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** Creator/KoichiYamadera portrayed Tenshinhan for a few episodes in ''Dragon Ball Z'' when ''Creator/HirotakaSuzuoki'' was unavailable. He returned to the franchise over two decades later to play Beerus in the films ''[[Anime/DragonBallZBattleOfGods Battle Of Gods]]'' and [[Anime/DragonBallZResurrectionF Resurrection F]]'' and the TV series ''Anime/DragonBallSuper''.
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* Creator/KazukoYao played minor recurring villains Django and Mr. 2 Bon Clay in ''Manga/OnePiece'' before playing Franky, one of the members of the Straw Hat crew.
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* Creator/KazukoYao Creator/KazukiYao played minor recurring villains Django and Mr. 2 Bon Clay in ''Manga/OnePiece'' before playing Franky, one of the members of the Straw Hat crew.
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** Creator/NanaMizuki first portrayed Armony in the PS2 video game ''Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel'' before getting cast in the 2003 anime as Wrath and in ''Brotherhood'' as Lanfan.
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* Creator/KazukoYao played minor recurring villains Django and Mr. 2 Bon Clay in ''Manga/OnePiece'' before playing Franky, one of the members of the Straw Hat crew.
* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'':
** Creator/UnshoIshizuka played Huskisson, a StarterVillain in the film "Conquerer of Shambala" that continued from the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist 2003 anime]]. When ''Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood'', the anime that followed the original manga story closer, was made four years later, he portrayed Ed and Al's father, Hohenheim.
** In the English dub of the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist 2003 series]], Creator/KentWilliams played Majihal, a one-shot villain in the fourth episode. When Brotherhood was dubbed in English he played the main villain, Father.
* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'':
** Creator/UnshoIshizuka played Huskisson, a StarterVillain in the film "Conquerer of Shambala" that continued from the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist 2003 anime]]. When ''Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood'', the anime that followed the original manga story closer, was made four years later, he portrayed Ed and Al's father, Hohenheim.
** In the English dub of the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist 2003 series]], Creator/KentWilliams played Majihal, a one-shot villain in the fourth episode. When Brotherhood was dubbed in English he played the main villain, Father.
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** Dana Delany provided the voice of Bruce Wayne's love interest Andrea Beaumont in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanMaskOfThePhantasm'' before going on to do the voice of Lois Lane for ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' and ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague''.
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* ''Franchise/DragonBall'':
** Creator/ToshioFurukawa played minor villain General Blue during the Red Ribbon Army arc. He later returned to the franchise two years later as Goku's enemy turned eventual ally Piccolo.
** Creator/RyoHorikawa appears in one episode reprising his role as Charmy from ''Manga/DoctorSlump''. He showed up again one series later in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' as franchise mainstay Vegeta.
** Creator/TakeshiKusao is in an early filler episode of ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' as Pigero, a one-shot character who helps out Gohan. He returns over a hundred episodes later as BreakoutCharacter Trunks
** Creator/ToshioFurukawa played minor villain General Blue during the Red Ribbon Army arc. He later returned to the franchise two years later as Goku's enemy turned eventual ally Piccolo.
** Creator/RyoHorikawa appears in one episode reprising his role as Charmy from ''Manga/DoctorSlump''. He showed up again one series later in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' as franchise mainstay Vegeta.
** Creator/TakeshiKusao is in an early filler episode of ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' as Pigero, a one-shot character who helps out Gohan. He returns over a hundred episodes later as BreakoutCharacter Trunks
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* ''Series/TheBill'' is notable for several of its villains returning as regulars, due to the HeyItsThatGuy factor.
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* ''Series/TheBill'' is notable for several of its villains returning as regulars, due to the HeyItsThatGuy factor.regulars.
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[[folder:Anime]]
* In ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'', Creator/KanetoShiozawa voiced a [[CanonForeigner side character of the week]] named Dr. Duran several episodes before the debut of his iconic role as Rei.
[[/folder]]
* In ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'', Creator/KanetoShiozawa voiced a [[CanonForeigner side character of the week]] named Dr. Duran several episodes before the debut of his iconic role as Rei.
[[/folder]]
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* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse: Enver Gjokai cameoed in ''Film/TheAvengers'' as a NYPD cop. He was later cast as Daniel Sousa in the prequel series ''Series/AgentCarter'', with the producers joking that the cop is Sousa's IdenticalGrandson.
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* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse: Enver Gjokai cameoed in ''Film/TheAvengers'' ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' as a NYPD cop. He was later cast as Daniel Sousa in the prequel series ''Series/AgentCarter'', with the producers joking that the cop is Sousa's IdenticalGrandson.
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* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', Creator/MarkHamill had a one-off role as Ferris Boyle, the villain in "Heart of Ice", before being given the on-going role of the Joker.
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if they weren't regulars on the latter appearance, it's not this trope and belongs at You Look Familiar
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** Both Erin Way (Kat on ''Alphas'') and Ryan Cartwright (Gary Bell on ''Alphas'') would appear in the same episode of ''Warehouse 13'' as new characters.
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Example indentation. Examples should be based on what appears on the screen; this is not the place to propose fanwave justifications.
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* ''Series/{{Alphas}}''/''Series/{{Eureka}}''/''Series{{Warehouse 13}}'' Due to the crossover of Lindsay Wagner's Dr. Vanessa Calder from Warehouse 13 onto an episode of Alphas, and the multiple crossover episodes between Eureka and Warehouse 13, all three can be considered in the same universe, so when Laura Mennell originally appeared on Eureka as Dr. Rivers and was later recast as Alpha's main cast member Nina Theroux, she is one of the most obvious example, however not the only example.
** Another obvious recast is Saul Rubinek who was originally Dr. Carl Carlson on Eureka before becoming Artie Nielsen on Warehouse 13.
** Jane Moffat appeared on a Warehouse 13 Episode as Wanda before being in 8 episodes of Alphas as Sandra Bell
*** In inversions of this, Both Erin Way (Kat on Alphas) and Ryan Cartwright (Gary Bell on Alphas) would appear in the same episode of Warehouse 13 after Alphas cancellation, only Cartwright was now Oswald, though Way's Katerina could be theorized to be Kat with a new life after forgetting her time on Alphas or as Kat with her memories restored (but that is a trope of a different kind)
** Another obvious recast is Saul Rubinek who was originally Dr. Carl Carlson on Eureka before becoming Artie Nielsen on Warehouse 13.
** Jane Moffat appeared on a Warehouse 13 Episode as Wanda before being in 8 episodes of Alphas as Sandra Bell
*** In inversions of this, Both Erin Way (Kat on Alphas) and Ryan Cartwright (Gary Bell on Alphas) would appear in the same episode of Warehouse 13 after Alphas cancellation, only Cartwright was now Oswald, though Way's Katerina could be theorized to be Kat with a new life after forgetting her time on Alphas or as Kat with her memories restored (but that is a trope of a different kind)
to:
* ''Series/{{Alphas}}''/''Series/{{Eureka}}''/''Series{{Warehouse 13}}'' Due ''Series/{{Alphas}}''/''Series/{{Eureka}}''/''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'': (Due to the crossover of Lindsay Wagner's Dr. Vanessa Calder from Warehouse 13 ''Warehouse 13'' onto an episode of Alphas, ''Alphas'', and the multiple crossover episodes between Eureka ''Eureka'' and Warehouse 13, ''Warehouse 13'', all three can be considered in the same universe, so when universe.)
** Laura Mennell originally appeared onEureka ''Eureka'' as Dr. Rivers and was later recast as Alpha's ''Alphas'' main cast member Nina Theroux, she is one of the most obvious example, however not the only example.
Theroux.
**Another obvious recast is Saul Rubinek who was originally Dr. Carl Carlson on Eureka ''Eureka'' before becoming Artie Nielsen on Warehouse 13.
''Warehouse 13''.
** Jane Moffat appeared on aWarehouse 13 Episode ''Warehouse 13'' episode as Wanda before being in 8 eight episodes of Alphas ''Alphas'' as Sandra Bell
*** In inversions of this,Bell.
** Both Erin Way (Kat onAlphas) ''Alphas'') and Ryan Cartwright (Gary Bell on Alphas) ''Alphas'') would appear in the same episode of Warehouse 13 after Alphas cancellation, only Cartwright was now Oswald, though Way's Katerina could be theorized to be Kat with a ''Warehouse 13'' as new life after forgetting her time on Alphas or as Kat with her memories restored (but that is a trope of a different kind) characters.
** Laura Mennell originally appeared on
**
** Jane Moffat appeared on a
*** In inversions of this,
** Both Erin Way (Kat on
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* ''Series/{{Alphas}}''/''Series/{{Eureka}}''/''Series{{Warehouse 13}}'' Due to the crossover of Lindsay Wagner's Dr. Vanessa Calder from Warehouse 13 onto an episode of Alphas, and the multiple crossover episodes between Eureka and Warehouse 13, all three can be considered in the same universe, so when Laura Mennell originally appeared on Eureka as Dr. Rivers and was later recast as Alpha's main cast member Nina Theroux, she is the most obvious example, however not the only example.
to:
* ''Series/{{Alphas}}''/''Series/{{Eureka}}''/''Series{{Warehouse 13}}'' Due to the crossover of Lindsay Wagner's Dr. Vanessa Calder from Warehouse 13 onto an episode of Alphas, and the multiple crossover episodes between Eureka and Warehouse 13, all three can be considered in the same universe, so when Laura Mennell originally appeared on Eureka as Dr. Rivers and was later recast as Alpha's main cast member Nina Theroux, she is one of the most obvious example, however not the only example.example.
** Another obvious recast is Saul Rubinek who was originally Dr. Carl Carlson on Eureka before becoming Artie Nielsen on Warehouse 13.
** Another obvious recast is Saul Rubinek who was originally Dr. Carl Carlson on Eureka before becoming Artie Nielsen on Warehouse 13.
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* ''Series/{{Alphas}}''/''Series/{{Eureka}}''/''Series{{Warehouse 13}}'' Due to the crossover of Lindsay Wagner's Dr. Vanessa Calder from Warehouse 13 onto an episode of Alphas, and the multiple crossover episodes between Eureka and Warehouse 13, all three can be considered in the same universe, so when Laura Mennell originally appeared on Eureka as Dr. Rivers and was later recast as Alpha's main cast member Nina Theroux, she is the most obvious example, however not the only example.
