Actors You Didn't Know Appeared On NewsRadio

NewsRadio boasted one of the best casts in sitcom history. There were the tremendous talents at the peak of their career, like Dave Foley and Phil Hartman. There were solid TV mainstays, like Khandi Alexander and Vicki Lewis. Then there were all the future stars, such as Maura Tierney, Andy Dick, Stephen Root, and Joe Rogan. It also had some of the sharpest writing of any '90s sitcom, and it moved at a breakneck pace years ahead of its time.

The show also had many memorable guest spots. There were plenty of celebrities playing themselves, like when Chuck D showed up to debate the merits of rap or when James Caan shadowed Bill to learn more about radio for a role. There were also plenty of notable actors playing characters, like Dennis Miller as the eyepatched man stalking Bill or Jon Stewart as Matthew's brother. 

However, this article isn't about them. Instead, it's about NewsRadio guest spots people don't remember. Sometimes, the person just wasn't famous yet, while other times, they were presented in an unrecognizable way. And occasionally, the role was so small that nobody would think to go back and watch it. From hilarious comedians to future stars of critically acclaimed dramas, here are the actors you didn't know appeared on NewsRadio.

Bob Odenkirk had a substantial role in season four's "Chock," playing one of Dave's (Foley) old a capella buddies. But well before that, he had a brief and oft forgotten appearance in "Injury" as a doctor taking care of Matthew (Dick). The role isn't particularly special or funny — they largely needed a straight man to play off against Dave — and thus isn't as memorable as his later appearance. But there he is, in his scrubs, years before his tacky suits.

Long before Saul Goodman turned him into one of Hollywood's most in-demand dramatic actors, Odenkirk made his name in cult comedy. He got his start in Second City, creating Chris Farley's iconic character Matt Foley before getting hired as a writer by Saturday Night Live. Odenkirk later went on to star in The Ben Stiller Show with NewsRadio cast member Andy Dick while continuing to work as a comedy writer on various shows. And, of course, he starred in the cult classic Mr. Show concurrently with his appearances on NewsRadio.

The main plot point of "Goofy Ball" revolves around that titular toy, which is made by one of Jimmy James' companies. It's a variation of hot potato, where the ball chirps and gets bounced around before going "goofy ball" in the hands of the loser. The staff has a little too much fun with it, as per sitcom rules, and it begins to cause problems.

The voice of that ball? A young comedy writer named Judd Apatow.

Apatow is one of the biggest names in mainstream comedy today, so much that almost anyone could describe the gist of what makes a "Judd Apatow movie." In the early '90s, however, Apatow was a niche comedy producer and writer. He worked on The Larry Sanders Show and co-created cult classic sketch series The Ben Stiller Show, where he worked with NewsRadio's own Andy Dick. He'd close out the '90s with Freaks & Geeks before permanently launching into the public eye.

Norm Macdonald is a strange case on this list. His appearance in "Injury" as Roger, the lawyer of Mr. James, came at the height of Macdonald's popularity, during his tenure on Saturday Night Live. He has several prominent scenes, including a memorable bit grilling Dave about his resume. Yet few remember that Macdonald was on the show, and it's possible to watch the episode without even comprehending it's him. Why is that?

For starters, "Injury" is a dicey episode. The episode's B-plot shows Bill in a moral crusade against a rival broadcaster using the word "penis" on air, and his repeated use of the word set off a real-life battle between NBC and the writers. Originally meant for season two, an edited version aired a year after production, and as such, the episode itself is more famous for the controversy than the content.

Also, notably, Norm doesn't act like Norm here. He wears a suit, speaks in a normal tone of voice, and has no outlandish traits. Macdonald's humor is usually dry, yes, but in this episode, he's used more as a straight man for Jimmy and Dave than as a joke delivery device himself. All this adds up to why few people remember Macdonald ever appearing on NewsRadio.

Brian Posehn has long been a cult comedy figure, dating back to his appearances on Mr. Show. One of his stops along that circuit was an episode of NewsRadio. "Super Karate Monkey Death Car" sees Jimmy James conduct a book reading of his mistranslated autobiography. His audience is full of people, including porn star Ron Jeremy as an extra. Posehn plays one of the few fans left at the end, and he participates in the Q&A with Jimmy.

Posehn also had a series of smaller roles in the late '90s and early 2000s, including voicing Jim on cult classic cartoon Mission Hill and a recurring role on Just Shoot Me. He finally hit mainstream popularity in the mid 2000s, playing Sarah's neighbor, Brian, on The Sarah Silverman Program and geologist Bert Kibbler on The Big Bang Theory. His appearance in "Super Karate Monkey Death Car" didn't even mark the end of his time on NewsRadio, either. He'd later return as a member of Dave's former a cappella group in "Chock."

The secondary plot of "The Secret of Management" sees Bill hire a butler named Cadbury. Bill finds him advertising his services in a pennysaver classified ad, and in typical Bill fashion, he decides to get a discount freelance butler. Also in typical Bill fashion, it blows up in his face. Cadbury, the elderly British butler, is played by Ian Abercrombie, and while you might not recognize that name, you've certainly seen him or heard his voice.

Abercrombie's career on screen lasted about five decades, but it kicked into high gear in the late '80s and early '90s. He became one of Hollywood's go-to British small-role sophisticates. Most viewers will recognize Abercrombie as Mr. Pitt, Elaine's boss during season six of Seinfeld. Other prominent roles include the Wise Man in Army of Darkness, Alfred Pennyworth in The WB's Birds Of Prey TV series, and the voice of Palpatine in the Star Wars Clone War cartoons.

The B-plot of "Office Feud" sees Lisa attend the White House Easter Egg Roll, only to have uniformly negative experiences with the kids there. One little girl put an egg in Lisa's hand before smacking it, prompting an at-the-end-of-her-rope Lisa to go, "What's wrong with you?" It's a nine-second performance, but that's an early appearance of Sara Paxton, who'd go on to start in several teen comedies and horror movies.

Paxton's first film appearance was a small part in Liar Liar, which starred NewsRadio scene partner Maura Tierney. She'd later achieve recognition in the mid-aughts starring in Discovery Kids' original series Darcy's Wild Life. Paxton launched from this to larger roles, starring as the titular mermaid in Aquamarine and Marnie in Return to Halloweentown. She's since transitioned largely to darker roles, including horror movies like 2009's The Last House on the Left and the incredibly disturbing suspense flick Cheap Thrills.