Before They Were TV Legends: The Wild Cast of Pelham One Two Three

You know them as sitcom legends, but in 1974, they were holding hostages in the NYC subway.

If you’re a fan of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), you probably remember the ticking-clock tension, the jazz-funk score, and Walter Matthau’s world-class scowl. But what you might not realize is just how many future television icons were hiding in plain sight—some holding guns, others grumbling from behind command center desks.

This cast is a time capsule of ‘70s grit and future sitcom greatness.

Jerry Stiller: From Rico Patron to Frank Costanza

Yes, that’s Jerry Stiller as Lieutenant Rico Patron—sharp suit, serious face, no hint of the Festivus-celebrating maniac he’d later become on Seinfeld. Even better? King of Queens used footage from Pelham in a flashback episode where Arthur (Stiller’s character) is revealed to have once been an actor. That scene where he’s barking orders in the command center? Lifted straight from this movie.

Doris Roberts: The Mayor’s Wife and Future TV Matriarch

You hear the voice first. Then you realize—that’s Marie Barone. Doris Roberts only has a few scenes as the long-suffering, smarter-than-her-husband wife of the mayor, but she steals them. Long before she was terrorizing Debra on Everybody Loves Raymond, she was advising New York’s fictional mayor to do the right thing—because, as she says, “at least you’ll get eighteen votes.”

Hector Elizondo: Not So Warm and Fuzzy

Hector Elizondo is best known for playing the kind concierge in Pretty Woman or the charming dad in The Princess Diaries. But in Pelham, he’s Mr. Grey—short-fused, creepy, and a little too eager to use his gun. It’s jarring in the best way. Think of it as his “villain origin story,” long before he mellowed out and started giving wardrobe advice to Julia Roberts.

Earl Hindman: Wilson Before the Fence

Speaking of familiar voices, Mr. Brown is played by Earl Hindman—yes, that Earl Hindman, aka Wilson from Home Improvement. No fence to hide behind here. You get to see the whole face, and it’s just as expressive as his voice was across the fence from Tim “The Toolman” Taylor.

Walter Matthau: The Anti-Cop Cop

Okay, so Matthau was already established by this point, but let’s be honest—most of us grew up with him as the cranky old man in Grumpy Old Men. Seeing him here as Lt. Garber—grumbling through train hijackings, public relations disasters, and poorly timed Japanese tour groups—is a reminder of just how good he was when he still had a spring in his step and a permanent scowl on his face.

It’s a New York Time Capsule

Pelham One Two Three isn’t just a taut thriller—it’s a snapshot of New York in the ‘70s, before Giuliani, before Disney-fied Times Square, and way before any of these actors found their sitcom sweet spot. The film’s mix of tension and deadpan humor feels like a precursor to the kinds of characters they’d later play on the small screen.

So the next time you’re watching Pelham, listen closely. That voice you recognize? It might belong to someone who later gave you a lifetime of punchlines.

Want more deep dives into gritty '70s cinema? Check out our full episode here:
🎧 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three – Cinematic Flashback

And yes—mind the gap, and tip your motorman.