ABC's 1994 Stephen King miniseries The Stand was a truly star-studded affair, even boasting many famous faces in one-scene cameo roles. The Stand, King's doorstopper of a novel about an apocalyptic virus, will soon be re-adapted into a nine-part miniseries for the CBS All Access streaming service. While the new version has a bigger budget, fewer content restrictions, and the benefit of modern special effects techniques, it'll have to be really good to beat out the 1994 adaptation in the eyes of many.
The Stand, directed by Mick Garris and adapted for the screen by King himself, is widely considered one of the most faithful, and overall best, adaptations of the author's novels. The cast is consistently effective, the score and pop songs used memorable at every turn, and the locations realistic looking. Sure, the early 1990s CGI doesn't hold up, and some things couldn't be adapted due to broadcast network content standards, but The Stand 1994 remains a highly worthwhile journey to take 26 years after its release.
While recognizable actors like Gary Sinise, Miguel Ferrer, Molly Ringwald, and Rob Lowe populate some of The Stand's main roles, there are also some famous names that make quick cameos. These include actors, directors, Stephen King, and even one NBA legend.
The Stand: Every Celebrity Cameo in the Stephen King Miniseries
Ed Harris as General Bill Starkey - Oscar and Emmy nominee Ed Harris appears briefly in the first part of The Stand miniseries as Gen. Starkey, the commanding officer of Project Blue, which created the superflu virus known as Captain Trips. When it's clear how screwed humanity is, Starkey shoots himself in the head.
Kathy Bates as Rae Flowers - Oscar winner Kathy Bates - who won the award for her performance as Annie Wilkes in Stephen King's Misery - cameos as radio host Rae Flowers, who keeps broadcasting after martial law is declared. That is until the military shows up and silences her for good.
Stephen King as Teddy Weizak - One of King's first roles in which he didn't play a country bumpkin, Teddy Weizak is a kindhearted soul who lives alongside Stu and the others in the Boulder Free Zone. He ends up giving Nadine Cross a lift to the town, where she then encounters her old flame Larry Underwood.
Sam Raimi as Bobby Terry - Contrary to King, Raimi cameos as a member of Randall Flagg's group. Bobby is one of two men tasked with killing Judge Farris without injuring his face. Bobby is a terrible shot and fails the mission, earning a painful death at the hands of an angry Flagg.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as The Monster Shouter - As his name implies, The Monster Shouter is a homeless man that walks the streets of New York City telling everyone to "bring out your dead," and warning of Randall Flagg's arrival. Flagg isn't a fan of that, so he causes him to have a heart attack and die.
John Bloom (aka Joe Bob Briggs) as Deputy Joe Bob - The former MonsterVision and current Last Drive-In host appeared in The Stand as a cop in the small Texas town at the center of the superflu outbreak. His death isn't shown, but it's made pretty apparent that he - like the majority of people - has become infected.
John Landis & Tom Holland as Russ Dorr and Carl Hough - Rounding things out are the director of An American Werewolf in London and Fright Night, respectively, as fairly nondescript members of Flagg's operation in Las Vegas. Russ is stationed in the desert, while Carl works with Trashcan Man.