History Main / RecastAsARegular

* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'': Tamara Chambers made her first appearance playing Anne Hathaway in the ''Film/Catwoman2004'' review. She was Rachel Tietz's roommate at the time. When Rachel moved to California to pursue more acting work, Tamara took over Rachel's role as the female lead of the show.

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'': Subverted in the first two games ''VideoGame/TiberianDawn'' and ''VideoGame/RedAlert1'', both of which prominently feature Creator/JosephDKucan, the first as Kane, the leader of the mysterious terrorists the Brotherhood of Nod and the second as an advisor to UsefulNotes/JosephStalin with the same goatee and (non-)haircut (given the cheap nature of the cutscenes, it doesn't look out of place to have the same actor in different roles). Then at the end of the Soviet campaign, [[spoiler:it's revealed that no, that ''is'' Kane]].

[[caption-width-right:350:'''Above:''' The Doctor saves Creator/PeterCapaldi.\\
'''Below:''' The Doctor ''[[TheNthDoctor becomes]]'' Peter Capaldi.]]

'''Below:''' The Doctor ''becomes'' Peter Capaldi.]]

* In the [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff Finnish version]] of ''Radio/TheMenFromTheMinistry'' both Heikki Nousiainen and Radio/AnttiPaakkonen had several minor roles in multiple episodes before being cast as Lennox-Brown and Sir Clive, respectively.

* In the [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff Finnish version]] of ''Radio/TheMenFromTheMinistry'' both Heikki Nousiainen and Antti Pääkkönen had several minor roles in multiple episodes before being cast as Lennox-Brown and Sir Clive, respectively.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In the Canadian French dub, Alain Zouvi voiced several one-shot characters such as [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS5E7BartsInnerChild Brad Goodman]], [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E2YouOnlyMoveTwice Hank Scorpio]], and [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E23HomersEnemy Frank Grimes]]. Afterward, ever since "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS9E8LisaTheSkeptic Lisa the Skeptic]]", he became the official voice actor for both Smithers and Apu, replacing the late Jean-Louis Millette in both roles.

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'': Subverted in the first two games ''VideoGame/TiberianDawn'' and ''VideoGame/RedAlert1'', both of which prominently feature Creator/JosephKucan, the first as Kane, the leader of the mysterious terrorists the Brotherhood of Nod and the second as an advisor to UsefulNotes/JosephStalin with the same goatee and (non-)haircut (given the cheap nature of the cutscenes, it doesn't look out of place). Then at the end of the Soviet campaign, [[spoiler:it's revealed that no, that ''is'' Kane]].

** Laura Haddock played a woman asking Steve for an autograph in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' before playing Meredith Quill in the ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' films. Similar to the Gjokaj example above, Creator/JamesGunn joked that the woman was Peter Quill's grandmother.
** Creator/PeterMensah had a minor role in ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk'' as a colleague of General Ross before playing RecurringCharacter Qovas in ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD''.

