-time as Captain Pike, himself a cameo character in Trek. Both become super-awesome.
** Tyler Perry, going from Madea to the Dean of Starfleet Academy.
** Gaila, [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe though]] [[HeroesWantRedheads I really]] [[{{Stripperiffic}} can't]] [[ReallyGetsAround imagine]] [[FetishFuel why]]...
* In ''MidnightCowboy'', Sylvia Miles' Cass has less than five minutes of screen time, but it was enough for Miles to win an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
* Despite Mark Wahlberg's character having somewhere around maybe 10 minutes of screen time in ''TheDeparted'', (and sharing most of that time with either Martin Sheen, Leonardo Di Caprio or Alec Baldwin) he manages to steal every scene he's in. ''That'' is damned impressive.
* Cedric The Entertainer does an excellent job of this in the first ''{{Barbershop}}'' movie.
* This Troper sees Will Ferrel's role in ''Film/WeddingCrashers'' to be a extended cameo mostly due to how god damned unexpected he was.
* MeatLoaf and Ronnie James Dio, in ''Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny'', each get such a scene within ''the first five minutes'' of the movie; the former as Jack Black's father, who tears down all his posters while singing about how rock & roll is the Devil's music, and the latter as a poster of himself that comes to life afterward.
* Ian [=McKellen=] had one scene in ''Plenty'', as a man with a lot of power over the diplomatic community, with "a mind like a laser and a heart of stone."
* Jennifer Garner's one minute or so in ''CatchMeIfYouCan'' made a strong impression (in this case, due to smoldering sex appeal rather than acting talent).
* The Wienie King in ''The Palm Beach Story''. "[[CrowningMomentOfFunny Cold are the hands of time that creep along relentlessly, destroying slowly but without pity that which yesterday was young... That's hard to say with false teeth]]!"
* The movie ''The Loved One'' is basically a whole string of these, including scenes with James Coburn, Roddy [=McDowell=] and Milton Burle.
* RobinWilliams (again!) as The King Of The Moon in ''TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'' (credited as [[StageNames Ray D. Tutto]].
* If '30s actress Mae Clarke is remembered today at all, it's for that one scene in ''The Public Enemy'' where JamesCagney smashes the grapefruit in her face.
* Silent Bob's speech in ''ChasingAmy'' is so memorable, it's easy to forget that he and his hetero life mate Jay are only in one scene.
* ''{{Ratatouille}}'': Considering the length of the film, Anton Ego qualifies as one of these. His about-turn is one of the most moving I've seen in ''any'' film, animated or otherwise.
* Richard Harris as English Bob in ''{{Unforgiven}}'', who, as [[{{Igordebraga}} this troper]] and his father discussed, just "shoots some pheasants, defends monarchy, gets beaten by Gene Hackman, gets arrested and then goes away" in across maybe 10 minutes of screentime. But it's a remarkable performance enough for "The [[strike:Duke]] Duck of Death" to be in the poster.
* Viola Davis in ''Doubt.'' A single scene, about ten minutes of screen time, and while she's onscreen she overshadows ''MerylStreep''. It got her nominated for an Oscar, and many believed she should have won it.
* Seth Green's sarcastic Amish character in ''Sex Drive''.
* ''ItsAMadMadMadMadWorld'' has a few busloads of well-known comic actors all loudly turned up to eleven...then in one scene, the camera pans past three firemen - ''TheThreeStooges'', standing still in quiet dignity.
* ''InTheLoop'' is not short of great performances or funny material. Steve Coogan is in the movie for what must be a grand total of five minutes all up, and interacts with few of the main characters and none of the main plot. However, in those five minutes he easily manages to steal the movie as Paul, the easily frustrated constituent who just wants the U.K Minister for International Development to do something about the wall of his constituency office (which is collapsing into Paul's mum's back garden) whilst said Minister is self-importantly but foolishly involving himself in grand matters of geo-political diplomacy.
* Mike Myers in ''InglouriousBasterds''. For the first time in a long while, we've been happy to see him.
