Married… With Children Was A Start For Many Stars

While it was never a smash hit like 'Friends' or 'Seinfeld',  Married… With Children did earn its place in the pantheon of US sitcoms. Apparently the show also employed one of the more talented casting directors as the show became a launching point to a career for a lot of starts. Check out where these stars REALLY started out. 

Tiffani Thiessen

Tiffani Amber Thiessen appeared in one episode of the show in season four. In the episode, Thiessen plays Heather McCoy who's Bud's date at the high school dance. Bud tries to take revenge on her as she humiliated him years ago by running his underwear up a flagpole. The episode was on the back of Thiessen's breakthrough role as Kelly Kapowski on Saved by the Bell.

Read More to see her and others at their starting point...

Tiffani Thiessen

After Saved by the Bell ended in 1993, Tiffani Amber Thiessen famously replaced Shannon Doherty on Beverly Hills, 90210. 

Thiessen has predominantly featured on television shows, some more successful than others. Some of the more better-known shows are Two Guys and a Girl, Just Shoot Me!, Fastlane, Good Mornin, Miami, and White Collar. Lately, she has mostly acted in guest roles.

Matt LeBlanc


Actor Matt LeBlanc arguably got his big break with his recurring role on Married... with Children playing Kelly's boyfriend, Vinnie Verducci, the son of one of Al's friends. The character went on to star in two short-lived spin-offs of the show: Top of the Heap in 1991 and Vinnie and Bobby in 1992.

Matt LeBlanc


Following the series, Matt LeBlanc secured the biggest role of his life playing dim-witted womanizer Joey Tribbiani on the sitcom Friends, which ran from 1994 to 2004. The series led to a spin-off titled Joey starring Blanc's character which lasted for two seasons. LeBlanc took a five-year hiatus from acting after this.

In 2011, LeBlanc made his comeback to acting starring as a fictionalized version of himself in the comedy series Episodes which ran from 2011 to 2017, for which he won a Golden Globe Award as well as four additional nominations. From 2016-18 the actor hosted the BBC series Top Gear. Since 2016 LeBlanc has played Adam Burns in the CBS sitcom Man with a Plan.

Keri Russell


Early on in her acting career, actress Keri Russell made a solitary appearance on a season nine episode of Married… with Children. In the episode, Bud is dating April Adams, played by Russell, as he competes for her affections against Nickolai Pushkin, a rugged, handsome basketball star from Russia.

Keri Russell


Keri Russell is arguably best known for playing the title role of the show Felicity which ran for four seasons at the turn of the new millennium. Russell won a Golden Globe award for her portrayal as Felicity Porter on the series. She has since played KGB agent Elizabeth Jennings on the spy thriller series The Americans as well as had supporting roles in several hit films.

Jane Lynch


The witty Jane Lynch made a guest appearance on Married… with Children early on in her career. She appears in the season eight episode "Valentine's Day Massacre" as Greta, a rich woman staying a hotel where Bud is looking for his long-lost Valentine. Needless to say, Lynch's wry wit is evident even then.

Jane Lynch


Lynch went onto have become a popular character on the hit musical television show Glee. She played Sue Sylvester, the track-suit wearing coach of the high school's cheerleading squad. For her portrayal as arguably the series main antagonist, she won both an Emmy and Golden Globe award.

The actress has also appeared in various other television shows and hit-films. She has also lent her voice for several animated films as well as hosted a segment on the National Geographic channel and the game show Hollywood Game night.

Fergie


Long before she was a member of The Black Eyed Peas, Fergie was Stacy Ann Fergusson, an aspiring actress who scored a guest role on Married… with Children. In the season eight episode, Bud and Kelly wait in line to buy rock concert tickets when Ann, played by Fergie, cuts in line in front of Bud and asks him if her friends can cut in too. He agrees before realizing it was all a trick.

Fergie



Fergie, as we all know, is known mostly for her musical achievements, even if she has appeared now and then on screen. In the 2000s she performed as the fourth member of the group The Black Eyed Peas, before venturing on a solo career. For a while, her career took a back seat due to married life and motherhood after she married actor Josh Duhamel. The two separated in 2017.

Ed O’Neill


Ed O'Neill graced televisions for over a decade as titular character Al Bundy on Married… with Children. Al can be described as a misanthropic, working-class father of two, portrayed as a somewhat tragicomic figure.

Although he appears as a born loser who constantly laments his luck in life, he nevertheless stands by his family, displaying wit, self-sacrifice, and resilience in times of crisis.

Once a promising fullback for fictional Polk High School, Al was on his way to college on a scholarship until he impregnated his girlfriend, married her, broke his leg, and ended up as a shoe salesman at "Gary's Shoes" in the "New Market Mall", located in an incorporated area of suburban Chicago. Al is the only person to appear in every episode of the show.

Ed O’Neill

Ed O’Neill is a critically acclaimed actor has been part of two successful long-running television shows. After Married… with Children, O'Neill again found success on television as patriarch Jay Pritchett on the award-winning ABC sitcom Modern Family for which he has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards and won four Screen Actors Guild Awards.

