Celebs in Video Game Ads

Long before they were household names, a number of now-famous celebrities appeared in video game commercials that most people have completely forgotten about. This video takes a look back at those early roles and the unexpected connection between rising stars and classic gaming ads:

Did you know a number of now famous celebrities appeared in video game related advertisements early in their careers? These ads occurred before they became widely recognized for their later work in film, television, or other fields. Let’s take a look through some of these now famous faces.

Number one: Jack Black. The actor, comedian, and musician first debuted at age 13 in a television commercial for the video game Pitfall.

Number two: Phil Hartman. This famous Canadian actor, comedian, and screenwriter once starred in a television commercial for the 1982 video game Ice Hockey.

Number three: Elizabeth Shue. The American actress best known for her roles in The Karate Kid and Leaving Las Vegas appeared in an early 1980s ad for the Atari 2600 game console.

Number four: Paul Rudd. The actor who is most famous for movie roles in Clueless and Ant-Man made his acting debut in 1991 appearing in a commercial for Super Nintendo.

Number five: Peter Billingsley. This American actor and filmmaker, first made famous in A Christmas Story and later in movies like Elf, starred in over a hundred commercials as a child. One of those commercials included this one for the Atari game Cosmic Ark.

Number six: Bryan Cranston. This veteran actor, producer, and director is also known as Walter White. What he’s less known for, however, is starring in the 1982 commercial for the Atari game Megaforce.

Number seven: Tobey Maguire. The actor and film producer who is perhaps best known for his role as Peter Parker in the Spider-Man movies appeared in a commercial for the Atari Lynx console.

Number eight: Seth Green. Before making it big with roles in the Austin Powers movies as well as the television comedy Family Guy, Seth Green acted in a number of commercials. One such commercial was for the video game Yar’s Revenge.

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