Lots of actors get slotted into the same types of roles again and again. Noel Gugliemi has played a character named Hector in 17 different projects. Sure, some might see that as typecasting. But Gugliemi keeps working. He's not kept off the screen by a fear of being pigeonholed. Vincent Price was an insanely accomplished actor before he was ever a "horror icon." Whether he liked it or not, millions of fans were only aware of his work in creepy features. Sure, he wasn't doing Shakespearean work anymore, but did we mention the millions of fans?

Still, many performers dread the idea of only being seen one way. Poor Jaleel White had to work for years before people would call him "Jaleel" instead of "Urkel." Think of Bob Denver, too. There's no way that he loved being cast in stuff so that he could retread his Gilligan schtick. 

According to a 1985 interview with Associated Press writer Jerry Buck, Bea Arthur knew about a former co-star's fears of being seen as a one-trick pony. 

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"I remember Carroll O'Connor being worried about being too closely associated with Archie Bunker," she said. "It's silly. He was brilliant as Archie Bunker."

At the time of the interview, Arthur was a few weeks out from the premiere of her new show, The Golden Girls. As rumors began to swirl that this might be a hit, Arthur answered questions about whether she, too, was fearful of rehashing her All in the Family character.

"Look," said Arthur, "I'm 5-foot-9, I have a deep voice and I have a way with a line. What can I do about it? I can't stay home waiting for something totally different. I think it's a total waste of energy to worry about typecasting."

Dorothy Zbornak couldn't have said it better herself!