O'Neill has also appeared in several successful films such as The Bone Collector, Cruising, Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2 as well as television shows The West Wing, L.A. Dragnet, and John from Cincinnati. In 2012 O'Neill voiced Hank the Octopus he animated film Finding Dory.

Eva LaRue


Model and actress Eva LaRue appeared on a solitary episode of Married… with Children as a guest star. In the season four episode, LaRue plays Carrie who is one of the girls in a rock music video Kelly is hired for. At the time LaRue was already known to some viewers due to her role as Margot Collins in the television show Santa Barbara.

Eva LaRue

LaRue acted in several television shows such as Head Over Heels, Third Watch, Soul Food, Modern Girl's Guide to Life, Mack & Moxy, CSI: Miami and All My Children. Her most recent role was playing Teri Tanner, second wife of Dani Tanner, on Fuller House.

Denise Richards


Actress and model, Denise Richards appeared in one season six episode of Married… with Children in 1991. In the episode, the Bundy family head to Hollywood where they meet Kelly is attempting to launch a career in the entertainment industry. Richards character in the episode was so minor that she didn't even get a name, yet it was an important stepping stone for her career.

Denise Richards


Denise Richards appeared in several films and television shows in her career since her passing appearance on Married… with Children. Her film credits include Starship Troopers, Wild Things, Drop Dead Gorgeous, The World Is Not Enough as Bond girl Christmas Jones, Valentine, and Undercover Brother.

Currently, she stars on the reality television series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

David Boreanaz


David Boreanaz in one season seven episode of Married… with Children where he played Frank, Kelly's biker boyfriend. In the episode, after Kelly cancels on Frank to watch a movie with her parents on her birthday, she finds him there with another woman.

David Boreanaz

Following his appearance, David Boreanaz had roles of vampire-turned-private investigator Angel on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff Angel. He also played FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth on the television crime procedural comedy-drama series Bones and currently stars in the series SEAL Team.

Vanna White


Vanna White has arguably the most memorable guest appearance on the show. She plays Coco / Helen Granowinner a rich woman from Al's past who offers Peggy half a million dollars in exchange for Al. White was the hostess on Wheel of Fortune at the time.

Vanna White

Vanna White is still primarily known as the hostess of Wheel of Fortune. She has also appeared in guest roles in other television shows such as Goddess of Love, L.A. Law, 227, Super Mario Bros. Super Show, Simon and Simon, The King of Queens, and Full House; and in films such as Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult, and Double Dragon.

Pamela Anderson


Pamela Anderson was just beginning a career as an actress when she appeared in a few episodes of Married… with Children. In her first appearance, she plays Yvette, a young woman who appears in one of Al's fantasies. In her second appearance, she again plays a woman in Al's fantasy, but this time named Cashew.

Pamela Anderson



Pamela Anderson became an international star after starring in the television show Baywatch. She also found success on the show V.I.P. which ran for four seasons. The actress has also appeared in several lesser-known B-grade films and has more recently been known for her vocal support of the animal rights group PETA.

Christina Applegate


Christina Applegate was an instrumental part of the core cast, playing Al Bundy's daughter, Kelly Bundy, in the show. She appears in a total of 256 episodes and plays the part of the stereotypical "blonde" to perfection. "Pumpkin," as Al called her, was a young and wild girl, who liked to hang out with "slacker" guys, much to her father's chagrin.

By the final seasons, however, Kelly appeared to have matured into an independent woman with greater insight and street smarts.

Christina Applegate


Since the 80s and 90s, Christina Applegate's star has only continued to shine ever brighter. She's gone onto win an Emmy Award as well as earning Tony and Golden Globe nominations. The actress has featured in several hit films such as Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, The Big Hit, The Sweetest Thing, Grand Theft Parsons, Bad Moms, Vacation, and the Anchorman films.

Debbe Dunning


Debbe Dunning appears in one episode in season five of the show as Kelly's nemesis. She plays a model and competes with Kelly for a role in a car commercial. Bud, known for his infatuation with girls makes a pass on her. She candidly replies, however, "I’m sorry, but I think you’ve mistaken me for someone who would speak to someone like you!"

Debbe Dunning

Debbe Dunning is best known for her role on the television show Home Improvement as Heidi Keppert also known as the "Tool Time girl" replacing Pamela Anderson. Throughout her early career, Dunning modeled for companies such as Footlocker, Miller Beer, Ford Motors before retiring in the early 2000s. She has mostly acted in unknown B-grade movies.

Ian Ziering


Another cast member of Beverly Hills, 90210 appeared on the show early on in his career. Ian Ziering appears in a season five episode as "The Kid". In the episode, Al gets cut from the neighborhood softball team just before the big game. When the replacement is injured, Al again finds himself on the team after his team begs him to come back.

