The Big Bang Theory’s place as one of the very best sitcoms in modern history is very secure. Seinfeld, Friends, Parks and Recreation and The Office are all universally acknowledged as top tier productions in the television genre. Chuck Lorre’s Big Bang compares very favorably against these big hitters, as evidenced by the simple fact that it lasted 12 years on CBS.
Another symbol of the show’s enduring allure is the kind of names that it would attract. The who’s who from all kinds of industries featured as guest stars over the years, with most of them having extremely positive things to say about working with the cast and crew of Big Bang.
Microsoft billionaire founder Bill Gates was one of such, as he made a cameo in one episode of Season 11. Later on, he expressed his pleasure at having had the opportunity to feature in such an iconic production, saying that he could relate to the “nerdy” and “smart” nature of the show.
Beyond the guest stars, even more regular cast members continue to remember their time on TBBT fondly. Crossing Jordan star Jerry O’Connell is one example.
What Role Did Jerry O’Connell Play In The Big Bang Theory?
Jerry O’Connell was officially added to the cast of The Big Bang Theory in 2018, before the release of the final episodes of Season 11. He was allotted the role of George “Georgie” Cooper, the elder brother of Jim Parsons’ Sheldon Cooper.
The character was not new to the Big Bang universe, however, with Montana Jordan having already portrayed him for about one season in the spin-off Young Sheldon at that point. The news was first announced during a panel for the show at Paleyfest 2018, with O’Connell later confirming it via his Twitter account.
“This is the first time it is being announced, so don’t tell anyone,” executive producer Steve Holland said on the panel, as was reported by Deadline. When the story was eventually published online, O’Connell shared a link on the social media platform and captioned it: “Beyond Bazinga'd. Need to get Montana Jordan to give me line readings…”
George Cooper is described as “the eldest child of George and Mary Cooper, as well as the older brother of Sheldon and Missy Cooper by five years.”
How Did Jerry O’Connell Feel About His Appearances In The Big Bang Theory?
Even long before Montana Jordan first stepped into the shoes of George Cooper in Young Sheldon, the character had already been brought into the consciousness of The Big Bang Theory fans.
As far back as the fourth episode of Season 1 in 2007, his mother referred to him and his sister Missy as being “dumb as soup.” Sheldon also mentioned him a good few other times before Jerry O’Connell finally embodied him in The Sibling Realignment, the second last episode of Season 11.
Georgie’s story arc poured over into the season finale as well, and he returned one final time in The Tam Turbulence, the fourth episode of the following (final) season of Big Bang. It was not a very extended tenure on the show, but it was one that O’Connell treasured deeply.
Just before his first episode on the show aired, the actor appeared on CBS’ The Talk. “It's such a special show,” he told the host panel there. “The cast, everyone... The writing. It's almost like being a part of history. It was just a real honor for me, and people are going to have a lot of fun watching it. It's super funny and touching.”
What Other Roles Has Jerry O’Connell Played In His Career?
Jerry O’Connell started his acting career when he was only 12 years old, playing the character Vernon "Vern" Tessio in Stand By Me, Rob Reiner’s coming-of-age drama film of 1986. The movie was adapted from prolific author Stephen King’s novella The Body from a few years prior.
In the few years that followed, O’Connell got to play relatively minor roles on television, including in The Equalizer and the TV films The Room Upstairs and Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss.
The very first major role of the actor’s career was in My Secret Identity, on Canada’s CTV network. He played a character called Andrew Clements for a total of 72 episodes. O’Connell’s other most notable acting jobs include in Jerry Maguire, Scream 2, Kangaroo Jack and Crossing Jordan on NBC.
At the moment, he voices the character Commander Jack Ransom in Star Trek: Lower Decks, while also hosting the reality romance series The Real Love Boat on NBC.
