Knowledge Builders

who is the longest running character on tv

by Mr. Garret Medhurst I Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

Longest running characters

# Character Actor First appearance Longest continuous duration
1 Ken Barlow William Roache 9th December 1960 52 years, 5 months
2 Emily Bishop Eileen Derbyshire 27th January 1961 48 years, 11 months
3 Rita Tanner Barbara Knox 2nd December 1964 50 years, 8 months
4 Peter Barlow Chris Gascoyne 5th April 1965 6 years, 1 month
Nov 4 2022

Olivia Benson: Law & Order - SVU
Mariska Hargitay proudly wears the title as being the longest-running prime-time live-action character of all time. The character of Oliva Benson has been on television since the start of Law & Order: SVU in 1999.
Mar 11, 2022

Full Answer

Who is the longest running character on primetime television?

The longest appearing primetime character was Detective John Munch played by actor Richard Belzer for 22 straight seasons spanning two tv shows on NBC: “Homicide: Life On The Street” and “Law And Order: SVU” . A baby-boomer, Munch is a modestly paranoid sixties flower child, who questions authority and admires Orwell.

Is SNL the longest show running on TV?

Saturday Night Live has been making people laugh from the comfort of their homes since 1975. For anyone who doesn't like math, that equates to 45 seasons! It's easily the longest-running sketch-comedy series in the United States.

What is the longest running drama on television?

  • "Law and Order: SVU " was just renewed for three more seasons, bringing its staggering runtime up to 24 seasons.
  • We've listed TV's longest-running dramas, ranging from eight to 24 seasons.
  • There were 15 seasons of "Criminal Minds," 18 seasons of "Lassie," and 20 seasons of "Gunsmoke."
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

What is the longest running TV show in America?

Top 10 Longest-Running Television Shows in the US

  1. The Simpson. Firstly, we have to start with everyone’s favorite family – Simpsons. ...
  2. Family Guy. Family Guy is another animated family sitcom that revolves around the Griffins family (Peter and Lois, Meg, Chris, and Stewie).
  3. Sesame Street. ...
  4. Days of Our Lives. ...
  5. General Hospital. ...
  6. Grey’s Anatomy. ...
  7. Law & Order: SVU. ...
  8. NCIS. ...
  9. Modern Family. ...
  10. Will & Grace. ...

image

Who has played a TV character the longest?

As of 2022, William Roache holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-serving actor in a television soap opera, having played Ken Barlow on Coronation Street since 1960.

Who played the same character the longest?

1/5 Kwan Tak-hing / Wong Fei-hung — 77 Movies The actor sets the record for playing the same character the most number of times in cinematic history. Decades after Tak-hing's death, this record still holds strong.

Who is the longest-running actor or actress?

The longest career as an actress is 86 years and was achieved by Dercy Goncalves (Brazil, b. 26 June 1907) who ran away from home and joined a travelling theatre in 1922 and acted on stage, in television and film until 2008 when she starred in the film Nossa vida nao cabe num opala at the age of 101.

Who is the longest serving Neighbours character?

Harold Bishop, played by Ian Smith, was originally introduced for six weeks in 1987, but went on to be a regular for over 17 years across two stints between 1987 - 1991 and 1996 - 2009, with three subsequent guest stints, making his final appearance over 35 years after his first.

Which character has been played by the most actors?

Guinness World Records has listed Holmes as the "most portrayed movie character", with more than 70 actors playing the part in over 200 films. The fact that the novels and all the characters have legally been determined to be in the public domain must surely contribute to his popularity. Gotta be Sherlock Holmes.

What is the longest drama ever?

"Gunsmoke" tops the list as the longest-running dramatic series in network television history with 635 episodes.

Who is No 1 actor in world list?

Top 100 Stars in Leading Roles at the Worldwide Box OfficeRankNameMovies1Scarlett Johansson342Robert Downey, Jr.433Samuel L. Jackson644Chris Hemsworth2579 more rows

Who has been famous the longest?

Here are some of the most famous actors with the longest careers in the industry.Angela Lansbury's career dates back 76 years. ... Cloris Leachman has also been working in the industry for over 70 years. ... In 1953, Betty White began her decades-spanning film and TV career.More items...•

Who has been in the most TV shows?

1. Eric RobertsJohn Carradine (351)Mickey Rooney (335)Danny Trejo (317)Fred Willard (291)Sir Christopher Lee (265)Stephen Tobolowsky (251)Michael Ironside (247)Robert Loggia (228)More items...•

Who's been on Home and Away the longest?

Flamin Galah, flamin Alf, the longest serving character ever. Sun kissed beachside soap Home And Away began in January 1988 and has had over 200 regular characters over the years, many of them teens and twenty-somethings. Alf Stewart is the only original character, as of 2022 still going strong after 34 years.