** Jane Moffat appeared on a Warehouse 13 Episode as Wanda before being in 8 episodes of Alphas as Sandra Bell
*** In inversions of this, Both Erin Way (Kat on Alphas) and Ryan Cartwright (Gary Bell on Alphas) would appear in the same episode of Warehouse 13 after Alphas cancellation, only Cartwright was now Oswald, though Way's Katerina could be theorized to be Kat with a new life after forgetting her time on Alphas or as Kat with her memories restored (but that is a trope of a different kind)
** Jane Moffat appeared on a Warehouse 13 Episode as Wanda before being in 8 episodes of Alphas as Sandra Bell
*** In inversions of this, Both Erin Way (Kat on Alphas) and Ryan Cartwright (Gary Bell on Alphas) would appear in the same episode of Warehouse 13 after Alphas cancellation, only Cartwright was now Oswald, though Way's Katerina could be theorized to be Kat with a new life after forgetting her time on Alphas or as Kat with her memories restored (but that is a trope of a different kind)
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** Creator/PeterCapaldi, playing the 12th incarnation of the Doctor, appeared as the Roman nobleman Caecilius in an earlier episode. This is addressed InUniverse immediately following his regeneration and in the episode "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E5TheGirlWhoDied The Girl Who Died]]." In the latter, the Doctor sees it as his reminding himself that he can save people even when all hope seems lost.
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** Creator/PeterCapaldi, playing the 12th incarnation of the Doctor, appeared as the Roman nobleman Caecilius in an earlier episode. This is addressed InUniverse immediately following his regeneration and in the episode "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E5TheGirlWhoDied The Girl Who Died]]." In the latter, the Doctor sees it as his reminding himself that he can save people even when all hope seems lost. Capaldi also had a rather large role in ''Series/TorchwoodChildrenOfEarth'', a spin-off of ''Doctor Who''.
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** Michelle Forbes had a role in Season 4 of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' as an "Alien of the Week", beofer returning in Season 5 as semi-regular character Ensign Ro.
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** Michelle Forbes had a role in Season 4 of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' as an "Alien of the Week", beofer before returning in Season 5 as semi-regular character Ensign Ro.
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Michelle Forbes
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** Michelle Forbes had a role in Season 4 of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' as an "Alien of the Week", beofer returning in Season 5 as semi-regular character Ensign Ro.
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** Creator/PeterCapaldi, playing the 12th incarnation of the Doctor, appeared as the Roman nobleman Caecilius in an earlier episode.
to:
** Creator/PeterCapaldi, playing the 12th incarnation of the Doctor, appeared as the Roman nobleman Caecilius in an earlier episode. This is addressed InUniverse immediately following his regeneration and in the episode "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E5TheGirlWhoDied The Girl Who Died]]." In the latter, the Doctor sees it as his reminding himself that he can save people even when all hope seems lost.
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The first time I removed these, I accidentally hit the commit button before adding the edit reason \"Moved to discussion page\".
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** Creator/DavidTennant played a myriad of roles in the [[AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho Audio plays]] before becoming the Tenth Doctor.
** Creator/RichardEGrant played the Doctor in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoTheCurseOfFatalDeath Curse of Fatal Death]]'' and ''WebAnimation/ScreamOfTheShalka'', which was his 'extra' role before more famously/recently playing an incarnation of [[Characters/DoctorWhoVillains The Great Intelligence]] as Dr Simeon.
** Jimmy Vee and Ruari Mears both played several characters but their most famous roles are the Graske (of ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'') and Bannakaffalatta, and Elder Ood, respectively.
** Paul Kasey will have played at least one of just about every monster since [[Recap/DoctorWhoNSS1E1Rose the very first episode of the revival]] in 2005. He was cast as recognisable Ood Sigma in 2008 and reprised the role for several years.
** Silas Carson played an Alien in 2005 and Kudlak in 2007, then became the recurring voice of the Ood.
** Creator/RichardEGrant played the Doctor in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoTheCurseOfFatalDeath Curse of Fatal Death]]'' and ''WebAnimation/ScreamOfTheShalka'', which was his 'extra' role before more famously/recently playing an incarnation of [[Characters/DoctorWhoVillains The Great Intelligence]] as Dr Simeon.
** Jimmy Vee and Ruari Mears both played several characters but their most famous roles are the Graske (of ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'') and Bannakaffalatta, and Elder Ood, respectively.
** Paul Kasey will have played at least one of just about every monster since [[Recap/DoctorWhoNSS1E1Rose the very first episode of the revival]] in 2005. He was cast as recognisable Ood Sigma in 2008 and reprised the role for several years.
** Silas Carson played an Alien in 2005 and Kudlak in 2007, then became the recurring voice of the Ood.
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removed without reason, and I can\'t see how they don\'t count (I haven\'t re-added some questionable deletions)
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** Creator/DavidTennant played a myriad of roles in the [[AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho Audio plays]] before becoming the Tenth Doctor.
** Creator/RichardEGrant played the Doctor in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoTheCurseOfFatalDeath Curse of Fatal Death]]'' and ''WebAnimation/ScreamOfTheShalka'', which was his 'extra' role before more famously/recently playing an incarnation of [[Characters/DoctorWhoVillains The Great Intelligence]] as Dr Simeon.
** Jimmy Vee and Ruari Mears both played several characters but their most famous roles are the Graske (of ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'') and Bannakaffalatta, and Elder Ood, respectively.
** Paul Kasey will have played at least one of just about every monster since [[Recap/DoctorWhoNSS1E1Rose the very first episode of the revival]] in 2005. He was cast as recognisable Ood Sigma in 2008 and reprised the role for several years.
** Silas Carson played an Alien in 2005 and Kudlak in 2007, then became the recurring voice of the Ood.
** Creator/RichardEGrant played the Doctor in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoTheCurseOfFatalDeath Curse of Fatal Death]]'' and ''WebAnimation/ScreamOfTheShalka'', which was his 'extra' role before more famously/recently playing an incarnation of [[Characters/DoctorWhoVillains The Great Intelligence]] as Dr Simeon.
** Jimmy Vee and Ruari Mears both played several characters but their most famous roles are the Graske (of ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'') and Bannakaffalatta, and Elder Ood, respectively.
** Paul Kasey will have played at least one of just about every monster since [[Recap/DoctorWhoNSS1E1Rose the very first episode of the revival]] in 2005. He was cast as recognisable Ood Sigma in 2008 and reprised the role for several years.
** Silas Carson played an Alien in 2005 and Kudlak in 2007, then became the recurring voice of the Ood.
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** Erica Carroll initially played a nurse in a one-off role in an early season, and then was brought back playing an angel named Hannah in season 9.
** Tyler Johnson played a kid in season 1 episode Bugs, and then later played recurring angel Samandriel.
** Tyler Johnson played a kid in season 1 episode Bugs, and then later played recurring angel Samandriel.
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* ''Series/NewTricks'': Tamzin Outhwaite replaced Amanda Redman as the squad boss for the last episodes, after having already appeared as a suspect long before. The ''guilty'' suspect, no less.
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Markup error
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** Diana Muldaur was a guest star in two ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episodes (in different roles) before becoming the regular Dr. Pulaski in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration.
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** Diana Muldaur was a guest star in two ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episodes (in different roles) before becoming the regular Dr. Pulaski in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration.''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''.
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** On ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', before playing the Joker, Creator/MarkHamill played the role of the CorruptCorporateExecutive that was responsible for Victor Fries's accident.
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** On ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', before playing the Joker, Creator/MarkHamill played the role of the CorruptCorporateExecutive that was responsible for Victor Fries's accident. This example crosses over with TheOtherMarty, as Joker had already had voice work recorded by Creator/TimCurry, but it had to be replaced because doing so hurt his throat.
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from You Look Familiar
The use of the same actor for different characters is typically intended to go unnoticed or at least unremarked. Ed Wasser played Shadow minion Morden in ''Series/BabylonFive'' but also appeared in the series pilot as a character credited as Guerra. Since that series was so intricately plotted, fans wondered if the Shadows were influencing events as far back as the pilot. No, said [[WordOfGod series creator]] Creator/JMichaelStraczynski, they just liked the actor's work in the pilot and cast him in a recurring role.
Spin-off shows will often encounter this, as the producers find actors they like for the new show.
Spin-off shows will often encounter this, as the producers find actors they like for the new show.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' and ''Series/{{Angel}}'':
** Tom Lenk, known for playing Andrew in the evil geek trio during ''Buffy''[='=]s sixth season (and beyond), originally appeared in a bit part as one of Harmony's vampire minions.
** Andy Hallett, best known as Lorne from ''Angel'', was originally an extra in the ''Buffy'' episode "Hush".
* ''Franchise/{{CSI}}'': ''Series/{{CSI NY}}'' regulars Carmine Giovinazzo and A.J. Buckley had each previously appeared in a one-off role in original-flavor ''Series/{{CSI}}''.
* Franchise/{{DCAU}}:
** On ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', before playing the Joker, Creator/MarkHamill played the role of the CorruptCorporateExecutive that was responsible for Victor Fries's accident.
** Creator/RonPerlman, who voices Clayface, also voiced a random thug (called "Driller") in the episode "P.O.V."
** Creator/CarlLumbly had a couple of guest spots in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' and voiced Stalker on ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' before voicing the Martian Manhunter in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague''.
** Tom Lenk, known for playing Andrew in the evil geek trio during ''Buffy''[='=]s sixth season (and beyond), originally appeared in a bit part as one of Harmony's vampire minions.
** Andy Hallett, best known as Lorne from ''Angel'', was originally an extra in the ''Buffy'' episode "Hush".
* ''Franchise/{{CSI}}'': ''Series/{{CSI NY}}'' regulars Carmine Giovinazzo and A.J. Buckley had each previously appeared in a one-off role in original-flavor ''Series/{{CSI}}''.
* Franchise/{{DCAU}}:
** On ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', before playing the Joker, Creator/MarkHamill played the role of the CorruptCorporateExecutive that was responsible for Victor Fries's accident.
** Creator/RonPerlman, who voices Clayface, also voiced a random thug (called "Driller") in the episode "P.O.V."
** Creator/CarlLumbly had a couple of guest spots in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' and voiced Stalker on ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' before voicing the Martian Manhunter in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague''.
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** Some of the ''[[TheNthDoctor actual Doctors]]'' were guests before having main roles:
*** Creator/PeterCapaldi, playing the 12th incarnation of the Doctor, appeared as the Roman nobleman Caecilius in an earlier episode.
*** Creator/ColinBaker guests in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS20E1ArcOfInfinity Arc of Infinity]]'' as Commander Maxil who is an antagonist of the Fifth Doctor about two years before being cast as Doctor number six.
*** Creator/PeterCapaldi, playing the 12th incarnation of the Doctor, appeared as the Roman nobleman Caecilius in an earlier episode.
