History AllStarCast / LiveActionTV

* By its concept alone, ''Series/TheMaskedSinger'' is a who's-who of celebrities. Celebrities on the show include bonafide singers [[spoiler:like Music/{{Seal}}, Music/{{Jesse McCartney}}, Music/LeAnnRimes, Nick Lachey, [=Katherine McPhee=], Wilson Philips, Music/DebbieGibson and Music/{{Pentatonix}}]], hip-hop artists [[spoiler:like Music/TPain, Music/LilWayne, Music/BustaRhymes, Music/WizKhalifa and [[Music/GrandmasterFlashAndTheFuriousFive Grandmaster Flash]]]], [[LivingLegend living legends]] [[spoiler:such as Music/GladysKnight, Donny Osmond, Chaka Khan, Music/DionneWarwick, Music/BobbyBrown, Creator/WilliamShatner and Creator/DickVanDyke]], actors [[spoiler:such as Creator/DrewCarey, Creator/MickeyRourke, Creator/DannyTrejo, Creator/TyreseGibson, Kirstie Alley and Creator/HowieMandel]], athletes [[spoiler:like Terry Bradshaw, Tony Hawk, Rob Gronkowski, Mark Sanchez, Creator/CaitlynJenner, Jordan Mailata, George Foreman and Keenan Allen]], and other well-known people [[spoiler:which include Ninja, Creator/SarahPalin, Creator/PennAndTeller, Wrestling/ChrisJericho and even Kermit the Frog]]. Even the panel has its fair share of recognition, with the permanent panel having people like Creator/KenJeong and Music/NicoleScherzinger among their ranks, and guest panelists including Creator/AnthonyAnderson, Creator/JamieFoxx, Sharon Osbourne, Creator/GordonRamsay, Creator/CraigRobinson, Creator/RitaWilson, Music/WillIAm, Creator/AndrewLloydWebber and Miss Piggy.

* ''Series/OnlyMurdersInTheBuilding'' boasts Creator/SteveMartin, Creator/MartinShort, and Music/SelenaGomez as its leading cast members, with Creator/CaraDelevingne joining the main cast during season 2. The series also boasts an impressive roster of recurring actors that includes Creator/TinaFey, Creator/NathanLane, Creator/JaneLynch, Creator/AndreaMartin, Creator/DaVineJoyRandolph, Creator/MichaelRapaport, and Creator/JesseWilliams, with Creator/EugeneLevy, Creator/EvaLongoria, and Creator/MollyShannon set to join the upcoming season 4. Guest stars have included Creator/MatthewBroderick, Creator/MelBrooks, Creator/JimmyFallon, Creator/ShirleyMaclaine, Creator/AmySchumer, and Music/{{Sting}}. And is if if that somehow wasn't enough, Creator/PaulRudd, and ''Creator/MerylStreep'' appeared as Special Guests throughout season 3!

* Throughout the late-80's--early-90's, Creator/{{NBC}} produced a slew of TV movies geared toward the pre-teen--early-teen demographic--''[[https://youtu.be/NAVxOM2GBVE Crash Course]]'', ''[[https://youtu.be/dbI4HULM99g Class Cruise]]'', ''[[https://youtu.be/2F9lV6-uDas Camp Cucamonga]]'', ''[[https://youtu.be/lgzyWNKMJj4 Dream Date]]'' etc. The casts were a hodgepodge of stars of popular Creator/{{NBC}} series of the era, and even provided a little RetroactiveRecognition--[[Series/{{Friends}} Rachel]] appears in ''Camp Cucamonga'' and [[Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit Dr. Huang]] in ''Crash Course''. ''High School U.S.A.'' has [[Film/BackToTheFuture Marty [=McFly=] and his dad]] along with [[Series/{{ER}} Dr. Greene]]!

