15 Fantasy Island Facts That Are The Ultimate Getaway
By Rachel Davis
In casting more than 150 episodes over seven years, "Fantasy Island" needed a lot of acting labor, and it served as a great spot for up-and-comers and established TV stars alike to nab some work or keep themselves in the public eye, respectively. Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds of "Singin' in the Rain," and Oscar winner, José Ferrer, all appeared fleetingly in "Fantasy Island," as did nationally popular countdown DJ Casey Kasem, Estelle Getty of "The Golden Girls," and future "Night Court" co-stars, Richard Moll and John Larroquette.
Half the cast of "Happy Days" — Marion Ross, Scott Baio (as the leader of a family band of orphans), Anson Williams, and Don Most — all popped up on the series, as did Larry Wilcox of "CHiPs," Jimmy "J.J." Walker of "Good Times," and Dick York of "Bewitched." Crooners Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdinck also appeared in separate episodes in 1984. Child star and future "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" cast member Kyle Richards showed up in 1979, just after baseball star George Brett portrayed himself, and just before Patti Davis cameoed — just before her father, Ronald Reagan, was inaugurated as president. Michelle Pfeiffer, Geena Davis, LeVar Burton, and Tori Spelling (daughter of show creator Aaron Spelling) all landed some of their earliest acting gigs in "Fantasy Island."