*** Creator/ColinBaker guests in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS20E1ArcOfInfinity Arc of Infinity]]'' as Commander Maxil who is an antagonist of the Fifth Doctor about two years before being cast as Doctor number six.
to:
** Some of the ''[[TheNthDoctor actual Doctors]]'' were guests before having main roles:
***Creator/PeterCapaldi, playing the 12th incarnation of the Doctor, appeared as the Roman nobleman Caecilius in an earlier episode.
*** ** Creator/ColinBaker guests in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS20E1ArcOfInfinity Arc of Infinity]]'' as Commander Maxil who is an antagonist of the Fifth Doctor about two years before being cast as Doctor number six.
***
** Peter Purves played two different characters in the ''same serial'' ("The Chase") - FakeAmerican Morton Dill and new companion Steven Taylor.
** Jean Marsh played Richard the Lionheart's sister in "The Crusades" before becoming one of the Doctor's travelling companions in "The Daleks' Master Plan".
** Ian Marter played Lieutenant Andrews in "Carnival of Monsters" before joining the regular cast as Harry Sullivan in "Robot".
** Lalla Ward played an alien princess whom Romana liked so much that she modelled her next regeneration on her.
** John Levene first appeared in the Troughton-era episodes "The Abominable Snowman" and "The Web of Fear", and then appeared as UNIT soldier Sgt. Benton in "The Invasion", becoming a regular cast member for most of the Pertwee era. A bit less noticeable than other examples as in the first two stories he was [[PeopleInRubberSuits dressed in a Yeti suit]].
* ''Series/{{JAG}}''/''Series/{{NCIS}}'':
** Catherine Bell was originally cast as Harmon Rabb's girlfriend who is murdered in a first-season episode of ''JAG'', which never aired during the U.S. network run due to cancellation of the show by NBC. When CBS picked up the series, Bell was cast as the new female lead Sarah "Mac" Mackenzie. Harmon Rabb acts like he's seen a ghost when she is introduced to him, and we later learn why in a WholeEpisodeFlashback incorporating the original episode.
** Sean Murray first appeared on ''JAG'' as a one shot character named Ensign Terry Guitry; he then had a five-episode arc as Danny Walden a couple years later. A few years later, he joined its ''NCIS'' as Special Agent Timothy [=McGee=].
** Michael Bellisario played two minor roles on ''JAG'' before being cast as major recurrer Mikey Roberts, then also appeared on 4 episodes of ''NCIS'' as Chip Sterling, Abby's assistant.
** Jean Marsh played Richard the Lionheart's sister in "The Crusades" before becoming one of the Doctor's travelling companions in "The Daleks' Master Plan".
** Ian Marter played Lieutenant Andrews in "Carnival of Monsters" before joining the regular cast as Harry Sullivan in "Robot".
** Lalla Ward played an alien princess whom Romana liked so much that she modelled her next regeneration on her.
** John Levene first appeared in the Troughton-era episodes "The Abominable Snowman" and "The Web of Fear", and then appeared as UNIT soldier Sgt. Benton in "The Invasion", becoming a regular cast member for most of the Pertwee era. A bit less noticeable than other examples as in the first two stories he was [[PeopleInRubberSuits dressed in a Yeti suit]].
* ''Series/{{JAG}}''/''Series/{{NCIS}}'':
** Catherine Bell was originally cast as Harmon Rabb's girlfriend who is murdered in a first-season episode of ''JAG'', which never aired during the U.S. network run due to cancellation of the show by NBC. When CBS picked up the series, Bell was cast as the new female lead Sarah "Mac" Mackenzie. Harmon Rabb acts like he's seen a ghost when she is introduced to him, and we later learn why in a WholeEpisodeFlashback incorporating the original episode.
** Sean Murray first appeared on ''JAG'' as a one shot character named Ensign Terry Guitry; he then had a five-episode arc as Danny Walden a couple years later. A few years later, he joined its ''NCIS'' as Special Agent Timothy [=McGee=].
** Michael Bellisario played two minor roles on ''JAG'' before being cast as major recurrer Mikey Roberts, then also appeared on 4 episodes of ''NCIS'' as Chip Sterling, Abby's assistant.
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** Jerry Orbach first appeared on ''Law & Order'' as a one-off character before later being cast as Lennie Briscoe.
** Raul Esparza appeared as the perp of the week in an episode of ''LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' before becoming ADA Rafael Barba on ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''.
** Raul Esparza appeared as the perp of the week in an episode of ''LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' before becoming ADA Rafael Barba on ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''.
to:
** Jerry Orbach first appeared on ''Law & Order'' as a one-off character character, a defense lawyer, before later being cast as Lennie Briscoe.
** Raul Esparza appeared as the perp of the week in an episode of''LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' before becoming ADA Rafael Barba on ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''.
** Raul Esparza appeared as the perp of the week in an episode of
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** Ned Eisenberg played two one-off characters on ''Series/LawAndOrderSVU'' before being cast as one of the most common defense attorneys, Roger Kressler. This also overlapped in time with stints as two one-off characters on LawAndOrderCriminalIntent and a rare recurring attorney on the original LawAndOrder.
to:
** Ned Eisenberg played two one-off characters on ''Series/LawAndOrderSVU'' before being cast as one of the most common defense attorneys, Roger Kressler. This also overlapped in time with stints as two one-off characters on LawAndOrderCriminalIntent ''Criminal Intent'' and a rare recurring attorney on the original LawAndOrder. ''Law & Order''.
** S. Epatha Merkerson had a small one-off role as a cleaning lady in the first season of ''Law & Order'', then was cast in the recurring role of Lt. Anita Van Buren beginning in season four.
** Jeremy Sisto played a one-off role as a defense lawyer in the final episode of season 17 before making his debut as Detective Cyrus Lupo in the first episode of season 18.
** Diane Neal, who played ADA Casey Novak in seasons 5-9 of SVU, previously appeared as a rapist and murderer two seasons earlier.
** Anthony Anderson appeared as a different cop on ''SVU'' before being cast as Detective Kevin Bernard in ''Law & Order''.
** Annie Parisse had a one-off role a few years before becoming a regular as ADA Alexandra Borgia.
** Milena Govich had a one-off role on ''Law & Order'' preceding ''two'' regular roles in the franchise: first as ADA Jessica Rossi in the short-lived ''Series/{{Conviction}}'', then back in ''L&O'' as Detective Nina Cassaday.
** Annabella Sciorra played a defense lawyer in ''Series/LawAndOrderTrialByJury'' before being cast as Carolyn Barek on ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent''.
** Creator/BebeNeuwirth appeared as a one-shot character in ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''. Six years later she was cast as [=EADA=] Tracey Kibre, the lead character on ''Series/LawAndOrderTrialByJury''.
** Jay O. Sanders played a Killer-Of-The-Week in one episode of ''Criminal Intent'' before playing Cpt. Hannah in the final season.
** Jeremy Sisto played a one-off role as a defense lawyer in the final episode of season 17 before making his debut as Detective Cyrus Lupo in the first episode of season 18.
** Diane Neal, who played ADA Casey Novak in seasons 5-9 of SVU, previously appeared as a rapist and murderer two seasons earlier.
** Anthony Anderson appeared as a different cop on ''SVU'' before being cast as Detective Kevin Bernard in ''Law & Order''.
** Annie Parisse had a one-off role a few years before becoming a regular as ADA Alexandra Borgia.
** Milena Govich had a one-off role on ''Law & Order'' preceding ''two'' regular roles in the franchise: first as ADA Jessica Rossi in the short-lived ''Series/{{Conviction}}'', then back in ''L&O'' as Detective Nina Cassaday.
** Annabella Sciorra played a defense lawyer in ''Series/LawAndOrderTrialByJury'' before being cast as Carolyn Barek on ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent''.
** Creator/BebeNeuwirth appeared as a one-shot character in ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''. Six years later she was cast as [=EADA=] Tracey Kibre, the lead character on ''Series/LawAndOrderTrialByJury''.
** Jay O. Sanders played a Killer-Of-The-Week in one episode of ''Criminal Intent'' before playing Cpt. Hannah in the final season.
* ''Franchise/StargateVerse'':
** Paul [=McGillion=], who played the main/reoccuring character Carson Beckett on ''Series/StargateAtlantis'', had previously played Ernest Littlefield, the first 20th century human to use the Stargate, in flashbacks in the first season of ''Series/StargateSG1''.
** In ''Atlantis'', Jewel Staite plays a Wraith in season 2's "Instinct". In season 4 she returns as Dr. Keller.
** Peter Kelamis played a scientist and an alien news anchor, Mark Burgess played Wraith's victim before they became recurring ''Series/StargateUniverse'' characters.
** Paul [=McGillion=], who played the main/reoccuring character Carson Beckett on ''Series/StargateAtlantis'', had previously played Ernest Littlefield, the first 20th century human to use the Stargate, in flashbacks in the first season of ''Series/StargateSG1''.
** In ''Atlantis'', Jewel Staite plays a Wraith in season 2's "Instinct". In season 4 she returns as Dr. Keller.
** Peter Kelamis played a scientist and an alien news anchor, Mark Burgess played Wraith's victim before they became recurring ''Series/StargateUniverse'' characters.
** Armin Shimerman played a Betazoid gift box and two Ferengi in ''Next Gen'' before becoming Quark in ''Deep Space Nine''.
** Max Grodenchik, best known for playing Quark's brother Rom, also played a couple of Ferengi in ''Next Gen'', as well as a Trill in a deleted scene from TheMovie ''Star Trek: Insurrection'', and an unnamed human in the ''Deep Space Nine'' finale.
** Ethan Phillips played a Ferengi in an episode of ''The Next Generation'' before playing Neelix on ''Voyager''. In the episode "False Profits", Neelix disguises himself as a Ferengi. Gee, wonder where they got that idea.
** Max Grodenchik, best known for playing Quark's brother Rom, also played a couple of Ferengi in ''Next Gen'', as well as a Trill in a deleted scene from TheMovie ''Star Trek: Insurrection'', and an unnamed human in the ''Deep Space Nine'' finale.
** Ethan Phillips played a Ferengi in an episode of ''The Next Generation'' before playing Neelix on ''Voyager''. In the episode "False Profits", Neelix disguises himself as a Ferengi. Gee, wonder where they got that idea.
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* ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow''. Howard Morris is an aversion of this: he was already the mischevious, rock-throwing and window-breaking mountain nut Ernest T. Bass, however in one episode, he randomly appeared as a mild-mannered, and soft-spoken TV repairman.
to:
* ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow''. ''Series/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood'' reused actors all the time. The most frequent was Paul Eddington, who played dozens of different roles over the show's five-year run - and combined this trope with TheOtherDarrin in 1959, when Will Scarlet (hitherto an occasional guest character played by Ron Howard) was promoted to a regular character played by Eddington.