** There are two scenes that have narration. The narrator is SamuelLJackson. Needless to say, it's the most badass narration ever.
* Pyramid Head in the ''SilentHill'' movie. Two scenes, each lasting approximately thirty seconds, not a single line, and he's still one of the best parts.
* YouOnlyLiveTwice features Donald Pleasence as Ernst Stavro Blofeld. He's got a white cat, a bald head, and a scar. He's also one of the most memorable Bond villains, parodied and referenced ad nausem. Total screen time: Approximately ten minutes.
* ''Wholly Moses'' has a few of these, but the one that really stands out is John Ritter's one and half minute appearance as Satan.
* What does it say (both good and bad) of an actor when what's regarded as the [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome pinnacle]] of his film career is one of these? Jack Palance had a film career of 50 years and over 70 movies, but when he died in 2006, one film role consistanty stood out in all the obituaries and tributes dedicated to him: the role of the taunting, [[SlasherSmile smiling]] [[TheDragon hired gun]] Jack Wilson in ''{{Shane}}''. Palance's Wilson is widely regarded as '''the''' definitive [[TheWestern Western]] bad guy. Total screen time: eight minutes. Total words spoken by Wilson: less than fifty, but he makes the most out of two of them: "Prove it."
* Matthew Atherton, A.K.A Feedback, of ''WhoWantsToBeASuperhero'', with a total of two memorable minutes in the utterly forgettable monster movie ''Mega-Snake''.
* The Turks in ''FinalFantasyVII'' Advent Children, what with their constant Crowning Moments of Funny. Somewhat frustrates This Troper, because they were decidedly more serious in the game. The "Complete" version takes some steps to remedy this, though.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Steven Erikson's ''{{Malazan Book of the Fallen}}'' has several underused-and-awesome characters. One of the more notable examples is Hood, the god of death.
* There is usually at least one scene in every ''{{Discworld}}'' book featuring [[TheGrimReaper Death]] (''The Wee Free Men'' is one of the few books where he doesn't appear). Except in the book where he stars, these definitely count.
** This troper thinks that any sceen with Sergeant Colon and/or Nobby in any book not focusing on the Watch counts.
** Captain Carrot gets one in ''Sourcery'', playing ball with two street gangs.
* Voldemort in ''HarryPotter and the Goblet of Fire'', especially the film. Less so in other entries of the series, as he starts getting more time.
* Oberyn Martell in ''{{A Song of Ice and Fire}}'' is a popular character with all too brief page time (or whatever the book equivalent of screen time is), having established him as a sharpwitted cool character with a cool nickname "The Red Viper" with a definite right to vengeance, the author George R R Martin [[spoiler:has him killed off by the {{complete monster}} who raped and murdered his sister, but at least not before delivering a crucial blow]].
** Ditto on [[spoiler:Syrio Forel]].
*** [[spoiler:[[EpilepticTrees Maybe]]]].
* Mi Heng only appears in one chapter of the 2000+ page ''{{Romance of the Three Kingdoms}}'', but is still one of the most memorable characters for his sheer balls in insulting every single person he meets, no matter how powerful they are. He ends up throwing out insults until the second his head is cut off.
* In Bruce Sterling's ''{{Schismatrix}}'', Nikolai Leng's Mechanist wife shows up in three of the tiny (around ten lines each) chapters of ''Twenty Evocations'', a short story included in later editions.
* Merlin in ''TheWarlordChronicles''. Doesn't have a lot of time directly interacting with the protagonist in the story, but every bit where he is doing so, it's ''damn'' memorable.
* The Count of Catterack in HowlsMovingCastle 's book is one of ThisTroper 's favorite characters even though he only appears twice and is mentioned a couple more.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* [[TheAce Lord Flashheart]] in ''{{Blackadder}}'', especially in the second series where he gets less than two minutes of screen time, and totally runs away with the episode.
** [[spoiler:And the girl.]]
** [[spoiler:Woof!]]
* Peter Cook as Richard III in the first ever episode of ''{{Blackadder}}''.
* StephenFry too, in ''Blackadder the Third'' as Wellington.
