Top "surprise cameos" in TV history

[DanOregon]

In most cases though - they were pre-announced. The Reno and Streisand ones were great.

 

[mpcincal]

"National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1" was an underrated comedy in the '90s, and had a funny cameo from Mr. Die Hard:



Loved seeing the Streisand/SNL one again. Mike Myers' reaction was priceless.

 

[Scout]

Radiohead

Scott Tenorman must die

 

[nietsroob17]

In most cases though - they were pre-announced. The Reno and Streisand ones were great.

Barry Gibb making the appearance in the Barry Gibb Talk Show sketch was fun, but I remember it for seeing Madonna in the background actually taking her phone out to snap a picture of the scene, while she was visible on TV.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Barry Gibb making the appearance in the Barry Gibb Talk Show sketch was fun, but I remember it for seeing Madonna in the background actually taking her phone out to snap a picture of the scene, while she was visible on TV.

Madonna in the Justify My Love/Wayne's World parody was pretty great too.

 

[HanSenSE]

Suzanne Pleshette at the end of Newhart and Ricky Gervais on the US version of the office come to mind.

Kevin McHale and Wade Boggs on Cheers.

The Cheers cold opening featuring Michael Dukakis is one of those funnier-in-retrospect momenets. Much like Lance Armstrong's in "Dodgeball."

 

[Baron Scicluna]

The series could have ended there really - Hathaway's final scene. She died in the pilot - but producers decided to bring her back. It went on for nine more years. Never got better than this though.

I've always liked Clooney's cameo at the end as it wasn't announced. The show had gone on for too long and I had stopped regularly watching it a year or two earlier.

Since there were only a few episodes remaining, I decided to randomly watch and got the pleasant surprise. I like how the powers that be decided to reward the viewers who were loyal enough to stay with tbe show with the surprise rather than announce it in advance for the cheap ratings pop.

 

[DanOregon]

I read that NBC wasnt' told. Also - this was year five or six I believe - and it went on for about nine more years. I checked out when Carter started leaving for chunks of seasons - I think only because the producers wanted to have at least one original cast member still somewhat involved in the show - I'm guessing that after the original deals ran out, they chose to just bring in different doctors. See also, Grey's Anatomy.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I read that NBC wasnt' told. Also - this was year five or six I believe - and it went on for about nine more years. I checked out when Carter started leaving for chunks of seasons - I think only because the producers wanted to have at least one original cast member still somewhat involved in the show - I'm guessing that after the original deals ran out, they chose to just bring in different doctors. See also, Grey's Anatomy.

I was thinking more about this cameo, when he came back in the fourth from last episode.

George Clooney's final return to ER | Television | The Guardian

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

I read that NBC wasnt' told. Also - this was year five or six I believe - and it went on for about nine more years. I checked out when Carter started leaving for chunks of seasons - I think only because the producers wanted to have at least one original cast member still somewhat involved in the show - I'm guessing that after the original deals ran out, they chose to just bring in different doctors. See also, Grey's Anatomy.

Grey's has lasted longer now than ER, right? My wife caught up on every previous season last summer. (Helped it started w/a COVID bout) Feels like Grey's is still reasonably relevant, too. As you noted w/Carter lingering on and off, ER was like watching a band with half an original member tour for three decades after its heyday.

 

[TwoGloves]

DeNiro and Pesci on SNL. Dean Martin on the Jerry Lewis Telethon.

 

[Webster]

This is a strange one, but Scott Hall in blond hair on an episode of Nitro in the background of a sketch about Ric Flair.