Ian Ziering

Ian Ziering is best known for his role as Steve Sanders on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210, which he played from 1990 to 2000. Since then, the actor has mostly acted in B-grade movies and focused mainly on voice acting as he has lent his voice to several animated shows.

Brandi Brandt


Model Brandi Brandt made a guest appearance in the season seven episode "Desperately Seeking Miss October" where she plays a fictionalized version of herself. In the episode, Brandt walks into Al's shoe store. Al rushes home to find who was on the cover of Playboy's October 1987 issue (it was indeed Brandt), however, he finds Peggy has thrown out his entire magazine collection.

Brandi Brandt


Brandt later appeared on the cover of Playboy's August 1989 issue as well as the March 1990 issue with none other than future President Donald Trump. Brandt also appeared in Aerosmith's 1989 video "Love in an Elevator" as well as Glamorous Gyno-American in the Troma Entertainment film Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV.

Brandt was married to Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx between 1989 and 1996. In 2014 Brandt was sentenced for up to six years in prison in Australia for conspiring to import drugs.

Jerry Springer


Famous television presenter Jerry Springer made his on-screen acting debut on Married… with Children. In his sole appearance, a season eight episode titled "No Ma'am", the talk show host plays a fictionalized version of himself on a show called "The Masculine Feminist".

Springer gets kidnapped in the episode by the "No Ma'am" group who attempt to perform television's first "sexorcism" which consists of forcing the talk show host watching hours of pro wrestling, wearing a stinky yellow undershirt and a pair of boxers with the words "It's All Me" until the women who took over their Giggle Room and their bowling night give in to their demands.

Jerry Springer

Jerry Springer made several films and television appearances, almost always playing himself or a fictional talk show host such as Ringmaster, Roseanne, The X-Files, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, George Lopez, Days of Our Lives, The Defender, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, as well as lending his voice to several animated series.

However, Springer remains best known for hosting The Jerry Springer Show, a tabloid talk show which ran from 1991 to 2018. He has also hosted America's Got Talent, Miss World, Miss Universe, WWE Raw, The Price Is Right Live!, Baggage, and Investigation Discovery, as well as several other shows.

Traci Lords


Actress Traci Lords appears in two episodes of Married… with Children, each time as a different character. Her first appearance occurs in season four where she plays a dental assistant, while her second and final appearance in season six is more memorable as she plays Vanessa Van Pelt, who appears as a femme fatale in Al's detective fantasy whom Al proves is the murderer in his case.

Traci Lords

Traci Lords went onto appear in several television shows such as MacGyver, Tales from the Crypt, Roseanne, Melrose Place, Profiler, First Wave, Gilmore Girls, and Will & Grace. She also acted in several lesser-known parts in films such as Skinner, Virtuosity, Blade, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, and Excision, as well as embarking on a music career.

Previously, Lords was a pornographic actress. In fact, during the early 1980s, she was one of the most sought-after pornographic actresses in the adult entertainment industry. However, when law enforcement discovered most of these films and images were taken when she was a minor, all but one of her films were banned.

Lords then studied method acting to become a mainstream actress at the famous Lee Strasberg Theater Institute.

Milla Jovovich


Actress Milla Jovovich appears in a season four episode of the series as a foreign exchange student named Yvette who is hosted by the Bundys as a money making scam and is housed in their garage. However, things backfire when Yvette begins stealing all of Kelly's boyfriends due to her popularity.

Milla Jovovich


It didn't take long for Milla Jovovich to find success as she starred in the film Dazed and Confused, and later The Fifth Element opposite Bruce Willis shortly after her appearance on the show. Nowadays, the actress is best known as for playing the lead role of Alice in all of the Resident Evil films which grossed $1.2 billion worldwide, the highest-grossing film series based on a video game.

Andrea Parker


Andrea Parker appears as a Go-Go dancer on two back-to-back episodes of Married… with Children. In the episode, Peggy tries to win the title of Prom Queen at her high school reunion, while Al stands up to Peggy's arch-rival Connie's husband Jack. This is the episode where we learn Peggy's maiden name is Wanker. You read that right.

Andrea Parker

Andrea Parker has featured in several successful television shows in recurring roles, such as ER, JAG, Desperate Housewives, main roles in The Pretender, Less than Perfect, and Pretty Little Liars. She has also appeared on other television shows in guest roles.

Morgan Brittany


Morgan Brittany already had a number of acting credits to her name when she guest starred on the season three episode of Married… with Children titled "Life's a Beach" as Marilyn Beamis. She plays a former girlfriend of Al's when the family spends the day at the beach.

Morgan Brittany


Since her appearance on the show, Morgan Brittany has appeared in television shows such as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, The Nanny, and Son of the Beach as well as toured over 90 cities performing the title role of Mame in the 30th-anniversary Broadway tour of "Mame", then in "Crazy For You", "The Sound of Music"—as Maria—and "Pippin". Nowadays she works as a political commentator.

Amber Susa


Amber Susa appears in the same episode as Morgan Brittany in the show's season three episode "Life's a Beach" as Jill. This was Susa's second-ever acting roles and marks one of her rare appearances on screen.

