TV Show Creators Who Starred in their Own Shows

The Colbert Report-Stephen Colbert

 

Romano didn't create the show - Phil Rosenthal did...

 

Didn't create the show!

 

OK, that's where I thought we'd get into nit picky territory. She didn't "create" it but supposedly the entire show was based around her ideas. So some guy came to her and was like, "we want your ideas in a TV show"....so I guess they co-created it.

 

"In coming up with ideas for new shows, Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner of Carsey-Werner Productions decided to look into the concept of the working mother as a central voice. Up until that point, there had been shows with working mothers, but only as an adjunct to the father in the family. Werner had suggested that they take a chance on Barr whom they had seen on The Tonight Show. This was because he saw the unique "in your face" voice that they were looking for, and he contacted her agent and offered her the role. Barr's act at the time was the persona of the "domestic goddess", but as Carsey and Werner explains, she had the distinctive voice and attitude for the character and she was able to transform her into the working class heroine they envisioned"

She was cast on the show and aspects of her personality were adapted for it, but that doesn't make her a creator of it, co or otherwise...

 

Bill Cosby:

"Cosby Show"
"Fat Albert"

 

close enough! loved Rod's openings!
on a separate note...Have you ever seen the skit with Rod and Jack Benny? crazy hyterical!

 

Mike Binder - The Mind of the Married Man
Ruth Jones and James Corden - Gavin and Stacey (I suppose they weren't the leads, but close enough)
Craig Cash and Phil Mealey - Early Doors
Steve Coogan - various Alan Partridge shows as well as Saxondale
Julia Davis - Nighty Night
Mark Duplass (co-created with Jay Duplass) - Togetherness

 

He was a writer on "The Shield" but didn't create it.

 

Seth MacFarlane - Family Guy
Seth Green - Robot Chicken
Paul Reubens-Pee Wee's Playhouse
Jim Henson- The Muppet Show

 

Joel Hodgson - Mystery Science Theater 3000

 

The Bob Newhart Show

The Dick Van Dyke Show

The Andy Griffith Show

 

Bow to Alan Brady!!

 

Oh that's right. Nice one, Carl.

 

According to IMDB, none of those were created by their stars...

 

Wow, I did not know that. He's excellent in that part as the mysterious bad guy.

 

The perfectly-realized evil-doer.

 

Journalist Martha Roundtree created the public affairs radio show "Meet the Press" as a radio show in 1945. Lawrence Spivak later joined as co-producer and business partner to promote his "American Mercury" magazine. Roundtree was the first host when it moved to television in 1947, today still the only female moderator out of the 12 they have. She left in 1953 when Spivak, a permanent panelist (later the moderator from 1966-75) bought her out for $125,000, supposedly on a coin flip.
A much different version of "Meet the Press" still exists today Sunday mornings on NBC.

 

Chuck Barris....first produced "The Dating Game" and "The Newlywed Game" (among others)
and then produced and starred in/hosted "The Gong Show". Amazing (and crazy) guy.

 

Ed Sullivan co-created and co-produced his rilly big shew with Marlo Lewis

 

Extras and Derek too, and while not the lead role, he also featured (with Merchant) in Life's Too Short.

Stephen Merchant also created and starred in Hello Ladies.

Adding to the comedy shows (listing only the creator who appears in the show):

The Royle Family - Caroline Aherne/Craig Cash
The Young Ones - Rik Mayall
Bottom - Rik Mayall/Ade Edmondsen
French & Saunders - Dawn French/Jennifer Saunders
Absolutely Fabulous - Jennifer Saunders
The Life And Times Of Vivienne Vyle - Jennifer Saunders
Jam & Jerusalem - Jennifer Saunders
Pulling - Sharon Horgan

And a drama, for a change:

Scott & Bailey - Suranne Jones

 

James Komack - The Courtship of Eddie's Father
Ozzie Nelson - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

 

Paul Reiser - Mad About You

 

Jules Shear and MTVs "Unplugged". the first 13 shows.