Seldom a lead, but always in EVERYTHING

Denis O'Hare - excellent character, does lots of TV and some movies

Paul Dooley

One week a fussy waiter, the next week a fussy Mexican bandito, the next week a fussy WW2 Italian officer, and the next week a fussy cake baker sucking up to Don Coreolone.

Celia Weston

Walter Goggins

Wendie Jo Sperber

Phil Davis - the British Gary Busey...always playing an unlikable character.

Ellen Corby was in EVERYTHING pre- Waltons.

Christine Ebersole is famous for Broadway stuff now but she was always and forever third or fourth billed in a sitcom for ages in the 80s and 90s.

R5 yes, though now he plays a lead

Wendie Malick

Ileana Douglas was in like every single movie made between 1990 and 1995, but never a lead.

She had to wait until 1996 for that, R12. It’s a largely forgotten movie, but well-received, and she’s very good in it.

Martin Balsam Won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for A Thousand Clowns (1965) other films include:

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

Cape Fear (1962)

Catch 22 (1970)

Psycho (1960)

The Carpetbaggers (1964)

The Anderson Tapes (1971)

12 Angry Men (1958)

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

I 💓 Lucy Lee Flippen .

Ellen Travolta appeared on every 70s and 80s show. From All in the Family to Sheriff Lobo, with Joanie Loves Chachi in between.

Jack Warden.

Judy Greer.

Stephen Root.

Wallace Ford

People need to include photos, these actors are by definition not recognizable by name.

Wallace Ford's wiki.

Larry Miller. I’m pretty sure he’s been in all the Christopher Guest mockumentaries.

I would like to identify the man in 0.46 of this clip. He is funny.

Priscilla Morrill was all over the shows I watched in the '70s and '80s.

She was:

Lou Grant's wife on MTM

Chrissy's mother on Three's Company

Julie and Barbara's Grandma on One Day at a Time

Elise Keaton's mother on Family Ties

Stephanie's mother on Newhart

And dozens of other roles. Stuck up white woman, nurse, Judge, next door neighbor, ECT. The woman was everywhere. Anytime she was a regular on a series however, it was short lived.

She wasn't bad. She wasn't great. Serviceable, got the job done. Strikes me as a pro.

She was on Golden Girls too as the wife of the man who died in Rose's bed.

Shocked, shocked I tell you that it took until number 18 for who should be the poster child for this thread to be announced, the indomitable Judy Greer, who epitomizes the always a bridesmaid never a bride status of leading lady. In fact I propose that the Golden Globes, always the awards maid, never the awards bride, create a special Judy Award to commemorate the hard working actors who fall into this category, but none the less deserve recognition. Of course Greer will be the first recipient of the award and will be the presenter for as long as she is able to fulfill her duties.

She was also Kate's best friend on Family, R25.

Doris Lloyd.

Ann Codee.

R7, I always think that Phil Davis is an almost there but not quite actor. He was a main character in Whitechapel and a couple of other series but not THE main. It is a shame in a way because he is an excellent actor.

He has done some Mike Leigh and was in Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream.

Her.

r3 Is that Gino Conforti? Very clever not to name him.

By the way, he will turn 89 next month.

I'm so glad the Illeana Douglas is getting some love.

She has a great resume.

that

Amzie Strickland

I saw her in the Don Loper episode of I Love Lucy, in which she played his assistant and was called Amzie. Now I see her pop up in every old TV show from the 50s until a few years before her death in 2006. She had an amazingly lengthy career in amazingly short roles.

The late great, handsome daddy James Reborn. His career spanned decades, and included over a hundred movies, and television programs, across genres. He played Herbert Greenleaf in DL fave "The Talented Mr. Ripley".

I'll add Philip Baker Hall to this list as well (also prolific, and also appeared in "The Talented Mr. Ripley").

Perhaps they're both too famous for this list? But I've always liked them both, and look forward to seeing them pop up here and there.

*James Rebhorn

Has the late Jay Thomas been mentioned?