* In the ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' episode "Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood", Vincent Gardenia plays Archie's neighbor who sells his house to the Jeffersons. In "The Bunkers and the Swingers", a swinger couple is played by Gardenia and Rue [=McClanahan=]. Gardenia would appear in the recurring role of Frank Lorenzo from the next season. [=McClanahan=] would later appear as Maude's friend, Vivian in ''Series/{{Maude}}'', which was a SpinOff of ''All in the Family''.
* ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow'':
** In the PoorlyDisguisedPilot that appeared on ''Make Room For Daddy'', Frances Bavier, who played Aunt Bee in the regular series, portrayed Mayberry citizen Henrietta Perkins in the pilot episode.
** Jack Dodson appeared in one Season 6 episode as an insurance agent before taking on the role of county clerk Howard Sprague the following season.
** Howard Morris is an aversion of this: he was already the mischevious, rock-throwing and window-breaking mountain nut Ernest T. Bass, however in one episode, he randomly appeared as a mild-mannered, and soft-spoken TVrepairman. repairman.
* On ''Series/ANTFarm'', Winter Maddox, the [=ANTs=] "Den Mother" in Season 3 was Madam Goo Goo, a one-shot character in Season 1 who was a Music/LadyGaga clone.
* Patrick Newell had brief roles in ''Series/TheAvengers'' episodes "The Town of No Return" and "Something Nasty in the Nursery" before playing Mother in the show's final season.
* ''Series/BabylonFive'':
** Ed Wasser appeared in the pilot movie as a crewman on the Babylon 5 command deck, before being cast in a regular role as Shadow minion Morden.
** Robin Atkin Downes played a Minbari in ''In The Beginning'', and had a regular role as the rebel telepath Byron in season five.
* In the ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' episode "Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood", Vincent Gardenia plays Archie's neighbor who sells his house to the Jeffersons. In "The Bunkers and the Swingers", a swinger couple is played by Gardenia and Rue [=McClanahan=]. Gardenia would appear in the recurring role of Frank Lorenzo from the next season. [=McClanahan=] would later appear as Maude's friend, Vivian in ''Series/{{Maude}}'', which was a SpinOff of ''All in the Family''.
* ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow'':
** In the PoorlyDisguisedPilot that appeared on ''Make Room For Daddy'', Frances Bavier, who played Aunt Bee in the regular series, portrayed Mayberry citizen Henrietta Perkins in the pilot episode.
** Jack Dodson appeared in one Season 6 episode as an insurance agent before taking on the role of county clerk Howard Sprague the following season.
** Howard Morris is an aversion of this: he was already the mischevious, rock-throwing and window-breaking mountain nut Ernest T. Bass, however in one episode, he randomly appeared as a mild-mannered, and soft-spoken TV
* On ''Series/ANTFarm'', Winter Maddox, the [=ANTs=] "Den Mother" in Season 3 was Madam Goo Goo, a one-shot character in Season 1 who was a Music/LadyGaga clone.
* Patrick Newell had brief roles in ''Series/TheAvengers'' episodes "The Town of No Return" and "Something Nasty in the Nursery" before playing Mother in the show's final season.
* ''Series/BabylonFive'':
** Ed Wasser appeared in the pilot movie as a crewman on the Babylon 5 command deck, before being cast in a regular role as Shadow minion Morden.
** Robin Atkin Downes played a Minbari in ''In The Beginning'', and had a regular role as the rebel telepath Byron in season five.
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* ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'' notably has two:
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* ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'' notably has two: ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'':
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** The first appearance of Alice Ghostly was as a maid, Naomi Hogan, before she appeared regularly as Esmeralda.
* ''Series/TheBill'' is notable for several of its villains returning as regulars, due to the HeyItsThatGuy factor.
* ''Series/TheBill'' is notable for several of its villains returning as regulars, due to the HeyItsThatGuy factor.
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* Rebecca Breeds plays Cassie Cometti in season 3 of ''Series/BlueWaterHigh'', but she made her first appearance in season 2, episode 3 as Tina.
* John Larroquette guest starred several times on ''Series/ThePractice'' as MagnificentBastard Joey Heric. A few years later, he became a regular on the show's spin-off, ''Series/BostonLegal'', playing senior partner Carl Sack.
* John Larroquette guest starred several times on ''Series/ThePractice'' as MagnificentBastard Joey Heric. A few years later, he became a regular on the show's spin-off, ''Series/BostonLegal'', playing senior partner Carl Sack.
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* ''Series/{{Charmed}}'': Rebecca Balding, who plays Phoebe's newspaper boss Elise, was the aunt of a young witch in the Season 1 episode "The Fourth Sister".
* ''Series/{{CHiPs}}''. Randi Oaks played a car thief named Kim Balford in the Season 2 episode "Down Time" and joined the cast as officer Bonnie Clark at the beginning of Season 3.
* In ''Series/{{Community}}'', Paget Brewster appears in the Season 5 episode "Analysis of Cork-Based Networking" as IT Admin Debra Chambers before taking the role of Season 6 cast regular Frankie Dart.
* Garret Dillahunt played the coward Jack [=McCall=] on the first season of ''{{Series/Deadwood}}'', then came back the next season to play Francis Woolcott. [=McCall=] was, however, featured in five episodes, and was a very memorable character, which is probably why Dillahunt grew a beard for playing Wolcott, to lessen the visual similarities between the two characters.
* ''Series/{{ER}}'':
** J.P. Manoux played an unnamed mime in a 1996 episode, then was cast as Dr. Crenshaw a full decade later.
** Vondie Curtis Hall appeared as a transvestite in S1. He reappeared a few seasons later as a recast version of Roger, stepfather to Benton's son.
** Justina Machado appeared as a one-off character in a 1997 episode ("Ambush"). Twelve years later, she returned as recurring character Claudia Diaz, who ends up dating (and, it is stated, eventually marrying) Dr. Archie Morris.
** Troy Evans appeared as an unnamed cop being treated by Carter in the pilot episode, before returning in a recurring role as desk clerk Frank from Series 6 onwards. It was established that Frank was an ex-cop, so they could conceivably have been the same person.
* ''Series/{{CHiPs}}''. Randi Oaks played a car thief named Kim Balford in the Season 2 episode "Down Time" and joined the cast as officer Bonnie Clark at the beginning of Season 3.
* In ''Series/{{Community}}'', Paget Brewster appears in the Season 5 episode "Analysis of Cork-Based Networking" as IT Admin Debra Chambers before taking the role of Season 6 cast regular Frankie Dart.
* Garret Dillahunt played the coward Jack [=McCall=] on the first season of ''{{Series/Deadwood}}'', then came back the next season to play Francis Woolcott. [=McCall=] was, however, featured in five episodes, and was a very memorable character, which is probably why Dillahunt grew a beard for playing Wolcott, to lessen the visual similarities between the two characters.
* ''Series/{{ER}}'':
** J.P. Manoux played an unnamed mime in a 1996 episode, then was cast as Dr. Crenshaw a full decade later.
** Vondie Curtis Hall appeared as a transvestite in S1. He reappeared a few seasons later as a recast version of Roger, stepfather to Benton's son.
** Justina Machado appeared as a one-off character in a 1997 episode ("Ambush"). Twelve years later, she returned as recurring character Claudia Diaz, who ends up dating (and, it is stated, eventually marrying) Dr. Archie Morris.
** Troy Evans appeared as an unnamed cop being treated by Carter in the pilot episode, before returning in a recurring role as desk clerk Frank from Series 6 onwards. It was established that Frank was an ex-cop, so they could conceivably have been the same person.
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* ''Series/{{Frasier}}'':
** John Mahoney (Martin) appeared as hack songwriter Sy Flemback in the canonically related ''Series/{{Cheers}}''.
** Peri Gilpin (Roz) appeared in ''Cheers'' as a reporter and in ''Series/{{Wings}}'' (where Frasier once appeared) as a blind date.
* ''Series/{{Friends}}'':
** Giovanni Ribisi played a teenager who accidentally dropped a condom in Phoebe's guitar case, about half a season before he was cast as Phoebe's half-brother.
** June Gable played a nurse in episode 23 before picking up a recurring role as Joey's agent Estelle.
* Jennifer Coolidge and Adam Goldberg guest starred on ''Friends''. Both ended up in regular roles on ''Series/{{Joey}}''; the latter, though, was more of a recurring role.
* In ''Series/GameOfThrones'', Dean Charles Chapman played the small role of Martyn Lannister in Season 3 before taking over the role of Tommen Baratheon in Season 4, making for a case of an actor being both TheOtherDarrin and RecastAsARegular. While this isn't addressed in the series itself, Tommen and Martyn are actually first cousins (once removed) in a family wrought with KissingCousins and BrotherSisterIncest, so this could be used to explain the [[StrongFamilyResemblance strong resemblance]].
** John Mahoney (Martin) appeared as hack songwriter Sy Flemback in the canonically related ''Series/{{Cheers}}''.
** Peri Gilpin (Roz) appeared in ''Cheers'' as a reporter and in ''Series/{{Wings}}'' (where Frasier once appeared) as a blind date.
* ''Series/{{Friends}}'':
** Giovanni Ribisi played a teenager who accidentally dropped a condom in Phoebe's guitar case, about half a season before he was cast as Phoebe's half-brother.
** June Gable played a nurse in episode 23 before picking up a recurring role as Joey's agent Estelle.
* Jennifer Coolidge and Adam Goldberg guest starred on ''Friends''. Both ended up in regular roles on ''Series/{{Joey}}''; the latter, though, was more of a recurring role.
* In ''Series/GameOfThrones'', Dean Charles Chapman played the small role of Martyn Lannister in Season 3 before taking over the role of Tommen Baratheon in Season 4, making for a case of an actor being both TheOtherDarrin and RecastAsARegular. While this isn't addressed in the series itself, Tommen and Martyn are actually first cousins (once removed) in a family wrought with KissingCousins and BrotherSisterIncest, so this could be used to explain the [[StrongFamilyResemblance strong resemblance]].
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* A first-season episode of ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'' featured Harold Gould as Rose's date, Arnie, long before he became a recurring character as Rose's steady boyfriend Miles.
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** Lynda Goodfriend was cast as Richie's date Kim a good while before being brought back as his girlfriend-turned-wife Lori Beth Allen in season five.
