Where did "cameo role" come from?

Question

So I know 'cameo' originally refered to a type of engraving...how did it get to "cameo role"? Is it because the early ones, like Hitchcok, walked directly accross the screen, so that the side view mimmicked real cameos?

Answer 1

You're right, a cameo is an engraved face on jewellery, a cameo role is basically just a chance to show a famous face in a film, not dialogue.

Answer 2

Mike Todd’s film Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) was studded with cameo roles and gave the term wide circulation outside the theatrical profession. The frequent cameo appearances of Alfred Hitchcock in his films also helped popularize the term.

Transferred sense of "small character or part that stands out from other minor parts" in a play, etc., is from 1851.

Answer 3

Homevideos.com credits producer Michael Todd with coining the phrase "cameo role" while casting "around the World in 80 Days". I think the definitions you and muffinman have are good ones.

Answer 4

Ed Giacomin was never traded! The New York Rangers waived him and then released him. The Detroit Red Wings, who were a pretty sad bunch at the time, signed him from the waiver wire. Now, my nominee was already mentioned. Bobby Orr as a Black Hawk. Sure, Boston chose not to sign him, and Wirtzyboy gave him a cool $750K. But Orr was, and always will be a Bruin. Imagine if you will, Maurice Richard suiting up for the Leafs. Sacreligious!

Answer 5

You have given me the first question that made me think "hmmm, why is that, and why haven't I asked that question of myself?"

The other fellows here probably answered who thought up the term, but I thought I'd just say what I thought upon reading your question.

Cameos are small. So, of all the pictorial representations, it would seem to make the most sense as used here.

A portrait wouldn't quite work, since portraits are usually larger than the actual person portrayed.