[[folder:Anime]]
* Creator/HoukoKuwashima played the Arrancar Cirucci Sanderwicci in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' before she took over for the ailing Creator/TomokoKawakami [[note]](who died the year before the anime ended)[[/note]] as Soifon. She also took over for Kawakami as Fuyuki Hinata in ''Manga/SgtFrog'' after playing Meru in the 2007 ''Sgt. Frog'' movie ''The Deep Sea Princess''.
* ''Manga/CaseClosed'':
** Creator/RyoHorikawa played the VictimOfTheWeek in the 6th episode before later playing Shinichi's fellow detective Heiji Hattori.
** Creator/RikiyaKoyama had several minor roles throughout the franchise, including Tadaki Kai in ''The Mirapolis Investigation'' video game, before he succeeded Creator/AkiraKamiya as Kogoro Mori.
* Several from ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}''
** Creator/EnzoFortuny voiced Frigimon and Pumpkinmon in the Mexican Spanish dub of ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'' before replacing Gerry Mesa as Tai during ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02''.
** Tamara Guzman voiced Tai's mom and Terriermon from ''Anime/DigimonTheMovie'' before voicing Kari and Gatomon in ''[=02=]''.
** On the Japanese side, Creator/ReikoKiuchi voiced a Koromon in episode 12 of ''Adventure'' before she was cast as Daisuke/Davis in ''02''.
* ''Franchise/{{Doraemon}}'':
** Creator/TomokazuSeki had several roles in a few of the movies, most prominently young Suneo in 2000's ''A Grandmother's Recollections''. Seki took up the role of Suneo full-time when [[TheOtherDarrin the voice cast changed in 2005]].
** Creator/MasakoNozawa voiced Botako, a minor character with seven episodes to her credit, in the 1973 anime, before [[TheOtherDarrin she took over]] for Kousei Tomita as the title character in the second half.
* ''Franchise/DragonBall'':
** Creator/TakeshiAono voiced Ninja Murasaki in the Red Ribbon Army arc and later returned as King Piccolo and Kami.
** 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.
** Masaharu Sato voiced many one-episode characters throughout the original Dragon Ball series, including the Bear Thief in Episode 3 and a Rabbit Gang member in Episode 9, before he was cast as Staff Officer Black. He also voiced Master Roshi in [[Anime/DragonBallZWrathOfTheDragon Wrath of the Dragon]] following Kouhei Miyauchi's death, but he wouldn't take over for Roshi fulltime until [[Anime/DragonBallZKai Kai]].
** Creator/RyuseiNakao played Tamborine in the King Piccolo arc and returned a few years later to play the even-more iconic BigBad Freeza.
** Creator/HikaruMidorikawa had a few minor roles throughout ''Z'': a batter in episode 10, one of Freeza's men and Spice of Garlic Jr.'s Spice Boys. He was subsequently cast in the more substantial roles of Android 16 and [[CanonForeigner Pikkon]], before [[TheOtherDarrin he took over]] for Creator/HirotakaSuzuoki as Tenshinhan beginning with ''Kai''.
** 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/AyaHisakawa played Chiko in the same episode, then returned nearly thirty years later [[TheOtherDarrin to assume the role of Bulma]] after the death of her longtime actress, Creator/HiromiTsuru.
** Creator/KozoShioya provided the voice of Guldo from the Ginyu Force during the Freeza Saga in ''Dragon Ball Z''. He would return over 100 episodes later to portray the anime's final major antagonist, Majin Buu.
** 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''.
** Creator/MasakazuMorita played Vegeta's younger brother Tarble in the OVA ''Anime/DragonBallYoSonGokuAndHisFriendsReturn'' and returned a few years later to voice Whis beginning with ''Battle of Gods''.
** For the English dub, Creator/MonicaRial had a minor role as Coco in the film ''Anime/DragonBallZBrolySecondComing''. Five years later she would take over as the new voice actress for Bulma after Tiffany Volmer's retirement beginning with ''Anime/DragonBallZKai''.
** Also for the English dub, Creator/ColleenClinkenbeard provided the voice of Zangya in ''Anime/DragonBallZBojackUnbound'', before later taking over more substantial roles in the franchise as Mai beginning with the third game in the ''VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokaiTenkaichi'' series, Kid Gohan beginning with ''Anime/DragonBallZKai'', and Kid Goku beginning with ''[[Anime/DragonBallCurseOfTheBloodRubies Curse of the Blood Rubies]]''.
** Creator/KyleHebert played several minor characters, in addition to a minor recurring role as the Ox-King, before being cast as the voice of the older Gohan and TheNarrator starting in the Majin Buu Saga.
* 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.
* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'':
** Creator/UnshoIshizuka played Huskisson, a StarterVillain in the film ''[[Anime/FullmetalAlchemistTheConquerorOfShamballa Conqueror of Shamballa]]'' 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.
** Creator/NanaMizuki first portrayed Armony in the [=PS2=] video game ''VideoGame/FullmetalAlchemistAndTheBrokenAngel'' before getting cast in the 2003 anime as Wrath and in ''Brotherhood'' as Lanfan.
** Creator/FumikoOrikasa voiced one-shot character Lydia in episode 35 of the 2003 anime, then voiced Riza Hawkeye in ''Brotherhood''.
** 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.
* ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'':
** Creator/KeikoHan appeared early on in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' as the doomed Icelina Eschonbach, and returned in the final stretch as [[ILetGwenStacyDie the doomed Lalah Sune]].
** Creator/KazukiYao had several minor roles in ''Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam'', including Sorama and Gates Capa, before getting cast as Judau Ashta in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ''.
* ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'':
** Creator/AkikoYajima voiced Yura in episode 4 and later returned to voice Kohaku.
** Creator/MakotoYasumura voiced Kinka in episode 5 of ''The Final Act'', then returned in the sequel series, ''Anime/YashahimePrincessHalfDemon'', [[TheOtherMarty to succeed the late]] Creator/KoujiTsujitani as Miroku.
* In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'', Creator/JunichiSuwabe voiced minor antagonist D'Arby Younger from ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders'' was later cast as Leone Abbacchio in ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureVentoAureo''.
** Creator/RayChase previously voiced supporting/villain characters such as Loggins in ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency'' and Rubber Soul in ''Stardust Crusaders'' before being casted as [[Main/{{Deuteragonist}} Bucciarati]].
** Ditto for a number of cast members from ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable''. Phillip Reich (Yuya Fungami) voices [[Main/TheHero Giorno]], Creator/SeanChiplock (Toyohiro Kanedaichi) voices Mista, and Creator/KellenGoff (Nijimura's father) voices [[Main/BigBad Diavolo]].
* ''Manga/LupinIII'':
** Creator/KoichiYamadera had some guest spots in several movies, such as Michael Suzuki in ''Crisis in Tokyo'', before succeeding Creator/GoroNaya as Inspector Zenigata in 2011.
** Creator/AkioOhtsuka also guest-starred in several of the movies, notably Chris in ''Anime/FarewellToNostradamus'', before succeeding Creator/KiyoshiKobayashi as Jigen in 2021.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'':
** Sai's actor Creator/SatoshiHino first appeared late in a Part I filler as Akio. Plus Creator/RikiyaKoyama appeared in an earlier filler arc as Hotarubi before being cast as Yamato.
** Creator/NobuoTobita voiced Ebisu in only the second episode of the anime before getting the role of Zetsu.
** Keiko Nemoto was firstly the voice of lady ANBU Yūgao Uzuki before becoming better known as Shizune and Tonton.
** Subverted with Akiko Koike, who first voiced Kin Tsuchi before replacing Creator/IkueOtani as Konohamaru in the opening arc of ''Shippūden''. When Konohamaru returned later on, however, Otani resumed the role for the remainder of the show.
** Long before Hanabi Hyūga became important, her actress Creator/KiyomiAsai voiced Ageha, a poor girl from the Land of Waves whom Sakura gave food to.
** Creator/HisaoEgawa previously played Fukusuke Hikyakuya in the Land of Tea filler arc, plus Kongō in the third movie ''Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom'', before voicing the one-and-only Killer Bee in ''Shippūden''. Gyūki's actor, Masaki Aizawa, also appeared earlier in the Land of Rice Fields filler as ninja-turned-gangster Hanzaki Fūma.
** Creator/KenyuuHoriuchi briefly appeared as Second Hokage Tobirama Senju during Part I before going on to voice Pain in ''Shippūden''. Things became full circle when Tobirama revived again in a larger role long after Pain's demise.
*** Speaking of Pain, the voice of his main body Nagato, Junpei Morita, was previously Hōki in the final pre-''Shippūden'' filler.
** Long before becoming the voice of [[TheHeavy Tobi]], Creator/WataruTakagi played Iruka's rain ninja disguise for a filler section of the Chūnin Exams. Creator/NaoyaUchida, Tobi's "Madara" voice plus the real Madara Uchiha, had also previously voiced Suien in the Waterfall Village OVA.
** Hidan and Deidara's actors, Creator/MasakiTerasoma and Katsuhiko Kawamoto, previously voiced [[FillerVillain Renga and Ruiga]] of the Janin during a pre-''Shippūden'' filler arc. Jiga's actor, Tadahisa Saizen, had also previously played Kagerō Fūma's male form and [[HilariousinHindsight Mist ANBU Tsurugi]] before he was cast as Ao in ''Shippūden''.
** Yutaka Aoyama had already voiced the Elder Moya Brother in the infamous "Kakashi's True Face" filler before being cast as Sasori's Hiruko guise.
** Karin's original actress, Kanako Tojo, was originally Sand kunoichi Maki and several other inconsequential parts. Her successor as Karin, Creator/ToaYukinari, had also previously voiced Nagato's mother Fuso, Leaf ANBU Yūgao Uzuki during Pain's Invasion, and Akane from the Land of Waves.
** Creator/TakashiKondo previously voiced a ninja chef and a samurai bodyguard in some Part I fillers, as well as Sai's later brother Shin, before getting to play Suigetsu Hōzuki. Jūgo's actor, Shuhei Sakaguchi, was first the voice of Kiyoyasu Kagetsu in the infamous "Laughing Shino" episode.
** Creator/ToshiyukiMorikawa was previously Kimimaro before he became the voice of the Fourth Hokage himself, Minato Namikaze.
** Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki's actor, Creator/TomomichiNishimura, had previously voiced minor character Hachidai in the Curry of Life filler arc. His bodyguard Akatsuchi's voice, Creator/KentaMiyake, was also previously Jirōbō of the Sound Ninja Four.
** Katsumi Cho was previously the voice of a Hyūga clan elder before he voiced Land of Iron general Mifune.
** Creator/KenjiroTsuda previously appeared in a late filler episode as all-around {{Jerkass}} Shin'emon before becoming the definitive voice of Leaf jōnin Aoba Yamashiro.
** Kunihiro Kawamoto was the original voice for Sound Ninja spy Misumi Tsurugi before returning in ''Shippūden'' as [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Cloud ninja cuckoolander]] Omoi. Darui's actor, Ryota Takeuchi, had previously voiced a Leaf ANBU in the Three-Tails filler arc.
** Long before playing [[TheDanza Shiho]], Shiho Hisajima would voice Uroko Kurama in the Kurama Clan filler arc from Part I.
** Ikuo Nishikawa first appeared in ''Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow'' as Sandayu Asada and later as elderly miner Sukeza before being cast as frog sage Fukasaku. Creator/YojiUeda was the voice of Rain genin Mubi before he played Gamakichi and Creator/AtsushiOno appeared as Gozu in the Three-Tails arc plus some extras in earlier episodes before voicing Gamaken. Gamamaru's actor, Mitsuo Senda, had previously voiced a villain, Shinayakana, in a standalone filler in Part I.
** Creator/HaruhiTerada voiced Tsunade's childhood self in flashbacks and Karenbana in ''Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom'', before appearing as [[SmallRoleBigImpact Rin]] [[TheLostLenore Nohara]], who'd be pivotal to Tobi's motivation in the series.
** The Second Mizukage's actor, Hideyuki Umezu, had previously voiced Amachi in the Land of the Sea filler arc.
** The Second Tsuchikage's actor Osamu Mukai had previously cut his teeth on the holy man who would become Pain's Jigokudō body in the ''Jiraiya's Ninja Scrolls'' special.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** Takeshi Aono voiced the character Ganzo in the first movie shortly before getting a more substantial role as Dracule Mihawk. His eventual successor in the latter role, Hirohiko Kakegawa, was Hamburg in the Long Ring Long Land arc.
** Creator/KazukiYao played minor recurring villains Django and Mr. 2 Bon Clay before playing Franky, one of the members of the Straw Hat crew.
** The same goes for fellow Straw Hat Brook, whose voice actor, Cho, previously played minor characters Barbarossa and Henzo.
** Creator/KazueIkura [[TheOtherDarrin stood-in for]] Creator/IkueOtani as Tony Tony Chopper when the latter went on maternity leave, and later returned as Sentomaru.
** Creator/ToruFuruya played filler character Daddy Masterson in Episode 50, then returned [[LongRunner a few hundred or so episodes later]] as the adult Sabo.
** Creator/HiroshiKamiya was credited as a mook pirate in the very first episode, long before being cast as Post TimeSkip mainstay, Trafalgar Law.
** Katsuhisa Hoki voiced Thriller Bark villain Gecko Moria before he got cast as eventual Straw Hat Jinbe, who was voiced by Creator/DaisukeGori in his first three episodes.
* Creator/AoiYuuki voiced minor recurring character Aika Nakamura in ''Anime/Persona4TheAnimation'' before voicing main party member Futaba Sakura in ''VideoGame/Persona5''. Ditto for Aika's English voice actor Creator/CassandraLeeMorris, who would later on voice main party member Morgana.