Phil Leeds started his long career playing every disreputable character you can imagine, then aged into comedy roles as a lovable oldster. Kinda like Abe Vigoda.

Stephen Tobolowsky -- he's made a fine career out of 100% supporting work.

Stephen Tobolowsky in Groundhog Day

Kevin Pollak

James Rebhorn was apparently one of the nicest, kindest people who ever lived....and yet on multiple occasions he was cast as a villian - and TWICE on daytime soap operas as a man who raped his own daughter/stepdaughter.

His obit, which he wrote himself, is very...*sob* MARY!

Dennis Boutsikaris

One of the all time queens in this category, be it TV or film.

Um......

R23 Larry Miller was great as the murderous club owner in two Law & Order episodes. Also, he had that wonderful brief bit as the store clerk in Pretty Woman.

R12, R13, I LOVE Illeana Douglas. I could watch her in anything.

The divine Miss Aline MacMahon...

Roxanne Hart has been in so many things but no one knows...

Jenny O’Hara is a lovely person. She must have a place near me in nyc. I’ve seen her on the subway a lot. After complimenting her once, she never fails to say hello, usually by name. So talented. So nice.

Mary Wickes

Gino Conforti has 30 seconds of screen time yet gets the biggest laugh in the movie....

Jack Weston

Richard Crenna

John C. Reilly

Margot Martindale

Valerie Mahaffey. I enjoy it when she pops up.

A pic of Valerie.

A pic of Valerie.

I quite like Joanna Gleeson a lot too.

R63 I don’t think someone who literally won a Lead Actress in a Musical Tony fits on this list???

Connor O'Farrell.

Willam has been in a TON of shows.

Amzie, R37, is the nice lady that kicked Frieda Claxton’s coffin!

r3 is Vito Scotti. He had 232 acting credits.

R64 this thread is unconcerned with live theatre so fuck off.

The gorgeous Ray Abruzzo turned into a good character actor.

[quote]The gorgeous Ray Abruzzo turned into a good character actor.

Starz has a series titled HIGHTOWN and James Badge Dale's character is named Ray Abruzzzo and when I first heard it, I thought, "Like Christine's boyfriend on "Night Court"? Hadn't thought of that dude in eons.

There was a funny tweet last year about Patrick Wilson.

the mf really said i’m gonna be in a million movies but absolutely refuse to be famous.

Esteemed Character Actress Margo Martindale

Thelma Ritter in a lot of old movies

James Rebhorn - There was a DL thread about him last year but I can't find it.

R75 Even his threads are so second that they barely show up.

Here you go --

Robert Clohessy. Was in everything from Law and Order, DL fave show Oz and even the first Avengers movie.

Alanna Ubach

Philip Bosco

Alice Ghostley

Ann Dowd

Shaun Toub - He's in [italic]Iron Man[/italic] and [italic]Charlie Wilson's War[/italic]. He played a villain on [italic]Homeland[/italic].

Dependable and handsome actors David Strathairn and Tom Skerritt always seemed to be playing husbands of the leading lady star. Strathairn got his chance to shine with "Good Night, Good Luck," landing Oscar and BAFTA nominations, but has rarely taken the lead since.

Sara Rue has been in a lot of comedies like Mom, Rules of Engagement, Big Bang Theory, Will & Grace and many other series.

There was a great little documentary about this with a couple of people who've been mentioned above.

Ann Dowd is a perfect example. Every time was see her pop up in anything we say “Hey, there’s Aunt Lydia!”

Stacey Keach.

So random that I was thinking about her today.

Tess Harper.

I always liked her! Never a big star.

I always notice a supporting actress/actor who ends up in films repeatedly with big name stars they worked with before.

It generally means that the actors got along and that there is a respect there.

Loved her in Crimes of The Heart, Tender Mercies..

And she was also in Jessica Lange and Sam Shepard's Far North in the late 80's (who she also starred with in Crimes Of The Heart)

^Stacy, that is.