Amber Susa


Following her appearance on the show, Amber Susa also made guest appearances in Quantum Leap, Who's the Boss, Strong Medicine, and CBS Summer Playhouse. Acting doesn't appear to have been her passion as she became a fitness trainer becoming certified as an International Sports Sciences Association personal trainer, and  Zumba fitness instructor.

Elizabeth Keifer


Elizabeth Keifer appears in a season five episode of the show as Ginger. After Peggy meets Ginger at her beauty salon, she suspects Ginger is sleeping with Al as she admits she's sleeping around with another woman's husband. Peggy, of course, is determined to get to the truth.

Elizabeth Keifer

Elizabeth Keifer has acted mostly on television since her appearance on Married… with Children. She played the role of Christina "Blake" Marler on the television soap opera Guiding Light from 1992 until the program ended in 2009. She has also appeared in other soap operas such as The Young and the Restless, One Life to Live, Days of Our Lives, and General Hospital.

Ashlie Rhey


Ashlie Rhey's character's sole appearance on the show was titled "Video Slut". In the season four episode, Kelly secures a job as a "rock video slut" after Bud appoints himself as her manager. This all happens after Al challenges his ungrateful family members to earn a dollar of their own. Peggy for her part tries scamming money from others due to her hatred of working for a living.

Ashlie Rhey


Ashlie Rhey's kist if films were B-movies with "required nudity" and were released directly to DVD / Video, or appeared on cable television channels such as Showtime, Cinemax, and Playboy TV. Her best-known starring role is in Bikini Drive-In. She has also appeared in seven editions of Playboy Special Editions. She also stars in her comedy web series, Daisy Power.

Ava Fabian


Ava Fabian appears on two episodes of Married… with Children each time as different characters. Her first appearance is in a season four episode where she plays Yummy where the Bundy family are finding a way out of Las Vegas. In her second appearance, Fabian she plays Honey Roasted in one of Al's fantasies as he dreams of what to do with his "fortune".

Ava Fabian


Ava Fabian appeared in numerous Playboy videos in her career and is a former Playboy Bunny herself. She played Roxy Carmichael in the movie Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael as well as appeared in one episode of the television series The Drew Carey Show. She had a recurring role as Jacqueline Stone in the Cinemax television series Erotic Confessions.

Tina Louise


Veteran actress Tina Louise makes her sole appearance in the season five episode "Kelly Bounces Back" where she plays Miss Beck. In the episode, Kelly, now in modeling school, tries to win a role as a spokesperson for the new Allante car and invents a maneuver called "The Bundy Bounce".

Tina Louise


Tina Louise is best known for playing movie star Ginger Grant in the television situation comedy Gilligan's Island. Having begun her career in the mid-1950s, after her appearance on Married… with Children, she continued appearing in a number of films both on the big screen as well as made for television productions.

Jeanne Basone


Jeanne Basone plays "Hollywood" in her solitary appearance on Married… with Children.  In the season four episode, she plays a female wrestler as a member of the Glow Girls. Al thinks he can handle them in the ring as a way to win some money to get the family home. In reality, Basone is a professional wrestler so had very little acting to do.

However, what he doesn't know is the wrestler pitted against him is Big Mama, a rough and tough woman whom even Al's afraid of.

Jeanne Basone


Jeanne Basone is still better known by her ring name "Hollywood" in the women's wrestling promotion Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (also known as GLOW). The show ran for four seasons after which time she competed on an independent circuit.

She worked as an actress and stuntwoman in numerous television series over the years such as JAG, Days of Our Lives, Chuck, Saved by the Bell, The Larry Sanders Show, In Living Color, and Me, Myself & Irene.

Sherrie Rose


From this photo you would think Sherrie Rose was a permanent member of the cast, however, she appeared in just one episode of the show. Her sole appearance comes in the season five episode "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" where she plays Mandi who asks Al for her help washing her car, or as she puts it to "buff my bumpers".

Sherrie Rose


Sherrie Rose has appeared in over sixty films virtually all of which are smaller productions and mainly in supporting roles. Her television roles are better known as she has appeared in some well-known shows such as Full House, Tales from the Crypt, Charmed, and Sons of Anarchy.

Barbara Alyn Woods


Actress Barbara Alyn Woods appears one in the season three episode "The Gypsy Cried" playing Vicky. Vicky is an old friend of Al and Peggy's who is helping put together a class reunion the two attend later on in the season.

In the episode, a fortune teller predicts luck for everyone but doom for Marcy who as a result insists the Bundys fly first class with her to New York where she plans to confront her rude boss. The Bundys, of course, make the most of their first class seats.

Barbara Alyn Woods


Barbara Alyn Woods appeared in several in several television shows, firstly in the soap opera Eden, for which she also posed nude for Playboy as part of the series promotion. The show was canceled after one season. She then starred as Diane Szalinski on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show which ran from 1997 to 2000.