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* Conchata Ferrell played the main character's ex-wife's lesbian lover in one episode of the first season of ''Series/HeartsAfire'', but she joined the series as a regular in the second season, playing straight-as-an-arrow Madeline. Both characters were therapists, but otherwise had no connection.
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* On ''Series/HomeImprovement'', Debbe Dunning played a one-off role in the season two episode "Overactive Glance" before she started playing Heidi in season three.
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* ''Series/{{MacGyver}}'':
* Elyssa Davalos appears as a (presumably) Baltic love interest of [=MacGyver=] in the two-part S3 opener. Less than a month later, she appears again as Nikki Carpenter and appears in four further episodes.
** Dana Elcar (the guy who plays Mac's boss, Pete) appeared in the pilot episode, as a different character named Andy Colson.
* ''Series/MagnumPI'':
** Lance [=LeGault=] appeared as Delta Agent John W. Newton, then returned as recurring character Colonel Buck Greene for several episodes.
** Kathleen Lloyd played a client of Magnum's then returned as recurring character D.A. Carol Baldwin for several seasons.
* ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'': Ted [=McGinley=] appeared in the Season 4 ChristmasEpisode "It's a Bundyful Life" as Peggy's "alternate history" husband, before joining the regular cast as Jefferson D'Arcy the following season.
* Elyssa Davalos appears as a (presumably) Baltic love interest of [=MacGyver=] in the two-part S3 opener. Less than a month later, she appears again as Nikki Carpenter and appears in four further episodes.
** Dana Elcar (the guy who plays Mac's boss, Pete) appeared in the pilot episode, as a different character named Andy Colson.
* ''Series/MagnumPI'':
** Lance [=LeGault=] appeared as Delta Agent John W. Newton, then returned as recurring character Colonel Buck Greene for several episodes.
** Kathleen Lloyd played a client of Magnum's then returned as recurring character D.A. Carol Baldwin for several seasons.
* ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'': Ted [=McGinley=] appeared in the Season 4 ChristmasEpisode "It's a Bundyful Life" as Peggy's "alternate history" husband, before joining the regular cast as Jefferson D'Arcy the following season.
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* Many of the actors who became regulars on ''Series/{{Matlock}}'' initially appeared before in different episodes.
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* On ''Series/{{Quincy}}'', Anita Gillette played Quincy's late wife in a flashback in "Promises to Keep". In 1982, she joined the cast as Emily Hanover ... who married him.
* ''Series/RedDwarf'': Hattie Hayridge first appeared as the computer 'Hilly' in the episode "Parallel Universe", then took over as Holly from series 3-6, which was {{Handwave}}d with the suggestion that Holly had remodelled himself to resemble Hilly.
* ''Series/RedDwarf'': Hattie Hayridge first appeared as the computer 'Hilly' in the episode "Parallel Universe", then took over as Holly from series 3-6, which was {{Handwave}}d with the suggestion that Holly had remodelled himself to resemble Hilly.
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* On ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', Ty Olsson plays Benny, a vampire who's been an ally to Dean. He previously played a completely different vampire in an episode way back in season 2.
* In Season 2 of ''Series/VeronicaMars'', James Jordan appeared as the mentally unstable janitor Tommy "Lucky" Dohanic for a few episodes, then reappeared in Season 3 as recurring character Tim Foyle, the graduate student of Dr. Landry.
* ''Series/TheXFiles'': Nicholas Lea appeared in an early episode "Gender Bender" playing a character named Michael, then returned later as series regular Alex Krycek.
* In Season 2 of ''Series/VeronicaMars'', James Jordan appeared as the mentally unstable janitor Tommy "Lucky" Dohanic for a few episodes, then reappeared in Season 3 as recurring character Tim Foyle, the graduate student of Dr. Landry.
* ''Series/TheXFiles'': Nicholas Lea appeared in an early episode "Gender Bender" playing a character named Michael, then returned later as series regular Alex Krycek.
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[[folder:Western Animation]]
* On ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', before voicing main character Toph, Creator/JessieFlower voiced Meng from "The Fortuneteller".
* In the first season of ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'' Hamilton Camp voiced a few minor characters before voicing Gizmo Duck in season two.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' Creator/TaraStrong voiced Timmy [=McNulty=], a {{Jerkass}} neighbor of the babies around Angelica's age, before going on to voice Tommy's brother Dil.
[[/folder]]
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Deleted line(s) 20,21 (click to see context) :
*** Creator/DavidTennant played a myriad of roles in the [[AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho Audio plays]] before becoming the Tenth Doctor.
*** Creator/RichardEGrant played the Doctor in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoTheCurseOfFatalDeath Curse of Fatal Death]]'' and ''WebAnimation/ScreamOfTheShalka'', which was his 'extra' role before more famously/recently playing an incarnation of [[Characters/DoctorWhoVillains The Great Intelligence]] as Dr Simeon.
*** Creator/RichardEGrant played the Doctor in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoTheCurseOfFatalDeath Curse of Fatal Death]]'' and ''WebAnimation/ScreamOfTheShalka'', which was his 'extra' role before more famously/recently playing an incarnation of [[Characters/DoctorWhoVillains The Great Intelligence]] as Dr Simeon.
Deleted line(s) 29,31 (click to see context) :
** Jimmy Vee and Ruari Mears both played several characters but their most famous roles are the Graske (of ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'') and Bannakaffalatta, and Elder Ood, respectively.
** Paul Kasey will have played at least one of just about every monster since [[Recap/DoctorWhoNSS1E1Rose the very first episode of the revival]] in 2005. He was cast as recognisable Ood Sigma in 2008 and reprised the role for several years.
** Silas Carson played an Alien in 2005 and Kudlak in 2007, then became the recurring voice of the Ood.
** Paul Kasey will have played at least one of just about every monster since [[Recap/DoctorWhoNSS1E1Rose the very first episode of the revival]] in 2005. He was cast as recognisable Ood Sigma in 2008 and reprised the role for several years.
** Silas Carson played an Alien in 2005 and Kudlak in 2007, then became the recurring voice of the Ood.
Deleted line(s) 33,35 (click to see context) :
** Creator/NicholasBriggs played Mike in ''Auton 2: Sentinel'' and a few characters in ''[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoSpecialsRealTime Real Time]]'' before becoming [[Characters/DoctorWhoAliensAndMonsters the Daleks, Cybermen and Judoon]].
** Nicholas Pegg was the Think-Tank voice in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E6Shada Shada]]'' before becoming the Daleks, too.
** Creator/MarkGatiss is the only person to play both The Doctor (in ''The Web of Caves'') and TheMaster (in ''[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoUnboundE2SympathyForTheDevil Sympathy for the Devil]]''). Then he was an unnamed Spitfire pilot before becoming Lazarus. He's also a series writer.
** Nicholas Pegg was the Think-Tank voice in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E6Shada Shada]]'' before becoming the Daleks, too.
** Creator/MarkGatiss is the only person to play both The Doctor (in ''The Web of Caves'') and TheMaster (in ''[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoUnboundE2SympathyForTheDevil Sympathy for the Devil]]''). Then he was an unnamed Spitfire pilot before becoming Lazarus. He's also a series writer.
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!Examples
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Often in cases of ensemble series, a character introduced into the series sometime later will be played by an actor who appeared on the show much earlier in a guest appearance as an entirely different character. In some cases, it could be because the cast and crew enjoyed working with the actor enough to create a new regular or recurring character to be able to work with him more regularly, but a lot of the time, there's no actual explanation behind it.
Subtrope of YouLookFamiliar. Compare AscendedExtra and EarlyBirdCameo.
----
!Examples
[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]
* In ''Film/ErnestGoesToCamp'', Gailard Sartain plays Jake, one of the bumbling cooks at Kamp Kikakee. In subsequent Ernest movies (as well as the ''Hey Vern, it's Ernest!'' TV series, and a series of commercials produced by Carden-Cherry - the same advertising firm that created the original Ernest commercials) he plays Chuck, Ernest's loud-mouthed and KnowNothingKnowItAll pal and neighbor, and "twin brother" of [[TheSilentBob Bobby]].
* Joe Don Baker played Film/JamesBond's CIA contact in both ''Film/GoldenEye'' and ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'', after having played a villain in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Franchise]]
* ''Series/DoctorWho'' has [[TropeOverdosed several examples]]:
** Some of the ''[[TheNthDoctor actual Doctors]]'' were guests before having main roles:
*** Creator/PeterCapaldi, playing the 12th incarnation of the Doctor, appeared as the Roman nobleman Caecilius in an earlier episode.
*** Creator/DavidTennant played a myriad of roles in the [[AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho Audio plays]] before becoming the Tenth Doctor.
*** Creator/RichardEGrant played the Doctor in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoTheCurseOfFatalDeath Curse of Fatal Death]]'' and ''WebAnimation/ScreamOfTheShalka'', which was his 'extra' role before more famously/recently playing an incarnation of [[Characters/DoctorWhoVillains The Great Intelligence]] as Dr Simeon.
*** Creator/ColinBaker guests in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS20E1ArcOfInfinity Arc of Infinity]]'' as Commander Maxil who is an antagonist of the Fifth Doctor about two years before being cast as Doctor number six.
** Creator/FreemaAgyeman, who became the Doctor's companion Martha Jones, appeared before as a minor character named Adeola Oshodi. In-universe, Martha and Adeola are cousins with StrongFamilyResemblance.
** Creator/KarenGillan became regular companion Amy Pond two years after playing a cult priestess in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E2TheFiresOfPompeii The Fires of Pompeii]]'', the same episode that featured Capaldi.
** Neve [=McIntosh=] played two Silurians (Alaya and Restac) in 2010, and apparently she's really good at doing that because from 2011 onwards she plays Madame Vastra, the Silurian detective.
** Similarly, Dan Starkey has been playing random Sontaran warriors since the return of the series, then was cast as the regular Strax. Notably, this means he has played two different lead characters at the BBC Doctor Who Proms (Skorr - which he played in two 2008 episodes - and Strax). Those are two of three different speaking Sontaran parts he's had (the other being Jast). He has, though, [[YouLookFamiliar played different extra roles even after starting as regular Strax]], because of the reasonable anonymity afforded him for all the Sontaran makeup: another random Sontaran warrior in an episode without Strax, and Ian in the [[Recap/DoctorWho2014CSLastChristmas 2014 Christmas special]].
** Creator/EveMyles played Gwyneth on ''Doctor Who'' and then became a future relative of that character in ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' lead Gwen.
** Paul Marc Davis played Chiefs in both ''Doctor Who'' and ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' before becoming [[Characters/TheSarahJaneAdventures The Trickster]].
