From Wedding Crashers to The Office: A Brief History of Will Ferrell Cameos
As reported, Will Ferrell will be appearing on The Office in a multiple episode arc later this season to bridge the gap after Steve Carell departs. It may be surprising that Ferrell would agree to do such a high profile television project considering his busy film career, but as evidenced in the clips ahead, Ferrell has been the go-to-guy for television guest appearances and uncredited movie cameos over the last few years. Actually, a pretty good case can be made that the characters he plays in his shorter appearances are better than a lot of his feature length roles. (Ron Burgundy aside). Let's take a brief look at Will Ferrell's lesser-known, but much more surprising characters.
Big Earl in Starsky & Hutch (2004)
After a fairly forgettable uncredited role in Boat Trip, Ferrell's next uncredited appearance was as a convict named Big Earl who agrees to cooperate with Starsky and Hutch in exchange for Hutch pretending to be a sexy dragon. The best moment in this clip comes in at the 36-second mark.
Chazz Reinhold in Wedding Crashers (2005)
After Jeremy (Vince Vaughn) decides to hang up his wedding crashing boots for good, John (Owen Wilson) has to find a new partner. To do this he seeks out the man who wrote the book on wedding crashing, Chazz. Ferrell, in another uncredited role, really wants John to have some meatloaf.
Ashley Schaeffer in Eastbound and Down (2009)
Ferrell plays Ashley Schaeffer, a slimy North Carolina used car dealer. During his two-episode character arc, he orchestrates a pitching-hitting contest between Kenny Powers and Power's rival, Reg Mackworthy.
McDermott in The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009)
"Just like John Wilkes Booth, our prices are going to sneak up behind you and blow your brains out!" Ferrell plays an uncredited McDermott who was Don Ready's (Jeremy Piven) best friend and the greatest "car sales DJ" that anyone had ever seen. Unfortunately, McDermott perishes in an unfortunate skydiving accident that involves an assortment of sexual toys. Um, spoiler alert.
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard Clip - Watch more Movie Trailers
Shane Hunter (a.k.a. Bitch Hunter) 30 Rock (2010)
Proof that Ferrell only needs a few seconds to make a memorable mark. Here, in a flashback, Ferrell is the star of Bitch Hunter. As Liz Lemon is informed, The Girly Show was only added to the NBC schedule as a response to the outrage from women's organizations angry about Bitch Hunter. "Happy birthday, bitches!"
Comments
No Bob Whitely from _Strangers with Candy_? Sadface.
And... I hesitate to mention it, since he was also a lead in the film... but his cameo as Jesus in Superstar is also pretty cool.
Ha, I actually thought about that one.
I know we're all trying to forget that Boat Trip really happened, but it did. And Ferrell was in it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3alBWpo_t7s
I linked to it! But, alas, it can't be embedded.
You had to include Will Ferrell in "Boat Trip". He is Artie Lang's lover! He kisses the man, on the face, on screen. That's why I'm on a therapist's couch! And look what it did to Lang: he was fairly thin at the time, and and relatively coherant. That had to be what led to his tailspin.
These kind of cameos seem smart for several reasons. You don't have a chance of wearing out your welcome, you're often given some pretty funny lines to entice you to a particular project and it makes audiences think you're a pretty good bloke for popping up on a friend's project. Major cool points.
He's in the "Addicts" episode of Undeclared.
Yes! This is my favorite one.
It wasn't a cameo jackass, he was IN Superstar
He was also in an episode of The Guardian starring Simon Baker. He was shot and killed by Vicellous Shannon who was in 24 as Palmer's son
What about Mustafa in the "Austin Powers" films?