-->"The men had a whip-round and got you this... well, what I mean is that I had the men roundly whipped until they got you this. It's a cigarillo case engraved with the regimental crest of two crossed dead Frenchmen, emblazoned on a mound-of-dead-Frenchmen motif."
** Tom Baker as Captain Rum. ''Arr...''
* When ''TheColbertReport'' had [[ThePowerOfRock a guitar solo challenge]] between StephenColbert and Chris Funk of The Decemberists, there were guest stars galore. However none of them could compare to the brief appearance via satellite by none other than Dr. Henry Kissinger.
-->'''Stephen Colbert''': Dr. Kissinger, what time is it?
-->'''Henry Kissinger''': Stephen, [[RockMeAsmodeus it is time to rock]].
** Colbert said in an interview that they also wanted to [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] the absurdity of having gotten Henry Kissinger to oversee a guitar-playing contest by having him say, "Where are my pancakes? I was promised pancakes." But he wouldn't, and according to Colbert, somewhere there exist several minutes of footage of him begging Kissinger to say the pancake line.
* In the new ''BattlestarGalactica'' series, none of the MauveShirt Viper/Raptor pilots are more memorable then the "Tattooed Pilot" whose actually more of an extra since he plays no vital role and has only one speaking line in the entire series.
** Racetrack has a bit of a following too, despite never having actually had her own storyline, she's probably survived more raptor mishaps than Athena and Boomer put together, especially in later seasons.
* [[CrazyAwesome Jubal Early]] in ''{{Firefly}}'', who only appeared in the last episode yet was perhaps the greatest part of an already great series.
* {{Jim Henson}} showing up in anything done with the [[{{Muppet}} Muppets]] always makes me {{Squee}}.
* Cyril Luckham of the "Key to Time" storyline in original ''DoctorWho''. He does nothing but sit in a chair and set up the plot for the season in the first five minutes of the first episode, but eerily sticks in your mind.
-->"Nothing will happen to you. Ever."
** The episode "Utopia" in the new series gets ''three'' of these. First is Derek Jacobi's wonderful performance as Professor Yana, surpassed by Derek Jacobi again in his two-minute-long appearance as the Master, which is surpassed ''again'' by John Simm's even briefer role as the Master (though the last one may not qualify, as Simm spends the subsequent two episodes being a legendary MagnificentBastard).
* President Bartlett was originally supposed to be a OneSceneWonder on ''TheWestWing'', but Martin Sheen was made of too much awesome, and got promoted to a member of the main cast.
** Specifically the show was meant to focus on the staff, with the distance to the president emphasized by having him appear perhaps once a month, so four or five times per season. If they didn't intend for him to overwhelm this restriction, they probably shouldn't have made his first line be "I am the Lord your god, and you shall have no other gods before me. ...Boy, those were the days."
* 'Sebastian' on ''[[BabylonFive Babylon 5]]''--only in one episode, arguably the most memorable character in the whole series. Even if he's remembered, not as a hero, not as a messenger, not even as Sebastian... [[spoiler:but only as "Jack".]]
** To an extent, Bester as well. His first appearance was the standard "corrupt Earth official who comes to make Sinclair's life hell" that typified many Season 1 episode villains but Walter Koenig infused the role with so much fun energy and serious emotion you looked forward to those times he came back to plague the main cast. Notably, he was one of the few series villains who could regularly show up, have a hostile face-to-face dialogue with the protagonists, accomplish his goals and walk away scot-free at the end of the episode.
* ''TheTudors'': Peter O'Toole as the Pope Paul III only appears in some episodes, never interacts directly with the main cast (Being as he is in ''Rome'' all the time), and completely steals the show. Peter O'Toole should play the Pope in anything that has a Pope.
** Dunno, I would definitely cast [[TheEmperor Ian McDiarmid]] as Benedict XVI.
* Seth Green and Breckin Meyer in ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', as a pair of comic book store employees who have the "best day ever" when they briefly get to help one of their favorite characters.
** ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' also has John Glover as [[spoiler:Samson Gray, Sylar's real father]].
