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Recurring character

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37:, who frequently appears from time to time during the series' run. Recurring characters often play major roles in more than one episode, sometimes being the main focus. They may be contrasted with "regular" characters, who typically appear in every or almost every episode of a series. Recurring characters appear less frequently than regulars, but more frequently than 182:
were hired for seven episodes, to play Frasier Crane and Cliff Clavin respectively. Cliff was scheduled to recur during the 1982–1983 season, Frasier to recur during 1984–1985 season. Both actors were subsequently upgraded to the main cast, and Crane continued in his own series following the end of
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As we were building and evolving our sketch comedy, we would look for new types of sketches that had legs (not caterpillar legs). We liked the idea of recurring characters and themes. It gave us something we could start with and something the audience could connect
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Recurring characters sometimes start out as guest stars in one episode, who then reappear in future episodes because creators or audiences found the actors or storylines compelling enough to revisit. Sometimes a recurring character eventually becomes part of the
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Usually they appear in their own sketch and the sketch itself can become a regular part of the show. Some notable examples include the
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in 2007, six years after she left the cast. Sometimes a recurring character from one show appears on another show, such as when
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On This Date: A Day-by-Day Listing of Holidays, Birthdays, and Historic Events, and Special Days, Weeks and Months
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characters, who may appear in only one, two or more episodes without being expected to return.
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Recurring characters are not limited to television. In the early 20th century, the
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was canceled the central character of a popular recurring sketch called
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From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century
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Creating America: George Horace Lorimer and the Saturday Evening Post
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The Encyclopedia of Guilty Pleasures: 1001 Things You Love to Hate
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which has had many recurring characters turn into movies such as
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frequently had recurring characters in their cover art, such as
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who were originally recurring characters are: Eli Gold on
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Caesar's Hours: My Life in Comedy, with Love and Laughter
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Caesar's Hours: My Life in Comedy, with Love and Laughter
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Whitely, Sandy; Sandra Whiteley; H. C. Whiteley (2002).
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Fictional characters by role in the narrative structure
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in 1983 and portrayed Bob and Doug MacKenzie, or when
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of characters; such a character is sometimes called a
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In other cases, recurring characters have been given
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For example, in the sketch comedy series 540:"Grammer's fame will surpass '15 minutes'" 454:Crafty TV Writing: Thinking Inside the Box 713: 657: 487:"Actress joins family at 'The West Wing'" 595: 593: 446: 444: 766: 716:"Add life to legacy of Rander's laughs" 505: 450: 350:is another example, originating on the 30:is a fictional character, usually in a 828: 590: 441: 603:; Sam Stall; Julia Spalding (2004). 520:from the original on August 13, 2019 178:, along with fellow recurring actor 802:Eight Great Sherlock Holmes Stories 13: 14: 852: 506:Hibberd, James (March 24, 2017). 714:Weintraub, Joanne (1991-04-08). 19:For the daytime equivalent, see 789: 760: 728: 707: 658:Hiltbrand, David (2004-06-09). 270:, went on to have her own show 744:University of Pittsburgh Press 672: 651: 631: 552: 532: 499: 479: 384:Fred and Barney Meet the Shmoo 1: 435: 208:used the concept frequently: 164:series of their own, such as 243:Monty Python's Flying Circus 7: 423: 53:. Some notable examples of 10: 857: 807:Courier Dover Publications 721:Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 18: 773:Andrews McMeel Publishing 665:The Philadelphia Inquirer 562:; Eddy Friedfeld (2006). 687:McGraw-Hill Professional 302:Mary Katherine Gallagher 84:Buffy the Vampire Slayer 767:Mansour, David (2005). 545:St. Louis Post-Dispatch 357:The Eleven O'Clock Show 836:Television terminology 736:Lorimer, George Horace 451:Epstein, Alex (2006). 