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RSSFreaky Wednesday -- actors switch places on this week's familiar faces
Brett Cullen was Alan, Violet's ex-boyfriend on Private Practice. He was Goodwin on Lost, Tim's father Walt Riggins on Friday Night Lights, and Governor Ray Sullivan on The West Wing. But all this week's bonus points must go to TV Gal reader Heather who correctly remembered that D.W. Moffett played Alan in the spin-off Grey's Anatomy episode last May. Now Moffett is playing Danny on Life is Wild, the same role Brett Cullen played in the original pilot for Life is Wild. Phew! Got all that?
Gordon Clapp was the coach who pushed his star athlete too far on Private Practice. We just saw Clapp as Ellen's father on Damages and he is, of course, best known for playing Detective Greg Medavoy on NYPD Blue.
Shella recognized Rocky Carroll as the man who cut off his own foot on Grey's Anatomy. He was Healy on Invasion, Carl on The Agency and Dr. Keith Wilkes on Chicago Hope. Russ recognized David Clennon was the man in need of a heart transplant whose daughter died. We saw him most recently as Dr. Martin Cole on Saved. He was also Joshua Nankin on The Agency, and I'll always remember him as Miles Drentell on both Once & Again and thirtysomething. Russ also correctly pointed out that with Elizabeth Reaser's return to Grey's last week, this created a little bit of a Saved reunion on Grey's Anatomy.
Stewart recognized Jaymna Mays as Elsita/Elsa on Pushing Daisies. Last season she was Charlie on both Ugly Betty and Heroes.
Susan was the first to be thrilled to see Amy Acker as Melinda's great-great-grandmother on Ghost Whisperer. She was Kathryn Tully on Drive, Kelly on Alias, and, of course, Fred on Angel.
Reiko Aylesworth is the new chaplain who caught Tony's eye on ER. She was Michelle Dessler on 24 and appeared last season on The Knights of Prosperity as Simone.
TV Gal readers Nathan and Lil recognized Rider Strong as Greg on Bones. He was Chick on Pepper Dennis and Shawn on Boy Meets World. Lynsey Bartilson played Sandy. She was Lily on Grounded for Life. Last week we saw Azura Skye as the woman who saw dead people on House. This week she was Amber on Bones. She was Skyler on The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman, Susie on CSI Miami, and Jane on Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane. Many of you also remember Skye from her two episodes as Cassie Newton on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Jennifer recognized Austin Majors, the adorable Theo on NYPD Blue, as Brett one of Gabby's lawn boys on Desperate Housewives.
Angela recognized former American Idol contestant Mikalah Gordon (remember she was the one who sounded like Fran Drescher) as Lila Lee on The Unit.
And I think I should point out two popular familiar faces I neglected to mention last week. Maggie Siff was Ruthie, the women who over exercised and died on Grey's Anatomy (remember her boyfriend wanted her to lose the weight). Siff has a great run this season on Mad Men as Rachel Menken. Abigail Spencer was Blah-Blah, the crazy woman Ted dated on How I Met Your Mother. She was Angela on the Lifetime series Angela's Eyes and Rebecca on All My Children.
Have you seen a familiar face? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com and let me know. I'll post Where Have I Seen Them Before every Wednesday.
Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal ®
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Zap2it Twitter Talk 
Really dating myself here, but to me Brett Cullen will always be Dan Fixx from Falcon Crest.
And Brett Cullen was Marshal Sam Cain in the first season of the Young Riders.
Amy Acker was the killer on Law & Order: Criminal Intent a couple weeks ago. She framed Jim Gaffigan's character for the crime.
On Crimnal Minds last week, the little boy in the episode also plays Shane Botwin on Weeds.
On K-Ville last week, the priest was played by the same actor who played Ron (secret service guy) on The West Wing.
"Loose" the weight. Ohhh, kill me... Sorry, pet peeve. :)
Patton Oswalt was Leon on Reaper last night.
A prime-time to soap crossover: Robert Gossett, Commander Taylor on "The Closer," played the fire captain during last week's "Out of the Ashes" storyline on "The Young and the Restless."
Jayma Mays also was "Coat Check Girl" in HIMYM's "Okay Awesome". . . but sadly not the mother.
Can we play, "Where have I seen that place before?"
On "Reaper" last week (the slime monster episode), when they went to visit the gentleman running for city council, the large house looked an awful lot like the location of the wedding at the end of the movie "Saving Silverman." Both "Reaper" and "Silverman" are set in Seatle, which means, naturally, that they both film in Vancouver, BC. Can anyone corroborate that the two locations were the same?