Clint Howard

Clint Howard as Eaglebauer in Rock n' Roll High School image via New World Pictures — Clint Howard as Eaglebauer in *Rock 'n' Roll High School*

It’s hard enough having an over-achieving older sibling in regular life, but when your big brother is Academy Award winning director/producer/actor Ron Howard, carving a career for yourself in Hollywood probably feels impossible. Good thing Ron’s little brother Clint had the good sense to hone his mastery of the background role. Clint Howard is one of those minor characters who makes every scene he’s a part of better. Though he’s appeared in some 17 films directed by his older brother, Clint’s uncanny ability to create a memorable character with just a few lines transcends his famous last name, though talent really does seem to run in the Howard family. In addition to his acting work, Clint formed the new wave band The Kempsters in 1981, performing with the group at Madame Wong’s West in Santa Monica until their demise in 1983. Clint continues to appear in numerous film and television roles. There’s just no stopping a Howard.

Chris Owen

Chris Owen as The Shermanator in American Pie image via Universal Pictures — Chris Owen as The Shermanator in *American Pie*

Character actor Chris Owen has intrigued me since the mid-90s when I first noticed him in Angus. Suddenly, I was seeing that red-headed kid in everything. From quietly stealing everything in the background of Can’t Hardly Wait to being a creepy bully to Kieran Culkin in She’s All That, Chris Owen seemed to find his way into every important '90s teen movie. Still, by the time he landed his role as “The Shermantor” in American Pie, audiences still couldn’t recall his name. Even though he rode the minor notoriety of the American Pie franchise all the way down the drain of its straight to video spin-offs, Chris Owen hasn’t yet been able to shake “that red-head kid from everything” label. Chris has collaborated with his Angus co-star and friend, Charlie Talbert, on five films so far, and continues to appear in films.

So who is your favorite in the background?

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Who's That In the Background? A Closer Look At the Actors Who Are In Everything