Hundreds of actors have come through the Time-Life building over seven seasons of Mad Men, and Matthew Weiner has a penchant for both bringing back television stars from previous decades and finding television actors on their way to bigger and better things. One day, we may look back upon Mad Men and see it as fertile ground for a Before They Were Stars post, like Dawson’s Creek or Law & Order.
Here are 20 actors you may recognize from other projects who you probably forgot were on Mad Men:
1. Colin Hanks (Father John Gill, 2008). Where do you know him from? Fargo, Dexter, as Tom Hanks’ son.
2. Anna Camp (Bethany Van Nuys, 2010). Where do you know her from: The Mindy Project, Pitch Perfect.
3. Carla Gallo (Karen Ericson, 2009). Where do you know her from? Undeclared, Neighbors, and several other Judd Apatow projects.
4. Josh McDermitt (George Payton, 2014). Where do you know him from? Eugene on The Walking Dead.
5. Teddy Sears (Kicks Matherton, 2010). Where do you know him from? Masters of Sex.
6. Dennis Haskins (Phil Beachum, 2012). Where do you know him from? Saved by the Bell.
7. Seamus Dever (Chuck, 2008). Where do you know him from? As one of the leads on Castle.
8. Nat Faxon (Flatty, 2008). Where do you know him from? Married, Ben and Kate, and as the Oscar-winning writing partner of Jim Rash (Community’s Dean Pelton).
9. Yeardley Smith (Nurse Mary, 2009). Where you know her from? As the voice of Lisa Simpson on The Simpsons.
10. Kristen Schaal (Nannette, 2007). Where you know her from? The Daily Show and Last Man on Earth.
11. Mädchen Amick (Andrea Rhodes, 2012). Where you know her from? A lot, but mostly as Shelly Johnson in Twin Peaks.
12. Ted McGinley (Mel, 2013). Where you know him from? Uh, the 1980s. Also, Revenge of the Nerds and Married With Children.
13. Kellie Martin (Carolyn Glaspie, 2014). Where you know her from? Life Goes On, E.R., the Lifetime channel.
14. William Mapother (Randall Walsh, 2013) Where you know him from? Justified, but probably mostly as Ethan From in Lost
15. Dan Byrd (Wayne Barnes, 2014). Where you know him from? Cougar Town, Easy A.
16. Ross Marquand (Paul Newman, 2013). Where you know him from? Aaron on The Walking Dead.
17. Abigail Spencer (Suzanne Farrell, 2009). Where you know her from? Rectify and Suits, among many other things.
18. Danny Strong (Danny Siegel, 2010-2013). Where you know him from? Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and as the co-writer and co-creator of Empire, among many other things.
19. Zosia Mamet (Joyce Ramsay, 2010, 2012). Where you know her from? Girls, and as David Mamet’s daughter.
20. Trevor Einhorn (John Mathis, 2013-15). While you’ve not forgotten he was on Mad Men, you may have forgotten where you knew him from: As Frasier Crane’s son in in Frasier.
