Oh, THAT guy again

For all the thousands of actors out of work there seems to be a lucky few who seem to turn up on EVERYTHING. Not that they’re not good or deserving or lovely people, but Jesus, my pharmacist has a great demo reel.

I call it the “Oh THAT guy again” syndrome. Here are just a few recent examples:

Michael Kelly. Very solid. In the last month alone I’ve seen him in MAN OF STEEL, NOW YOU SEE ME, and HOUSE OF CARDS. Anytime the star turns to ask a subordinate a question it’s Kelly. I also remember him from PERSON OF INTEREST, CRIMINAL MINDS, THE SOPRANOS, and LAW & ORDER. It seems like Michael Kelly gets any role where they need a guy in a suit.

But when a bad guy is required Titus Welliver's phone rings. You booed him in LOST, jeered him in THE GOOD WIFE, hissed in WHITE COLLAR, and raised an angry fist in CSI. You’ve also seen him in TOUCH, GRIMM, ARGO, THE TOWN, SUITS, SONS OF ANARCHY, THE CLOSER, and MONK – probably this month.  He was a good guy in PROMISED LAND and it almost took me out of the movie. 

If you want to go more subtle you hire David Costabile . He’s more the cultured soft-spoken weasel, notably on SUITS. But he also was a lab assistant on BREAKING BAD. David has made a lot of one-shot guest appearances, notably on ELEMENTARY, PERSON OF INTEREST, ROYAL PAINS, LIE TO ME, HOUSE, THE GOOD WIFE, FRANKLIN & BASH, and a little film called LINCOLN.

For elegance, charm, and menace there’s Alan Dale. And he has that New Zealand quality that all producers are obviously clamoring after. I first noticed him as evil Charles Widmore in LOST then found him on BODY OF PROOF, ONCE UPON A TIME, HOT IN CLEVELAND, THE KILLING, HOUSE OF LIES, ENTROUAGE, PERSON OF INTEREST, UNDERCOVERS, SEA PATROL, 24, UGLY BETTY, THE O.C., JAG, WEST WING, THE PRACTICE, X-FILES, and ER. No wonder my father can’t get work.

Kim Raver has been on more series than any other actress who isn’t a star. Currently on REVOLUTION, she’s also been on NCIS: LOS ANGELES, GREY’S ANATOMY, LIPSTICK JUNGLE, THE NINE, THIRD WATCH, TRINITY, and of course 24. The only reason she wasn’t in KNOCKED UP and THIS IS 40 is because she’s not married to Judd Apatow.

Sonya Walger has also had a good run. COMMON LAW, LAW & ORDER, RECEPTION, IN TREATMENT, FLASH FORWARD, THE SARAH CONNER CHRONICLES, CSI: NEW YORK, SLEEPER CELL, COUPLING (American version although she has an accent), THE MIND OF THE MARRIED MAN, but she was best known as dear sweet “Penny” in LOST, and the wife who gave her husband a very graphic hand job on TELL ME YOU LOVE ME. (Sonya, that’s the scene I’d use to lead off my demo reel).

Also worth noting: Chi McBride. He seems to be the king of the “short-lived” series. GOLDEN BOY, HAWTHORNE, HUMAN TARGET, PUSHING DAISIES, THE NINE, KILLER INSTINCTS, BOSTON PUBLIC, THE JOHN LARROQUETTE SHOW, and the classic SECRET LIFE OF DESMOND PHEIFFER.

There are others I’m sure you can add. Again, I don’t begrudge any of them, and a few I’d hire myself depending on the role. And every celebrity other than Clint Eastwood and Ryan Seacrest knows that you only enjoy a brief window when you’re hot so take full advantage while you can. Because along with the success comes the danger of overexposure.

Ask Flo from Progressive Insurance.

It’s the old story in Hollywood. First they say: "Who's Titus Welliver?"  Then they say:  “Get me Titus Welliver.” Then: “Get me a Titus Welliver type.” And then finally: “Who’s Titus Welliver?”