The cast ofMonkis a big reason why the detective show is still so popular long after it ended, and many of the actors have appeared in some other great movies and TV shows. Each episode ofMonkcombines a compelling mystery with some crowdpleasing humor, and this could easily fall flat if not for the talents of the cast. Actors like Tony Shalhoub, Ted Levine and Traylor Howard have appeared in other projects that fans ofMonkmight find interesting.
Thecast ofMonkhad a couple of big changes during the show’s run, since Bitty Schram left in season 3 and Stanley Kamel sadly died of a heart attack between seasons 6 and 7. Mostly, the show stuck with the same actors, and this allowed them to develop a hilarious chemistry as Monk took on each murder investigation while trying to avoid all contact with germs, animals, children and anything else on his long list of phobias.Monkstill has a lot of rewatch value, but hardcore fans of the show might want to check out what else the cast have been up to.
10Murder One
Stanley Kamel Plays Dr. Graham Lester
Stanley Kamel was most famous for his role as Dr. Charles Kroger inMonk,and he became a fan favorite character. Kamel’s death at the age of 65 was a sad moment for the show, butMonkpaid tribute to the actor with an emotional episode about Monk’s struggles to come to terms with his grief. Stanley Kamel was replaced by Héctor Elizondo for the last two seasons, as Monk had to get accustomed to a new therapist.
Kamel had a long career as an actor, making guest appearances in plenty of TV shows.
Kamel had a long career as an actor, making guest appearances in plenty of TV shows, includingStar Trek: The Next Generation,The NannyandMission: Impossible.Some of his bigger roles include a breakthrough part inDays Of Our Lives,seven episodes ofCagney & Laceyand 13 episodes ofMelrose Place.Just like inMonk,Kamel plays a therapist in legal dramaMurder One,which received positive reviews before fizzling out.
9Two Guys & A Girl
Traylor Howard Plays Sharon Carter-Donnelly
Monk’s second assistant Natalie Teeger is easily Traylor Howard’s most prominent role, but she also starred in a couple of sitcoms before replacing Bitty Schram inMonk.Howard’s first big show was the short-lived and largely-forgotten sitcomBoston Common,in which she stars as the love interest of the main character. Shortly afterBoston Common’s cancelation, Howard was cast inTwo Guys and a Girl.
The sitcom has become more famous since it ended in 2001, thanks to Nathan Fillion and Ryan Reynolds' careers both taking off.
Two Guys and a Girlhad the much clunkier title,Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Placein its first two seasons, but this was eventually shortened after the second season, when the pizza shop was abandoned as the plot changed directions. The sitcom has become more famous since it ended in 2001, thanks to Nathan Fillion and Ryan Reynolds' careers both taking off.Monkfans often debate Sharona and Natalie’s roles, and Traylor Howard’s sitcom experience often makes Natalie a funnier character.
Tim Bagley plays Harold Krenshaw, one of Dr. Kroger’s other patients, who shares many of Adrian Monk’s tics and disorders. Naturally, this makes him and Monk despise each other.Harold Krenshaw only appears in a handful of episodes, but he creates some ofMonk’s funniest moments, like when he takes a bullet for Dr. Kroger or when he is suspected of being a famous daredevil.
Mr. Monk’s Last Case 2 Wishlist: 8 Things That Should Happen In The Monk Movie Sequel
While Mr. Monk’s Last Case 2 hasn’t been confirmed, there are a lot of things that a Monk sequel could do, including bringing back beloved characters.
Tim Bagley started his career writing and performing comedy, but he soon started making one-episode guest appearances in TV comedies such asSeinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasmand3rd Rock From the Sun.Outside ofMonk,he’s most famous for playing Larry inWill & Grace.Not only wasWill & Graceone of the funniest sitcoms of its generation, but it also broke new ground with its portrayal of gay characters. Bagley is gay himself, and so is hisWill & Gracecharacter Larry.
Jason Gray-Stanford brings a lot of humor toMonkwith his bizarre, implausible theories about cases and his general awkwardness. Randy is a great foil to Captain Stottlemeyer. Gray-Stanford has a few other notable TV credits to his name, with guest appearances in big shows likeThe Boys, BonesandGrey’s Anatomy.He’s also a prolific voice-actor, especiallyworking on anime movies and TV shows likeDragonball Z.
Jason Gray-Stanford provided backing vocals onGaslight,the first album from Russell Crowe’s rock band, 30 Odd Foot of Grunts.
Jason Gray-Stanford provided backing vocals onGaslight,the first album from Russell Crowe’s rock band, 30 Odd Foot of Grunts. In the years afterGaslight,he appeared in minor roles in two Russell Crowe movies. He plays Deputy Bobby Michan inMystery Alaska,and Ainsley inA Beautiful Mind.Ainsley is one of John Nash’s friends inA Beautiful Mind.It’s not a big role, but Gray-Stanford can boast that he has acted in a movie that won four Oscars, including Best Picture.
Bitty Schram was such an integral part ofMonk’s early seasons, and her departure created a huge problem for the show. She was capably replaced by Traylor Howard, but it’s still nice to see her returning for one ofMonk’s best episodesin season 8, “Mr. Monk and Sharona”. Schram first gained widespread attention for her role in the 1992 baseball comedyA League of Their Own,which remains her best work excluding Monk.