* By its concept alone, ''Series/TheMaskedSinger'' is a who's-who of celebrities. Celebrities on the show include bonafide singers [[spoiler:like Music/{{Seal}}, Music/{{Jesse McCartney}}, Music/LeAnnRimes, Nick Lachey, [=Katherine McPhee=], Wilson Philips, Music/DebbieGibson and Music/{{Pentatonix}}]], hip-hop artists [[spoiler:like Music/TPain, Music/LilWayne, Music/BustaRhymes, Music/WizKhalifa and [[Music/GrandmasterFlashAndTheFuriousFive Grandmaster Flash]]]], [[LivingLegend living legends]] [[spoiler:such as Music/GladysKnight, Donny Osmond, Chaka Khan, Music/DionneWarwick, Music/BobbyBrown, Creator/WilliamShatner and Creator/DickVanDyke]], actors [[spoiler:such as Creator/DrewCarey, Creator/MickeyRourke, Creator/DannyTrejo, Creator/TyreseGibson, Kirstie Alley and Creator/HowieMandel]], athletes [[spoiler:like Terry Bradshaw, Tony Hawk, Rob Gronkowski, Mark Sanchez, Creator/CaitlynJenner, Jordan Mailata, George Foreman and Keenan Allen]], and other well-known people [[spoiler:which include Ninja, Creator/SarahPalin, Creator/PennAndTeller, Wrestling/ChrisJericho and even Kermit the Frog]]. Even the panel has its fair share of recognition, with the permanent panel having people like Creator/KenJeong and Music/NicoleScherzinger among their ranks, and guest panelists including Creator/AnthonyAnderson, Creator/JamieFoxx, Sharon Osbourne, Creator/GordonRamsay, Creator/CraigRobinson, Creator/RitaWilson, Creator/AndrewLloydWebber and Miss Piggy.

* By its concept alone, ''Series/TheMaskedSinger'' is a who's-who of celebrities. Celebrities on the show include bonafide singers [[spoiler:like Music/{{Seal}}, Music/{{Jesse McCartney}}, Music/LeAnnRimes, Nick Lachey, [=Katherine McPhee=], Wilson Philips, Music/DebbieGibson and Music/{{Pentatonix}}]], hip-hop artists [[spoiler:like Music/TPain, Music/LilWayne, Music/BustaRhymes, Music/WizKhalifa and [[Music/GrandmasterFlashAndTheFuriousFive Grandmaster Flash]], [[LivingLegend living legends]] [[spoiler:such as Music/GladysKnight, Donny Osmond, Chaka Khan, Music/DionneWarwick, Music/BobbyBrown, Creator/WilliamShatner and Creator/DickVanDyke]], actors [[spoiler:such as Creator/DrewCarey, Creator/MickeyRourke, Creator/DannyTrejo, Creator/TyreseGibson, Kirstie Alley and Creator/HowieMandel]], athletes [[spoiler:like Terry Bradshaw, Tony Hawk, Rob Gronkowski, Mark Sanchez, Creator/CaitlynJenner, Jordan Mailata, George Foreman and Keenan Allen]], and other well-known people [[spoiler:which include Ninja, Creator/SarahPalin, Creator/PennAndTeller, Wrestling/ChrisJericho and even Kermit the Frog]]. Even the panel has its fair share of recognition, with the permanent panel having people like Creator/KenJeong and Music/NicoleScherzinger among their ranks, and guest panelists including Creator/AnthonyAnderson, Creator/JamieFoxx, Sharon Osbourne, Creator/GordonRamsay, Creator/CraigRobinson, Creator/RitaWilson, Creator/AndrewLloydWebber and Miss Piggy.

* By its concept alone, ''Series/TheMaskedSinger'' is a who's-who of celebrities. Celebrities on the show include bonafide singers [[spoiler:like Music/{{Jesse McCartney}}, Music/{{Seal}}, Music/LeAnnRimes and Nick Lachey]], hip-hop artists [[spoiler:like Music/TPain, Music/LilWayne, Music/BustaRhymes and Music/WizKhalifa]], [[LivingLegend living legends]] [[spoiler:such as Music/GladysKnight, Donny Osmond, Chaka Khan and Music/BobbyBrown]], actors [[spoiler:such as Creator/DrewCarey, Creator/MickeyRourke, Creator/DannyTrejo and Creator/TyreseGibson]], athletes [[spoiler:like Terry Bradshaw, Tony Hawk, Rob Gronkowski, Mark Sanchez and Creator/CaitlynJenner]], and other well-known people [[spoiler:which include Ninja, Creator/SarahPalin, and even Kermit the Frog]]. Even the panel has its fair share of recognition, with the permanent panel having people like Creator/KenJeong and Music/NicoleScherzinger among their ranks, and guest panelists including Creator/AnthonyAnderson, Creator/JamieFoxx, Sharon Osbourne, Creator/GordonRamsay, Creator/CraigRobinson, and Creator/RitaWilson.