* ''Several'' DS9 characters, but the one that stands out to this troper is Morn. Morn was a non-speaking ''extra'' who gradually become so popular he was given a episode of his own... in which he was still a non-speaking extra.
* Brother Mouzone in ''TheWire'' only appeared in six episodes, most of them for just a few minutes, or seconds in the case of his introduction. An erudite, soft spoken, Harpers magazine reading, suit and bow tie wearing gentleman... who also happens to be one of the most feared and respected hitmen on the east coast, and whose popularity rivals some regulars.
* ''{{Bones}}'': Caroline Julian, [[VerbalTic cherie]].
* Comedy actor Guillermo Francella -sans his trademark moustache- played the until then unseen BigBad of Argentine [[SoapOpera telenovela]] ''Vidas Robadas'': he appeared in three scenes in the last two episodes, and completely owned the show. To picture the impact of TheReveal, imagine: the MagnificentBastard head of a human trafficking net is finally seen on camera - and it´s a completely serious and creepy-looking ''Mike Myers''.
** A better example for Western Audiences would probably be TheReveal where this heartless MagnificentBastard was played by a completely serious and creepy-looking ''Michael Cera''...
* In the season one finale of ''{{Fringe}}'' the fact that Olivia was in a parallel universe where the Twin Towers are still standing was heavily overshadowed by the fact that she'd just met the mysterious William Bell, played by Leonard Nimoy.
* Ian [=McNiece=] as the [[KentBrockmanNews Forum news reader]] in ''{{Rome}}'' is just ''grand.''
* Not exactly a One ''Scene'' Wonder, but in the fourth series of ''JonathanCreek'' Adrian Edmondson manages to steal every scene he's in as Carla's clueless, pretentious but strangely lovable producer/husband Brendan.
** Strangely lovable because he's so incredibly easygoing, not even blinking when Carla makes out with Jonathan (with full-on tongue action) right in front of him. Perhaps his best moment was admitting he'd once been married to a man in the US. But it was only a marriage of convenience! And they never had [[spoiler:a co-production deal]], because that would just be ''wrong.''
* The Robert de Niro episode of ''{{Extras}}'' qualifies as this, since the sheer amazingness of having de Niro as one of the celebrity characters is lampshaded with a lot of gushing about how amazing it is that Andy is going to meet Robert de Niro, and then subverted when he decides not to. In the end he's only in the show for a minute, and spends that minute being inordinately amused by a novelty pornographic pen. Needless to say, it's one of the most memorable guest spots of the series.
** The George Michael scene from the Christmas special probably also qualifies. Although Michael is probably the biggest name in that show, he just wanders unexpectedly into the scene without any fanfare and not in his capacity as a celebrity, to deliver a hilarious performance centering on his own reputation for getting arrested for having sex in public places, which is simultaneously played straight (he drops by the "queer bench" in the park to ask if there's "any action") and subverted (he does this during his lunch break while on community service, which he's been sentenced to for... helping a fellow celebrity illegally dispose of a fridge-freezer).
* Alyson Hannigan as Trina Echolls on ''VeronicaMars'' might qualify. She shows up completely unexpectedly and completely dominates the intro scene with herself, Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring.
* Both ''{{Friends}}'' and, more recently, ''{{Skins}}'' make a habit of doing this for the main characters' parents. Chandler's dad steals most of his scenes, Joey's mum likewise for her single appearance; meanwhile ''Skins'' had cameos from Harry Enfield, Bill Bailey, Peter Capaldi, Arabella Weir, Josie Lawrence...
* Try to find a season of ''CriminalMinds'' that doesn't have at least one of these. The woman at the convenience store that grabs a shotgun in "Identity" is an example. The single-episode characters are usually so interesting that even the main actors have said in interviews that they wish they could guest star on their own show.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* This is a highly subjective trope already, and moreso with this category, but a guest star on any kind of music album will often be seen as a OneSceneWonder by fans of the guest star's main band.
** For example, this editor likes Avantasia (power metal opera) only because of the very few appearances of David [=DeFeis=] from Virgin Steele.