Through the 90s she also starred in several films but is best known for playing Deborah "Deb" Scott on the hit television show One Tree Hill, appearing in 106 episodes.

Alan Thicke


Alan Thicke was already somewhat of a television legend by the time he guest-starred on Married… with Children after starring in the television sitcom Growing Pains from 1985 to 1992. On Married… with Children Thicke appeared in three episodes playing two characters, firstly as Henry, then Bruce for the latter two episodes. He dates Shannon and Peggy, respectively.

Alan Thicke

Alan Thicke went onto have a long and prosperous career in Hollywood. Apart from acting, Thicke was also a successful songwriter, comedian, game and talk show host. Thicke passed away in late 2016 at the age of 69.

Jennifer Lyons


Jennifer Lyons plays Ariel on three episodes of the show, twice in season ten and once in season eleven. One of Bud's love interests she plays a stereotypical dumb "blonde". Due to her ditzy nature, Bud tries his luck at trying to convince her to bed him.

Jennifer Lyons


Jennifer Lyons acted in several television shows in guest roles after her appearance on Married… with Children. These include the shows MADtv, Step by Step, Dharma & Greg, Smart Guy, Veronica's Closet, Action, That 70s Show, Monk, Las Vegas, NCIS, Malcolm in the Middle, Desperate Housewives, General Hospital, and small roles in films.

Cindyana Santangelo


Cindyana Santangelo solitary appearance on the show comes in the season ten episode "The Agony and the Extra C" where she plays Sierra Madre, a dancer at the nudie bar where the members of No Ma'am visit for a party they throw Jefferson.

Cindyana Santangelo


Cindyana Santangelo has only intermittently acted in her career. Her other guest roles were in shows such as ER, CSI: Miami, and The Bo and Skippy Show, as well as B-grade film American Tigers, Tequila Express, and Sticky Fingers.

Faith Salie


In the season ten episode "Spring Break: Part 1" Faith Salie makes her sole appearance on the show as Lana playing a college girl on spring break at Fort Lauderdale. In the episode, Al and Griff join Jefferson on a trip to Miami where he's set to judge a beauty contest. The three, however, are caught on TV with Marcy and company set to get their revenge.

Faith Salie

Since her appearance on the show, Faith Salie has gone onto making a successful career as a journalist, writer, and comedian. She contributes to CBS Sunday Morning and is also a panelist on the weekly news panel show Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me. She also hosts the PBS educational show CUNY TV.

Her other television credits include Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Unhappily Ever After, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Charmed, Sex and the City, Significant Others, and Treehugger TV.

Tonya Watts


Tonya Watts list of acting credits is in the single digits, with her two appearances on Married… with Children coming in back to back episodes "Spring Break: Part 1" and "Spring Break: Part 2". In both episodes, she appears as a woman named Scarlett.

Tonya Watts


Tonya Watts is more known for her career as a country singer, mainly as an opening act for other performers. The self-labeled "outlaw" publishes her music independently and is married to actor Brian Gaskill who has featured in several television soap operas.

Kari Wuhrer


Kari Wuhrer played Joanie in two episodes of Married… with Children on the episodes "Kelly Does Hollywood: Part 1" and "Kelly Does Hollywood: Part 2". On the episodes, the Bundy family head to Hollywood after Kelly's talk show becomes a hit as they try to pitch it to the networks.

Kari Wuhrer


Kari Wuhrere's career took off after her appearances on the show as was a regular on MTV's Remote Control game show and appeared on Swamp Thing, Class of '9, and Beverly Hills, 90210 before starring as Maggie Beckett in the television series Sliders and later General Hospital. More recently she has lent her voice to various animated shows particularly by Marvel.

Krista Allen


Krista Allen guest stars on a season ten episode Married… with Children as Crysta Clark a transsexual woman. Initially, Bud hires her to be the cover girl for his entrepreneurial calendar project at school, but only later does he realize Crystal's secret. Allen was at the time a regular actress on Days of Our Lives as well as the titular character on the Emmanuelle films made for television.

Krista Allen

Krista Allen later starred on several television shows as a guest and recurring characters such as Baywatch, The X-Files, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Charmed, Friends, Smallville, Frasier, Tow and a Half Men, and Monk. She also featured in several films such as The Final Destination, Anger Management, Liar Liar, and Paycheck, etc.

Teresa Ganzel


Teresa Ganzel appears in one episode of Married… with Children. In the season three episode "A Three Job, No Income Family" Ganzel plays Heather, a cosmetics saleswoman who to help Peggy score a job. When Peggy starts bringing in more money than Al, Al gets a second job at a fast food restaurant. Later it becomes clear Peggy is her own best customer as she buys her own products.

Teresa Ganzel


Teresa Ganzel is still best known for being a recurring cast member of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, as the Matinee Lady in the popular "Tea Time Movie" skits. In her younger days, she often played ditzy blondes. Lately, however, she has worked mainly in voice-over roles on cartoons, animated movies, and television series.