** Jimmy Vee and Ruari Mears both played several characters but their most famous roles are the Graske (of ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'') and Bannakaffalatta, and Elder Ood, respectively.
** Paul Kasey will have played at least one of just about every monster since [[Recap/DoctorWhoNSS1E1Rose the very first episode of the revival]] in 2005. He was cast as recognisable Ood Sigma in 2008 and reprised the role for several years.
** Silas Carson played an Alien in 2005 and Kudlak in 2007, then became the recurring voice of the Ood.
** Creator/NicholasCourtney played a character called Bret Vyon for four episodes before returning three years later to play TheBrigadier until his death.
** Creator/NicholasBriggs played Mike in ''Auton 2: Sentinel'' and a few characters in ''[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoSpecialsRealTime Real Time]]'' before becoming [[Characters/DoctorWhoAliensAndMonsters the Daleks, Cybermen and Judoon]].
** Nicholas Pegg was the Think-Tank voice in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E6Shada Shada]]'' before becoming the Daleks, too.
** Creator/MarkGatiss is the only person to play both The Doctor (in ''The Web of Caves'') and TheMaster (in ''[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoUnboundE2SympathyForTheDevil Sympathy for the Devil]]''). Then he was an unnamed Spitfire pilot before becoming Lazarus. He's also a series writer.
** Adjoa Andoh played one of the cat nun nurses in 2006 and then was cast as Martha's mum Francine.
* ''Series/LawAndOrder'' has several examples:
** Jerry Orbach first appeared on ''Law & Order'' as a one-off character before later being cast as Lennie Briscoe.
** Raul Esparza appeared as the perp of the week in an episode of ''LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' before becoming ADA Rafael Barba on ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''.
** Michelle Hurd appeared in a minor part in an episode of L&O before being cast as Monique Jeffries on SVU.
** Courtney B. Vance played a ScaryBlackMan in an episode of L&O before being cast as ADA Ron Carver on CI.
** Creator/AlfredMolina played a perp of the week on SVU and ''Series/LawAndOrderTrialByJury'' before being cast as Deputy DA Ricardo Morales on ''Series/LawAndOrderLA''.
** Kelli Giddish appeared as a one-off suspect in ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' episode "Depths" before later joining the main cast of ''Series/LawAndOrderSVU'' as Detective Rawlins.
** Joanna Merlin played two minor characters in ''Series/LawAndOrder'', in a total of five episodes, before becoming the regularly recurring judge Lena Petrovsky in ''Series/LawAndOrderSVU''.
** David Thornton played four different one-off characters in the original series, before being cast as recurring defense attorney Lionel Granger in SVU.
** Ned Eisenberg played two one-off characters on ''Series/LawAndOrderSVU'' before being cast as one of the most common defense attorneys, Roger Kressler. This also overlapped in time with stints as two one-off characters on LawAndOrderCriminalIntent and a rare recurring attorney on the original LawAndOrder.
** Elizabeth Marvel played four different one-off characters across the three main series before becoming recurring defence attorney Rita Calhoun in SVU.
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse: Enver Gjokai cameoed in ''Film/TheAvengers'' as a NYPD cop. He was later cast as Daniel Sousa in the prequel series ''Series/AgentCarter'', with the producers joking that the cop is Sousa's IdenticalGrandson.
* ''Franchise/StarTrek''.
** Diana Muldaur was a guest star in two ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episodes (in different roles) before becoming the regular Dr. Pulaski in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration.
** Mark Lenard did a one-off as a Romulan Commander on TOS before becoming beloved recurring guest star Sarek.
** Tim Russ did guest roles in TNG and the movies before becoming Tuvok on ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''.
** Jeffery Combs has appeared in several ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' and VOY roles both before and after his main role as recurring [=DS9=] villain Weyoun.
** Rene Auberjonois was Colonel West in ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'' before becoming Odo in [=DS9=].
** Robert Duncan [=McNeill=] guest starred as Starfleet cadet Nicholas Locarno in the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "The First Duty." The writers of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' wanted to use the character as a regular, but this would have required paying royalties to the writers of "The First Duty" for every episode the Locarno character appeared in, so they created a [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute "new"]] character named Tom Paris instead and cast [=McNeill=] in the role.
** In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' that introduced the Cardassians, "The Wounded," Marc Alaimo guest-starred as the Cardassian leader Gul Macet. When the Cardassians' role was expanded for ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', the producers wanted Alaimo back, but the Macet character was too nice a guy to make a good villain, so they removed his truly unfortunate facial hair and named the new character [[BigBad Gul Dukat]]. The ExpandedUniverse explains the resemblance by making them cousins.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow''. Howard Morris is an aversion of this: he was already the mischevious, rock-throwing and window-breaking mountain nut Ernest T. Bass, however in one episode, he randomly appeared as a mild-mannered, and soft-spoken TV repairman.
* ''Series/BarneyMiller'':
** Steve Landesberg appeared in one first-season episode as a priest before being cast as the know-it-all detective Arthur Dietrich in the second season.
** Ron Carey played a cat burglar called "The Mole" who led the detectives in a chase down the sewers. He was later cast as a uniformed cop named Levitt, who was a regular for the rest of the show's run.
** Paul Lieber played a gang member who tries to break his buddy out of jail in one 6th season episode; in season 7 Lieber plays new Detective Dorsey, who ruffles the rest of the squad by assuming they're all on the take. However, when they decided that season 7 would be the last season his character was dropped.
* ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'' notably has two:
** Before becoming Uncle Arthur in Season Two, Paul Lynde appeared in the Season One episode "Driving is the Only Way to Fly" as Harold Harold, the insecure and neurotic instructor who was hired to teach Samantha how to drive. Elizabeth Montgomery and Paul Lynde loved working together so much and the crew got such a big kick out of him that Uncle Arthur was created so they could work with him on a semi-regular basis.
** Before playing witch doctor Dr. Bombay in Season Three, Bernard Fox appeared as a witch hunter in Season Two's "Disappearing Samantha" in which his incantation for making witches disappear affects Samantha, leaving Darrin and Endora to look for a way to get information from him on how to reverse it.
* Creator/HughLaurie appeared in two episodes of ''Series/{{Blackadder}} II'', first as Simon Partridge and then as Prince Ludwig the Indestructible. In ''Blackadder the Third'' he was cast as one of the main characters, George, Prince of Wales.
* Jeff's nephew, also a nurse, in ''Series/{{Casualty}}'' was played by someone who had previously played two different one-shot characters (which both had large parts in their episodes). These one-shots were quite recognisable, though, because the actor had been in ''Series/DoctorWho'' and its spin-off at the same time as them and is quite memorable in appearance.
* ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond''. Before becoming Ray's lazy, sports-obsessed pal Giani, Joe Manfrellotti appeared in Season One's "The Game" as a cable repairman who discovers an illegal splitter sending cable to Frank and Marie's house.
* ''Series/TheGeneAutryShow'' has a rather unusual example: despite Pat Buttram being Autry's sidekick from the beginning of the series, Buttram didn't official become [[CharacterAsHimself sidekick as himself]] until the second season, and through the first half of the first season, he played two [[TheDanza Danza]] sidekicks named Pat Jensen and Patrick Smith, and one sidekick named Hap Wallace. Similarly, prior to the TV series, Buttram also played different sidekicks or other allies to Autry in a few of his movies in place of Autry's original regular sidekick Smiley Burnett.
* ''Series/GreenAcres''. Before becoming half of Hooterville's carpentry company - Alf and Ralph - Sid Melton appeared in one of the earliest episodes in a rather similar role as one of the potential interior decorators Oliver was looking to hire to help redecorate the Old Haney Place.
* ''Series/HappyDays'':
** In season two, Linda Purl played Richie's recurring girlfriend Gloria, while in season 10 she played Fonzie's girlfriend Ashley Pfitster.
**In season 9, Crystal Bernard guest starred in "The Telltale Tart" before joining the cast in season 10 as KC Cunningham.
* ''Series/HillStreetBlues'': Dennis Franz appeared in several episodes as a crooked cop named Sal Benedetto. One or two years later he reappeared as the non-crooked but otherwise identical character Norman Buntz.
* ''Series/HogansHeroes''.
** Larry Hovis is a variation of this. Although he played Carter in the pilot, this Carter was different than his series' proper Carter: the Carter in the pilot was a lietenant instead of a sergeant, and was an escapee who was being passed through Stalag 13 on his way to rejoin his unit in London. This Carter was intended to be a one-shot guest character, but when Leonid Kinsey (Vladimir) refused to sign on as a regular when the pilot went to series, Hovis was brought back to play Carter as Hogan's young, bright-eyed, yet naive explosives expert and bomb-maker.
** Howard Caine played two different German officers in two different episodes before becoming a semi-regular as Major Hochstetter in Season Three. One appearance was in "Happy Birthday, Adolf" from Season One, playing a Major who was involved in organizing a party for Hitler's birthday while remaining on alert for an impending American air raid; in "The Battle of Stalag 13" from Season Two he played a Colonel wanting to turn Stalag 13 into a camp for local citizens to be interrogated for suspcious activity (ironically, the character wore the exact same uniform as that of Major Hochstetter).
** Patricia Olsen, otherwise known as Sigrid Valdis, played a fraulein General Burkhalter uses in a Season One episode to soften up Hogan to get information from him before becoming Klink's second secretary Hilda the following season for the remainder of the series.
** Jon Cedar is an inversion: despite playing Klink's guard Laggenscheidt from the beginning, he appears in two other random roles, one of which is a German counterfeiting expert, the other a rookie Gestapo officer who cracks after enduring nonstop abuse from his superior.
** Cynthia Lynn is another inversion: after leaving the show after its first season, in which she played Klink's first secretary Helga, she made two random guest appearance as different characters seasons later.
* ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie''. Before becoming Dr. Bellows's wife Amanda, Emmaline Henry appeared in the Season One episode "Is There an Extra Genie in the House?" as the sexy assistant to a down-on-his-luck magician who temporarily rent out Roger's apartment.
* ''Series/ILoveLucy''. Frank Nelson was a frequent guest star on a number of episodes throughout the first five seasons, including such notable appearances as Freddy Filmore, a local radio emcee, and a Hollywood talent scout who launched Ricky's would-be film career. During the final season, Nelson was cast in a permanent recurring role as Ralph Ramsey, the Ricardos' neighbor in Connecticut and a TV producer who helped Ricky gain a little more exposure to a broader audience.
* Two main protagonists in ''Series/InspectorRex'' (Brandtner and Hoffmann) were played by actors who had appeared before as [[VillainOfTheWeek villains of the week]] in earlier seasons of the show.
