Author Archives: robin
Before They Were Stars: Billy Bob Thornton in “Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xswmfJNSbLc Billy Bob Thornton worked as a character actor in Hollywood for years before he shot to stardom with his iconic, Academy Award-nominated performance as Karl Childers in Sling Blade. However, Thornton had initially introduced the character two years beforehand … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Parker Posey on “As the World Turns”
Parker Posey starred in so many independent films during the 1990s that she wound up being christened “Queen of the Indies”, but before that, she got her start with a role on the soap opera, As the World Turns. Considering … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars (2-for-1 Special): George Clooney and Jason Alexander on “E/R”
No, that’s not a misprint. I’m sure you know George Clooney shot to stardom while working on ER, but here’s a mind-boggling coincidence for you: did you know that ten years beforehand, he starred in another medical TV show called … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Joaquin “Leaf” Phoenix on “Superboy”
It’s always fun to showcase Joaquin Phoenix’s childhood years when he went under the name “Leaf”. Long before there was Smallville, there existed a TV series called Superboy which showcased the adventures of a young Clark Kent before he was … Continue reading
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Robin’s Underrated Gems: Shakedown (1988)
One of the more prominent schlocky action directors in the 1980s was James Glickenhaus. He first made his mark in 1980 with The Exterminator, a rather terrible Death Wish rip-off about a Vietnam vet going on an ultra-violent vigilante spree, … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Simon Cowell as a Game Show Contestant
Back in 1990, while he was struggling a bit with his career as a record producer, Simon Cowell made his first appearance in front of a camera as a contestant on a British game show called Sale of the Century. … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Michael Clarke Duncan on “Married with Children”
In tribute to the recently departed Michael Clarke Duncan, I’ve uncovered another “Before They Were Stars” clip of him playing a security guy on a 1995 episode of Married with Children. I had to post this clip because it features … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Clint Eastwood in “Tarantula”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_lA7HNmfxc I’m sure you’re quite sick of hearing about Clint Eastwood talking to an empty chair at the Republican National Convention last week, so I think it’s time to show Clint doing something a lot more dignified… like blowing up … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Michael Clarke Duncan in a PC Adventure Game
You may have heard the sad news that Michael Clarke Duncan has just died at the age of 54. Duncan was taken to the intensive care unit after suffering a heart attack on July 13, 2012, and was still hospitalized … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Salma Hayek on “The Sinbad Show”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RzrSjs18ws Hard to believe there was once a time in North America when Sinbad was a much bigger star than Salma Hayek. In 1993, Sinbad starred in his own sitcom called The Sinbad Show, playing a bachelor who winds up … Continue reading
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