Amanda Bearse


Amanda Bearse plays Marcy Rhoades/D'Arcy on Married… with Children as Peggy's best friend, Al's nemesis and the family's next door neighbor. Despite thinking of herself as better than the Bundys she often stoops to their level. Initially, she is introduced as a wholesome newlywed but later transforms into a warped character who constantly bickers with Al and takes delight in his misery.

She appears in a total of 236 episodes from the first to the last season and is the founder and leader of the misandric support group "F.A.N.G." (Feminists Against Neanderthal Guys). Marcy also relives past moments in her life by telling stories and describing them in a sexual manner.

Amanda Bearse

Amanda Bearse acted in the films The Doom Generation and Here Come the Munsters in the mid-90s, but preferred directing as she directed 31 episodes of Married… with Children. She also directed episodes of Reba, Mad TV, Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher, Malcolm & Eddie, The Jamie Foxx Show, Dharma & Greg, Veronica's Closet, Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, and Jesse.

Tia Carrere


By the time Tia Carrere guest starred on Married… with Children, she already had a number of acting credits under her belt. In her sole appearance on season five of the show, she plays Piper Bauman, a rival to Kelly who is auditioning for a part as a spokesperson for the new Allante car. The two end up getting into a brawl backstage as Kelly knocks out Piper and wins the job.

Tia Carrere

Tia Carrere's best known credits include her role as Cassandra Wong in the feature films Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, Juno Skinner in True Lies, Nani Pelekai in Lilo & Stitch, its sequel films and Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Queen Tyr'ahnee in Duck Dodgers, Cha Cha in Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Sydney Fox in the television series Relic Hunter.

Ted McGinley


Ted McGinley played Jefferson D’Arcy from season five to season eleven and appears in a total of 167 episodes of the show. Jefferson is the second husband of Marcy and marries her for her money. He takes advantage of his wife despite being an unemployed, lazy dimwit. Whenever he gets caught he resorts to using his pretty-boy charm and resorting to sexual bartering with his wife.

Jefferson soon becomes Al's closest friend and is a member of "No MA'AM". He appears to be afraid of provoking his wife's anger. Despite his wife's badgering for him to get a job, the ones he gets seem to attract women which make his wife jealous, prompting him to quit. Jefferson is also usually one to alert Al about the possibility of making money from a lucrative opportunity.

Ted McGinley


Before the show, Ted McGinley had regular roles on hit shows Happy Days, Dynasty, and The Love Boat. After the show, McGinley appeared as Charley Shanowski on the sitcom Hope & Faith, as well as various other guest roles on television.

The actor has also featured in several television movies and has lent his voice to cartoons such as Justice League, Family Guy, and Transformers: Robots in Disguise.

David Faustino


David Faustino plays Bud Bundy, the younger of the Bundy children and most intelligent member of the family who is the first Bundy to attend college. His awkwardness and preoccupation with sex lead to failure with the ladies.  As such, Bud often resorts to his alternate persona, "Grandmaster  B", a boy rapper from New York City, sporting dark sunglasses and a backward Los Angeles Raiders hat.

Like the rest of his family, Bud is also a surprisingly good fighter and can take down attackers no matter their size. He has no issues using objects to even the odds with bigger and stronger adversaries. Bud tends to ridicule his sister Kelly as a promiscuous dimwit and often uses her ignorance for her benefit, yet is the first to defend her when other exploit her daftness.

David Faustino appears in a total of 257 episodes of the show, only second to Ed O'Neill.

David Faustino

Following the show, David Faustino made sporadic appearances on television, mainly in guest roles such as One on One or in reality television such as Celebrity Boot Camp. He later signed a deal with National Lampoon to be involved in three low-budget films. He made a cameo appearance in the series Entourage and co-starred in the film Not Another B Movie.

Faustino also works as the host of Old Scratch Radio Sundays on Skee 24/7 on Dash Radio and recently secured a recurring role as Howard Green in the television soap opera series The Young and the Restless.

Gary Coleman


Gary Coleman appeared on two episodes of Married… with Children. His first appearance comes in a season eight episode, Coleman plays a property inspector who tries to settle a dispute between the Bundys and D'Arcys over the ownership of an apple found in their backyards.

In Coleman's second and final appearance, he plays a Reverend who almost officiates a wedding between Al and a woman named June Morgan. Al thinks it's a practical joke set up by his friend, Jefferson, so goes along with it. Fortunately, Peggy and her father are on hand to save the day before it's too late.

Gary Coleman

Gary Coleman passed away in 2010 aged just 42 years old. The actor's main credits included playing Arnold Jackson in Diff'rent Strokes, as well as films such as The Kid from Left Field, On the Right Track, and The Kid with the Broken Halo. He also hosted The Gary Coleman Show which ran for one season. Coleman appeared in guest roles on television throughout the 90s and 2000s.