* Although the ''All Stars''-recognized [[Anime/PrettyCure Pretty Cures]] tend to have one completely different voice actress each, some of them had voiced minor characters before voicing Precures.
** Creator/JunkoTakeuchi voiced [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar Kenta Hoshino]] before voicing [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Cure Rouge]].[[note]]Apparently, this does have its perks because he is one of the few minor characters with a speaking role in ''Anime/PrettyCureAllStars''.[[/note]]
** Creator/MariyaIse voiced [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar Mari Yamaguchi]] before voicing [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Cure Lemonade]].
** Ai Nagano voiced [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Yoshimi Takenouchi and Seekun]] before voicing [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Cure Mint]] (and also her identical CoolBigSis).
** Creator/EriSendai voiced [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Shiho Kubota and Harmonin]] before voicing [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Milky Rose]].
** Kanae Oki voiced [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar several]] [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 students and Aki Yamamoto]] before voicing [[Anime/FreshPrettyCure Cure Peach]].
** Akiko Nakagawa voiced [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Chiaki Yabe]], [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar Kaya Andou]], and [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 a woman]] before voicing [[Anime/FreshPrettyCure Cure Pine]].
** Creator/FumieMizusawa voiced [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Miu Kagamiya and Eternalun]] before voicing [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Cure Marine]].
** Creator/AmiKoshimizu voiced [[HilariousInHindsight the wannabe Cure,]] [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Natsuko Koshino]] before voicing [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Cure Melody]].
** Creator/FumikoOrikasa voiced [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Katsuko Nagasawa]] and [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Azusa Takagishi]] before voicing [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Cure Rhythm]].
** Creator/MisatoFukuen voiced [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar a boy named Tomoya]] before voicing [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Cure Happy]].
** Creator/ChinamiNishimura voiced [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Dark Dream]] before voicing [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Cure Beauty]].[[note]]She is one of two official Cures voiced by Dark Precure 5 seiyuu, the other being Ace.[[/note]]
** Creator/HitomiNabatame voiced [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Yumiko Nakagawa]] before voicing [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Cure Heart]].
** Creator/MaiFuchigami voiced a student council executive in ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'' before voicing [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Cure Rosetta]].
** Creator/KanakoMiyamoto voiced "herself" in ''Anime/YesPrettyCure5'' before voicing [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Cure Sword]]. She also returned cameoing in ''Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode'' as an idol named Kanako.[[note]]While Sentai has let many rangers portray different characters following their main role (even letting them voice a second ranger), no such privilege is ever given to Pretty Cures. Kanako Miyamoto gets a pass for her unusually close connection to the franchise.[[/note]]
** Creator/RieKugimiya voiced [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Dark Lemonade]] before voicing [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Cure Ace]].[[note]]She is one of two official Cures voiced by Dark Precure 5 seiyuu, the other being Beauty.[[/note]]
** Creator/MegumiHan voiced a child in ''Anime/SmilePrettyCure'' before voicing [[Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure Cure Princess]].
** Creator/YuShimamura voiced a girl in ''Anime/SuitePrettyCure'' before voicing [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure Cure Flora]].
** Creator/MiyukiSawashiro voiced [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure some girl named Arisa]] before voicing [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure Cure Scarlet]].
** Creator/RieTakahashi voiced a student in ''Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure'' before voicing [[Anime/MahoGirlsPrecure Cure Miracle]].
** Creator/YuiHorie voiced [[Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure Tsumugi Orihara]] before voicing [[Anime/MahoGirlsPrecure Cure Magical]].
** Tomo Muranaka voiced [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure Kin]] before voicing [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Cure Gelato]].
** Creator/SakiFujita voiced [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure the Past Cure Flora, Chieri]] before voicing [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Cure Macaron]].
** Rie Hikisaka voiced [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Junko Mitsuoka]] before voicing [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure Cure Yell]].
** Creator/KiyonoYasuno voiced [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Cure Lumière]] before voicing [[Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure Cure Soleil]].[[note]]This is the closest call due to Lumière being more important to the season-wide plot.[[/note]]
** Creator/AoiYuuki voiced [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Cook]] before voicing [[Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure Cure Grace]].
** Natsu Yorita voiced [[Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure the Gemini Star Princess, Takuto and Ikuto Amamiya]] before voicing [[Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure Cure Fontaine]].
* In the 1997 ''Anime/RecordOfLodossWar'' anime, Creator/JunkoNoda voiced a character named Arteen in the first episode. She later [[TheOtherDarrin took over as]] Deedlit in the last six episodes when Creator/ShihoNiiyama took ill.
* ''Anime/SailorMoon'':
** Creator/EmiShinohara voiced [[MonsterOfTheWeek Youmas]] Cyrene and Jumeau before she took on the role of Makoto Kino/Sailor Jupiter.
** Creator/KaeAraki [[TheOtherDarrin stood in for]] Creator/KotonoMitsuishi as Sailor Moon for the last few episodes of season one, and the first few of ''R'' when Mitsuishi went on medical leave. She returned shortly after that stint as Chibi-Usa.
** Creator/DaisukeSakaguchi had a few minor roles in season one and ''S'' before he was cast in ''[=SuperS=]'' as newly-promoted supporting character Kyuusuke Sarashima, [[TheOtherDarrin who was previously voiced by]] Kazumi Okushima in his sole appearance in ''R''.
** Two of the Sailor Starlights of ''Sailor Stars'' previously had guest spots in ''[=SuperS=]''. Creator/ShihoNiiyama (Seiya/Sailor Star Fighter) was Fuyumi in Episode 139, while Creator/ChikaSakamoto (Yaten/Sailor Star Maker) was Perle in TheMovie.
* ''Anime/YuYuHakusho'':
** Creator/MegumiOgata made her debut as a voice actress voicing several minor characters, including the mother of the boy Yusuke saved and Keiko's mother, before her main role Kurama finally debuted.
** Meanwhile, Creator/NobuyukiHiyama had a few minor roles in Episode 1, namely the student Yusuke confronts at school and the reckless driver [[PlotTriggeringDeath who kills Yusuke]], before his main role Hiei finally debuted.
** Creator/NorioWakamoto voiced Gouki, the third member of Kurama and Hiei's trio before he came back as Yusuke's Dark Tournament foe turned ally, Chu.
** Creator/KazuyukiSogabe voiced Gama, Kurama's Dark Tournament opponent, before he voiced another Tournament opponent turned ally, Suzuki. Similarly, Creator/ToshiyukiMorikawa (Shishiwakamaru) voiced several minor roles, including [[DirtyCoward Roto]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''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 the {{spinoff}} ''Series/{{Maude}}''.
* ''Series/{{Alphas}}''/''Series/{{Eureka}}''/''Series/Warehouse13'': (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 a SharedUniverse.)
** Creator/LauraMennell originally appeared on ''Eureka'' as Dr. Rivers and was later recast as ''Alphas'' main cast member Nina Theroux.
** Creator/SaulRubinek was originally Dr. Carl Carlson on ''Eureka'' before becoming Artie Nielsen on ''Warehouse 13''.
** Creator/JaneMoffat appeared on a ''Warehouse 13'' episode as Wanda before being in eight episodes of ''Alphas'' as Sandra Bell.
* ''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 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/TheAvengers1960s'' 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.
** Creator/RobinAtkinDownes played a Minbari in ''In The Beginning'' and had a regular role as the rebel telepath Byron in season five.
* ''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}}'':
** Before becoming Uncle Arthur in Season Two, Creator/PaulLynde 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. Creator/ElizabethMontgomery 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.
** The first appearance of Alice Ghostly was as maid Naomi Hogan before she appeared regularly as Esmeralda.
%%* ''Series/TheBill'' is notable for several of its villains returning as regulars.
* Creator/HughLaurie appeared as different characters in two episodes of ''Series/{{Blackadder}} II'', first as Simon Partridge and then as Prince Ludwig the Indestructible. He then played regular roles in the show's third and fourth series, in ''Blackadder the Third'' as George, Prince of Wales, and in ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' as Lieutenant George Colthurst St Barleigh.
* In ''Series/BlakesSeven'', Creator/GlynisBarber played the regular character Soolin in the final season, after playing a tiny role in "[[Recap/BlakesSevenS1E9ProjectAvalon Project Avalon]]" as one of the Federation's techno-undead "Mutoid" soldiers.
* Rebecca Breeds plays Cassie Cometti in season 3 of ''Series/BlueWaterHigh'', but she made her first appearance in season 2, episode 3 as Tina.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' and ''Series/{{Angel}}'':
** Creator/TomLenk, 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 in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS5E2RealMe Real Me]]".
** Creator/AndyHallett, best known as Lorne from ''Angel'', was originally an extra in the ''Buffy'' episode "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS4E10Hush Hush]]".
* ''Series/CSIVerse'': ''Series/{{CSINY}}'' regulars Carmine Giovinazzo and A.J. Buckley had each previously appeared in a one-off role in original-flavor ''Series/{{CSI}}''.
* 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 the ''Doctor Who'' spin-off ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'' at the same time as them and is quite memorable in appearance.[[note]]In case you were wondering, it's Daniel Anthony, who played regular character Clyde Langer.[[/note]]
* ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'': 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.
* ''Series/{{Community}}'' has two examples in their FinalSeasonCasting:
