King of Cameos
written by Kerry E.B. Black
Not only is Stephen King a prolific writer with fifty novels and hundreds of short stories to his credit. His non-fiction, columns, essays, poetry, and comics garner praise, and he additionally writes screenplays. He’s even made cameos in some of the adaptations of his stories and books.
His first published novel, “Carrie,” also became his first to be adapted to a film in 1976. Stanley Kubrick famously changed “The Shining” in 1980. “Stand By Me,” “Misery,” “Shawshank Redemption,” and “The Green Mile” became major motion pictures, while “Salem’s Lot” (twice), “It,” “The Tommyknockers,” “The Stand,” “The Langoliers,” “Storm of the Century,” “Rose Red,” and “Bag of Bones” became made for television miniseries. Stephen King created television series, too, including “Golden Years” (1991), “The Dead Zone” (2002-2007), “Stephen King’s Kingdom Hospital” (2004), “Nightmares and Dreamscapes” (2006), “Haven” (2010), and “Under the Dome” (2013).
Of the over twenty adaptations of his works for film or television, Stephen King appeared in many. Also, he acted in a couple of established tv show episodes. Follows is a list of some of his appearances on silver and small screen:
Creep Show (1982 movie) starred in “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill”
Maximum Overdrive (1986 movie) uncredited appearance as man at cash point
Creep Show 2 (1987 movie) played a truck driver in “The Hitchhiker”
Pet Semetary (1989 movie) played a minister
The Golden Years (1991 tv) played a bus driver
Sleepwalkers (1992 movie) played a cemetery caretaker
The Stand (1994 tv miniseries) played Teddy Weizak
The Langoliers (1995 tv miniseries) played Tom Holby
Thinner (1996 movie) played Dr. Bangor
The Shining (1997 tv miniseries) played the band leader
Storm of the Century (1999 tv miniseries) as lawyer in & a reporter on a broken tv
Frazier (2000 tv series episode “Mary Christmas”) played Brian
The Simpsons (2000 tv series episode titled “Insane Clown Poppy”) “played” himself
Rose Red (2002 tv miniseries) uncredited appearance as pizza delivery guy
Kingdom Hospital (2004 tv episode finale) played Johnny B. Goode
Fever Pitch (2005 movie) himself throwing out first pitch at a Red Sox Game
Gotham Café (2005 movie) Mr. Ring
Diary of the Dead (2007 movie voiceover) news reader
Sons of Anarchy (2010 tv episode “Caregiver”) played Richard Bachman
Stephen King is scheduled to appear on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert on 11 September, 2015. He and his wife Tabitha also acted in George Romero’s 1981 “Knight Riders,” portraying Hoagieman and his wife.
Said Mr. King, “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” Stephen King lives by this motto. His considerable talent is supplemented by dedication to his craft and a desire to experience life in his own creative way, be it through participating in the band “Rock Bottom Remainders,” acting, writing, or private pursuits.
*First published at Halloween Forevermore
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