The 10 Most Memorable Movie Cameos by Non-Actors
Sometimes the most memorable movie cameos come from the most unlikely sources: the game show hosts, the rock musicians, the famous authors. These are people, in other words, whom you wouldn't expect to be sharing screen space with your Martin Lawrences, your Adam Sandlers, your Skeet Ulriches. Nonetheless, against all common reason, there they are. Here are the 10 that made us say "The hell...?" followed by "Hold on, this is awesome."
Bob Barker in Happy Gilmore
The Cameo: Bob' classic brawl with eternal 9-year-old Adam Sandler instantly became a staple of drunken college party movie reenactments and spawned what would reign as the most overused catchphrase in comedy until Dave Chapelle put on a Rick James wig:
Why They Got It: If you're going to get beaten up by an old man, it might as well be the guy who devoted his life to keeping America safe from an unstoppable tidal wave of unneutered pets.
How it Went: Barker' scene in Gilmore became one of the movie' most memorable, and ensured that an ever-increasing number of college kids would pilgrimage to The Price is Right set in hopes of getting to take a swing at B-squared.
Most Memorable Moment: Ignoring the obligatory "The price is wrong, bitch," we've got to give it to the expression on Barker' face at 1:01 as he reaches up like a zombie from the grave to throttle Happy senseless. That, or the 1920s-style "fisticuffs" stance he employs in the opening bout.
Keith Richards in Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World' End
The Cameo: Richards pops caps in fools, wails on pirate guitar and teaches his son Jack Sparrow a valuable lesson about the importance of adhering to a code of law. Of the three, only the latter required him to act.
Why They Got It: Since Depp basically modeled his character after Richards' stage persona, it was the studio' only way to avoid a lengthy and expensive copyright infringement lawsuit. This is the same reason Richards got his own sitcom, How Come I'm Not Dead Yet?, premiering this fall on the Disney Channel.
How it Went: Surprisingly well, considering that Richards had snorted a half-liter of cocaine that morning and had no idea he was filming a movie. The real mystery according to those who worked on the film is why he showed up on set already dressed in full pirate garb.
Most Memorable Moment: The very end, when Richards' attempt to smile at his son' victory sends his crazy hard-boiled egg eyes and chapped leather features twisting off in horrifying and previously unknown directions.
Stan Lee in Every Marvel Movie Ever Made
The Cameos: It must be nice to see an arts movement you helped begin enter a new golden age. It must also be nice to use your godfather-of -comics status to obnoxiously insert yourself into roughly 60 percent of all movies released in the summers of 2004 through 2007.
Why They Got It: "Oh, you want to make an X-Men movie? You mean that team of mutant heroes Kirby and I made up 40 years ago? That' cool. Oh hey, you know who should be in that? Me, motherfucking Stan Lee, that' who."
How it Went: In the clip below, Stan appears for a total of about 20 seconds, and yet saves two women (one a small child), from certain death. Talk about a likeable character!
Most Memorable Moment: Probably the one from The Hulk, because after a few seconds of thinking "Hey, it' Stan Lee," you think, "Holy shit, it' Lou Goddamned Ferrigno!"
Kurt Vonnegut in Back to School
The Cameo: The late, great author drops by to help the wealthy Thornton Mellon with his term paper so he can continue sleeping with his hot teacher, party when he should be studying, prove the crooked authorities wrong and generally reenact the plot of Billy Madison nine years before its release.
Why They Got It: The real question is how the producers of a shitty Rodney Dangerfield movie even got Kurt Vonnegut on the phone, let alone to show up on the set and appear in a scene for them. We're guessing it had something to do with the illustrious Mr. Vonnegut only having to say one line and the writing of a giant check. As his books have proven, he' not a stupid man.
How it Went: Vonnegut is so utterly convincing in the 4-second clip where he portrays himself that it' a wonder he hasn't appeared in more movies. Alas, another great author/actor (See Shatner' Tekwar novels as an example) goes sadly untapped.
Most Memorable Moment: Really the only moment-the one where he' there in the movie. Although we also enjoyed Rodney Dangerfield yelling, "Fuck you!" into a disconnected phone which we, the audience, are to imagine has Vonnegut on the other end.
Ridley Scott in Alien
The Cameo: When it came time to shoot the facehugger scene, Scott opted to stick his own hand up the creature' rubberized backside and make like Jim Henson.
Why They Got It: Well, he did direct the movie. Other than that, no one else on set really seemed to be able to make the thing writhe in that particular facehuggerly way.
How it Went: They had to shoot a lot of takes, but for some reason Scott didn't seem to mind hitting John Hurt in the face over and over with a spider/boxing glove. And in the end, we've got to admit it' the scariest game of "got your nose" ever captured on film.