*** Also, Roy Khan, Jorn Lande, Michael Kiske, Alice Cooper... but this troper is not a fan of Tobias's voice, so just about every guest musician qualifies.
* This troper has technically heard the song "Weapon of Choice", but only by viewing the clip. Christopher Walken (see above) drove all thought of the music out of his head. (He's the whole clip, but since he's not part of the band, this could count.)
* Dire Straits's "Money For Nothing" is well known for the background singing that Sting does in it. You know, "I want my emmmmmmmm teeeeeeee veeeeeeeeeee......."
** Similarly, Rockwell's one hit "Somebody's Watching Me" featured Michael (notably in the chorus) and Jermaine Jackson.
* David Bowie (on this list for about the fifth time) joining up with {{Queen}} for "Under Pressure", one of the greatest songs of all time.
* Most people probably know the {{Gorillaz}} song "Clint Eastwood" for the rap, even though A. Gorillaz isn't a rap band and B. the rapper (Del Tha Funkee Homosapien) only appears on two songs in the entire CD (and none on ''Demon Days'')
* On the FrankZappa album Broadway the Hard Way, Sting comes on halfway through and performs Murder by Numbers.
** Relating to Frank, when Weird Al did his pastiche of Zappa, "Genius in France," for the album Poodle Hat, who did he get to provide solos satisfactorily remiscent of Frank's? Dweezil. [[ViewersAreGeniuses Return Of The Son Of]] FrankZappa.
* [[TheEighties 80's]] pop singer Tiffany had a surprise guest appearance by rapper [[BoneThugsNHarmony Krayzie Bone]] on the song ''I'm Not Sleeping'', on her 2001 "come back album" Color Of Silence''.
* [[GunsAndRoses Slash's]] guitar solos on TLC's ''Red Light Special'' song.
* BoneThugsNHarmony's guest appearance on Mariah Carey's Butterfly album, the most jarring however being ODB on her previous record.
* Anytime two highly acclaimed rappers team up, and make a legendary memorable collaboration.
** Bone also appearing on Biggie's ''Notorious Thugs'' track, which is considered a classic.
*** Likewise with 2pac appearing on Bone's ''Thug Luv'' track months after he died.
*** Also Phil Collins showing up in Bone's music video for ''Home''.
** Nas and AZ appearing together on the track ''Life's A Bitch'' on the classic ''Illmatic'' album
** Jay-Z on Biggie's ''I love The Dough'' song from his ''Life After Death'' cd.
*Mariah Carey doing back up vocals for Babyface on a track called ''Every time I Close My Eyes''
*Jamie Foxx's video for ''Blame It'' has scores of celeb appearances. Ashley Scott from {{Jericho}}, Ron Howard, Forest Whitaker, Jake Gyllenhaal, Samuel L. Jackson, Quincy Jones, Cedric the Entertainer, Morris Chestnut, Clifton Powell, Alex Thomas, DeRay Davis, Joe (R&B singer), Mos Def, Tatyana Ali, Jalen Rose, Bill Bellamy, Electrik Red, Dawn Richard, Keshia Knight Pulliam and LeToya.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theater]]
* In the Ian [=McKellen=]/Judi Dench version of {{Shakespeare}}'s ''{{Macbeth}}'', Ian [=McDiarmid=] completely steals the show with his Porter Speech. Since Shakespeare originally wrote the character for this type of performance, I think we can call this OlderThanSteam.
** While we're on the subject of Shakespeare, Kenneth Branagh's ''MuchAdoAboutNothing'' movie, despite having a genuinely non-sucky, if rather [[LargeHam hammy]], Branagh (even Keanu Reeves is passable) is clearly dominated by Michael Keaton's Constable Dogberry.
** The Ghost of King Hamlet is often done this way. Some reports suggest that the role was originally played by Shakey himself.
** And Judi Dench + Shakespeare = this trope, seemingly - she took the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for ''ShakespeareInLove'' despite a sum total of nine minutes of screen time.