Who is the most famous soap opera star?

There is no denying that Susan Lucci is arguably the biggest name in soap opera history. Portraying Erica Kane on All My Children, Lucci became one of the biggest stars on a show that had a successful run of over 40 years.

What is the Lingest movie?

Guinness World Records says the longest film ever made is "The Cure for Insomnia" released in 1987. The 85-hour experimental film was directed by John Henry Timmis IV.

What fictional character has been through the most?

Sherlock Holmes awarded title for most portrayed literary human character in film & TV. Having been depicted on screen 254 times, GWR today announces that Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective, has been awarded a world record for the most portrayed literary human character in film & TV.

Who is the longest Phantom?

At a record-breaking 2,450 performances and counting, McGillin has already played the title role more than any other performer on Broadway.

How long has Bob been on the Simpsons?

Incredibly, Grammer has been voicing Sideshow Bob on (and off) on The Simpsons for even longer – a staggering 28 years !

How long was Mark Harmon in NCIS?

Mark Harmon – Leroy Jethro Gibbs (JAG/NCIS): 15 years. Adam TaylorCBS. Although best known for police procedural NCIS, the character first appeared in a 2003 episode of US legal drama JAG. Harmon's role is still ongoing so there's a chance he could be shooting up this chart in years to come. 15.

How long did David Jason play Del Boy?

And, for those curious, David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst played Del Boy and Rodney Trotter for 33 years, though there was a break of over 11 years before they returned for the 2014 Sport Relief special. 3. Warren Mitchell – Alf Garnett (Till Death Us Do Part/In Sickness and In Health): 32 years. BBC.

How long was Boycie on Fools and Horses?

John Challis – Boycie (Only Fools and Horses/The Green Green Grass): 30 years. The ever-laughing car salesman started life on Only Fools and Horses in 1981 and continued in his own spin-off, with his wife Mar-leeeeene, in The Green Green Grass of Home. It came to an end in 2011.

How many episodes of Agatha Christie did Poirot have?

Poirot clocked in 70 episodes when it came to an end in 2013.

When did Frasier Crane end?

Frasier came to an end in 2004 (although that said, there's talk of a reboot ), bringing the curtain down on two decades of psychoanalysis-based hilarity.

When did the two pensioners start their own sitcom?

After their success in Scottish sketch show Chewin' The Fat (which began in 1999), the two pensioners were given their own sitcom, Still Game. The final series airs later this year.

Who is the longest running character in Cheers?

It’s a bit surprising that as we approach the end of 2013 we’re getting some juicy controversy surrounding the beloved ’80s sitcom Cheers, but the Internet works in mysterious ways, doesn’t it? On Monday, Cracked ran a listicle about major TV characters that were only supposed to be bit parts, and included Dr. Frasier Crane , the longest-running character in TV history, who debuted on the third season of Cheers and stayed on the air for an impressive 20 years. Cracked claims, by way of actor Kelsey Grammer’s autobiography, that he was only supposed to be on three episodes, but when the producers of Cheers recognized that lead actress Shelley Long hated him, they kept him around just to spite her. But that’s a bald-faced lie, claims former Cheers writer Ken Levine, who has taken to his blog to dispute this conspiracy.

What did Grammer say about Shelley Long?

Of course, in his autobiography, So Far…, published in November 1995, Grammer doesn’t give his own performance the credit that the producers did; he claims that Shelley Long hated him , and that her increasingly difficult behavior on the set, which annoyed the writers and producers, is what instigated the expansion of Frasier’s character. (It should be noted, of course, that Grammer’s famous substance abuse troubles became public in 1988 — during the show’s sixth and seventh seasons — when he was arrested for drunk driving and cocaine possession, and his behavior on set also infuriated his castmates and the crew.) To play devil’s advocate, perhaps this was conjecture; maybe it was Grammer’s way of denying to himself the extent to which his own personal problems affected his colleagues.

Is Shelley Long difficult?

Levine goes on to admit that Shelley Long could indeed be difficult, but gives her the benefit of the doubt, suggesting that she had the difficult task of making Diane both lovable and annoying. He also praises Grammer on a personal level:

Did Shelley Long appear on Frasier?

Levine also points to Shelley Long’s two appearances on Frasier as proof that the animosity between Long and Grammer didn’t actually exist. Her first appearance was as a visual gag — she’s on camera for about 30 seconds, and her walk-on was a surprise to even NBC, out of fear that the network would promote her cameo and ruin the joke. Her second guest appearance on Frasier happened after Grammer published his book. “ [T]his one more substantial,” Levine points out, “and she agreed to do it. So they couldn’t hate each other that much.”

What is the longest running soap opera?

Despite suffering poor critical reception during its initial run, Coronation Street would go on to win over the hearts of viewers for over half a century. The show has since been acknowledged as the longest-running soap opera of all time.