Harold Sylvester


Harold Sylvester plays Grif X, a member of NO MA'AM and one of Al's friends. Grif appears late in the show, making his debut only in season nine. He works in the same shoe store as Al. As a divorcee, he shares similar views on women to Al as well as work ethic. Unlike Al, however, he is polite and less outspoken and shows himself as being more level-headed than his friend.

Griff drives a GEO Metro with a license plate reading 'PO BOY' and is often mocked for this, even though it is more reliable than Al's 1970 Dodge. Also unlike Al, Griff is more successful with the ladies.

Harold Sylvester


After the show, Harold Sylvester starred in short-lived The Army Show, then had a recurring role in City of Angels. Sylvester has featured mostly in lesser-known films and television shows since the show concluded. Before Married... with Children, acted in the films Innerspace, An Officer and a Gentleman, and Uncommon Valor.

His other credits include CSI: Miami, Malcolm in the Middle, NYPD Blue, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Moesha, Cold Case, etc.

Juliet Tablak


Juliet Tablak appears in four episodes as Amber, Marcy D'Arcy's (the Bundy family's neighbor's) niece who's been sent by her mother to come with her aunt in order to get away from the Los Angeles neighborhood she was living in. Amber appears in season nine of the show and soon begins a relationship with Bud but was dropped from the show soon after.

Juliet Tablak


After the show, Juliet Tablak appeared only a handful of times onscreen. These all on television in The Larry Sanders Show, Picket Fences, Nowhere Man, and Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue. After retiring from acting Tablak worked as a Pilates instructor before becoming a Chiropractor in 2012.

Teri Weigel


Former Playboy Playmate, Teri Weigel appears in four episodes of Married… with Children as Jade. In her appearances across season two, three, and five, Jade is a regular customer of Al's shoe store and flirts with him as she tries on shoes.

Teri Weigel


During the production of one of Teri Weigel's last videos for Playboy, a co-worker suggested doing adult movies for a living. After being initially dismissive, she later reconsidered and spoke to her neighbors who produced adult films. To enhance her new career's viability she went under the knife. She is the first Playboy Playmate to cross over into porn.

Dan Tullis Jr.


Officer Dan is played by Dan Tullis Jr. and is a recurring character on the series. A friend of Al's and a member of "NO MA'AM" he works full-time as a uniformed police officer in Chicago. Despite being a part of "NO MA'AM" he often arrests his friends for their illegal antics in order to keep them out of trouble. However, he does let them get away with minor misdemeanors now and then.

Dan Tullis Jr.


After Married… with Children, Dan Tullis Jr. appeared in other shows such as The District, Son of the Beach, Home Improvement, and The Drew Carey Show, as well as working in theater. The actor played Joe in Show Boat in more than 18 productions worldwide, including Long Island, Europe, and Australia. He is currently the spokesman for life insurance company SelectQuote.

Karen Lynn Scott


Karen Lynn Scott appears in two episodes of Married… with Children once in season six and once in season ten. In her first appearance, she plays Aunt Heather, Al's gold-digging aunt who turns up with her lawyer. In her final appearance, the actress plays Dina, a fan of Jefferson D'Arcy who makes Marcy jealous when she fawns over him following his popularity on a commercial.

Karen Lynn Scott


Karen Lynn Scott appears to have stopped acting since 2002. However, before that she had guest roles in several television shows such as Seinfeld, Boy Meets World, Martin, Step by Step, Unhappily Ever After, The Drew Carey Show, and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.

Ben Stein


Ben Stein makes his sole appearance on the show in a season 10 episode where the family's dog Buck dies and is sent back in the body of the family's new pet pooch. Stein plays Thomas who is dressed as a chicken in heaven and explains to Buck about the possibility of reincarnation.

Ben Stein


Ben Stein has quite the resume with acting only one of his many talents. Apart from acting, Stein is also a writer, lawyer, and commentator on political and economic issues. He even graduated as the valedictorian from Yale Law School. On screen, he's mostly known for his ability as an award-winning game show host and guest roles on popular television series.

Eric Dane


Eric Dane made a guest appearance on a season nine episode of Married… with Children as Oliver Cole. On the episode, Oliver is a radio DJ at the local university which Bud attends. He soon gets kicked out, however, and ends up secretly broadcasting a conversation Bud has with a love interest on his new show which leads to the show's popularity.

Eric Dane

Eric Dane is known most of all for playing Dr. Mark Sloan on the medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy as well as films such as Marley & Me, Valentine's Day, and Burlesque. Previously, the actor had a recurring role on the television series Charmed as Jason Dean. Recently he has starred in the action-drama series The Last Ship.

Teresa Parente


Miranda Veracruz de la Jolla Cardenal played by actress Teresa Parente is a recurring character on the show works as a local news reporter who is originally from Ecuador. She appears in a total of nine episodes from season nine to eleven.

Much to her displeasure, she is usually stuck covering the pathetic news stories the Bundy family inevitably regularly find themselves in. The news reporter is often seen lamenting the depressing state of her career on air.

