Today is Bryan Cranston’s 58th birthday. And if you didn’t have the foresight to take off work and binge-watch Breaking Bad on Netflix in its entirety, you can at least school yourself on the humble beginnings of the man who became Walter White.
Bryan Cranston may be a Hollywood darling now, but for every Argo or Drive, there are a dozen bit parts on shows like Walker, Texas Ranger and Baywatch not far behind. Saying that he’s paid his dues in Hollywood is an understatement — the man appeared on Murder, She Wrote in three different roles! Seinfeld and Malcom In The Middle excluded, here are 20 Bryan Cranston roles before Breaking Bad that you might have forgotten about.
1. CHiPs, Billy Joe — 1982
“Return To Death’s Door”
2. Preparation H hemorrhoid commercial — early 1980s?
3. Airwolf, Robert Hollis — 1986
“Desperate Monday”
4. Baywatch, Tom Logan — 1989
“Cruise Ship”
5. Matlock, Brian Emerson — 1987, 1991
“The Gift,” “The Marriage Counselor”
6. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, voice of Snizard — 1993
“Foul Play In The Sky”
7. Walker, Texas Ranger, Hank — 1994
“Deadly Vision”
8. Murder, She Wrote, various roles — 1986-1990
“Menace, Anyone?” “Good-Bye Charlie,” “Something Foul In Flappieville”
9. That Thing You Do!, Virgil Grissom — 1996
10. The Rockford Files, Patrick Dougherty — 1996
“Crime And Punishment”
11. Babylon 5, Ericsson — 1997
“The Long Night”
12. Sabrina The Teenage Witch, Witch Lawyer — 1997
“Troll Bride”
13. Saving Private Ryan, War Department Colonel — 1998
14. The X-Files, Patrick Crump — 1998
“Drive” (co-written by Vince Gilligan)
15. Chicago Hope, Jesus — 1998
“Tantric Turkey”
16. Third Rock From The Sun, Neil — 1999
“Paranoid Dick”
17. The King Of Queens, Tim — 1999-2001
“Swim Neighbors,” “Soft Touch,” “Time Share,” “Dog Days”
18. National Lampoon’s Holiday Reunion, Woodrow Snider — 2003
19. Little Miss Sunshine, Stan Grossman — 2006
20/ Family Guy/ American Dad — 2006-2008
“Long John Peter,” “Star Trek”
*Bonus*
Crisis Counselor — 1982
Saving the best for last is Bryan Cranston’s appearance on an episode entitled “Bisexual Husband” of the fictionalized reality show Crisis Counselor. Cranston played a husband who had been sneaking behind his wife’s back and hooking-up with his bros. Bow chicka wow wow, Mr. White in troooouble.
Oh, and that banner image at the top, that was from Pamela Anderson’s short-lived action show V.I.P. which also included a Dean Norris cameo.
Sources: IMDB, Portable , Serial Optimist