Prior to Friends, Cox was probably best known as Lauren Miller, Alex P. Keaton's (played by Michael J. Fox) girlfriend on Family Ties. (2024)

It's hard to think of the cast of Friends in anything other than in their iconic roles, but, in reality, it was a long road before they hit it big. Before Jennifer Aniston became known as Rachel Green, she starred in a series of short-lived sitcoms. 1. Aniston's first most notable TV role was Jeannie Bueller, on the sitcom Ferris Bueller (a TV adaptation of the 1986 John Hughes film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off). 2. Her next major role came in 1992, when she was cast as a regular cast member on Fox's sketch comedy show The Edge. 3. Aniston's final major role pre-Friends was on the CBS sitcom Muddling Through. Matthew Perry, who began working on television in the early '80s, guest starred on several TV shows throughout the '80s and early '90s. 4. Perry's earliest high profile role came in 1987, when he was cast as Chazz on the Fox sitcom Second Chance. 5. In 1989, Perry had a three episode arc on the popular sitcom,Growing Pains, where he played Sandy, the boyfriend of one the series' main characters, Carol (played by Tracey Gold), who dies after drinking and driving. 6. One of Perry's most memorable (at least for '90s kids) guest starring roles was on a 1991 episode of Beverly Hills, 90210, where he played Roger Azarian, a popular high school senior, who Brandon Walsh (Jason Priestley) talks out of committing suicide. Matt LeBlanc actually played several Joey-esque characters before he landed his role on Friends. 7. In 1988, LeBlanc was cast as a popular high school jock on the CBS teen drama series TV 101. 8. In 1991, he played Kelly's dumb boyfriend, Vinnie Verducci, on three episodes of Married... with Children. 9. Also in 1991, LeBlanc played a small role on two episodes of Showtime's erotic drama (aka soft-core p*rn), Red Shoe Diaries. Before being cast as Monica Gellar on Friends, Courteney Cox was already a well-established actress and probably the best known actor on the show. 10. Cox's first starring role was in 1985, on the science-fiction series, Misfits of Science, where she played telekinetic teen, Gloria. 11. Prior to Friends, Cox was probably best known as Lauren Miller, Alex P. Keaton's (played by Michael J. Fox) girlfriend on Family Ties. 12. In 1994, Cox guest starred on Seinfeld as Meryl, Jerry's girlfriend who poses as his wife in order for them to get a 25% dry cleaning discount. David Schwimmer 13. In 1991, Schwimmer had a small recurring role as Michael, Karen Arnold's (played by Olivia d'Abo) loser hippie boyfriend. 14. In 1992, he guest starred on a five episode arc of the drama series, L.A. Law, where he played City Attorney Dana Romney. 15. In 1993, Schwimmer guest starred on the first four episodes of ABC's runway hit cop drama, NYPD Blue. Lisa Kudrow 16. In 1989, a brunette Kudrow guest starred on Cheers. 17. She also guest starred on the final episode of the CBS sitcom Newhart, in 1990. 18. In 1992, Kudrow was cast in a small recurring role on Mad About You as Ursula Buffay, a waitress at Riff's (the restaurant frequented on the series) who always forgets everyones order. References