* The 1992 made-for-TV production of Larry Gelbart's play ''Mastergate: A Play on Words'' (a fictionalized Senate hearing about the latest UsefulNotes/{{Washington|DC}} scandal) has to its credit Tim Reid, Marcia Strassman, Creator/BuckHenry, Richard Kiley, Creator/EdBegleyJr, Creator/DavidOgdenStiers, Henry Jones, Bruno Kirby, Ron Vawter, Creator/JerryOrbach, Creator/BenStein, Creator/KenHoward, Creator/PatMorita, Creator/JamesCoburn, Darren [=McGavin=], Robert Guillaume, Dennis Weaver, and Creator/BurgessMeredith.

* ''Series/{{Deadwood}}'' has a pretty blinding cast for a TV show - Creator/TimothyOlyphant, Creator/IanMcShane, Creator/PowersBoothe, Creator/JohnHawkes, Creator/BradDourif, Creator/KeithCarradine, Creator/JeffreyJones and Creator/TitusWelliver, with Creator/BrianCox, Creator/StephenTobolowsky, Creator/KristenBell and Garret Dillahunt appearing as guest stars.

* ''Series/TheDropout'' has, in addition to Creator/AmandaSeyfried as Elizabeth Holmes and Creator/NaveenAndrews as Sunny Balwani, Creator/WilliamHMacy, Creator/LaurieMetcalf, Creator/MichaelIronside, Creator/SamWaterston, and Creator/StephenFry.

* The 1992 made-for-TV production of Larry Gelbart's play ''Mastergate: A Play on Words'' (a fictionalized Senate hearing about the latest UsefulNotes//{{Washington|DC}} scandal) has to its credit Tim Reid, Marcia Strassman, Creator/BuckHenry, Richard Kiley, Creator/EdBegleyJr, Creator/DavidOgdenStiers, Henry Jones, Bruno Kirby, Ron Vawter, Creator/JerryOrbach, Creator/BenStein, Creator/KenHoward, Creator/PatMorita, Creator/JamesCoburn, Darren [=McGavin=], Robert Guillaume, Dennis Weaver, and Creator/BurgessMeredith.

* By its concept alone, ''Series/TheMaskedSinger'' is a who's-who of celebrities. Celebrities on the show include bonafide singers [[spoiler:like Music/{{Jesse McCartney}}, Music/{{Seal}}, Music/LeAnnRimes and Nick Lachey]], hip-hop artists [[spoiler:like Music/TPain, Music/LilWayne, Busta Rhymes and Music/WizKhalifa]], [[LivingLegend living legends]] [[spoiler:such as Music/GladysKnight, Donny Osmond, Chaka Khan and Music/BobbyBrown]], actors [[spoiler:such as Creator/DrewCarey, Creator/MickeyRourke, Creator/DannyTrejo and Creator/TyreseGibson]], athletes [[spoiler:like Terry Bradshaw, Tony Hawk, Rob Gronkowski, Mark Sanchez and Creator/CaitlynJenner]], and other well-known people [[spoiler:which include Ninja, Creator/SarahPalin, and even Kermit the Frog]]. Even the panel has its fair share of recognition, with the permanent panel having people like Creator/KenJeong and Music/NicoleScherzinger among their ranks, and guest panelists including Creator/AnthonyAnderson, Creator/JamieFoxx, Sharon Osbourne, Creator/GordonRamsay, Creator/CraigRobinson, and Creator/RitaWilson.

* The 1992 made-for-TV production of Larry Gelbart's play ''Mastergate: A Play on Words'' (a fictionalized Senate hearing about the latest Useful/{{Washington|DC}} scandal) has to its credit Creator/TimReid, Marcia Strassman, Creator/BuckHenry, Richard Kiley, Creator/EdBegleyJr, Creator/DavidOgdenStiers, Henry Jones, Bruno Kirby, Ron Vawter, Creator/JerryOrbach, Creator/BenStein, Creator/KenHoward, Creator/PatMorita, Creator/JamesCoburn, Darren [=McGavin=], Robert Guillaume, Dennis Weaver, and Creator/BurgessMeredith.

