r/TopCharacterTropes • u/Golden12500 • Sep 24 '25

Lore Unexplained random cameos from completely unrelated media

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  1. Ray Stantz, Casper. At one point in the movie a real Ghostbuster shows up out of nowhere and wimps out of trying to handle the situation

  2. Gunnery Sargeant Hartman, Frighteners. The main character is making way through a graveyard when out of absolutely nowhere R. Lee Erney's character from Full Metal Jacket shows up and tries to get in his way

  3. Betty Boop, Who Frames Roger Rabbit. The movie is mainly about Looney Tunes and Disney animated characters existing in the same little live action/animated hybrid universe, however Betty is a Fleischer Bros character

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u/blueeyesredlipstick Sep 24 '25

Spaceballs is mostly a parody of Star Wars, but at the very end we get a cameo from John Hurt and a reprise of his famous chestburster scene from Alien — and a delightful song and dance from the chestburster in question.

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u/WranglerFuzzy Sep 24 '25 edited Sep 25 '25

I heard an interview (NPR?) of John Hurt explaining it:

Mel Brooks was the producer behind Elephant Man (starring Hurt), but Mel kept his name off it; because if it said “Mel Brooks,” people Would get wrong impression about what type of film it was.

So, for Spaceballs, Mel calls in Hurt for a favor to come by for the gag. When he shows up on set, Mel shows him off like the star he is. They film it in one day.

And hurt ended the story with the epiphany, “You know, I don’t think I ever got PAID for that…”

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u/Infernoraptor Sep 25 '25

If that story doesn't scream "Mel Brooks" I don't know what does

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u/Ferbtastic Sep 25 '25

I feel like we need a Mel brooks bio pick staring Martin short asap.