George Clooney (George Burnett)
By the time George Clooney joined the cast of "The Facts of Life" in Season 7, he had already been around the Hollywood backlot once or twice. His first big break was on a sitcom named, coincidentally, "E/R," but it was short-lived. Despite guest appearances on "Riptide" and "Hotel," Clooney just couldn't seem to catch a break.
But when he landed the role of hunky handyman George Burnett, the young actor's luck ...
more George Clooney (George Burnett)
By the time George Clooney joined the cast of "The Facts of Life" in Season 7, he had already been around the Hollywood backlot once or twice. His first big break was on a sitcom named, coincidentally, "E/R," but it was short-lived. Despite guest appearances on "Riptide" and "Hotel," Clooney just couldn't seem to catch a break.
But when he landed the role of hunky handyman George Burnett, the young actor's luck seemed to change. After two seasons, Clooney left "Facts" and nabbed regular gigs on "Roseanne" and "Sisters." His career changed forever when he signed on to play Dr. Doug Ross on "ER."
After five seasons, a turn as Batman, and a couple of Emmy nods, the writing was on the wall. Clooney was a full-blown movie star, and it was time to leave the small screen behind. He's since gone on to act in countless films, such as "From Dusk Till Dawn," "Up in the Air," and the "Ocean's" franchise. He earned an honor that probably no one thought would be associated with a "Facts" alum: an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for "Syriana."
Plus, he's insured his career longevity by going behind the camera to produce and direct. To top it all off, he's a humanitarian and owns a lavish villa in Italy where he frequently frolics with his lady loves and movie star friends. It seems like George just took the good and left the bad behind.
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