* Many British costume dramas fulfill this trope to the letter, though occasionally the names are unknown in Hollywood but considered major stars in Britain.
** The 2005 version of ''Series/BleakHouse'' starred, among others, Creator/GillianAnderson, Denis [[Franchise/StarWars "Wedge Antilles"]] Lawson, Creator/CharlesDance, Alun Armstrong, Pauline Collins, Ian Richardson and Anne Reid.
** ''Series/PrideAndPrejudice1995'' has Creator/ColinFirth, Alison Steadman, Julia Sawalha and Creator/EmiliaFox.
** The 2007 ''Series/{{Cranford}}'' has Dame Creator/JudiDench, Creator/MichaelGambon, Creator/ImeldaStaunton, Julia Sawalha, Creator/PhilipGlenister and Eileen Atkins, not to mention a host of beloved British character actors in supporting roles, among them Emma Fielding, Jim Carter, Deborah Findlay, Barbara Flynn, Greg Wise, and Francesca Annis. ''Return to Cranford'' upped the ante, adding names like Celia Imrie, Creator/TimCurry, Creator/JonathanPryce, Michelle Dockery, a pre-''Series/DoctorWho'' Creator/JodieWhittaker, and a pre-''Avengers'' Creator/TomHiddleston.
* ''Series/{{Deadwood}}'' has a pretty blinding cast for a TV show - Creator/TimothyOlyphant, Creator/IanMcShane, Creator/PowersBoothe, John Hawkes, Creator/BradDourif, Creator/KeithCarradine, Creator/JeffreyJones and Creator/TitusWelliver, with Creator/BrianCox, Creator/StephenTobolowsky, Creator/KristenBell and Garret Dillahunt appearing as guest stars.
* ''Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre'' featured many well-known actors and actresses. There's Creator/ShelleyDuvall herself, Creator/RobinWilliams, Creator/EricIdle, Creator/PaulReubens, Music/MickJagger, Howie Mandel, Creator/PeterWeller, Creator/BillyCrystal, and Creator/VincentPrice, to name a few. Directors of individual episodes included Creator/FrancisFordCoppola and Creator/TimBurton.
* ''Film/MotherGooseRockNRhyme'' is practically filled with name talent, most of them in cameos: Shelley Duvall (the female lead), Cyndi Lauper, Bobby Brown, Creator/WoodyHarrelson, Music/LittleRichard, Howie Mandel, Cheech Marin... In fact, protagonist Gordon seems to be the only major character to be played by a nobody (albeit in a role that was turned down by Jim Varney).
* Casting for ''Series/CriminalMinds'' tends to go this way. In the first two seasons, the cast had the drawing power of noted TV actors Creator/MandyPatinkin, Thomas Gibson and Shemar Moore (well-known in the soap world as Malcolm on ''Series/TheYoungAndTheRestless''). The second season saw the addition of TV veteran Paget Brewster, with the third season seeing Patinkin replaced by Joe Mantegna, with the eighth season seeing Brewster replaced by veteran actress Jeanne Tripplehorn (most famous previously for ''Film/BasicInstinct''). The show has also become a StarMakingRole for Matthew Gray Gubler. A lot of guest stars on the show- especially lately- are name actors, with Creator/WilWheaton, Creator/JasonAlexander, Teri Polo and Creator/MichelleTrachtenberg, among others, all making appearances.
* Zig-zagged with ''Series/{{Glee}}''. When the show started most of the main actors were mainly unknown, but as time went on they all became hugely popular. They've been flanked by a respectable supporting cast (mainly musical theatre people) that includes Mike O'Malley, Creator/IdinaMenzel, Creator/NeilPatrickHarris, Creator/CarolBurnett, Creator/WhoopiGoldberg, Creator/KristinChenoweth, Ken Jeong, Gloria Estefan and Music/RickyMartin.

