Monday, June 16, 2014

Forever Nurse Rachett

Louise Fletcher turned up on an episode of SHAMELESS, Season Two and reminded me of actors that are so strongly associated with one role that we are often surprised to find them in another. She will always be Nurse Ratchett to me. Who else will always be one character to you? There are so many examples: Robert Preston in THE MUSIC MAN for another.Is it a good thing or a bad one? I guess mostly bad. When I see how wonderful, Flletcher is in SHAMELESS, it makes me sad we don't have more memories of her.


24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yul Brynner in THE KING AND I, of course. Years and years later he was still playing the role on Broadway.

Jeff M.

Deb said...

Leonard Nimoy as Spock. Well, for that matter, almost the entire Star Trek cast and their associated characters.

Anonymous said...

We have some more for you:

Carroll O'Connor/Archie Bunker
Henry Winkler/The Fonz
James Gandolfini/Tony Soprano
Valerie Harper/Rhoda Morgenstern
as Deb suggested:
William Shatner/James T. Kirk

Jeff M.

George said...

Bebe Neuwirth as Lilith Sternin on both CHEERS and FRASIER.

pattinase (abbott) said...

MTM sort of scared her persona off with ORDINARY PEOPLE. But Lou Grant will always be Lou Grant to me. TV IDs are more permanent. It's the movie roles that are more surprising. To make yourself indelible in two hours is an achievement.

Charles Gramlich said...

Shatner as Kirk
Doohan as Scotty
Nimoy as Spock
Kelley as Bones
etc.

Al Tuchjer said...

Leo McKern as Rumpole
Peter Falk as Columbo
Patrick McGoohan as The Prisoner

And I hope I can say it someday about Hilary Swank as Diana!

J F Norris said...

Let me get us back to the movies, since everyone is fixated on TV:

Margaret Hamilton - The Wicked Witch of the West
(Pretty much everyone except Judy Garland is forever cemented in their Wizard of Oz role, but Hamilton never lived hers down for the rest of her life)

Gloria Swanson - Norma Desmond

Linda Blair - Regan MacNeil

Edmund Gwenn- Kris Kringle

Anthony Perkins - Norman Bates

I tried to come up with a variety of roles, but strangely I kept coming back to villains and "dark" characters.

J F Norris said...

And can I just say that the latest update to the "Please prove you're not a robot" nonsense is the worst ever. Took me six tries (!) before I got those wavy twisted letters correct. What's the point of the black dot in the back that distorts the letters even more? Maddening!

Anonymous said...

Yes to Rumpole. Also David Suchet as Poirot.

I thought of Columbo but I've seen Peter Falk in so many other roles (plus I was never a big Columbo fan) that I rejected it. I would add:

Telly Savalas/Kojak


Jeff M.

George said...

Patti, I just listen to ON POINT on NPR. They had their annual Summer Reading program. The last book they mention is Megan's THE FEVER. Congratulations!

Ron Scheer said...

Patti, you began with a female character, and so many responses were about males. I'm trying to think of more women and realize that maybe it takes a really big role for that identification to take place, and so few actresses get that opportunity.

Rick Robinson said...

I can't think of an example for a film. As for TV, all the characters on Perry Mason.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Thanks, George. Have to see if I can find it.
Yes, men are easier and Tv is easier.
Linda Blair is perfect. I guess dark characters are more memorable.

Cap'n Bob said...

Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes. Johnny Weismuller as Tarzan. Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane. William Boyd as Hoppy. Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger and Jay Silverheels as Tonto. Bonita Granville as Nancy Drew. Hattie McDaniel as Mammy. The list is infinite.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Was trying to think of Bonita! Greatlist!

Anders E said...

Gert Fröbe as Goldfinger.

Anders E said...

Bela Lugosi as Dracula.

Randy Johnson said...

James Garner - Jim Rockford

Darren McGavin - Carl Kolchak

pattinase (abbott) said...

Anders-He even wore that cape on the street. Good ones, all.

Randy Johnson said...

Almost forgot:

Alan Alda - Hawkeye Pierce

Erik Donald France said...

She's choice in Exorcist II: The Heretic - a camp fave with at least two endings!

Deb said...

Have to disagree with Darren McGavin as Kolshak, for me he'll always be Ralphie's old man in A Christmas Story. Oh and there's another one: Peter Billingsley as Ralphie.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Never saw EXORCIST 2 but yes for A Christmas Story!