** If you want a film that's utterly ''loaded'' with these, just watch Branagh's full-length version of ''{{Hamlet}}''. The supporting cast (and roles) include Billy Crystal (Gravedigger), RobinWilliams (Osric), Gerard Depardieu (Reynaldo), Charlton Heston (Player King), Rufus Sewell (Fortinbras), Richard Attenborough (English Ambassador) and [[BrianBlessed BRIAN FRIGGIN' BLESSED]] (King Hamlet's Ghost) all in absolutely perfect roles!
** This Troper once had a theatre group play Macbeth in his school, whih all of the English classes went to see. The most memorable part of the play was the nameless robbers [spoiler:murdering Duncan's family.] One of the said robbers hit the prop baby with a 2x4, an action which later came to be known as "Baby Baseball!"
*** But all of those characters are overshadowed by the 10-second, non-speaking cameo by John Gielgud and Judi Dench... argh... so much awesomeness... brain cannot cope...
*** Don't forget Derek Jacobi reprising his role as [[IClaudius Clau-Clau-Claudius]]. Though he does get a rather prominent billing.
* Richard Henry Lee's biggest contribution to American independence was proposing it to the continental congress, before he had to leave. This means the character based on him in ''[[SeventeenSeventySix 1776]]'' had a small role. Nonetheless, his character and song "The Lees of Old Virginia" were memorable enough to win a Tony for actor Ron Holgate.
* Brian Dewhurst, the current principal clown in Cirque Du Soleil's ''Mystere'', has only two setpieces in the show, plus a short blackout skit in between. One of those is the preshow/opening announcements, leaving him with only one setpiece within the show itself, near the end. His character is a ScrewySquirrel who isn't "actually" part of the show [[spoiler:and thus doesn't appear for the curtain call]], and rarely appears in advertisements for it. He is also a CoolOldGuy who steals the show with his many [[Main/CrowningMomentOfFunny moments of funny]].
* There are a number of instances of this in musical theatre: characters who come on for one quick scene which either contains or consists entirely of one big show-stopping number, and then never appear outside of the ensemble for the rest of the show. There are so many, in fact, it might as well [[HintDropping be it's own subtrope]].
** The unnamed girl in ''West Side Story'' who appears in the middle of the DreamBallet to sing "Somewhere."
** Berthe in ''Pippin'' is one of the most classic examples of this.
** Grandma in ''Billy Elliot'' is a very popular recent instance.
** The Young Soldier in ''Parade'' is [[YourMileageMayVary considered by some]] to be one of the best roles in the show, despite being onstage for only the first three minutes, and even that is only the first half of the first song.
*** Subverted in that, as established by original Broadway production precedent, The Young Soldier is often doubled with another small role, Fiddlin' John.
** An argument could be made that the Proprietor in ''Assassins'' fits this trope. Lee Harvey Oswald subverts it by having an extended scene all about him instead of a musical number.
** Jonathan Freeman got himself a Tony nomination for playing the Headwaiter in ''She Loves Me''. Enough said.
** Eddie in ''The Rocky Horror Show''.
** Richard Henry Lee from ''[[SeventeenSeventySix 1776]]'' would not technically qualify, due to having a little more to do than just that one scene and number. The embodiment of this trope, however, is Martha Jefferson. A friend of This Troper who played Martha in a local production put it something like this: "I get to go on, make out with a handsome man for a little while, have a cute little scene, belt out a show-stopping song and chill backstage the whole rest of the time. That's a great gig."
*** Also noteworthy is the courier, who runs on and offstage every once in a while to deliver missives, but only has anything substantial to do during the (surprisingly low-key) final scene/song of Act One, "Momma, Look Sharp".
** The Teen Angel in ''{{Grease}}''. In Broadway and touring productions, StuntCasting is often used for this role (as of March 2009, the current U.S. tour has Taylor Hicks from ''AmericanIdol''); Frankie Avalon played him in the movie version.
