...and an all-star cast (TV version)

One of the TV threads had me thinking the other day about TV shows that had a bunch of people who were big coming into the show or became big after the show. On a lot of the great ensemble shows, the cast members for the large part kind of went away (M*A*S*H, L.A. Law, Seinfeld). Some had big-time breakout stars (Ryan O'Neal and Mia Farrow in Peyton Place and George Clooney and Juliana Margulies in ER), but with still most of the cast largely nondescript before/after.

What are the shows that stick out as having deep casts as far as renown going in and/or renown going out? To start the discussion, I'll cite Picket Fences.
--Tom Skerritt and Kathy Baker: Well-regarded actors who helped carry movies.
--Ray Walston: My Favorite Martian, and Mr. Hand
--Don Cheadle: Went on to become a well-regarded movie actor and an Academy Award nominee.
--Holly Marie Combs: Went on to star in Charmed.
--Fyvush Finkel: An icon in the Yiddish theater.
--Lauren Holly: Big billing in several movies and a large role in NCIS
--Marlee Matlin: Academy Award winning before joining the show.

 

Growing Pains gave us Leo DiCaprio and ... Leo DiCaprio.

 

St. Elsewhere

* Mark Harmon
* Denzel Washington
* Steve Furst
* Howie Mandell
* Helen Hunt
* Ed Begely Jr.
* David Morse
* William Daniels
* Ed Flanders
* Bruce Greenwood
* Kyle Secor
* Christina Pickles
* Cindy Pickett
And many more.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083483/fullcredits

 

Among those who played Jerry Seinfeld's girlfriends on "Seinfeld":

Jane Leeves
Teri Hatcher
Anna Gunn
Christine Taylor
Kristin Davis
Debra Messing
Jennifer Coolidge
Amanda Peete
Marcia Cross

* Also Jami Gertz, Courteney Cox, Lori Loughlin and Janeane Garofolo, but they were already kinda famous.

 

The love for Stifler's mom knows no bounds

 

--Fyvush Finkel: An icon in the Yiddish theater.

I'm sure Finkel is a great talent, but that seems to be stretching the definition of acclaim.

 

Oy! Don't dis Fyvush, or 21's relatives will drag you to Thanksgiving dinner, you schmuck.

 

This thread would be remiss without mentioning SJ favorite Freaks and Geeks with Seth Rogen, James Franco and Jason Segel among the on-air talent, along with the comedic genius of Judd Apatow behind the scenes.

 

No love for the Mickey Mouse Club? Christina Aguilera, Britney, Justin T. and Ryan Gosling?

West Wing has some serious firepower from the cast to the recurring cast.

I'd also say the cast of the Mary Tyler Moore Show launched more subsequent TV episodes than any other show. Lou Grant, Rhoda, The Love Boat, Too Close For Comfort, Good Times,

 

Taxi has a pretty good lineup too:
--Danny Devito: On to movie superstardom
--Andy Kaufman: On to comic immortality
--Tony Danza: On to Who's the Boss and later Family Law
--Judd Hirsch: TV star before joining the cast, several big movie roles after.
--Christopher Lloyd: Back to the Future movies and a big behind-the-scenes guy in TV

But damn, that St. Elsewhere is tough to top

 

Party Down had

Adam Scott (now on Parks and Rec)
Lizzy Caplan
Ken Marino
Jane Lynch (pre-Glee) in season 1
Megan Mullally in season 2

in addition to recurring characters played by J.K. Simmons, Kristin Bell and Ken Jeong (pre-Community)