Picture gallery: Huge stars in tiny TV roles

Have you ever been watching an old TV show, and out of nowhere you spot a huge A-list star in a tiny one-line role?

Some stars seem to become famous overnight — but it just ain't so! Making it big in Hollywood is harder than it looks. Before every breakthrough role comes years of working your way up by taking not-so-glam bit-parts some actors wish the world would forget.

But small as they were, these minor roles allowed our favourite stars to gain all-important experience and prove to the world they're in it for the long haul. These celebs may be megastars now, but everyone has to start somewhere!

Here's our look at the roles some of entertainment's biggest names played before they hit the big time.

	Law & Order: Christopher Meloni quits SVU Special Victims Unit's no-nonsense New York detective Elliot Stabler has confirmed that he plans to exit the crime series.
	Australian drama's newest Offspring Network Ten has lined up a star-studded Australian cast to front its new drama.
	American Idol: Perez wants to replace Simon Cowell The gossip blogger has offered to become an American Idol judge when Simon Cowell vacates the panel - but there are other celebrities also vying for the job.
	So You Think You Can Dance: the top 20 revealed Which contestants once posed with Nikki Webster? Whose dad dressed in drag, complete with "balloon boobies"? And who once played the front end of a horse?
	Kyle Sandilands joins Australia's Got Talent The controversial radio host is set to become a judge on the Channel Seven variety show, less than a year after he was dumped from Australian Idol.
	Underbelly premieres in the States Australia's favourite gangster drama will make its debut in American in February.
	You too can own a Full House On the market for a new home? You might consider buying the San Francisco property that was featured on the classic family sitcom Full House.
	Boston Legal star dies in car crash Former Boston Legal star Justin Mentell has died in a car crash. He was 27.
	Ricky Gervais going back to The Office The Office star Ricky Gervais has reportedly revealed that he wants his boss-from-hell alter ego David Brent to appear on the US adaptation of his cult sitcom.
	Stephen Curry, Emma Booth among Cloudstreet cast Stephen Curry will play the father of Emma Booth in the upcoming TV adaptation of Cloudstreet — despite the fact that there's barely a six-year age difference between the two.
	Gossip Girl or bad girl? Teen actress busted smoking Anti-smoking activists are all fired up at 16-year-old Taylor Momsen after she was snapped on the New York set of the teen drama puffing on a cigarette.
	Rachel Griffiths blasts "cruel" sex scene Filming a sex scene with a super-hot actor doesn't sound like our idea of cruelty. Rachel Griffiths disagrees.
	Picture gallery: Lesbian kisses - tacky or touching? Are all of TV's lesbian kisses tacky, ratings-grabbing stunts - or are some of them genuinely touching explorations of female sexuality? TVFIX investigates!
	Out of fashion: Ugly Betty cancelled TV's frumpiest heroine is no more: US network ABC has announced that it's cancelled the award-winning dramedy Ugly Betty.
	House spin-off still in the works? The executive producers of the hit medical drama have an order to create a new show — but will it be a direct spin-off [of House] or a completely new show?
	Study: dumb people watch more TV An internet study reckons that the more education you have, the less likely you are to watch television.
	First look: The Simpsons' suave new neighbour He's South American. He's suave. He's a ladykiller. He is Ricardo Bomba, the latest addition to the long list of supporting characters on The Simpsons.
	Coming soon: True Blood promises even more nudity If you tune into True Blood you're pretty much guaranteed at least a glimpse at someone's pink bits - and fans can expect to see plenty more flesh in upcoming episodes.
	Idol gossip: Ellen lashes out at "prima donna" Simon Things got a little tense on American Idol's Hollywood set when Cowell showed up several hours behind schedule on Ellen's first official day as a judge.
	Biggest Loser's child porn scandal Network Ten has been forced to edit out one contestant who's been charged with possessing child pornography.

New User Set-up

Welcome to yourTV

yourTV lets you search all free-to-air and subscription TV channels around Australia.

Select the free-to-air region and subscription TV services you wish to save in your guide.

1. Free-to-air region.

2. Subscription TV service.