Teresa Parente


Teresa Parente has had a storied career having portrayed over forty different female characters in her career. She has guest-starred in popular television shows such as Night Court, L.A. Law, Cafe Americain, Friends, Without a Trace, American Dreams, Numb3rs, and 3rd Rock from the Sun. Parente also performs on stage and works as a singer at Los Angeles venues.

Katey Sagal


Played by Katey Sagal, the character of Margaret "Peggy" Wanker Bundy is noticeable for her big red hair and is known as Al's self-indulgent wife who refuses to do any work in or out of the house. In fact, she prefers buying new clothes instead of washing old ones and refuses to get a job. She cites her laziness as a family tradition. Peggy appears in 247 of the show's episodes.

Peggy also has a habit of squandering what little money her husband makes on shopping sprees. Known for her inappropriate humor and odd sense of fashion, such as skintight Spandex pants and shirts, and (usually open-toed) stiletto heels, which make her walk in a unique way.

Katey Sagal

Katey Sagal went onto have a thriving career as a television actress following the end of the show. She played Cate Hennesy on the show 8 Simple Rules, then Gemma Teller Morrow on Sons of Anarchy, winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 2011. She has also featured as a guest and recurring character on several other shows.

Sagal also voiced Leela on the popular animated sitcom Futurama which won several awards including six Emmys. She also had supporting roles in recent films, Bleed for This, and Pitch Perfect 2.

David Garrison


Steven "Steve" Bartholomew Rhoades is played by David Garrison and features in 73 episodes. In the early seasons of the show, he is the Bundy's neighbor and married to Marcy. However, the banker eventually leaves his wife to become a forest ranger at Yosemite National Park. He later returns and gets the job of Dean of Bud's college by blackmailing the man who employed him.

After initially acting condescending to the Bundy's, he eventually ends up turning to Al for male-bonding, being dragged into Al's schemes. As the actor wanted out of the contract as he wanted to focus on stage acting, Steve appears only sparingly from the middle of the fourth season onwards.

David Garrison


Although it may seem like career suicide to leave a top-rated television show as a regular cast member, David Garrison did, in fact, go onto establish himself as a veteran theatre actor and featured in numerous theatrical plays, particularly that of The Wizard on Broadway and in many tours of the musical, Wicked.

The actor received a Tony Award nomination for the Broadway production A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine, and a Drama Desk Award nomination for the Off-Broadway production I Do! I Do!

The actor's other television credits include Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Madame Secretary, The West Wing, 30 Rock, Law & Order, The Practice, Without a Trace, Everybody Loves Raymond, NYPD Blue, Judging Amy, Murphy Brown, Murder, She Wrote, L.A. Law, Tom Clancy's Op-Center, The Good Wife and On the Town.

E. E. Bell


One of Al's friend from the neighborhood, Bob Rooney, is played by E. E. Bell. Bob used to also play on the same football team as Al, at Pok High. Bob is the treasurer of Al's NO MA'AM (National Organization of Men Against Amazonian Masterhood) group and works as a butcher. He has a wife named Louise (who is a friend of Peggy's).

Humorously, the character is called by both his first and last name together, even by his wife. On his bowling shirt, it is spelled as one word.

E. E. Bell


Following Married... with Children, Bell appeared in minor roles in several television shows such as The Amanda ShowThe Bold and the Beautiful, Beverly Hils, 90210, JAG, Without a Trace, Phil of the Future, How I Met Your MotherBones, House, Glee, and Lethal Weapon. He has appeared in the films Hail, Caesar!Water for Elephants, and Air Force One.

Since May 1998 he is a singer in the Irish-American folk band "The Whooligans" in Long Beach and also plays guitar and banjo.

Cheech Marin


Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong in the 1970s and early 1980s with Tommy Chong and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez, on Nash Bridges. He was chosen to voice the family dog, Buck, for three episodes of Married… with Children.

For most of the series the beloved pooch was a bystander to the family's antics but on three occasions he "speaks" with Marin's iconic Chicano accent.

Cheech Marin


Marin has gone onto achieve a notable resume over the years as well as lending his voice to several animated features. The actor is a frequent collaborator of the director Robert Rodriguez, who has worked with Marin seven times. The actor has also appeared in various television shows and voiced characters in popular video games over the years.

Jerry Hall


Model Jerry Hall appeared in the tenth episode of the first season of the show as Terry Cherry. She stars as a woman who tries to seduce Al after he has a fight with his wife, Peggy. In the episode, Al goes to his friend Luke's place after work instead of returning home to finish an argument with his wife over visiting relatives.

Luke invites two girls over, one of which is Terry, an airplane stewardess. Things come to a head when Terry's sister heads to the bedroom with Luke, which leaves Al contemplating whether or not he should follow suit with Terry.

Jerry Hall


Unlike the others on this list, Hall is known more for her real-life relationship to rocker Mick Jagger than her off-screen career. She has four children with the Rolling Stones singer where they were a couple for 22 years from 1977-1999. Hall worked as a model for several years and has since married media mogul Rupert Murdoch in 2016.