Author Archives: robin
Before They Were Stars: J.K. Simmons in “The Jackal”
Now that the nominations for the 87th Academy Awards have been announced, it’s time for an annual tradition here at The Back Row: “Before They Were Stars” clips for this year’s nominees! The odds-on-favourite for “Best Supporting Actor” this year … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars (2-for-1 Special): Michael Keaton and David Letterman Sing with Mary Tyler Moore
Now that the nominations for the 87th Academy Awards have been announced, it’s time for an annual tradition here at The Back Row: “Before They Were Stars” clips for this year’s nominees! We’ll start with Michael Keaton, who received his … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Seth Rogen in “Donnie Darko”
Did you know that Seth Rogen made his official film debut with a small role as a bully in Donnie Darko? I did, but for some reason, I thought I’d already posted footage of his role here years ago. Turns … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Tara Reid on “Days of Our Lives”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEow8v8dYHo During the mid-1990s, Tara Reid got one of her first major roles by appearing in a few episodes of Days of Our Lives, providing an early showcase of the acting chops that would make Alone in the Dark and … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Juliette Lewis on “The Wonder Years”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuv_NkyoGrY Right around the time she got her first major exposure as Audrey Griswold in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Juliette Lewis was given a recurring role as Wayne Arnold’s girlfriend, Delores, on The Wonder Years and made sporadic appearances over the … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Melissa McCarthy Performs with The Groundlings
There are so many famous actors who started out performing in the improv sketch comedy troupe, The Groundlings, that it’s somewhat inevitable when old footage of them surfaces on the Internet and the clip is often posted on Youtube by the less … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Jim Parsons in “Blitt Happens”
Would you feel compelled to watch a pilot starring the guy who wrote The Ringer? Well, neither did anyone else. Blitt Happens was a 2003 television pilot starring screenwriter Ricky Blitt as himself, a struggling writer who finds sudden success … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Nick Offerman in “Sin City”
Yes, he’s almost unrecognizable, but that’s Ron Swanson as Schlubb, one of the incompetent henchmen who gets beaten up in Sin City.
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Before They Were Stars: Emilia Clarke in a Samaritans PSA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im2zLraEI8w In 2009, Emilia Clarke portrayed an abuse victim named Lisa in this PSA for Samaritans, a charity which operates a telephone hotline to help out people in emotional distress. This PSA requested donations to help fund Samaritans and considering … Continue reading
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Before They Were Stars: Rebel Wilson in “Ghost Rider”
Rebel Wilson has only garnered notice in North America in recent years, but she has been a well-known and successful comedic performer in her native Australia for over a decade. Her first exposure to Hollywood took place in the infamous … Continue reading
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