Before They Were Famous in the Nineties (and now), in the Eighties They Were..., Actors First Names Beginning with P

This is a list of actors from the little and big screen, and the small roles they had before their big break. I'm not looking for what a particular actor did outside of acting, I'm looking more for bit roles and TV commercials. I think you could just write down waiter for almost any actor if you really wanted to if that were the case.

This page currently edited by: IndyGent. Past editor: Banasy



Actors beginning with: [Index] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] [misc]
Park Overall
Correction: The woman that played the receptionist in "Empty Nest" is named Park Overall, not Park Overhill.
Park Overhill
Receptionist in a long-running T.V. show "Empty Nest" with Richard Mulligan (Soap) as the doctor.
Patricia Arquette
Starred in "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors", as the orginal role of Kristen Parker.
Patricia Heaton
Co-starred with Linda Lavin in the short-lived series "Room For Two".
Patricia Richardson
Before playing the roles of Jill Taylor or The Doctor on Home Improvement or Strong Medicine she made an appearance in the 1980 horror film Christmas Evil.
Patrick Swayze
Patrick Swayze has a role as Darry the big brother in "The Outsiders". He starred with other guys who later became sex symbols.
Patrick Swayze
Played a patient at the 4077th in an episode of M*A*S*H.
Paul Benedict
This person was on "Sesame Street." He was the one who used to paint numbers and say, "I'm going to paint a ___." He would paint it and it would usually either get washed away, wiped off... He wore a painter's smock and a hat. It was pretty cool... this is probably hardly remembered but hopefully someone else knows what I am referring to.
Paul Reiser
He plays the sleazy character, Burke, that he portrays in Aliens? He's the guy who tries to get one of the Aliens to "impregnate" Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and Newt.
Paul Reiser
He did a movie called "Odd Jobs" with Jake Steinfield, Robert Townsend, and Richard Dean Anderson.
Paul Reiser
He played a Detroit Cop at the begining of Beverly Hills Cop, and throughout Beverly Hills Cop II.
Paul Reiser
Wasn't Paul Reiser one of the stars of the show My Two Dads?,
Paul Reubens
He played the vampire sidekick in original "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer" movie. He's the guy that loses an arm and keeps on going.
Paul Reubens
IN the late 70's he starred in the second Cheech and Chong movie, (Still Smokin') as a wimpy hotel desk clerk and stand up comic.
Paul Reubens
Played a Cuban terrorist in Woody Allens' 60's movie, "Bananas".
Paul Reubins
Better known as Pee Wee Herman, he was in "The Blues Brothers" he played a waiter and he did have a line. He read off the wine list to Jake. Both Michael J Fox AND Paul Reubens were in a horrific film called "Midnight Madness" in 1978. Paul was the arcade proprieter, and Michael played the 15 year old kid brother of David Naughton (of an American Werewolf in London)
Paul Walker
He was part of the cast of the short lived 80's TV show "Throb". He did some modeling jobs in his early childhood. He also was a character on the TV shows "Charles in Charge", "Diff'rent Strokes", and "Who's the Boss?"
Paul Walker
Paul played a mentally challenged boy with a stutter on an episode of 'Highway to Heaven'.
Paula Abdul
Before making it famous as a pop singer, she was a high school cheerleader (Van Nuys High '81), and one of the Lakers Girls Dancers. She then went on to choreography. Some of her best work was in "Can't Buy Me Love" (the ant eater dance is hers), "The Running Man", "Karate Kid III", and several Janet Jackson videos. She also acted in a cheesy 1979 movie set at Van Nuys Jr High, where she actially sings a song called "The Itty Bitty Titty Committee".
Paully Shore
Had a bit role in "Married With Children" as a burger joint manager.
Pauly Shore
Pauly Shore had a brief guest spot on the FOX series "21 Jump Street" in an episode about teenage drinking. This was several years before he'd become an MTV celebrity and stand-up comic.
Peri Gilpin
Guest roles in "Wings", "21 Jump Street" and "Matlock".
Peter Boyle
Has been acting since the 60s, followed by the monster in "Young Frankenstein". His 80s roles include supporting roles in "Outland", "Johnny Dangerously", and "Red Heat", and the TV series "Midnight Caller".
Peter Gallagher
After starring in drek like "Summer Lovers", Gallagher scored a major hit with "sex, lies, and videotape".
Peter MacNichol
He played a bellhop in "Cheers". He refused to rent a room to Sam Malone.
Peter MacNicol
"Ghostbusters II", and the nineties film "Addams Family Values" as the camp counselor. He also played Kevin Kline's best friend and Meryl Streep's admirer in "Sophie's Choice". This movie either won or was nomiated for several awards in the 80's when it came out. He was also in "Dragonslayer", He was the young hero Galen.
Phil Hartman
I'm sorry, I'm not one of those know-it-alls, but, it was Phil Hartman, not Will Ferrell who was Captain Karl on "Pee Wee's Playhouse.
Phil Hartman
He was Captain Carl on "Pee Wee's Playhouse".
Pierce Brosnan
He played the title role in "Remington Steele" (1982 to 1987).


Actors beginning with: [Index] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] [misc]
Do You Have Someone to Add?

This site grows only with submissions from dedicated visitors like yourself. If you would like to reflect about a concert you attended, please fill out the form below.

Please only submit one item at a time with the form. After you submit the information, go back and enter additional items.

There is a separate page for corrections. DO NOT USE THE FORM BELOW or your corrections will not get saved. Spelling and grammar mistakes on this page are from the original author of the comments, and are intentionally left uncorrected.

If you have a question to ask, please use the Messageboard, otherwise you will not receive an answer.

All fields are required! The email is not gathered or displayed on the page, and is only used to contact you if there is a question about your submission.