* ''Series/{{MASH}}''.
** Harry Morgan played a nutty U.S. Army General in the 3rd season episode "The General Flipped at Dawn". He did such a good job that in the 4th season he was cast in the role of the 4077th's new commanding officer, Colonel Sherman Potter, which he played the remainder of the series.
** Richard Lee Sung once appeared as a generic Korean local (specifically, one of five Kim Luck's the hospital treated in one day) before becoming Cho Man Chin, the local peddler who would, at least OnceASeason, try to swindle folks at the 4077th by selling them crooked goods such as wristwatches the ran backwards, wild boar tusks that are really plastic, and 2x4s that used to be round.
** John Orchard is an inversion of this. Throughout the first season he played [[TheDanza Ugly John]] the camp anathesiologist, but was eventually written off the show when the production staff felt there were too many minor characters to keep writing for. Orchard eventually returned in a guest role in Season Eight as an Australian M.P.
** Edward Winter may or may not count, depending on [[WordOfGod which]] [[WordOfDante word]] you believe. In his first appearance, Winter played an overzealous Intelligence officer named Captain Halloran, and all subsequent appearance he played his noted character Colonel Samuel Flagg; while there is only a ''slight'' difference in the characters' demeanor (Halloran was easily convinced to drop everything and join in a poker game), knowing how Flagg frequently uses very many different aliases, one common theory among fans is that Halloran was one of his aliases. That theory is helped by a later appearance in which Flagg [[ContinuityNod reminds Sidney Freedman they played poker once]].
** Before becoming the last and final Rosie of Rosie's Bar, Eileen Saki appeared in a memorable guest role in Season Five's "Bug Out, Part 2" as the leader of a ring of Korean prostitutes that lived in an abandoned schoolhouse.
* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': When Tom Barnaby's actor left the show, they replaced him with his cousin John Barnaby, whose actor had appeared earlier playing a sleazy but innocent suspect who hit on Barnaby's wife.
* ''Series/MorkAndMindy''. Jonathan Winters appeared as Dave [=McConnell=] (Mindy's uncle) in a third season episode. He was cast as Mork and Mindy's child Mearth starting in the fourth season.
* ''Series/NewsRadio'': Jon Lovitz appeared on two episodes as two different characters before being cast as Max Louis in the fifth and final season.
* ''Theatre/TheOddCouple''. Pamelyn Ferden appeared in the Season One episode "Bunny is Missing Down by the Lake" as a member of an all-girl camp group who seek shelter from the rain at the cabin Felix and Oscar stay at before becoming Felix's daughter Edna the following season.
* ''Series/SanfordAndSon''. Before playing Woody and Esther's adopted teen son Daniel at the beginning of the final season, Eric Laneuville appeared in the ChristmasEpisode "Ebenezer Sanford" as a local teen who asks Fred to put him to work so he can earn at least enough money to buy his parents a Christmas present.
* ''Series/SesameStreet''. Michael Jeter made a couple of [[CelebrityStar guest appearances]] on the show in the late 90s, including [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfnyEP63vQg his own version of the classic song "Dance Myself to Sleep"]] before being cast as [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Mr. Noodle's Brother Mr. Noodle]] while Bill Irwin (Mr. Noodle) was busy filming ''Film/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas''.
* In ''Series/TheWire'', Gbenga Akinnagbe was an extra as a random police officer standing in a courtroom in Episode 4 of Season 1. Years later he would return and from Season 3 until the end of the show he played Chris Partlow, TheDragon and coldly efficient [[ProfessionalKiller chief assassin/enforcer]] for sociopathic druglord and mass murderer Marlo Stanfield. Along the way he racked up a ''huge'' body count and became [[TheDreaded perhaps the most feared]] drug enforcer to ever walk the streets of Baltimore.
[[/folder]]
----
Subtrope of YouLookFamiliar. Compare AscendedExtra and EarlyBirdCameo.
----
!Examples
[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]
* In ''Film/ErnestGoesToCamp'', Gailard Sartain plays Jake, one of the bumbling cooks at Kamp Kikakee. In subsequent Ernest movies (as well as the ''Hey Vern, it's Ernest!'' TV series, and a series of commercials produced by Carden-Cherry - the same advertising firm that created the original Ernest commercials) he plays Chuck, Ernest's loud-mouthed and KnowNothingKnowItAll pal and neighbor, and "twin brother" of [[TheSilentBob Bobby]].
* Joe Don Baker played Film/JamesBond's CIA contact in both ''Film/GoldenEye'' and ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'', after having played a villain in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Franchise]]
* ''Series/DoctorWho'' has [[TropeOverdosed several examples]]:
** Some of the ''[[TheNthDoctor actual Doctors]]'' were guests before having main roles:
*** Creator/PeterCapaldi, playing the 12th incarnation of the Doctor, appeared as the Roman nobleman Caecilius in an earlier episode.
*** Creator/DavidTennant played a myriad of roles in the [[AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho Audio plays]] before becoming the Tenth Doctor.
*** Creator/RichardEGrant played the Doctor in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoTheCurseOfFatalDeath Curse of Fatal Death]]'' and ''WebAnimation/ScreamOfTheShalka'', which was his 'extra' role before more famously/recently playing an incarnation of [[Characters/DoctorWhoVillains The Great Intelligence]] as Dr Simeon.
*** Creator/ColinBaker guests in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS20E1ArcOfInfinity Arc of Infinity]]'' as Commander Maxil who is an antagonist of the Fifth Doctor about two years before being cast as Doctor number six.
** Creator/FreemaAgyeman, who became the Doctor's companion Martha Jones, appeared before as a minor character named Adeola Oshodi. In-universe, Martha and Adeola are cousins with StrongFamilyResemblance.
** Creator/KarenGillan became regular companion Amy Pond two years after playing a cult priestess in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E2TheFiresOfPompeii The Fires of Pompeii]]'', the same episode that featured Capaldi.
** Neve [=McIntosh=] played two Silurians (Alaya and Restac) in 2010, and apparently she's really good at doing that because from 2011 onwards she plays Madame Vastra, the Silurian detective.
** Similarly, Dan Starkey has been playing random Sontaran warriors since the return of the series, then was cast as the regular Strax. Notably, this means he has played two different lead characters at the BBC Doctor Who Proms (Skorr - which he played in two 2008 episodes - and Strax). Those are two of three different speaking Sontaran parts he's had (the other being Jast). He has, though, [[YouLookFamiliar played different extra roles even after starting as regular Strax]], because of the reasonable anonymity afforded him for all the Sontaran makeup: another random Sontaran warrior in an episode without Strax, and Ian in the [[Recap/DoctorWho2014CSLastChristmas 2014 Christmas special]].
** Creator/EveMyles played Gwyneth on ''Doctor Who'' and then became a future relative of that character in ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' lead Gwen.
** Paul Marc Davis played Chiefs in both ''Doctor Who'' and ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' before becoming [[Characters/TheSarahJaneAdventures The Trickster]].
** Jimmy Vee and Ruari Mears both played several characters but their most famous roles are the Graske (of ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'') and Bannakaffalatta, and Elder Ood, respectively.
** Paul Kasey will have played at least one of just about every monster since [[Recap/DoctorWhoNSS1E1Rose the very first episode of the revival]] in 2005. He was cast as recognisable Ood Sigma in 2008 and reprised the role for several years.
** Silas Carson played an Alien in 2005 and Kudlak in 2007, then became the recurring voice of the Ood.
** Creator/NicholasCourtney played a character called Bret Vyon for four episodes before returning three years later to play TheBrigadier until his death.
** Creator/NicholasBriggs played Mike in ''Auton 2: Sentinel'' and a few characters in ''[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoSpecialsRealTime Real Time]]'' before becoming [[Characters/DoctorWhoAliensAndMonsters the Daleks, Cybermen and Judoon]].
** Nicholas Pegg was the Think-Tank voice in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E6Shada Shada]]'' before becoming the Daleks, too.
** Creator/MarkGatiss is the only person to play both The Doctor (in ''The Web of Caves'') and TheMaster (in ''[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoUnboundE2SympathyForTheDevil Sympathy for the Devil]]''). Then he was an unnamed Spitfire pilot before becoming Lazarus. He's also a series writer.
** Adjoa Andoh played one of the cat nun nurses in 2006 and then was cast as Martha's mum Francine.
* ''Series/LawAndOrder'' has several examples:
** Jerry Orbach first appeared on ''Law & Order'' as a one-off character before later being cast as Lennie Briscoe.
** Raul Esparza appeared as the perp of the week in an episode of ''LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' before becoming ADA Rafael Barba on ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''.
** Michelle Hurd appeared in a minor part in an episode of L&O before being cast as Monique Jeffries on SVU.
** Courtney B. Vance played a ScaryBlackMan in an episode of L&O before being cast as ADA Ron Carver on CI.
** Creator/AlfredMolina played a perp of the week on SVU and ''Series/LawAndOrderTrialByJury'' before being cast as Deputy DA Ricardo Morales on ''Series/LawAndOrderLA''.
** Kelli Giddish appeared as a one-off suspect in ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' episode "Depths" before later joining the main cast of ''Series/LawAndOrderSVU'' as Detective Rawlins.
** Joanna Merlin played two minor characters in ''Series/LawAndOrder'', in a total of five episodes, before becoming the regularly recurring judge Lena Petrovsky in ''Series/LawAndOrderSVU''.
** David Thornton played four different one-off characters in the original series, before being cast as recurring defense attorney Lionel Granger in SVU.
** Ned Eisenberg played two one-off characters on ''Series/LawAndOrderSVU'' before being cast as one of the most common defense attorneys, Roger Kressler. This also overlapped in time with stints as two one-off characters on LawAndOrderCriminalIntent and a rare recurring attorney on the original LawAndOrder.
** Elizabeth Marvel played four different one-off characters across the three main series before becoming recurring defence attorney Rita Calhoun in SVU.
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse: Enver Gjokai cameoed in ''Film/TheAvengers'' as a NYPD cop. He was later cast as Daniel Sousa in the prequel series ''Series/AgentCarter'', with the producers joking that the cop is Sousa's IdenticalGrandson.
* ''Franchise/StarTrek''.
** Diana Muldaur was a guest star in two ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episodes (in different roles) before becoming the regular Dr. Pulaski in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration.
** Mark Lenard did a one-off as a Romulan Commander on TOS before becoming beloved recurring guest star Sarek.
** Tim Russ did guest roles in TNG and the movies before becoming Tuvok on ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''.
** Jeffery Combs has appeared in several ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' and VOY roles both before and after his main role as recurring [=DS9=] villain Weyoun.
