MTF MTF
CRUISING (1980) - Powers Booth has an unbilled cameo as a West Village shop clerk who’s asked to explain to undercover cop Al Pacino the meanings of gay men wearing colored handkerchiefs.
From the 1980 horror cheapie HE KNOWS YOU’RE ALONE, which was the movie debut of Tom Hanks
Paul Reubens, aka Pee Wee Herman as the Le Chez waiter in THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980).
John Ratzenberger as Major Bren Derlin in STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980). The future Cliff Clavin on CHEERS and voice of several different characters in the Pixar animation films, this is not Ratzenberger’s first role (he also appeared in SUPERMAN I & II and OUTLAND), but probably the best known of his early appearances.
Ratzenberger’s work for Pixar, as well as his parts in SUPERMAN I & II and THE EMPIRE STRIKE BACK, makes him the 4th most successful actor of all time, as measured by a total box office of over $3,000,000,000. He’s also the actor with the most Oscar-nominations for his movies.
Long before he played Doctor Otto Octavius in SPIDERMAN 2, Alfred Molina first hated spiders in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981).
In STRIPES (1981), you have to look very carefully to catch an unknown Bill Paxton, to the right of John Candy, as one of the “go-getters” of Bill Murray’s last minute drill presentation.
Future Emmy-winner Timothy Busfield just before firing the mis-aligned mortar, knocking out Sgt. First Class Hulka in STRIPES (1981).
Gabriel Byrne starred as Uther Pendragon, father of the future King Arthur in EXCALIBUR (1981)
Liam Neeson as round table knight Gawain in EXCALIBUR (1981)
The 1981 slasher-at-summer-camp film THE BURNING had some interesting debuts. This is the film that launched the careers of Miramax founders Harvey and Bob Weinstein (their mother Miriam Weinstein is credited as a pre-production assistant on the film). Here is Jason Alexander in his first film role as Dave.
Fisher Stevens holding the BB gun in THE BURNING (1981). Stevens won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for his film THE COVE and 2008 Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature for his film CRAZY LOVE.
Holly Hunter in her first film as Sophie in THE HUNTING (1981). Hunter later won the Academy Award for Best Actress for THE PIANO.
FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982) is a film filled with stars getting their first break, but there are some that can easily be overlooked. Here is Eric Stoltz and Anthony Edwards as Jeff Spicoli’s Stoner Bud’s.
Another easily missed unknown actor cameo in FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982) is Nicolas Coppola.To avoid the appearance of nepotism as the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola, he changed his name early in his career to Nicolas Cage, inspired in part by the Marvel Comics superhero Luke Cage.
A pre-BAYWATCH Erika Eleniak as the pretty girl with the huge crush on Elliot in E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL (1982).
In the first five minutes of the1982 cult film LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FABULOUS STAINS, Diane Lane’s character loses her job in a fast food restaurant. The guy that fires her is an unbilled Brent Spiner in his second ever movie role.
Spiner is best known as the android Lieutenant Commander Data in the television series STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION and four subsequent films.
Willem Dafoe in a very early screen appearance in THE HUNGER (1983), a film directed by the late Tony Scott.
THE BIG CHILL (1983) was a film about a group of baby boomer college friends who reunite after 15 years due to the suicide of their friend Alex. Kevin Costner played the roll of Alex in flashback scenes, but all of his parts ended up on the cutting room floor. The only time you see Costner is when is body his being prepped at the funeral home, and that was limited to his hair getting brushed in the coffin.
Director Lawrence Kasden has never shown anything more than still photographs from the location shoot. He has also refused to do any sort of “director’s cut,” saying that the version of the film as it has stood since 1983 is his director’s cut and will not be augmented.
Costner was a friend of director Lawrence Kasdan, who promised the actor a role in a future project. That became 1985′s SILVERADO, Costner’s breakout role
“There’s no basement in the Alamo!”
Jan Hooks as the Alamo tour guide Tina, in PEE WEES BIG ADVENTURE (1985). Hooks was a fellow member of the Groundlings comedy troupe with Paul Reubens (Pee Wee), co-screenwriter Phil Hartman and John Paragon (Jambi the Genie from “The Pee Wee Herman Show”). Hooks went on to co-star in Saturday Night Live with Hartman.
GHOULIES (1985) features Mariska Hargitay (LAW & ORDER: SVU) in a small part that shows off her legs and impressive screaming skills
“My best friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who’s going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it’s pretty serious. “
Kristy Swanson has the distinction of appearing in two John Hughes films in one year. Here she is as Simone Adamley in FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (1986). She was also a Duckette in PRETTY IN PINK.
Comedian Louie Anderson appears twice as the Flower Deliveryman in FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (1986).
In the early eighties, Chris Elliott was best known as the guy who lived under the stairs on LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, but in the first Hannibal Lecter film MANHUNTER (1986), he played it totally straight.
Future small-screen ER doctor George Clooney makes his big-screen debut in the horror/comedy RETURN TO HORROR HIGH (1987).
Pre-Frodo Elijah Woods as one of the arcade players in BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II (1989). His first screen appearance was in 1988, in a small role in Paula Abdul’s music video “Forever Your Girl”, directed by David Fincher.
