When it comes to shows that make you go, “Oh yeah, I remember that,” Perfect Strangers definitely fits the bill. The sitcom ran for eight seasons, from 1986 to 1993. But while it was successful, it wasn’t a massive hit and isn’t a heavily syndicated classic like some others from the era. But, anyone who tuned in will recall Wisconsinite Larry Appleton and his surprise cousin (and new roommate) from a fictional European island, Balki Bartokomous. Larry and Balki were played by Mark Linn-Baker and Bronson Pinchot, respectively, and while they’re both still actors today, they’ve also taken on some other career ventures outside of appearing onscreen. Read on to learn more about the ’80s sitcom stars today.
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In a 2017 interview with Vulture, Linn-Baker shared that he was still in touch with Pinchot after all these years. “In the real world, we have remained friends over the years,” he said. “I see Bronson once or twice a year, and [co-star] Melanie Wilson is a good friend.”
That same year, the two reunited at the fan convention Chiller Theatre Expo. In an interview with Broadway World, Pinchot said of being together again, “We buoyed each other up because it’s exhausting psychically [sic] to have 600 or 700 people come and pose with you and chat, and you want to give them the best of yourself, but you’re getting tired and your focus is wandering.” He said it reminded him of when they were younger and doing Perfect Strangers. “That was the basis of our personal friendship was that we buoyed each other up when we were weighed down by the responsibility of trying to make our show as good as we could,” he added.
Linn-Baker has continued acting frequently in the years since Perfect Strangers went off the air. In particular, he has made a lot of guest appearances on major shows, including Law & Order, The Good Wife, The Leftovers, Younger, and, most recently, two episodes of Succession. He has also directed TV, including episodes of Step by Step, Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, and the Perfect Strangers spinoff Family Matters.
In 2017, Linn-Baker made headlines for playing a version of himself on The Leftovers in a storyline that was directly related to Perfect Strangers. Asked by Vulture if he had any hangups about being part of a nostalgic joke, he responded, “No—the show is well-written and incredibly well-produced. I was very happy to be a part of it.”
Linn-Baker was previously married to Adrianne Lobel, the daughter of Arnold Lobel, the children’s book author who wrote the Frog and Toad series. Linn-Baker helped adapt the series into the musical A Year with Frog and Toad, which was nominated for three Tony Awards, including Best Musical in 2003. He also played Toad in the original run of the show.
Currently, Linn-Baker is married to his second wife, Christa Justus.
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Aside from Perfect Strangers, Pinchot is best known for playing Serge in the Beverly Hills Cop movies. Like Linn-Baker, he has played a number of guest roles on TV shows in recent years, including Ray Donovan, A Million Little Things, and Black Monday. He also had a recurring role on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and has acted on stage.
Pinchot has recorded the audio versions of hundreds of books. Comparing doing audiobooks to other voiceover work in a 2020 interview with Decider, he said, “What happens a lot in voiceovers in cartoons is that they want it zanier and zanier and zanier, and you do it to the point where you’re not longer sure where you live in it. But with audio books, you’re not just the narrator, you’re every single character. There’s nothing like it in all of performing.”
Pinchot also done some reality TV. He had his own home renovation series, The Bronson Pinchot Project, in 2012 and 2013, based on the fact that he actually was renovating homes in real life. He also appeared on The Surreal Life and Worst Cooks in America.