** King Herod in ''JesusChristSuperstar''.
** In ''Show Boat'', Joe does very little except sing "Ol' Man River" at the end of the first scene. (One advertisement for the original production bills his actor only as the singer of "Ol' Man River," while crediting the other featured players by their characters' names.) He actually also appears in a few later scenes, but those are mostly excuses for him to reprise the song. When Paul Robeson played Joe in the 1936 film version, an extra song was written for him.
** Nimue in ''Camelot''. May appear onstage or sing her one song from the wings, depending on the production.
** The trio of strippers in ''Gypsy'' who explain to Louise why "You Gotta Get A Gimmick."
** Daddy Brubeck and the other "Rhythm of Life" Church members in ''Sweet Charity.'' Also doubles as an IrrelevantActOpener.
** Steve in ''Paint Your Wagon''. He does nothing at all, except sing the show's big hit song.
** The title role in ''The Mikado''. He has the top billing in the show, yet he's only in three songs in Act 2.
** Don Attilio in the "Il Muto" scene from ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' basically exists just for the atmosphere, yet he often nets [[CrowningMomentOfFunny one of the biggest laughs in the show]] by holding a very long, ''very'' low note at the end of one of his recitatives. (Note that the actor in this role usually doubles on one or two other minor parts as well.)
*** And then in the movie, they have the nerve to change it to Piangi playing the part. And Piangi being a tenor, kiss that low note goodbye.
** Pharaoh in ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat''. One scene, one song, a solo spot in the curtain call with usually the most applause of anyone in the cast.
** ''Follies'' is full of these: Stella and "Who's that Woman", Heidi and "One More Kiss", Hattie and "Broadway Baby", but above all, Carlotta with "I'm Still Here". Yvonne De Carlo was the original Carlotta, and frequently the most famous star in a Follies cast will be the Carlotta.
** ''EvilDead TheMusical'' features the character of Ed, who is constantly interrupted, and only gets in one or two words at a time until the number "Bit Part Demon" outside of this, however, Ed is indeed, a glorified extra.
* Herbert in ''TanzDerVampire''. He has ''one line'' in the first act, appears wordlessly (except for some singing over a backing chorus) in the second scene of the second act, proceeds to have a showcase song/scene full of HoYay with the hero that is generally regarded as one of the funniest (or sexiest, [[YaoiFangirl if you like that sort of thing]]) parts of the whole show a few scenes later, and then is demoted to harmonizing on two lines with his father at the ball and with Magda in the finale, and yet he is probably at least the second- if not THE- most popular character in the show, with one reviewer commenting that it's hard not to squee when he shows up, ''even if you don't like the actor playing him''. The actor doesn't even double in the ensemble scenes before Herbert's entrance.
** Vindication: [[http://www.musicalvienna.at/index.php/en/home/article/32203 This article]]- ''from the producers of the show''- calls Herbert ''Tanz'''s "arguably the most popular figure".
* Harvey Johnson, the nerdy kid from the opening number of ''Bye Bye Birdie'', is easily the most memorable character from the whole play, despite having about three lines.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* The weighted companion cube from ''{{Portal}}'' is one of the game's most famous icons and is prominent in the game's merchandise, as well as a popular subject in fan art. The companion cube does not speak or move or threaten to stab you and only appears in a single level of the game, but is much more well known than the protagonist Chell or the villain [=GLaDOS=].
** Hell, he even got a [[CompanionCube trope]] named after him.
* Patrick Stewert in The ''ElderScrolls Oblivion''. Apart from his opening cutscene voiceover, he had maybe 10 minutes of screen time as the Emperor before being killed.
* On a similar note, Liam Neeson lends his voice talent to the main character's father in ''{{Fallout}} 3''. Although most of the main quest centers around your father, he only appears in the very beginning of the game and for a brief period in the third act. Tragic, really.
* In ''MassEffect'', Peter Jessup voices Sovereign for ''one'' scene, yet manages to freak out the entire fan community with a single, all-encompassing BadassBoast on behalf of the [[KillerRobot Reapers]];
-->'''Sovereign''': '''YOU EXIST BECAUSE WE ALLOW IT. AND YOU WILL END BECAUSE WE DEMAND IT.'''