What is the name of the detective drama that follows the astute, yet inelegant, homicide?

Columbo, the detective drama, followed the astute, yet inelegant, homicide detective as he pieced together and solved innumerable murder cases. The show was fairly groundbreaking for the mystery genre, in that mystery was one of the components that this show lacked.

How long has Mariska Hargitay been playing Olivia Benson?

Mariska Hargitay has been playing Olivia Benson for 22 years and still counting.

How long did Frasier run?

1993 sitcom Frasier, the show about psychiatrist Frasier Crane going to his hometown in Seattle, starting a radio show, and reconnecting with his family, ran for 11 years, which is already an impressive feat on its own. However, it is worth remembering that Frasier was a spin-off of another show titled Cheers, a show about a bar in Boston, ...

How long does a Vikings show last?

RELATED: Vikings: 5 Actors Who Nailed Their Roles (& 5 Who Fell Short) With all of the different ways that a television production can go wrong, it's always a treat to see a TV show last for five, ten, and even more years . It's even better, and increasingly rare, to see the same actor portray the same character in a show for years ...

Who played Bob Hughes on As the World Turns?

Another prominent example is the character Bob Hughes, played by Don Hastings from 1960 up to the show's end.

Who played Alice in the show?

Many characters have been a part of the show for a long time, but the character who stuck around the most is Alice Horton, played by Frances Reid. She was a part of the show ever since the beginning and was in every episode before leaving the show in 2007.

image

Soap Opera Stars That Have Stuck Around

Image
Whether it’s cartoons or crime shows, there’s no rhyme or reason to what makes an actor stick with one character for so long, but one thing is clear: soap operas have the market cornered on long-running characters. Suzanne Rogers has starred on the popular soap opera Days of Our Livesas Maggie Horton. Rogers has been on t…
See more on silverscreenbeat.com

The Longest-Running Cartoons

  • Animated shows have some long-time actors, too. The South Park boys, all four voiced by the show’s creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, have been on the air since 1997. The show celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. However, they’ve got nothing on The Simpsons. The Simpsonshas been popular ever since it began airing in 1989. The voice actors for Homer, Marg…
See more on silverscreenbeat.com

Who Is The Longest-Running Primetime Character?

  • When it comes to primetime dramas, the number of years gets a little lower, but no less impressive. Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki starred in the hugely popular Supernatural, playing brothers Sam and Dean Winchester for 15 years. The show ultimately went off the air in 2020, making it the longest-running American live-action fantasy TV series. W...
See more on silverscreenbeat.com

More News from Suggest

  • Report: Mariska Hargitay ‘Bowing Out’ Of ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Who Is The Voice Of The GEICO Gecko? How Christopher Meloni Got Those Insane Abs At Nearly 60
See more on silverscreenbeat.com

1.TV's 15 Longest-Running Characters, Ranked - ScreenRant

Url:https://screenrant.com/tv-longest-running-characters-ranked/

14 hours ago Who has been on Days of our lives the longest? Created by Ted and Betty Corday, the series premiered on November 8, 1965. The longest-running cast member is Suzanne Rogers, who …

2.The longest-serving TV actors in the same roles - Digital …

Url:https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a865498/longest-actors-roles/

1 hours ago  · Sara Ramírez portrayed ‘the longest-running LGBTQ+ character in TV history’ “Prior to Callie Torres, I’d never seen myself represented on television,” Sara told the publication.

3.Who's ‘the longest-running LGBTQ+ character in TV …

Url:https://www.hola.com/us/celebrities/20211125306103/the-longest-running-lgbtq-character-in-tv-history/

30 hours ago  · Who is the longest running character in TV history? The longest existing television character would be Christine Barford from the U.K. soap Opera The Archers.

4.Who are some of the longest running American television …

Url:https://www.quora.com/Who-are-some-of-the-longest-running-American-television-characters

5 hours ago The longest running character in a sitcom is Dr. Frasier Crane. Kelsey Grammar played the character for 20 seasons, 9 on Cheers and 11 on Frasier, perhaps the most sucessful spin-off …

5.The Frasier Conspiracy: Was TV’s Longest-Running …

Url:https://www.flavorwire.com/416972/the-frasier-conspiracy-was-tvs-longest-running-character-a-success-out-of-spite-to-shelley-long

3 hours ago  · The present in the end went off the air in 2020, making it the longest-running American live-action fantasy TV collection. Who holds the crown for the longest-running …

6.10 Longest Spans Of Time An Actor Played The Same …

Url:https://www.cbr.com/tv-series-actors-playing-same-character-many-years/

25 hours ago  · On Monday, Cracked ran a listicle about major TV characters that were only supposed to be bit parts, and included Dr. Frasier Crane, the longest-running character in TV …

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9