Poll: Favorite Hollywood star transitioning to TV

I just noticed that my favorite Hollywood actors from the ‘80s, ‘90s and even ‘00s, who slightly dwindled for a couple years or so, recently experienced second careers on the small screen, especially in the past few years (even moreso than the past decade). A couple people off the top of my head includes Kiefer Sutherland (Touch, 24), Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Christian Slater (any show canceled in the past three years), Juliette Lewis (The Firm), Kathy Bates (Harry’s Law, The Office), Christina Ricci (Pan Am) and Timothy Hutton (Leverage). In the last poll discussion, Newbie Jaylen mentioned Alfre Woodard (Desperate Housewives).

When I ran out of names, I sent out a call to my fellow clackers thinking I had exhausted the list of popular Hollywood stars who re-discovered a second career on TV in the past few years. However, they soon schooled me on that presumption. In addition to the popular actor (or the known character actor), we listed actors who didn’t specialize or star in films per se, but had small roles before transitioning to TV.

An: So, people, who do you believe successfully transitioned from film to TV? And, out of that, who is your favorite?

Bob: A couple jump to mind. The first is Glenn Close (Damages), who is spectacular in Damages, one of the more underrated shows on television. She had been up for a ton of awards for the show, and rightfully so.

Also, Madeliene Stowe (Revenge) is having good luck with Revenge, getting the Golden Globe nom. It will be interesting to see if it translates to Grammy acknowledgment as well. The show is a guilty pleasure, but she is very good in it.

Brittany: What about Martin Sheen? Dude is going to be President Bartlet forever now.

I personally have a soft spot for Robert Patrick, but that’s another one that I doubt most people could name (unless you like, pointed out who he played, and then all my friends go, ‘Oh, he was that guy?’)

An: A couple other people I’ll add to the list Laura Linney (The Big C), Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer), Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment), Gabrielle Anwar (Burn Notice) and Alan Cumming (The Good Wife).

Also, is Matthew Modine successful or unsuccessful? He had that hideous Bedford Diaries on the WB/CW, but then he starred in Weeds later.

Bob: … Gabrielle Anwar? She’s been in a movie?!?

Carla: She was in For Love or Money with Michael Fox.

An: Don’t you remember Scent of a Woman? And the whoo-ha about the girl Chris O’ Donnell chased?

Bob: I remember Scent of a Woman very well, I have no recollection of Anwar being in it.

Bob: Steve Buscemi?

William Peterson?

Lawrence Fishburne (though I don’t know if a couple of seasons of CSI count)?

Brittany: Petersen’s another good one. No matter what he does from here on out, like Sheen, I think he’s always going to be associated with his TV role.

Bob: Also… Jessica Lange.

Carla: Can’t forget Peter Dinklage (Game Of Thrones) or Sean Bean (GOT).

Chuck: At the moment I’d have to say Jessica Lange, who wasn’t getting many movie roles, didn’t want to stoop to doing a TV show, and now she’s on fire again.

Katie: I’m not sure if this counts, but Mark Hamill for his television voice work. I think he’ll always be known as Luke Skywalker, but just below that he’s known as the voice of the Joker (not to mention his huge list of other voice over work in the last 20 years. It might not be the same career as Harrison Ford, but Hamill has most definitely found success on television.

Brittany: The one that still stands out to me is Gabriel Macht — he’s been phenomenal in Suits and I knew him from a number of films before that — but would that show be considered popular enough for inclusion?

Chuck [responding to a long conversation about CourtneyVance]: I just saw Vance in Final Destination 5 and Joyful Noise!

Isn’t it ironic how ten to twenty years ago this poll would’ve been “Favorite TV star to transition successfully to film”? However, as a flip to the Hollywood actor who successfully underwent career resuscitation on TV, there are people who tried the transition (but didn’t do so successfully) such as Larry Fishburne (CSI), Forest Whitaker (Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior), Alicia Silverstone (Miss Match), and Geena Davis (Commander in Chief). They starred in good shows (although I’m freaked out the people I’ve listed are mostly racial or gendered minorities), but the shows didn’t stay around long enough to become hits (or help re-energize their careers).

So, who was YOUR favorite Hollywood star in the ‘80s, ‘90s, or ‘00s who has successfully uncovered a TV career in the past few years? Is there anyone we missed? Heck. I bet there are thousands. While typing this poll I just thought of Don Cheadle (House of Lies). Are there any more?

Poll expires this Friday, February 3 at midnight.

Clacked by An Nicholson
on Jan 30, 2012 @ 10:00 EST5EDT