Most Memorable Moment: We couldn't find the facehugger scene, so here' the other most memorable cameo from Alien: Nicole Richie as the penis-shaped thing that bursts from Kane' chest in a fountain of blood. At 3:07 you can see her skitter off in search of a bangin' nightclub:
Jerry Springer in Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me
The Cameo: Jerry applies his "take care of yourselves - and each other" mentality to the twisted family unit of Dr. Evil and son, Scott, with predictably riotous results.
Why They Got It: No one knows how to inform an estranged son that his evil father isn't in fact cryogenically frozen, but rather in the green rooam eating muffins, quite like Jerry Springer. Besides, a crowd chanting "Donahue! Donahue!" while a Klansmen and a bald arch-villain battle doesn't have the same punch.
How it Went: As one of the most original openings to a franchise sequel, the Springer segment earned a special place in our hearts. Not to mention that watching Dr. Evil run toward the camera hefting a desk globe and shouting, "The world is mine!" while a beefy Springer security guard attempts to subdue him never gets old.
Most Memorable Moment: For Springer, definitely the moment when he finally gets to strike back at an unruly guest, punching Dr. Evil in the chest and then latching jaw-first onto his ankle like an angry Chihuahua:
David Crosby in Hook
The Cameo: One-third of Crosby, Stills and Nash takes to the poop deck and cheers on Capt. James Hook. For the fist time in its existence, his tangled, greasy rope of hippy hair feels like it belongs.
Why They Got It: The supporting cast of Hook was almost entirely comprised of celebrity cameos. Phil Collins appeared as a police officer, and Glenn Close plays the unconvincingly male pirate in this clip. If you watch the movie closely, you may also notice Stan Lee as "man who saves a woman from the crocodile" and Dane Cook as Wendy.
How it Went: Crosby reportedly spent a month on the set to film this sequence, in which he is essentially indistinguishable. Do you realize how many women he could have impregnated with that much down time?
Most Memorable Moment: Right at 0:12. See the hooked index finger? The third from the left? That' the finger that played "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," man!
M. Night Shyamalan in All of His Films
The Cameos: Alfred Hitchcock appeared in every one of his 37 full-length feature films, often for less than a second. It was considered a tasteful and humorous signature for devoted fans of his brand of horror/suspense. M. Night Shyamalan is kind of like that, except he puts his name in a larger font than the movie title, inflicts his "acting" on us for minutes at a time, and makes far, far shittier movies.
Why They Got It: It' getting harder and harder to find more than three actors who will appear in an M. Night Shyamalan movie.
How it Went: The hardest part was just getting through a take, considering that Shyamalan compulsively masturbates whenever he catches a glimpse of himself in a reflective surface.
Most Memorable Moment: We won't bore you with his movies (he's doing a good enough job of that on his own, really), so here' a commercial Shyamalan did for American Express instead. It gives a real insight into a mind filled with overdone Sci-Fi Channel movie premises. Then, surprise, surprise, Shyamalan is accosted by an adoring fan, clearly the hardest working actor in the whole thing.
Elvis Costello and Mos Def in Talladega Nights: Ballad of Ricky Bobby
The Cameo: Two respected but wildly divergent musicians dine with Ricky Bobby' pseudo-French racing nemesis Jean Girard to make him come off as just that much weirder. And, it works.
Why They Got It: Word has it they were on the lot recording a video for their new cover of "Ebony and Ivory" when Nights writer/director Adam McKay burst in and asked if they wanted to make 100 bucks each. After it was established that he wasn't propositioning them for alley sex, they happily agreed.
How it Went: The bulk of the cameo wasn't shown in theatres, but below you can watch the scene in its entirety, exclusively at CRACKED.com (unless you own a DVD player or have access to the Internet).
Most Memorable Moment: About 1:05, when Mos Def improvises a rambling monologue before finishing with his best impression of a white southerner, all while Elvis nods uncomfortably in the background. Hey everyone, looks like we've got a new Kanye West/Mike Myers on our hands!
Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire
The Cameo: Rod Tidwell, feisty football player, struggles against all odds and finally leads his team to Super Bowl victory, and his son to a victory against his leukemia. Cruise, his agent, speaks on the phone with him occasionally.
Why They Got It: The same way Travolta got Saturday Night Fever: Scientologist connections.
How it Went: Cruise performs remarkably well for a non actor. At times, his grotesquely exaggerated looks of confusion and broad, charming grins almost make him seem not entirely like an android sent to observe and then crudely mimic humans.
Most Memorable Moment: 1:13, when Cruise gives what looks to be a natural laugh. The startlingly life-like effect was achieved by cutting the audio track and then squeezing one of Cruise' testicles with a C-clamp.