** Creator/KeithDavid narrated the Season 3 episode "[[Recap/CommunityS3E14PillowsAndBlankets Pillows And Blankets]]" before taking the role of Season 6 cast regular Elroy Patashnik.
** Creator/PagetBrewster appears in the Season 5 episode "[[Recap/CommunityS5E06AnalysisOfCorkBasedNetworking Analysis of Cork-Based Networking]]" as IT Admin Debra Chambers before taking the role of Season 6 cast regular Frankie Dart. They addressed this once when Frankie tried to contact IT support but her e-mails all got bounced back, and when she tried to call Debra on the phone she only managed to hear chanting in Aramaic.
* ''Series/TheCosbyShow'': Joseph C. Phillips, who had previously played Sondra's date in season two, returned as Denise's husband Martin in season 6.
* ''Series/{{Dallas}}'':
** Barbara Stock, who portrayed Cliff's love interest Liz Adams in the final season, originally played an unrelated character Heather Wilson in two episodes in Season 5.
** Tracy Scoggins played a call girl named Dianne in the seventh-season episode "My Brother's Keeper", and then returned to play Anita Smithfield in ''J.R. Returns''.
** Creator/BrendaStrong had a role in a tenth-season episode of the original series as one of Cliff's one night stands before being cast as Bobby Ewing's new wife Ann in the 2012-2014 SequelSeries.
** Mitch Pileggi (who plays Ann's ex-husband, Harris Ryland), in addition to being an extra in a very early episode in the '80s, had a three-episode role in the original series as a mental patient who bullied J.R. when he was in a mental institution.
** Creator/GlennMorshower (who plays Lou, a lawyer who helps the Ewings throughout the first season) played a small role as a campaign aide in the original series' first-season episode "Black Market Baby".
** In the revival, Creator/SamAnderson plays a recast of Dr. David Gordon (who was established as Pam's doctor/pretend fiancee in the last episode featuring her in the original series), while in the original series he played a detective during Season 8 who helped Bobby prove Jenna innocent of murder.
* In ''Series/DarkAngel'' Creator/JensenAckles played guest character Ben in a season 1 episode and was later recast as Ben's twin brother Alec, a regular character in season 2.
* ''Series/{{Deadwood}}'': Creator/GarretDillahunt played the coward Jack [=McCall=] on the first season, 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/DeathInParadise'': Ralf Little appeared as holidaymaker Will Teague before being cast as DI Neville Parker in series 9 to replace Ardal O'Hanlon's Jack Mooney.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'' and the Franchise/{{Whoniverse}} have [[JustForFun/TropeOverdosed several examples]]:
** Creator/JeanMarsh played Richard the Lionheart's sister in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E6TheCrusade "The Crusade"]] before becoming one of the Doctor's travelling companions in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E4TheDaleksMasterPlan "The Daleks' Master Plan"]]. Decades later, she played the villain in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E1Battlefield "Battlefield"]].
** Creator/PeterPurves played two different characters in the ''same serial'' ([[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E8TheChase "The Chase"]]) — FakeAmerican Morton Dill and new companion Steven Taylor.
** Creator/NicholasCourtney played a character called Bret Vyon for four episodes of [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E4TheDaleksMasterPlan "The Daleks' Master Plan"]], before returning three years later to play TheBrigadier until his death.
** John Levene first appeared in the Creator/PatrickTroughton-era episodes [[Recap/DoctorWhoS5E2TheAbominableSnowmen "The Abominable Snowmen"]] and [[Recap/DoctorWhoS5E5TheWebOfFear "The Web of Fear"]], and then appeared as UNIT soldier Sgt. Benton in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS6E3TheInvasion "The Invasion"]], becoming a regular cast member for most of the Creator/JonPertwee era. A bit less noticeable than other examples, as in the first two stories he was [[PeopleInRubberSuits dressed in a Yeti suit]].
** Creator/IanMarter played Lieutenant Andrews in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS10E2CarnivalOfMonsters "Carnival of Monsters"]] before joining the regular cast as Harry Sullivan.
** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS16E6TheArmageddonFactor "The Armageddon Factor"]], Creator/LallaWard played Princess Astra — whom Romana liked so much that she modelled her [[TheNthDoctor next regeneration]] on her.
** In an inversion, Creator/JacquelineHill, who played original companion Barbara Wright, later returned as the Tigellan Lexa in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS18E2Meglos "Meglos"]].
** Creator/ColinBaker guests in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS20E1ArcOfInfinity "Arc of Infinity"]] as Commander Maxil, an antagonist of the Fifth Doctor, about two years before being cast as [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E7TheTwinDilemma Doctor No. Six]].
** Creator/EveMyles played Gwyneth in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E3TheUnquietDead "The Unquiet Dead"]], and then became a future relative of that character as ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' lead Gwen. In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E13JourneysEnd "Journey's End"]], an InUniverse explanation of "spatial genetic multiplicity" (the [[NegativeSpaceWedgie Cardiff Rift]] copied Gwyneth's appearance onto Gwen) was given.
** Adjoa Andoh played [[CatFolk Sister Jatt]] in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E1NewEarth "New Earth"]], and then was cast as Martha's mother Francine, in another example obfuscated by heavy makeup.
*** It runs in the Jones family, as Creator/FreemaAgyeman, who plays Martha Jones, previously appeared as Torchwood tech [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E12ArmyOfGhosts Adeola Oshodi]]. This one is explained away by Martha herself — she mentions that she had a cousin named Adeola, thus it's a StrongFamilyResemblance.
** Paul Marc Davis played Chiefs in both ''Doctor Who'' and ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' before becoming [[Characters/TheSarahJaneAdventures the Trickster]].
** Creator/PeterCapaldi, the Twelfth Doctor, first appeared as the Roman nobleman Caecilius in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E2TheFiresOfPompeii "The Fires of Pompeii"]]. He also had a prominent role as John Frobisher in the {{spinoff}} ''Series/TorchwoodChildrenOfEarth''. This is addressed InUniverse [[Recap/DoctorWhoS34E1DeepBreath 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.
*** The official InUniverse explanation for the resemblances: The face is originally Caecilius'. Frobisher is a [[IdenticalGrandson direct descendant]], and the 12th Doctor subconsciously copied his appearance for the reasons mentioned above.
** 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.
** Dan Starkey has been playing random Sontaran warriors since the return of the series, then was cast as recurring character Strax. Notably, this means he has played two different lead characters at the BBC ''Doctor Who Proms'' (Skorr — which he played in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E4TheSontaranStratagem two 2008]] [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E5ThePoisonSky episodes]] — and Strax). Those are two of three different speaking Sontaran parts he's had (the other being [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E17E18TheEndOfTime Jask]]. He has, though, [[YouLookFamiliar played different extra roles even after starting as 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 [[Recap/DoctorWho2014CSLastChristmas "Last Christmas"]].
** Creator/NeveMcIntosh played [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E8TheHungryEarth Silurian]] [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E9ColdBlood sisters]] Alaya and Restac in 2010, and from 2011 onwards she played [[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E7AGoodManGoesToWar Madame Vastra]], the Silurian detective.
** Pooky Quesnel played a spaceship captain in [[Recap/DoctorWho2010CSAChristmasCarol "A Christmas Carol"]], and then Dorothea Ames in the short-lived ''Series/{{Class|2016}}''.
** Creator/DavidBradley played a VillainOfTheWeek on [[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E2DinosaursOnASpaceship "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship"]], five years before becoming the official actor for the First Doctor in the revival era, playing him in [[Recap/DoctorWho2017CSTwiceUponATime "Twice Upon a Time"]]. He also played Creator/WilliamHartnell in the 50th anniversary docudrama ''Film/AnAdventureInSpaceAndTime''.
** Bradley Walsh played the Pied Piper and his alter-egos, Odd Bob and Elijah Spellman, in ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'' story [[Recap/TheSarahJaneAdventuresS2E3E4TheDayOfTheClown "The Day of the Clown"]] before being cast as Thirteenth Doctor companion Graham O'Brien.
** In another inversion, Anjli Mohindra, who played Rani Chandra on ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'', guest-starred as the Queen of the Skithra in series 12 episode [[Recap/DoctorWhoS38E4NikolaTeslasNightOfTerror "Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror"]], although once again under such heavy make-up that only people who read the cast list would know.
* ''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.
** Creator/JustinaMachado 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/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/{{Farscape}}'': Melissa Jaffer joined the regular cast in Season Four as Noranti after playing two guest parts in different episodes of the second season: the older version of Nilaam in "Vitas Mortis", and the voice of the female Pilot in "The Way We Weren't".
* ''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}}'':
** Creator/GiovanniRibisi 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. According to her, she was always meant to be Estelle, but her scenes were cut from that episode and she was given the part of the nurse to make up for it.
** Creator/JenniferCoolidge 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.
* ''Series/FutureCop'' contains a particularly confusing example. Herbert Nelson plays an important scientist in the pilot but plays Captain Skaggs for the rest of the series.
* 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]].
* ''Series/TheGeneAutryShow'' has a rather unusual example: despite Pat Buttram being Music/GeneAutry's sidekick from the beginning of the series, Buttram didn't officially 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.
* 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.
* ''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 Pfister.
** 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.
** In season 9, Crystal Bernard guest starred in "The Telltale Tart" before joining the cast in season 10 as KC Cunningham.
* On ''Series/HawaiiFiveO'', Al Harrington played assorted bad guys in five episodes over the show's first four seasons before becoming a Five-O regular (as Ben) in Season Five.
* 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.
* ''Series/HillStreetBlues'': Creator/DennisFranz 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 lieutenant 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 suspicious 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.
** Creator/JonCedar is an inversion: despite playing Klink's guard Langenscheidt 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.
* 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.
* On ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'', Walt [=McPherson=] played a uniformed officer in the first season who finds a piece of evidence. He appears later, starting in the third season, in a recurring role as homicide detective Roger Gaffney. Gaffney rises from detective to lieutenant to captain.
* ''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. Elke Wilkens played a minor character in season 7 before acting as Nikki Herzog.
* ''Series/{{JAG}}''/''Series/{{NCIS}}'':
** Creator/CatherineBell 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.
** Creator/SeanMurray 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 of 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 recurring character Mikey Roberts, then also appeared on 4 episodes of ''NCIS'' as Chip Sterling, Abby's assistant.
* ''Franchise/KamenRider'':
** Makoto Akatsuka was in episode 28 of ''Series/KamenRiderBlack'' as the kid of the week's father. In ''Black's'' direct sequel, [[Series/KamenRiderBlackRX Black RX]], he had a bigger role of Kotaro's foster dad, Shunkichi Sahara.
** ''Series/KamenRiderKiva'': Shoma Yamamoto first appeared in TheMovie as the antagonist Takato Shiramine (Kamen Rider Rey). Reportedly, the staff liked his performance so much that he was cast in the TV series proper as Taiga Nobori (Kamen Rider Saga), a major character in the latter half of the show [[spoiler:and also the protagonist's long-lost older brother.]] Interestingly, Rey and Saga even have the same color scheme. Despite that, they're very different characters.
* ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' has several examples:
** Creator/JerryOrbach first appeared on ''Law & Order'' as a one-off character, a defense lawyer, before later being cast as Lennie Briscoe.
** Creator/RaulEsparza appeared as the perp of the week in an episode of ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' before becoming ADA Rafael Barba on ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''. Ironically, his ''Criminal Intent'' character was also a prosecutor (albeit a corrupt one).
** Creator/MichelleHurd appeared in a minor part in an episode of ''L&O'' before being cast as Monique Jeffries on ''SVU''.
** Music/IceT appeared in ''Exiled'', the franchise's MadeForTvMovie, before being cast in the regular role of Detective Fin Tutuola on ''SVU''.
** Creator/MelissaSagemiller made her ''acting debut'' in the first season of ''SVU'' before being brought back in Season 12 as their main ADA, Gillian Hardwicke.
** Creator/CourtneyBVance 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 the ''SVU'' and ''Series/LawAndOrderTrialByJury'' {{Crossover}} before being cast as Deputy DA Ricardo Morales on ''Series/LawAndOrderLA''.
** Creator/KelliGiddish appeared as a one-off suspect in ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' episode "Depths" before later joining the main cast of ''SVU'' as Detective Rollins. She also appeared as a VictimOfTheWeek in the ''SVU'' episode "Outsider"; in fact, she was interviewed after the assault by ''Fin Tutuola'', who would become Rollins' regular partner.
** Creator/JoannaMerlin played two minor characters in ''Series/LawAndOrder'', in a total of five episodes, before becoming the regularly recurring judge Lena Petrovsky in ''SVU''.
** 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 ''SVU'' 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 ''Criminal Intent'' and a rare recurring attorney on the original ''Law & Order''.
** Creator/ElizabethMarvel played four different one-off characters across the three main series before becoming recurring defence attorney Rita Calhoun in SVU.
** Creator/SEpathaMerkerson had a small one-off role as a cleaning lady in the first season of ''Law & Order'', then was cast as Lt. Anita Van Buren beginning in season four.
** Creator/TamaraTunie guest-starred on a Season 7 episode of the parent series before being cast as ''SVU'' regular Dr. Melinda Warner.
** Creator/JeremySisto played a one-off role as a defense lawyer in the final episode of season 17 before making his debut as Detective Cyrus Lupo ''one episode later'' in the first episode of season 18.
** Creator/DianeNeal, who played ADA Casey Novak in seasons 5-9 of SVU, previously appeared as a rapist and murderer two seasons earlier.
** Creator/IsabelGillies appeared as a VillainOfTheWeek in a Season 8 episode of the mothership before being cast as Kathy Stabler, wife of Det. Elliot Stabler, in ''SVU''.
** Creator/AnthonyAnderson appeared as a different cop on ''SVU'' before being cast as Detective Kevin Bernard in ''Law & Order''.
** Creator/AnnieParisse had a one-off role a few years before becoming a regular as ADA Alexandra Borgia.
** Creator/MilenaGovich 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.
** Creator/JulianneNicholson had a one-off role on the parent series before being cast as Det. Megan Wheeler on ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent''.
** Creator/AnnabellaSciorra 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''.
** Creator/AmyCarlson appeared as one-shot characters in both ''SVU'' and the parent series before being cast as ADA Kelly Gaffney on ''Series/LawAndOrderTrialByJury''.
** Creator/KirkAcevedo appeared as one-shot character in the parent series before being cast as Det. Hector Salazar on ''Series/LawAndOrderTrialByJury''.
** Creator/ScottCohen appeared as a three-episode guest character in the parent series before being cast as Det. Chris Ravell on ''Series/LawAndOrderTrialByJury''.
** Creator/EricBogosian appeared as a defense attorney in two episodes of the early ''L&O'' seasons, more than a decade before he started out as Cpt. Danny Ross in ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent''.
** Creator/JayOSanders played a Killer-Of-The-Week in one episode of ''Criminal Intent'' before playing Cpt. Hannah in the final season.
** Creator/CoreyStoll appeared as one-shot character in the parent series before being cast as Det. Tomas Jaruszalski on ''Series/LawAndOrderLA''.
** Creator/PeterScanavino had four unrelated guest appearances across the franchise (one each on ''Trial By Jury'', ''Criminal Intent'', the original, and ''SVU'', in that order) before being cast as Sonny Carisi in ''SVU''.
** Creator/EdieFalco played minor RecurringCharacter Sally Bell in the original series before being cast as Leslie Abramson, the main lead of ''Series/LawAndOrderTrueCrime'', nearly two decades after her original character's final appearance.
* Early episodes of ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'' contain a few flashback sequences featuring Matthew Labyorteaux (as a young version of Pa) and Hersha Parady (as his sister-in-law). They would both return about halfway through the series as regular characters Albert and Mrs. Garvey.
* ''Series/{{MacGyver|1985}}'':
** Dana Elcar appeared in the pilot episode as Andy Colson, the guy manning the control room while [=MacGyver=] does his mission. Later in the season, he was cast as Pete Thornton, Mac's close friend, boss and [[PromotionToOpeningTitles only other person in the intro]].
** 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.
* ''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.
* ''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 for 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 that 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 anesthesiologist, 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. However, while there is a slight but noticeable difference in the characters' demeanor (Halloran was easily convinced to drop everything and join in a poker game), one common theory among fans is that "Halloran" was actually Colonel Flagg using an alias, since aliases and disguises are later established to be something Flagg frequently makes use of; this 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.
* Many of the actors who became regulars on ''Series/{{Matlock}}'' initially appeared before in different episodes.
* Martin Ferrero appeared in the ''Series/MiamiVice'' pilot as a cross-dressing hitman and went on to play the recurring snitch Izzy Moreno.
* ''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''. Creator/JonathanWinters 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.
* The final episode of the first season of ''Series/MurderSheWrote'', "Funeral at Fifty-Mile", featured William Windom as one of the suspects, a lawyer named Sam Breen. Season 2 introduced recurring character Dr Seth Hazlitt, also played by William Windom, who would go on to appear in more episodes than any other character except Jessica herself.
* ''Series/NewsRadio'': Creator/JonLovitz appeared on two episodes as two different characters before being cast as Max Louis in the fifth and final season.
* ''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.
* ''Series/{{NUMB3RS}}'': Creator/SophinaBrown, who began playing Agent Nikki Bentencourt in Season 5, had a one-scene appearance as an environmental activist in a Season 2 episode.
* ''Theatre/TheOddCouple''. Pamelyn Ferdin appeared in the Season One episode "Bunny is Missing Down by the Lake" as a member of an all-girl camp group who seeks shelter from the rain at the cabin Felix and Oscar stay at before becoming Felix's daughter Edna the following season.
* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'':
** Tracy Lynn Cruz was an extra in Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers Season 3's Christmas Special, ''I'm Dreaming of a White Ranger'', before getting cast as Ashley Hammond, the Yellow Ranger of [[Series/PowerRangersTurbo two consecutive]] [[Series/PowerRangersInSpace seasons]].
** James Napier was cast as Eric, a LastEpisodeNewCharacter in [[Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm Ninja Storm's]] finale, before getting cast as Conner, the Red Ranger, of [[Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder Dino Thunder]]. Conner eventually mentioned a brother who'd washed out of the Wind Ninja Academy.
** Dwayne Cameron first appeared in ''Dino Thunder'' as Derrick, the titular "[[Recap/PowerRangersDinoThunderS1E18BullyForEthan Bully For Ethan]]", then in [[Series/PowerRangersSPD SPD]] as MonsterOfTheWeek Dru Harrington/Giganis. He was then cast as [[SixthRanger Tyzonn, the Mercury Ranger]], in [[Series/PowerRangersOperationOverdrive Operation Overdrive]].
** Jarred Blakiston played a SpearCarrier in [[Series/PowerRangersMegaforce Megaforce]] episode 4, ''Stranger Ranger'', before appearing as Prince Phillip, the Graphite Ranger, in [[Series/PowerRangersDinoCharge Dino Charge]].
* Creator/JohnLarroquette 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.
* On ''Series/QuincyME'', 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/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'':
** Creator/BumperRobinson appeared in Season 1's "Trial By Fury" as Clifford Weaver, before getting cast as James in Season 7.
** John Ducey played Mr. Kraft's nephew in Season 3's "The Band Episode", before also reappearing as a regular in Season 7 (Leonard).
** A variation with Creator/TaraStrong. She voiced the Molly Dolly in Season 3 before getting cast as a protagonist Gwen in the two spin-off movies.
* ''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/TheSopranos'': Joseph R. Gannascoli, who played [[{{Gayngster}} Vito Spatafore]] for much of the series, initially appeared as a completely unrelated minor character in a season 1 scene where Christopher goes ballistic on a pizzeria clerk.
* ''Franchise/StargateVerse'':
** Paul [=McGillion=], who played the main/recurring character Carson Beckett on ''Series/StargateAtlantis'', had previously played a young Ernest Littlefield, the first 20th century human to use the Stargate, in flashbacks in the first season of ''Series/StargateSG1''.
** In ''Atlantis'', Creator/JewelStaite 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.
* ''Franchise/StarTrek''.
** Creator/MajelBarrett was cast as the nameless "Number One" officer in the original pilot, "The Cage", before being cast as recurring character Christine Chapel in ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'', Lwaxana Troi in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' and ''[[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Deep Space Nine]]'', and the voice of Federation starships from ''TNG'' onwards. [[note]]While she initially voiced ship computers in ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline'', her passing has resulted in the role being passed to Creator/LaniMinella.[[/note]]
** Diana Muldaur was a guest star in two ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episodes (in different roles) before becoming the regular Dr. Pulaski in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'''s second season.
** Mark Lenard did a one-off as a Romulan Commander in the TOS episode "Balance Of Terror" before becoming beloved recurring guest star Sarek beginning in "Journey To Babel". He would also play the Klingon captain in the opening scene of ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'', making him the only actor to play a Romulan, a Vulcan and a Klingon.
** Tim Russ did guest roles in TNG, ''Film/StarTrekGenerations'' and [=DS9=] before becoming Tuvok on ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. Ironically, the actor for the TNG era's only Vulcan regular once got the Vulcan nerve pinch applied to him by Picard (who is theorized to have learned it from mind-melding with Sarek, or else possibly from Spock when they met in a Season 5 episode). Also, some time after ''Generations,'' there was a flashback episode about Tuvok on the ''Excelsior'' under Sulu, meaning Tuvok and his other lookalike were both Starfleet officers at the same time on ships of the same class.
** Creator/JeffreyCombs has appeared in several ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' and VOY roles both before and after his main role as recurring [=DS9=] villain Weyoun, most notably as recurring [=DS9=] character Brunt, who even appears in the same episode (though not the same scene) as Weyoun. In ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' he was cast as the Andorian Captain Shran, an uneasy ally of Captain Archer. Supposedly, he was supposed to join the cast as a regular in the fifth season had it been made.