** Rene Auberjonois was Colonel West in ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'' before becoming Odo in [=DS9=].
** Robert Duncan [=McNeill=] guest starred as Starfleet cadet Nicholas Locarno in the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "The First Duty." The writers of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' wanted to use the character as a regular, but this would have required paying royalties to the writers of "The First Duty" for every episode the Locarno character appeared in, so they created a [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute "new"]] character named Tom Paris instead and cast [=McNeill=] in the role.
** In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' that introduced the Cardassians, "The Wounded," Marc Alaimo guest-starred as the Cardassian leader Gul Macet. When the Cardassians' role was expanded for ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', the producers wanted Alaimo back, but the Macet character was too nice a guy to make a good villain, so they removed his truly unfortunate facial hair and named the new character [[BigBad Gul Dukat]]. The ExpandedUniverse explains the resemblance by making them cousins.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow''. Howard Morris is an aversion of this: he was already the mischevious, rock-throwing and window-breaking mountain nut Ernest T. Bass, however in one episode, he randomly appeared as a mild-mannered, and soft-spoken TV repairman.
* ''Series/BarneyMiller'':
** Steve Landesberg appeared in one first-season episode as a priest before being cast as the know-it-all detective Arthur Dietrich in the second season.
** Ron Carey played a cat burglar called "The Mole" who led the detectives in a chase down the sewers. He was later cast as a uniformed cop named Levitt, who was a regular for the rest of the show's run.
** Paul Lieber played a gang member who tries to break his buddy out of jail in one 6th season episode; in season 7 Lieber plays new Detective Dorsey, who ruffles the rest of the squad by assuming they're all on the take. However, when they decided that season 7 would be the last season his character was dropped.
* ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'' notably has two:
** Before becoming Uncle Arthur in Season Two, Paul Lynde appeared in the Season One episode "Driving is the Only Way to Fly" as Harold Harold, the insecure and neurotic instructor who was hired to teach Samantha how to drive. Elizabeth Montgomery and Paul Lynde loved working together so much and the crew got such a big kick out of him that Uncle Arthur was created so they could work with him on a semi-regular basis.
** Before playing witch doctor Dr. Bombay in Season Three, Bernard Fox appeared as a witch hunter in Season Two's "Disappearing Samantha" in which his incantation for making witches disappear affects Samantha, leaving Darrin and Endora to look for a way to get information from him on how to reverse it.
* Creator/HughLaurie appeared in two episodes of ''Series/{{Blackadder}} II'', first as Simon Partridge and then as Prince Ludwig the Indestructible. In ''Blackadder the Third'' he was cast as one of the main characters, George, Prince of Wales.
* Jeff's nephew, also a nurse, in ''Series/{{Casualty}}'' was played by someone who had previously played two different one-shot characters (which both had large parts in their episodes). These one-shots were quite recognisable, though, because the actor had been in ''Series/DoctorWho'' and its spin-off at the same time as them and is quite memorable in appearance.
* ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond''. Before becoming Ray's lazy, sports-obsessed pal Giani, Joe Manfrellotti appeared in Season One's "The Game" as a cable repairman who discovers an illegal splitter sending cable to Frank and Marie's house.
* ''Series/TheGeneAutryShow'' has a rather unusual example: despite Pat Buttram being Autry's sidekick from the beginning of the series, Buttram didn't official become [[CharacterAsHimself sidekick as himself]] until the second season, and through the first half of the first season, he played two [[TheDanza Danza]] sidekicks named Pat Jensen and Patrick Smith, and one sidekick named Hap Wallace. Similarly, prior to the TV series, Buttram also played different sidekicks or other allies to Autry in a few of his movies in place of Autry's original regular sidekick Smiley Burnett.
* ''Series/GreenAcres''. Before becoming half of Hooterville's carpentry company - Alf and Ralph - Sid Melton appeared in one of the earliest episodes in a rather similar role as one of the potential interior decorators Oliver was looking to hire to help redecorate the Old Haney Place.
* ''Series/HappyDays'':
** In season two, Linda Purl played Richie's recurring girlfriend Gloria, while in season 10 she played Fonzie's girlfriend Ashley Pfitster.
**In season 9, Crystal Bernard guest starred in "The Telltale Tart" before joining the cast in season 10 as KC Cunningham.
* ''Series/HillStreetBlues'': Dennis Franz appeared in several episodes as a crooked cop named Sal Benedetto. One or two years later he reappeared as the non-crooked but otherwise identical character Norman Buntz.
* ''Series/HogansHeroes''.
** Larry Hovis is a variation of this. Although he played Carter in the pilot, this Carter was different than his series' proper Carter: the Carter in the pilot was a lietenant instead of a sergeant, and was an escapee who was being passed through Stalag 13 on his way to rejoin his unit in London. This Carter was intended to be a one-shot guest character, but when Leonid Kinsey (Vladimir) refused to sign on as a regular when the pilot went to series, Hovis was brought back to play Carter as Hogan's young, bright-eyed, yet naive explosives expert and bomb-maker.
** Howard Caine played two different German officers in two different episodes before becoming a semi-regular as Major Hochstetter in Season Three. One appearance was in "Happy Birthday, Adolf" from Season One, playing a Major who was involved in organizing a party for Hitler's birthday while remaining on alert for an impending American air raid; in "The Battle of Stalag 13" from Season Two he played a Colonel wanting to turn Stalag 13 into a camp for local citizens to be interrogated for suspcious activity (ironically, the character wore the exact same uniform as that of Major Hochstetter).
** Patricia Olsen, otherwise known as Sigrid Valdis, played a fraulein General Burkhalter uses in a Season One episode to soften up Hogan to get information from him before becoming Klink's second secretary Hilda the following season for the remainder of the series.
** Jon Cedar is an inversion: despite playing Klink's guard Laggenscheidt from the beginning, he appears in two other random roles, one of which is a German counterfeiting expert, the other a rookie Gestapo officer who cracks after enduring nonstop abuse from his superior.
** Cynthia Lynn is another inversion: after leaving the show after its first season, in which she played Klink's first secretary Helga, she made two random guest appearance as different characters seasons later.
* ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie''. Before becoming Dr. Bellows's wife Amanda, Emmaline Henry appeared in the Season One episode "Is There an Extra Genie in the House?" as the sexy assistant to a down-on-his-luck magician who temporarily rent out Roger's apartment.
* ''Series/ILoveLucy''. Frank Nelson was a frequent guest star on a number of episodes throughout the first five seasons, including such notable appearances as Freddy Filmore, a local radio emcee, and a Hollywood talent scout who launched Ricky's would-be film career. During the final season, Nelson was cast in a permanent recurring role as Ralph Ramsey, the Ricardos' neighbor in Connecticut and a TV producer who helped Ricky gain a little more exposure to a broader audience.
* Two main protagonists in ''Series/InspectorRex'' (Brandtner and Hoffmann) were played by actors who had appeared before as [[VillainOfTheWeek villains of the week]] in earlier seasons of the show.
* ''Series/{{MASH}}''.
** Harry Morgan played a nutty U.S. Army General in the 3rd season episode "The General Flipped at Dawn". He did such a good job that in the 4th season he was cast in the role of the 4077th's new commanding officer, Colonel Sherman Potter, which he played the remainder of the series.
** Richard Lee Sung once appeared as a generic Korean local (specifically, one of five Kim Luck's the hospital treated in one day) before becoming Cho Man Chin, the local peddler who would, at least OnceASeason, try to swindle folks at the 4077th by selling them crooked goods such as wristwatches the ran backwards, wild boar tusks that are really plastic, and 2x4s that used to be round.
** John Orchard is an inversion of this. Throughout the first season he played [[TheDanza Ugly John]] the camp anathesiologist, but was eventually written off the show when the production staff felt there were too many minor characters to keep writing for. Orchard eventually returned in a guest role in Season Eight as an Australian M.P.
** Edward Winter may or may not count, depending on [[WordOfGod which]] [[WordOfDante word]] you believe. In his first appearance, Winter played an overzealous Intelligence officer named Captain Halloran, and all subsequent appearance he played his noted character Colonel Samuel Flagg; while there is only a ''slight'' difference in the characters' demeanor (Halloran was easily convinced to drop everything and join in a poker game), knowing how Flagg frequently uses very many different aliases, one common theory among fans is that Halloran was one of his aliases. That theory is helped by a later appearance in which Flagg [[ContinuityNod reminds Sidney Freedman they played poker once]].
** Before becoming the last and final Rosie of Rosie's Bar, Eileen Saki appeared in a memorable guest role in Season Five's "Bug Out, Part 2" as the leader of a ring of Korean prostitutes that lived in an abandoned schoolhouse.
* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': When Tom Barnaby's actor left the show, they replaced him with his cousin John Barnaby, whose actor had appeared earlier playing a sleazy but innocent suspect who hit on Barnaby's wife.
* ''Series/MorkAndMindy''. Jonathan Winters appeared as Dave [=McConnell=] (Mindy's uncle) in a third season episode. He was cast as Mork and Mindy's child Mearth starting in the fourth season.
* ''Series/NewsRadio'': Jon Lovitz appeared on two episodes as two different characters before being cast as Max Louis in the fifth and final season.
* ''Theatre/TheOddCouple''. Pamelyn Ferden appeared in the Season One episode "Bunny is Missing Down by the Lake" as a member of an all-girl camp group who seek shelter from the rain at the cabin Felix and Oscar stay at before becoming Felix's daughter Edna the following season.
* ''Series/SanfordAndSon''. Before playing Woody and Esther's adopted teen son Daniel at the beginning of the final season, Eric Laneuville appeared in the ChristmasEpisode "Ebenezer Sanford" as a local teen who asks Fred to put him to work so he can earn at least enough money to buy his parents a Christmas present.
* ''Series/SesameStreet''. Michael Jeter made a couple of [[CelebrityStar guest appearances]] on the show in the late 90s, including [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfnyEP63vQg his own version of the classic song "Dance Myself to Sleep"]] before being cast as [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Mr. Noodle's Brother Mr. Noodle]] while Bill Irwin (Mr. Noodle) was busy filming ''Film/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas''.
* In ''Series/TheWire'', Gbenga Akinnagbe was an extra as a random police officer standing in a courtroom in Episode 4 of Season 1. Years later he would return and from Season 3 until the end of the show he played Chris Partlow, TheDragon and coldly efficient [[ProfessionalKiller chief assassin/enforcer]] for sociopathic druglord and mass murderer Marlo Stanfield. Along the way he racked up a ''huge'' body count and became [[TheDreaded perhaps the most feared]] drug enforcer to ever walk the streets of Baltimore.
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