* The 1992 made-for-TV production of Larry Gelbart's play ''Mastergate: A Play on Words'' (a fictionalized Senate hearing about the latest Washington scandal) has to its credit Tim Reid, Marcia Strassman, Buck Henry, Richard Kiley, Ed Begley Jr., Creator/DavidOgdenStiers, Henry Jones, Bruno Kirby, Ron Vawter, Creator/JerryOrbach, Creator/BenStein, Ken Howard, Creator/PatMorita, Creator/JamesCoburn, Darren [=McGavin=], Robert Guillaume, Dennis Weaver, and Creator/BurgessMeredith.
* Played straight with Ryan Murphy's newest project, ''Series/ScreamQueens2015'', which features (as of season 1) Creator/JamieLeeCurtis, Creator/EmmaRoberts, Creator/LeaMichele, Oliver Hudson, Music/KekePalmer, Creator/AbigailBreslin, Skyler Samuels, Music/NickJonas, Music/ArianaGrande, Creator/CharismaCarpenter and Creator/GracePhipps.

* ''Series/{{Damages}}'' has Creator/GlennClose, Creator/TedDanson, Creator/WilliamHurt, Creator/MarciaGayHarden, Campbell Scott, Creator/MartinShort, Creator/LilyTomlin and Creator/JohnGoodman as part of the regular cast at one point or another along with up and comer Creator/RoseByrne. That roster is enough to make the one off StuntCasting guest list of some series blush.

* While ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' is known for casting up-and-coming comedians, the 1984-1985 season was a rare case in which they primarily cast established comedians. New cast members for that season included Creator/BillyCrystal (already known for his role in ''Series/{{Soap}}'', and had ''hosted'' SNL before), Creator/ChristopherGuest (who had just starred in ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap''), Creator/HarryShearer (also in ''Spinal Tap'', but had also been on ''SNL'''s 1979-1980 season), Creator/MartinShort (''Series/{{SCTV}}''), Rich Hall (''Series/NotNecessarilyTheNews'', ''Fridays''), and Creator/PamelaStephenson (while still unknown in the United States, she had some success in the United Kingdom with ''Series/NotTheNineOClockNews''). While none of them were necessarily massive stars yet, they certainly stuck out compared to your average group of SNL newcomers.
* By its concept alone, ''Series/TheMaskedSinger'' is a who's-who of celebrities. Celebrities on the show include bonafide singers [[spoiler:like Music/JesseMccartney, Music/{{Seal}}, Music/LeAnnRimes and Nick Lachey]], hip-hop artists [[spoiler:like Music/TPain, Music/LilWayne, Busta Rhymes and Music/WizKhalifa]], [[LivingLegend living legends]] [[spoiler:such as Music/GladysKnight, Donny Osmond, Chaka Khan and Music/BobbyBrown]], actors [[spoiler:such as Creator/DrewCarey, Creator/MickeyRourke, Creator/DannyTrejo and Creator/TyreseGibson]], athletes [[spoiler:like Terry Bradshaw, Tony Hawk, Rob Gronkowski, Mark Sanchez and Creator/CaitlynJenner]], and other well-known people [[spoiler:which include Ninja, Creator/SarahPalin, and even Kermit the Frog]]. Even the panel has its fair share of recognition, with the permanent panel having people like Creator/KenJeong and Music/NicoleScherzinger among their ranks, and guest panelists including Creator/AnthonyAnderson, Creator/JamieFoxx, Sharon Osbourne, Creator/GordonRamsay, Creator/CraigRobinson, and Creator/RitaWilson.

** The 2007 ''Series/{{Cranford}}'' has Dame Creator/JudiDench, Creator/MichaelGambon, Creator/ImeldaStaunton, Julia Sawalha, Philip Glenister and Eileen Atkins, not to mention a host of beloved British character actors in supporting roles, among them Emma Fielding, Jim Carter, Deborah Findlay, Barbara Flynn, Greg Wise, and Francesca Annis. ''Return to Cranford'' upped the ante, adding names like Celia Imrie, Creator/TimCurry, Creator/JonathanPryce, Michelle Dockery, a pre-''Series/DoctorWho'' Creator/JodieWhittaker, and a pre-''Avengers'' Creator/TomHiddleston.

* The Creator/{{HBO}} miniseries version of ''Theatre/AngelsInAmerica'', with (among others) Creator/AlPacino, Creator/MerylStreep, Creator/PatrickWilson, Creator/JeffreyWright, Creator/MaryLouiseParker and Creator/EmmaThompson.