** Creator/ReneAuberjonois was Colonel West in ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'' before becoming Odo in [=DS9=].
** Salome Jens was the humanoid precursor in the TNG episode "The Chase" before being cast in the recurring role of the female changeling in [=DS9=].
** Robert Duncan [=McNeill=] guest starred as Starfleet cadet Nicholas Locarno in the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "[[{{Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS5E19TheFirstDuty}} The First Duty]]". The writers of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' wanted to use the character as a regular, but according to WordOfGod, they weren't sure that Locarno's established character traits would fit with what they wanted to do with the character's arc, so they instead created a new character with a similar, though not identical, backstory named Tom Paris and cast [=McNeill=] in the role. (Another version of the story is that there was some question over whether usling Locarno in ''Voyager'' would have required paying royalties to the writers of "The First Duty" for every episode the Locarno character appeared in, so creating a new character was a way to work around that.)
** In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' season 1 finale "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS1E25TheNeutralZone The Neutral Zone]]", Marc Alaimo guest-starred as Commander Tebok, the first TNG-era Romulan. In the season 4 episode that introduced the Cardassians, "[[{{Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E12TheWounded}} The Wounded]]", Alaimo guest-starred as the Cardassian leader Gul Macet. When the Cardassians' role was expanded for ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', the producers wanted Alaimo back, but [[AffablyEvil the Macet character was too nice a guy to make a good villain]], so they removed his truly unfortunate facial hair and created a new character, [[BigBad Gul Dukat]]. The ExpandedUniverse explains the resemblance by making them cousins ([[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness and the facial hair, otherwise nigh-unknown on Cardassians]], as something Macet grew specifically so he would look ''less'' like Dukat).
** Creator/MichelleForbes had a role in Season 4 of TNG in "[[{{Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E22HalfALife}} Half a Life]]" as an "Alien of the Week", before returning in Season 5 as semi-regular character Ensign Ro. Forbes was approached to play Ro as a main character on both [=DS9=] and ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', but she was not interested in a series-long commitment (the roles originally intended to be for Ro would become Major Kira Nerys and Lt. B'Elanna Torres respectively).
** Armin Shimerman played a Betazoid gift box and two Ferengi in TNG before becoming Quark in ''Deep Space Nine''.
** Max Grodenchik played a couple of Ferengi in TNG before becoming known as the semi-regular character Rom in ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''.
** Ethan Phillips played a Ferengi in the TNG episode "Menage a Troi" before playing Neelix on ''Voyager''.[[note]]In the episode "[[{{Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS3E5FalseProfits}} False Profits]]", Neelix disguises himself as a Ferengi. Gee, wonder where they got that idea.[[/note]]
** Creator/JamesCromwell played a number of one-off characters throughout the franchise, both human-like and alien. But his role as Zephram Cochrane in ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'', the inventor of warp drive and the one to establish humanity's first contact with aliens, making him a major player in the Star Trek lore despite the limited appearances. He does reprise the role in certain episodes and stock footage.
** Robert O'Reilly played the holographic character "Scarface" in the TNG episode "Manhunt" before receiving the recurring role of Klingon Chancellor Gowron starting with the episode "Reunion" and continuing through [=DS9=].
* ''Franchise/SuperSentai'':
** ''Series/HimitsuSentaiGoranger:
*** Hirohisa Nakata played a minor EAGLE officer in episode 33 and minor villain Dellinger in episode 28 of ''Denziman'', but is best remembered as [[TheDragon Mason]] in ''[[Series/ChoudenshiBioman Bioman]]''.
*** Nobuo Yana appeared as Dr. Shinigami ([[Series/KamenRider Not that one.]]) in episode 53, and returned three episodes later [[TheOtherDarrin to take over from]] Creator/MitsuoAndo as [[BigBad The Black Cross Fuhrer]]. Episode 53 also had Creator/IchiroNagai as [[MonsterOfTheWeek Baseball Mask]]. Nagai later voiced the also baseball themed Devil Batter in ''JAKQ'', and would later voice ''Gekiranger's'' BigGood, Master Xia-Fu.
*** Tsutomu Sekine appeared as a truck driver in ''Goranger'' episode 57; four decades later, he returned to the franchise as ''[=ToQger's=]'' Conductor.
** Jyunichi Haruta played bit parts from ''JAKQ'' to ''Sun Vulcan'' and even suit acted as Big One and Spade Ace in the former. He then went on to play two consecutive Black Rangers - ''Goggle V's'' Kanpei Kuroda/Goggle Black and Ryu Hoshikawa/Dyna Black - and also portrayed them in-costume.
** ''Series/BattleFeverJ'':
*** Creator/MachikoSoga first appeared in the franchise in episode 3 as the MonsterOfTheWeek Death Mask Monster, before playing ''[[Series/DenshiSentaiDenziman Denziman's]]'' BigBad Queen Hedrian. Her next appearance was as Laraba in ''[[Series/HikariSentaiMaskman Maskman]]'' episode 30. That was followed by her role as ''[[Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger Zyuranger]]'' BigBad Bandora (and by proxy, ''[[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers Rita Repulsa]]'') and ''[[Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger Magiranger]]'' BigGood Magiel.
*** Masashi Ishibashi played the Psychokinesis Monster in Episode 4, then came back to play [[TheDragon General Hedder]] starting with episode 9 [[TheOtherMarty after]] Kenji Ushio [[RoleEndingMisdemeanor was arrested early on]]. Ushio's episodes (save for 4 and 6) were reshot with Ishibashi. Ushio himself had guest spots in ''Goranger'' and ''JAKQ'' with his most substantial role being Baron Iron Mask in ''JAKQ vs Goranger''. Ishibashi played Baron Iron Claw in ''JAKQ'' and later appeared as ''Dynaman's'' General Kar and ''Turboranger's'' Doctor Lehda.
*** Episode 34 featured Kin'ya Sugi as a car owner. He went on to play guest character Saburo in episode 33 of ''Denziman'', then went on to play [[TheDanza Kin'ya Samejima]]/Vul Shark in ''Sun Vulcan''.
*** Rikiya Iwaki played several one-off roles throughout the franchise beginning with a coach in Episode 47. His most substantial role is ''Zyuranger's'' Gnome, [[SmallRoleBigImpact who appeared in three episodes, but was instrumental in Burai's introduction]].
** ''Denziman'':
*** Takao Yamada played Sabu, one of a trio of thieves in episode 30. He then appeared in the next season, ''[[Series/TaiyouSentaiSunVulcan Sun Vulcan]]'' as supporting character Sukehachi Yazawa.
*** Episode 26 also featured Creator/RyuseiNakao in a live-action role as Gou Koyuki. His next Sentai role came twenty-four years later as ''[[Series/TokusouSentaiDekaranger Dekaranger]]'' BigBad Agent Abrella, and then another decade before he voiced ''[[Series/ShurikenSentaiNinninger Ninninger's]]'' Masakage Tsugomori.
** Satoshi Okita guest starred as Hideo Komura in episode 10 [[Series/DaiSentaiGoggleFive Goggle Five]], then played Dyna Red/Hokuto Dan in ''[[Series/KagakuSentaiDynaman Dynaman]]''.
** Strong Kongou played the good android Gon in episode 35 of ''Dynaman'', then the evil, yet [[DumbMuscle dumb]] android Monster in ''Bioman''.
** Yutaka Hirose [[note]]Credited as Takumi Hirose[[/note]] was a bit player in ''Bioman'' and ''Changeman'' before playing ''four'' major villains in subsequent sentai: Ley Wanda in ''Flashman'', Dr. Kemp in ''Liveman'', Tranza in ''Jetman'' and Jin Matoba in ''Dairanger''.
** ''[[Series/ChoushinseiFlashman Flashman]]'' had two guest stars who played more significant roles in the next season, ''Maskman''. Ryousuke Kaizou (Ryu Wakasa in episode 27) went on to play [[TheLeader Takeru/Red Mask]], while Mina Asami (Shibehl in Episode 40) went on to play [[ActingForTwo Prince Igam and Princess Ial]].
** ''Maskman'' also featured two guest stars with higher profile roles in [[Series/ChoujuuSentaiLiveman the next season]]. Kazuhiko Nishimura (Kurokawa in episodes 28-29) played [[TheLancer Joh Ohara/Yellow Lion]], while Toru Sakai (Shinya in episode 32) played Doctor Obular.
** ''[[Series/KousokuSentaiTurboranger Turboranger]]'' featured two future rangers as one-shot characters. Sayuri Uchida (Yumi in episode 9) went on to play [[Series/ChoujinSentaiJetman Ako Hayasaka/Blue Swallow]], while Ryo Narushima/Keiko Hayase (Mika Yamaguchi in Episode 37) went on to play [[Series/ChikyuuSentaiFiveman Remi Hoshikawa/Five Yellow]].
** Two guest stars in ''[[Series/ChoujinSentaiJetman Jetman]]'' played two of the heroes of the next season, ''[[Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger Zyuranger]]''. Yuta Mochizuki (G1 of the Neo Jetman) played [[TheLeader Geki/Tyrannoranger]], and Hideki Fujiwara (Dan the Birdman) played Dan/Tricera Ranger.
** In ''Zyuranger'', Hisashi Sakai played young Burai in flashbacks. He soon played the next SixthRanger, [[BrattyHalfPint Kou]], in ''[[Series/GoseiSentaiDairanger Dairanger]]''. Maroshi Tamura, who played ''Zyuranger'' MonsterOfTheWeek Dora Franke, appeared as ''Dairanger'' villain Zaidos. Shin Nagahama played Episode 39's kid of the week, Hirata, 22 years before he played [[Series/ResshaSentaiToQger [=ToQger's=]]] SixthRanger, Akira Nijino/[=ToQ=] 6gou.
** Creator/ShigeruChiba voiced a few Monsters of the Week, namely ''[[Series/GoseiSentaiDairanger Kabuki Novice]]'', ''[[Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger Chochin Novice]]'' and ''[[Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger the elder Sneak Brother]]'', before he voiced TheNarrator, the equipment and physically played Dr. Ulshade/Kyoryu Violet I in ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger''.
** Yoshihiro Fukuda appeared in episode 36 of ''Dairanger'' as a mountain climber, then made a return trip to the series three years later as Minoru Uesugi/Green Racer in ''[[Series/GekisouSentaiCarranger Carranger]]''.
** Satoru Saito had a few roles of increasing importance. He was ''Dairanger'' MonsterOfTheWeek General Cactus, BumblingDad / ButtMonkey Ichiro Nitta in ''[[Series/ChourikiSentaiOhranger Ohranger]]'' and finally, ''[[Series/DenjiSentaiMegaranger Megaranger]]'' [[TheMentor Mentor]] Dr. Kubota.
** Taro Suwa appeared as the human form of Charcoal Grill Org in ''[[Series/HyakujuuSentaiGaoranger Gaoranger]]'' episode 34. He had a more substantial role two years later in ''Abaranger'' as Yokota, the Dino Curry's regular customer.
** ''Series/BakuryuuSentaiAbaranger'' had two future alumni in guest roles in TheMovie. Creator/ToshioFurukawa voiced the villain, Galvidi, then played TheNarrator of ''Dekaranger''. Robert Baldwin played a ship captain and returned in the next Dino Sentai, ''Kyoryuger'', as Ramirez/Kyoryu Cyan.
** ''Abaranger'' also had Toshihiro Yashiba as a Recording Studio Staff Member in episodes 22-23; a decade later, he appeared as ''Ninninger's'' TeamDad, Tsumuji Igasaki.
** ''Series/UchuSentaiKyuranger'':
*** Keisuke Minami played a love interest for Saki in ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger'' episode 6 before playing ''Kyuranger's'' SixthRanger, Tsurugi Ohtori/Houou Soldier.
*** Creator/AkioOhtsuka voiced several monsters and villains throughout the franchise, but his most substantial role is ''Kyuranger's'' black ranger, Champ/Oushi Black.
** Creator/KenichiSuzumura voiced Filmloid in episode 20 of ''Series/TokumeiSentaiGoBusters'' and returned eight years later as Mashin Fire in ''Series/MashinSentaiKiramager''.
* 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.
** 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.
* ''Series/TwoAndAHalfMen'': Jennifer Bini Taylor had multiple cameos as minor characters before being cast as Charlie's long-time fiancee Chelsea Melini.
* 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.
* 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.
* ''Series/TheXFiles'': Creator/NicholasLea appeared in an early episode "Gender Bender" playing a character named Michael, then returned later as series regular Alex Krycek.
* ''Series/YoungSheldon'': Lance Barber, the actor who plays George Cooper (Sr.), previously appeared in parent show ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' as Jimmy Speckerman, Leonard's childhood bully, in the episode "The Speckerman Recurrence".
* ''Series/Zoey101'': Austin Butler, before being cast as James (one of the main characters in season 4), portrayed Stacey's boyfriend Danifer in the season 3 episode "Quarantine".
[[/folder]]

