Tristar Television
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”
NBC
2. Preparation H hemorrhoid commercial — early 1980s?
3. Airwolf, Robert Hollis — 1986
“Desperate Monday”
4. Baywatch, Tom Logan — 1989
“Cruise Ship”
NBC
5. Matlock, Brian Emerson — 1987, 1991
“The Gift,” “The Marriage Counselor”
CBS
6. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, voice of Snizard — 1993
“Foul Play In The Sky”
7. Walker, Texas Ranger, Hank — 1994
“Deadly Vision”
CBS
8. Murder, She Wrote, various roles — 1986-1990
“Menace, Anyone?” “Good-Bye Charlie,” “Something Foul In Flappieville”
CBS
9. That Thing You Do!, Virgil Grissom — 1996
20th Century Fox
10. The Rockford Files, Patrick Dougherty — 1996
“Crime And Punishment”
NBC