** Two scenes.
--->'''"I AM SOVEREIGN. [[spoiler:AND THIS STATION IS MINE.]]"'''
* Lancer in ''FateStayNight''. He is the first enemy encountered in the game's introduction and does little but fight with Archer and all but kill Shirou, after which he spends most of the time in the background . He only gets a bit of spotlight [[spoiler:in Unlimited Blade Works when he helps Rin and Shirou by defeating Archer, rescues Rin and kills Kotomine and scares off Shinji all while ''missing his heart''. Oh, and inadvertedly saving Shirou post-humously by making Gilgamesh sooty]]. Outside of that he's basically the poster boy for TheWorfEffect, [[spoiler:being killed off by the TheDragon in the other two routes.]] Yet he's almost as [[{{Badass}} GAR]] as Archer for the fandom.
* Morgan Le Flay in ''Tales of MonkeyIsland: The Siege of Spinner Cay''.
** Does it count if she's supposed to be a main character in the next episode?
* King Harkinian from ''TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames'' appears far less often than his popularity in YoutubePoop suggests he does.
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[[folder:Web Original]]
* From ''{{Misfile}}'' [[http://www.misfile.com/index.php?page=1255 Doris]].
* In ''AVeryPotterMusical'', Molly Weasley and Rumbleroar are each in only one scene, but no one is likely to forget either of them.
* WhateleyUniverse example: Thorn, who only has two short bits in the book "There's an Angel in Dickinson cottage". He's already been listed and quoted elsewhere in this wiki, and not by [[MarvelGirl this troper]].
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[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Miss Kitty from Disney's ''TheGreatMouseDetective''. She's in the show for only one song, but... well, it's [[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=e2IctxaCPqw a very memorable]] one, and judging by the amount of [[http://blackrozepetal.deviantart.com/art/Let-me-be-good-to-you-91337723 fan]] [[http://tabbykat.deviantart.com/art/Let-me-Be-Good-To-You-80676729 material]] about her, quite a few people remembered as the most exciting part of the movie. Also, she has the ever-sexy voice of Melissa Manchester.
* To fill out the list, we have, yes, David Bowie, from his appearance in ''TheVentureBros''. He was David Bowie, except also shape-changing leader of a guild of supervillains. Not sure whether the voice actor was actually him though.
** It wasn't. They weren't able to get ahold of him in time to tape his voice before the episode was aired.
* Peggy Lee as Peg the dog in ''Lady and the Tramp''. Peg has just the one song, ''He's a Tramp''. But what a song! As Lee co-wrote all the songs and also voiced the Siamese Cats and Darling (Lady's owner) - and they get songs too despite little screen time - it's like several Wonders for the price of one.
* ''ChipAndDaleRescueRangers'' has plenty of them. Foxglove, the bat from "Good Times, Bat Times", appeared in only this one episode, but she seems to be part of a FanFic cast more often than not, she might have more fans than Monterey Jack, and she has even got a website dedicated to her. Tammy, the squirrelmaid from "Adventures in Squirrelsitting", comes in second. There are several more, the lab rat Sparky from "Does Pavlov Ring a Bell", for example, or even Gadget's EvilTwin Lahwhinie from "Gadget Goes Hawaiian" or Geegaw Hackwrench from "To the Rescue" part 3, only a portrait of whom is shown.
* In the ''{{Futurama}}'' episode, Less Than Hero, when Leela's father tells his buddies Leela's secret identity a faraway mutant with massive ears overhears. He tells his acquaintance, who literally has a massive mouth, not to spread it any further the large-mouthed mutants exclaims "GOTCHA!" Lately, this troper has been using this as a responce regularly.
** This is the same episode with the immortal Citizen Snips.
* Hank Scorpio only appeared in one episode of ''TheSimpsons'', but is a truly memorable DangerouslyGenreSavvy Bond villain parody who is also an excellent example of an AffablyEvil character.
* The Greedy, a sentient giant lake of taffy and candies who keeps eating himself, in ''RaggedyAnnAndAndyAMusicalAdventure''. He is a famous example of NightmareFuel in Western Animation.
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