** Hirohisa Nakata played a minor EAGLE officer in episode 33 of [[Series/HimitsuSentaiGoranger Goranger]] and minor villain Dellinger in episode 28 of ''Denziman'', but is best remembered as [[TheDragon Mason]] in ''[[Series/ChoudenshiBioman Bioman]]''.
** Nobuo Yana appeared as Dr. Shinigami ([[Series/KamenRider Not that one.]]) in ''Goranger'' episode 53, and returned three episodes later [[TheOtherDarrin to take over from]] Creator/MitsuoAndo as [[BigBad The Black Cross Fuhrer]]. Episode 53 also had Creator/IchiroNagai as [[MonsterOfTheWeek Baseball Mask]]. Nagai later voiced the also baseball themed Devil Batter in ''JAKQ'', and would later voice ''Gekiranger's'' BigGood, Master Xia-Fu.
** Tsutomu Sekine appeared as a truck driver in ''Goranger'' episode 57; four decades later, he returned to the franchise as ''[=ToQger's=]'' Conductor.

** Zigzagged with Creator/MachikoSoga. Her first Sentai role was in ''Series/BattleFeverJ'' episode 3 as the MonsterOfTheWeek Death Mask Monster, followed by ''[[Series/DenshiSentaiDenziman Denziman's]]'' BigBad Queen Hedrian. Her next appearance was as Laraba in ''[[Series/HikariSentaiMaskman Maskman]]'' episode 30. That was followed by her role as ''[[Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger Zyuranger]]'' BigBad Bandora (and by proxy, ''[[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers Rita Repulsa]]'') and ''[[Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger Magiranger]]'' BigGood Magiel.
** In ''Battle Fever J'', Masashi Ishibashi played the Psychokinesis Monster in Episode 4, then came back to play [[TheDragon General Hedder]] starting with episode 9 [[TheOtherMarty after]] Kenji Ushio [[RoleEndingMisdemeanor was arrested early on]]. Ushio's episodes (save for 4 and 6) were reshot with Ishibashi. Ushio himself had guest spots in ''Goranger'' and ''JAKQ'' with his most substantial role being Baron Iron Mask in ''JAKQ vs Goranger''. Ishibashi played Baron Iron Claw in ''JAKQ'' and later appeared as ''Dynaman's'' General Kar and ''Turboranger's'' Doctor Lehda.

