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

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



Ben Affleck
Played the oldest son (Ben, I think was the character's name)in the TV movie Danielle Steel's "Daddy".
Ben Affleck
He was in the movie "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"(1987??). He was a basketball player (no lines). Also, one of the lead "initiators" in "Dazed and Confused".
Ben Affleck
One of those HBO real life stories called "A Body to Die For". "The Arron Henry Story", I believe, was that name of his segment.
Ben Affleck
He was Dorothy Jane's boyfriend for a short while on the Disney show The Torkelson's.,
Ben Affleck
Ben appeared alongside Matt Damon, Chris O'Donnoll and Brendan Fraser in a movie called 'School Ties'.
Ben Affleck
He was in a show called "The Voyage of the Mimi"
Ben Savage
Appeared in "Little Monsters" with his real life brother Fred Savage.
Ben Savage
Played Judd Hirsch's son on "Dear John".
Ben Savage
Played a "cherub" on a Valentine's Day episode of big brother Fred's show "The Wonder Years".
Ben Stiller
Co-starred in the movie "Fresh Horses" with Molly Ringwald and Andrew McCarthy
Ben Stiller
Played a criminal in a 1987 movie "Hot Pursuit", starring John Cusack and also co-starring his real life father Jerry Stiller.
Benicio Del Toro
Played Franz Sanchez's (Robert Davi) right hand man in "Licence To Kill".
Benjamin Bratt
He played a district attorney in LA Law.,
Benjamin Bratt
Played "Paco" in the movie "Blood In, Blood Out: Bound By Honor.
Beyonce Knowles
In the late 80's/early 90's, she was heading the then unknown and four member group called "Destiny's Child" by making appearences on shows like "Star Search".
Bianca Lawson
Bianca played Megan Jones on "Saved By The Bell: The New Class" from 1993-1995.
Bill Cosby
Played The Devil in the 1981 film "The Devil and Max Devlin".
Bill Maher
He's a keyboard playing cab driver in "D.C. Cab" and Bill Maher played slimy lawyer Marty Lang in the sitcom "Sara" which starred Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, and Bronson Pinchot.
Bill Paxton
Played the mean older brother in "Weird Science". Kelly LeBrock turns him into a toad. He also played in another 80's movie in which he plays Patrick Swayze little brother, who is murdered by a mob boss called "Next of Kin". Liam Neeson also plays their older brother.
Bill Paxton
Bill Paxton directed the Barnes and Barnes video "Fish Heads." He also has a cameo in the video as a drifter who kisses the fish head.
Bill Paxton
In a kick a** vampire movie called "Near Dark" in 1987. He was one of the evil vamps.
Bill Paxton
Played street punk who gets his clothes stolen by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator.,
Bill Paxton
One of the street punks whose clothes got taken by Ahhhhhhnold in one of the opening scenes of the original "Terminator" movie.
Bill Paxton
In the Arnold Schwarzenegger film "Commando," he had a quick part as Navy radarman pointing out Arnold's plane.
Bill Paxton
He was the singer for the band "Martini Ranch".
Bill Paxton
Weird Science, Was also in "Stripes", he's the guy Bill Murray makes fun of in boot camp... "I want to party with you"
Bill Pullman
Was the idiotic boyfriend of Danny DeVito's mistress in the comedy "Ruthless People".
Bill Pullman
Played the role of Lone Star in the 1987 scifi comedy film Spaceballs.
Billy Bob Thornton
Played a political advisor for John Ritter's character in "Hearts Afire".
Billy Bob Thornton
Appeared in the 1989 horror film "Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town".
Billy Zane
In "Critters", he was the teenage daughter's boyfriend who gets killed in the barn.
Billy Zane
One of Billy Zane's better roles was the seafaring mass murderer opposite Nicole Kidman and Sam Neill in the movie "Dead Calm". (He seems to act better on ships).
Billy Zane
He had a bit part in "Back to the Future" and "Back to the Future II" as Match, one of Biff's gang in 1955.,
Bob Saget
Was in the movie 'Critical Condition' with Richard Pryor.
Bob Saget
Before playing the role of Danny Tanner on "Full House" or orginally hosting "America's Funniest Home Videos", he made a cameo apppearnce in a horror comedy film in the early 80's called "Full Moon High".
Bobbie Brown
She first appeared on an episode of "Star Search" in 1987. Then became a model who appeared in music videos for Great White's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" and the classic "Cherry Pie" clip from Warrant, which the lead singer married her for about three years, She also appeared in some tv guest spots like "Married...with Children".
Brad Dourif
Apeared in the film "Blue Velvet" and played the role of Chucky in "Child's Play" films.
Brad Dourif
Played Billy in the movie "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" with Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, and Christopher Lloyd.
Brad Garrett
He won the stand-up comedy competition on "Star Search" with Ed McMahon.
Brad Garrett
A former "Star Search" winner for Stand Up Comedian, Brad's first job was the voice of Trypticon in the animated series "Transformers".
Brad Pitt
He played a jock in an episode of 21 Jump Street.
Brad Pitt
He played a boyfriend on an episode of "Head of the Class".
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt had 2 seperate roles on Growing Pains. He played a guy that Carol dated for one episode, AND he was also Ben's favorite rock star for one episode. In both instances he turned out to be a jerk.
Brad Pitt