259:The Carol Burnett Show 224: 366:Saturday Evening Post 284:, Wayne and Garth of 248:Bob and Doug McKenzie 210: 513:Entertainment Weekly 459:Macmillan Publishers 430:Supporting character 397:series of novels by 268:Thelma "Mama" Harper 797:Conan Doyle, Arthur 738:; Jan Cohn (1990). 334:Saturday Night Live 322:Saturday Night Live 310:Saturday Night Live 278:Saturday Night Live 237:Saturday Night Live 28:recurring character 746:. pp. 81–85. 403:Inspector Lestrade 399:Arthur Conan Doyle 292:The Blues Brothers 240:, the Gumbys from 201:Your Show of Shows 51:breakout character 344:Sacha Baron Cohen 304:was portrayed by 180:John Ratzenberger 166:Dr. Frasier Crane 848: 821: 820: 793: 787: 786: 764: 758: 757: 732: 726: 725: 711: 705: 704: 676: 670: 669: 655: 649: 648: 635: 629: 628: 597: 588: 587: 556: 550: 549: 536: 530: 529: 527: 525: 503: 497: 496: 483: 477: 476: 448: 308:when she hosted 222: 139:Steve Harrington 21:Recurring status 856: 855: 851: 850: 849: 847: 846: 845: 826: 825: 824: 817: 794: 790: 783: 775:. p. 418. 765: 761: 754: 733: 729: 712: 708: 701: 677: 673: 656: 652: 644:The Denver Post 637: 636: 632: 625: 598: 591: 584: 557: 553: 538: 537: 533: 523: 521: 504: 500: 485: 484: 480: 473: 449: 442: 438: 426: 395:Sherlock Holmes 339:The Muppet Show 223: 217: 144:Stranger Things 55:main characters 24: 17: 16:Role in fiction 12: 11: 5: 854: 844: 843: 838: 823: 822: 815: 788: 781: 759: 752: 727: 706: 699: 671: 650: 630: 623: 589: 582: 551: 531: 498: 478: 471: 439: 437: 434: 433: 432: 425: 422: 412:In US daytime 328:(portrayed by 297:The Ladies Man 282:Stuart Smalley 232:Hans and Franz 215: 176:Kelsey Grammer 149:Felicity Smoak 124:Family Matters 99:Vanessa Abrams 89:Marc St. James 70:That '70s Show 65:Leo Chingkwake 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 853: 842: 839: 837: 834: 833: 831: 818: 816:0-486-41777-8 812: 808: 804: 803: 798: 792: 784: 782:0-7407-5118-2 778: 774: 770: 763: 755: 753:0-8229-5438-9 749: 745: 741: 737: 731: 723: 722: 717: 710: 702: 700:0-07-139827-9 696: 692: 688: 684: 683: 675: 667: 666: 661: 654: 647:. 2003-12-28. 646: 645: 640: 634: 626: 624:1-931686-54-8 620: 616: 612: 608: 607: 602: 596: 594: 585: 583:1-58648-152-5 579: 575: 571: 570:PublicAffairs 567: 566: 561: 555: 548:. 2001-03-09. 547: 546: 541: 535: 519: 515: 514: 509: 502: 495:. 2000-12-21. 494: 493: 488: 482: 474: 472:0-8050-8028-7 468: 464: 460: 456: 455: 447: 445: 440: 431: 428: 427: 421: 419: 415: 410: 408: 404: 400: 396: 392: 391: 390:The New Shmoo 386: 385: 380: 376: 372: 371:Baby New Year 368: 367: 361: 359: 358: 353: 349: 346:'s character 345: 341: 340: 335: 331: 327: 326:Emily Litella 323: 319: 315: 311: 307: 306:Molly Shannon 303: 299: 298: 293: 289: 288: 287:Wayne's World 283: 279: 275: 274: 273:Mama's Family 269: 265: 261: 260: 255: 254: 249: 245: 244: 239: 238: 233: 229: 221: 214: 209: 207: 203: 202: 197: 193: 192:sketch comedy 188: 186: 181: 177: 173: 172: 167: 163: 158: 156: 155: 150: 146: 145: 140: 136: 135: 134:The West Wing 130: 126: 125: 120: 116: 115: 110: 106: 105: 100: 96: 95: 90: 86: 85: 80: 76: 72: 71: 66: 62: 61: 60:The Good Wife 56: 52: 48: 42: 40: 36: 33: 29: 22: 801: 791: 768: 762: 739: 730: 719: 709: 681: 674: 663: 653: 642: 633: 605: 564: 554: 543: 534: 522:. Retrieved 511: 501: 490: 481: 453: 411: 388: 382: 364: 362: 355: 352:Channel Four 337: 336:appeared on 333: 330:Gilda Radner 321: 318:Rick Moranis 309: 295: 285: 277: 271: 263: 257: 251: 241: 235: 225: 219: 218:Sid Caesar, 211: 199: 189: 184: 169: 159: 152: 142: 132: 122: 112: 102: 92: 82: 68: 58: 43: 27: 25: 689:. pp.  613:. pp.  611:Quirk Books 572:. pp.  560:Caesar, Sid 461:. pp.  418:day players 414:soap operas 407:Mrs. Hudson 314:Dave Thomas 228:Church Lady 119:Steve Urkel 104:Gossip Girl 830:Categories 601:Harry, Lou 524:August 14, 492:Fresno Bee 436:References 379:Li'l Abner 264:The Family 206:Sid Caesar 129:Donna Moss 109:Zack Allan 94:Ugly Betty 39:guest star 32:prime time 342:in 1978. 114:Babylon 5 47:main cast 35:TV series 809:. Note. 799:(2001). 518:Archived 424:See also 216:—  162:spin-off 354:series 332:) from 320:hosted 813:  779:  750:  697:  621:  580:  469:  393:. The 373:. The 294:, and 246:, and 196:staple 185:Cheers 171:Cheers 147:; and 463:27–28 375:Shmoo 348:Ali G 250:from 234:from 213:with. 154:Arrow 75:Angel 811:ISBN 777:ISBN 748:ISBN 695:ISBN 619:ISBN 578:ISBN 526:2019 467:ISBN 405:and 387:and 316:and 253:SCTV 230:and 77:and 691:226 615:238 574:180 190:On 151:on 141:on 131:on 121:on 111:on 101:on 91:on 81:on 67:on 832:: 805:. 771:. 742:. 718:. 693:. 685:. 662:. 641:. 617:. 609:. 592:^ 576:. 568:. 542:. 516:. 510:. 489:. 465:. 457:. 443:^ 420:. 409:. 290:, 266:, 204:, 187:. 174:. 157:. 137:; 127:; 117:; 107:; 97:; 87:; 79:Oz 73:; 63:; 26:A 819:. 785:. 756:. 724:. 703:. 668:. 627:. 586:. 528:. 475:. 23:.

Index

Recurring status
prime time
TV series
guest star
main cast
breakout character
main characters
The Good Wife
Leo Chingkwake
That '70s Show
Angel
Oz
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Marc St. James
Ugly Betty
Vanessa Abrams
Gossip Girl
Zack Allan
Babylon 5
Steve Urkel
Family Matters
Donna Moss
The West Wing
Steve Harrington
Stranger Things
Felicity Smoak
Arrow
spin-off
Dr. Frasier Crane
Cheers

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