*** Episode 33 featured Kin'ya Sugi as guest character Saburo; he previously appeared in Episode 34 of ''Battle Fever J'' as a car owner, then went on to play [[TheDanza Kin'ya Samejima]]/Vul Shark in ''Sun Vulcan''.

** Masaharu Sato voiced many one-episode characters throughout the original Dragon Ball series, including the Bear Thief in Episode 3 and a Rabbit Gang member in Episode 12, before he was cast as Staff Officer Black. He also voiced Master Roshi in [[Anime/DragonBallZWrathOfTheDragon Wrath of the Dragon]] following Kouhei Miyauchi's death, but he wouldn't take over for Roshi fulltime until [[Anime/DragonBallZKai Kai]].

** Creator/TakashiKondo previously voiced a ninja chef and a samurai bodyguard in some Part I fillers before getting to play Suigetsu Hōzuki. Jūgo's actor, Shuhei Sakaguchi, was first the voice of Kiyoyasu Kagetsu in the infamous "Laughing Shino" episode.

** Kunihiro Kawamoto was the original voice for Sound Ninja spy Misumi Tsurugi before returning in ''Shippūden'' as [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Cloud ninja cuckoolander]] Omoi. Darui's actor, Ryota Takeuchi, had previously voiced a Leaf ANBU in the Three-Tails filler arc beforehand.

** Ikuo Nishikawa first appeared in ''Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow'' as Sandayu Asada before being cast as frog sage Fukasaku. Creator/YojiUeda was the voice of Rain genin Mubi before he played Gamakichi and Creator/AtsushiOno appeared as Gozu in the Three-Tails arc plus some extras in earlier episodes before voicing Gamaken. Gamamaru's actor, Mitsuo Senda, had previously voiced a villain, Shinayakana, in a standalone filler in Part I.

** Takao Yamada played Sabu, one of a trio of thieves in ''Denziman'' episode 30. He then appeared in the next season, ''[[Series/TaiyouSentaiSunVulcan Sun Vulcan]]'' as supporting character Sukehachi Yazawa. Episode 33 featured Kin'ya Sugi as guest character Saburo; he previously appeared in Episode 34 of ''Battle Fever J'' as a car owner, then went on to play [[TheDanza Kin'ya Samejima]]/Vul Shark in ''Sun Vulcan''. Episode 26 also featured Creator/RyuseiNakao in a live-action role as Gou Koyuki. His next Sentai role came twenty-four years later as ''[[Series/TokusouSentaiDekaranger Dekaranger]]'' BigBad Agent Abrella, and then another decade before he voiced ''[[Series/ShurikenSentaiNinninger Ninninger's]]'' Masakage Tsugomori.

** Creator/HaruhiTerada voiced Tsunade's childhood self in flashbacks and Karenbana in ''Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom'', before appearing as [[SmallPartBigImpact Rin]] [[TheLostLenore Nohara]], who'd be pivotal to Tobi's motivation in the series.

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}:

** Creator/AkioOhtsuka also guest starred in several of the movies, notably Chris in ''Anime/FarewellToNostradamus'', before succeeding Creator/KiyoshiKobayashi as Jigen in 2021.

* ''Manga/DetectiveConan'':

* Creator/KoichiYamadera had some guest spots on a few ''Manga/LupinIII'' movies, such as Michael Suzuki in ''Crisis in Tokyo'', before succeeding Creator/GoroNaya as Inspector Zenigata in 2011.

* Although the ''All Stars''-recognized [[Franchise/PrettyCure Pretty Cures]] tend to have one completely different voice actress each, some of them had voiced minor characters before voicing Precures.

** Creator/MichelleForbes had a role in Season 4 of TNG in "[[{{Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E22HalfALife}} Half a Life]]" as an "Alien of the Week", before returning in Season 5 as semi-regular character Ensign Ro. Forbes was approached to play Ro as a main character on both [=DS9=] and ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', but she was not interested in a series-long commitment, resulting in the creation of Major Kira Nerys and Lt. B'ellana Torres.

** Ethan Phillips played a Ferengi in the TNG episode "Menage a Troi" before playing Neelix on VOY. In the episode " [[{{Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS3E5FalseProfits}} False Profits]]", Neelix disguises himself as a Ferengi. Gee, wonder where they got that idea.