Guest starred on an episode of the short-lived TV series based on the classic horror film series "A Nightmare on Elm Street" called "Freddy's Nightmares".
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt played the new kid in school on "Growning Pains", who only wanted to date Carol because he thought she was popular since she was dating the quarterback of the football team.
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt was in "Thelma and Louise". He played the hitchiker had sex with Geena Davis, then stole her money.
Brad Pitt
he was on Dallas for a couple of episodes. He played the boyfriend of Ray's (J.R. and Bobby's ranch hand half brother) teenage stepdaughter.,
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt played a cop in the movie "Cool World".
Brad Pitt
He played a high school track star opposite Rick Schroeder in a movie called "Across the Tracks"
Brad Pitt
Played Carol's dumb boyfriend on Growing Pains. He was the first Matt Cory on Another World the NBC soap in the late 80's
Brad Pitt
Guest starred on "Head of the Class" as the brain dead boyfriend of Maria.,
Brad Pitt
Played a teen named Randy on Dallas.,
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt was also in this cheesy horror flick called Cutting Class and he was on Head of the Class which led to his ex-relationship with Robin Givens,
Brad Pitt
A rock star in an episode of "Growing Pains".
Bradley Whitford
In the 80's he played Elizabeth Shue's smarmy boyfriend in "Adventures in Babysitting" and also played Roger leader of Adams in "Revenge of the Nerds 2. He was in "Billy Madison" as well playing Eric
Breckin Meyer
He was in an early episode of the "Wonder Years". He's the bad influence who offers Kevin and Paul beer and cigarettes.
Brent Spiner
Before he played Lt. Commander Data on "Star Trek: The Next Generation", he played the part of a homeless man, Bob Wheeler, on the TV series "Night Court".
Brent Spiner
He was also on an episode of Tales from the Darkside with Christian Slater called "A Case of the Stubborns". Jerry Stiller also appeared on this show in an episode titled the Devil's Advocate.,
Brent Spiner
Spiner made multiple appearances on "Night Court" as a luckless hillbilly character who once bought the courtroom newsstand. His phony southern accent made him sound like Gomer Pyle.
Brent Spiner
He played a man on trial for attempted murder on an episode of "Cheers". Diane was the jury foreman who took her own notes. She was extremely disapointed when the victim (the defendant's wife) dropped the charges because she still loved her husband. The couple later stopped by the bar and Diane got a chance to talk to the two of them. The couple argued while Diane talked to Sam until the wife got up and ran from the bar screaming. When Diane asked what happened, the husband said "What happened? Why don't you check your stupid little notbook?" He also appeared in Night Court quite often, as the hick father whose family had the worst luck Judge Harry Stone had ever seen. For example, their grandmother was sitting in her wheelchair outside when a tornado hit, destroyed their trailer (again), and grandma ended up in the next state.
Brian Austin Green
In 1989, Brian starred in a Kellogg's Corn Pops commercial in which he became angry that his two buddies ate a whole box of cereal on him. In his head he thinks that his friends didn't leave any cereal for him, then he finds out that his buddies were just kidding. The commercial ends with him saying "You think you fooled me?"? And he thinks to himself. "I've gotta have my pops."
Brian Austin Green
In 1985 he was in a TV movie called "The Canterville Ghost" with Richard Kiley. He played the role of Willie Otis and is credited as Brian Green.
Brian Austin Green
He played the second "Brian Cunningham", Abby's son on "Knot's Landing."
Brian Austin Green
He was in the pilot for what is now Saved By The Bell.,
Brian Cox
Played the original Dr. Hannibal Lector in the film "Manhunter", based on the novel "Red Dragon", a prequel to "Silence of the Lambs".
Brian Krause
Appeared in the 1992 horror film "Sleepwalkers", and guest starred on an episode of "Tales From The Crypt".
Bridget Fonda
Played Bruce Campbell's wife in the very beginning of the final chapter of the evil dead trilogy "Army of Darkness".
Britney Spears
Appeared on the 1990's version of the live action comedy series 'The Mickey Mouse Club' along with her rival Christina Aguilera, Keri Russell, and NSYNC's Justin Timberlake
Brittany Murphy
Had a reoccurring role on "Sister, Sister" as one of the twins best friends.
Brittany Murphy
At the age of 13, Brittany and her mother moved to California, where she had her first television role on the show "Blossom".
Brittany Murphy
Played the youngest daughter of Dabney Coleman in the terrible short-lived show "Drexel's Class". Also was the slutty daughter of Perry King in the spinoff of "The Torkelsons" called "Almost Home".
Brittany Murphy
Co-starred in "Clueless" with Alicia Silverstone and Stacy Dash as their "make-over project." (late 90s).
Brooke Shields
Even before "Blue Lagoon" and "Endless Love", Brooke was in a movie with George Burns called "Just You and Me, Kid".
Brooke Shields
She was in a movie called "Pretty Baby" with Susan Sarandon, and Keith Carradine.
Bruce Willis
Played detective in "Moonlighting".
Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis played a gun smuggling bad guy in an episode of "Miami Vice".


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