A League of Their Ownstars Tom Hanks as the coach of a women’s baseball team during the Second World War. It’s loosely based on a true story, butBigdirector Penny Marshall plays up the comedic elements of the story. The actors playing the Rockford Peaches include Geena Davis and Madonna, but Schram also gets some laughs as the right fielder Evelyn Gardner. She’s on the receiving end of Hanks' famous quote:“There’s no crying in baseball.”
Tony Shalhoub’s best movies and TV showsare mostly comedies. His big-screen hits includeBarton FinkandBig Night,and he also has a brief but memorable appearance inMen in Black.Galaxy Questis arguably his funniest movie of all, however. It’s a sci-fi comedy just likeMen in Black,but it gives Shalhoub a larger role alongside Sigourney Weaver, Tim Allen and Alan Rickman, all of whom are in great form.
Galaxy Questfollows a group of washed-up actors, still milking their old sci-fi TV show, who get abducted by aliens who believe that their show is real. It’s a great spoof for fans ofStar Trek,butGalaxy Questis just as enjoyable for people who have never seenStar Trek.Shalhoub plays Fred Kwan, a socially awkward actor from the show who falls in love with one of his alien abductors.
Monkhas plenty of great guest stars, and John Turturro is always a pleasure on the odd occasion when he shows up as Adrian’s brother Ambrose. Turturro seems a little underutilized byMonk,considering his talents as a comedic actor. He has worked in movies and TV for decades, often as a character actor in supporting parts, although he has had some starring roles in movies like Barton Fink.
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John Turturro is famous for his collaborations with the Coen brothers, appearing in comedy hits likeThe Big LebowskiandO Brother, Where Art Thou?More recently, he has starred in Apple TV+’s critically-acclaimed sci-fi showSeverance.He plays one of the workers at Lumon who undergoes a surgical procedure to sever his memories of work from his memories of the outside world. He brings a lot of heart to his character’s emotional subplot, and the long-awaited season 2 promises more of the same.
Even though Melora Hardin doesn’t appear in too many episodes ofMonk,her character casts a long shadow over the show. Adrian’s wife Trudy was the love of his life before her death in a car bomb explosion. His grief explains a lot of his personality and his story, as he is motivated to solve her murder despite knowing that nothing he can do will bring her back. Monk’s enduring love of Trudy creates some of the show’s most heartbreaking moments.
Hardin makes the most of the few episodes ofThe Officethat she appears in.
Melora Hardin plays Trudy in flashbacks and home videos throughoutMonk,and it’s hard to forget the episode where she gets the chance to play a doppelgänger. Hardin is probably most famous for her role as Jan Levinson inThe Office,however.Jan couldn’t be further from the purity and sweetness of Trudy inMonk.Jan is Michael Scott’s boss at Dunder Mifflin, and she eventually becomes his lover in a toxic and ill-fated relationship. Hardin makes the most of the few episodes she appears in.
Monkisn’t Tony Shalhoub’s only hit comedy show. Before starring as Adrian Monk, he was part of an ensemble cast in the 1990s sitcomWings,which exists in the same universe asCheersand often features special guests like Kelsey Grammar and George Wendt. Fans ofMonkwould be better off watchingThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,however, since it truly brings the best out of Shalhoub’s talents.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maiselwas created byGilmore Girlscreator Amy Sherman-Palladino, and it’s just as lively and quick-witted.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maiselwas created byGilmore Girlscreator Amy Sherman-Palladino, and it’s just as lively and quick-witted. The show follows a woman in 1950s New York City who decides to become a comedian after her husband cheats on her. Shalhoub plays Midge Maisel’s disapproving father, Abe Weissman, and he is capable of stealing every scene he’s in.The character of Abe fits Shalhoub like a glove, and he’s frequently a highlight amid a talented cast.
Ted Levine has had a solid career in movies and TV shows, and he has many memorable roles that aren’t nearly as comedic as his portrayal of Captain Stottlemeyer inMonk.Levine rarely has starring roles, buthe has appeared in huge Hollywood movies likeHeat, Shutter IslandandThe Fast and the Furious.The Silence of the Lambsgives him a pivotal role as Jame Gumb, and it’s certainly his most iconic movie role.
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Many viewers are still missing the hilarious Detective Adrian Monk, but these other fantastic comedy detective TV shows are just as strong as Monk.
Jame Gumb is the real identity of the deranged serial killer known as “Buffalo Bill” who Clarice must hunt down with the help of Hannibal Lecter. Levine embodies the character with such intensity and menace that it’s often hard to believe he’s the same actor who plays lovable old Leland Stottlemeyer. Jame Gumb’s creepy presence quickly becomes deadly in the unforgettable final confrontation between him and Clarice in his basement.
Monk
Cast
Starring Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, Monk follows the titular detective, a private investigator with OCD who helps solve crimes with the San Francisco Police. On the side, he also investigates the death of his wife, who was killed by a car bomb. Bitty Schram, Traylor Howard, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford also star.
