Rueben's Ramblings

Candice Accola

Alona Tal

Do you ever watch a TV show and see an actor or actress that you know you’ve seen somewhere before, but you just can’t quite figure out who the actor or actress is or where you’ve seen them?

If you’re answer to that question is yes, then you’ve come to the right place. I’m pretty good with faces, especially actors and actresses. One of my “gifts” – for lack of a better term – is being able to pinpoint the actor and/or actress fairly quickly along with being able to figure out at least one or more of their previous roles.

This is just something I’ve always been able to do for longer than I can remember and it does pay off sometimes.

Patrick Fabian

Titus Welliver

Over the course of the last two weeks (or so), I’ve noticed a high rate of familiar faces in some of my favorite shows; and I just had to share those sightings with all of you.

July 18 – The episode of Drop Dead Diva where Jane and Grayson defend a sister singing act, one of the sisters was played by Candice Accola, who plays Caroline on The Vampire Diaries.

July 18 – The episode of Leverage, in which the team goes after a dirty-dealing music producer, actress Alona Tal appeared as a would-be country singer; Alona had a recurring role in Supernatural and appeared in the short-lived series Cane.

Paula Garces

Philip Winchester

July 19 – The episode of the new TNT series Rizzoli & Isles, the would-be suitor of Maura Isles was played by actor Patrick Fabian, who formerly had a recurring role in Joan of Arcadia, appeared in numerous episodes of Veronica Mars and was a regular on the short-lived series Valentine.

July 19 – The episode of The Closer, the boss of a recently murdered nanny was played by actor Titus Welliver, who has appeared in episodes of The Good Wife and was the infamous “Man in Black” on Lost.

Lauren Lee Smith

Garret Dillahunt

July 20 – The episode of Warehouse 13 in which the movies of fictional actor Raymond St. James came to live in the town where the warehouse is located, actress Paula Garces played the local doctor; she was formerly seen in the short-lived series Defying Gravity and actor Philip Winchester played the fictional actor in question; he was formerly the star of the short-lived series Crusoe and he starred in the Lifetime movie Maneater.

July 21 – The episode of Psych about the death of a woman involved in a new drug trial, the culprit was played by actress Lauren Lee Smith, who was formerly in the syndicated series Mutant X and briefly was part of the cast of CSI. She also starred in the Christy movies, taking over for Kellie Martin in the role.

Ryan Merriman

Tawny Cypress

July 25 – The episode of the new A&E series The Glades, the one about a series of murders that happened during a hurricane, actor Garret Dillahunt guest starred as one of the high school reunion attendees; Garrett appeared in a recurring role on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, had a small recurring role in the series Life and appeared in several episodes of Burn Notice.

July 27 – The episode of the new ABC Family Channel series Pretty Little Liars, the one about the memorial dedication for Allison, actor Ryan Merriman briefly appeared as someone from Aria’s past; Ryan had a recurring role as Young Jarod on The Pretender and he starred in the Hallmark Channel movie Elevator Girl.

Brooke D'Orsay

Lana Parrilla

July 27 – The episode of Warehouse 13, in which Myka goes undercover as a fashion model, actress Tawny Cypress appeared as a egocentric model; she was formerly on Heroes and appeared in the short-lived series K-Ville.

July 27 – The episode of Covert Affairs, actress Lana Parrilla appeared as a women involved with a very dangerous man, who Annie was sent to bring in; Lana appeared in the short-lived shows Swingtown and Miami Medical.

Tessie Santiago

Ian Gomez

July 28 – The episode of Royal Pains, the young woman who was dating an older man was played by actress Brooke D’Orsay, who has a recurring role on Drop Dead Diva; and the wife of the man who ran the food truck was played by actress Tessie Santiago, who appeared in the Hallmark Channel movie The Wishing Well and in the syndicated series Queen of Swords. Actor Ian Gomez was the man who owned the food truck; he, of course, currently stars in Cougar Town, but he also appeared in Felicity and is also married to film actress Nia Vardalos.

Steven Culp

Sebastian Pigott

July 29 – The episode of Burn Notice, the rich man whose wife was kidnapped was played by actor Steven Culp, who most TV viewers will remember as Rex VanDeCamp on Desperate Housewives, but he also had a recurring role on JAG.

July 30 – The episode of Haven in which food was turning rotten for inexplicable reasons, actor Sebastian Pigott played one of the brothers who owned the town bistro; he appeared in a recurring role in Being Erica and recently guest-starred in an episode of The Bridge.

August 1 – The episode of Leverage, where the team goes after a car cloning/chop shop crew, actress Malese Jow appeared as a young girl working with the chop shop crew; Malese had a recurring role in The Vampire Diaries.

Malese Jow

Did you recognize any familiar faces during your TV viewing this past week? Please share your sightings, as I’d love to hear who you saw.

NOTE: It is my hope to post an article just like this once or twice a month, touching on the familiar faces who guest star on my favorite shows.