Ed Harris has recalled that appearing in the 1978 thriller Coma was a pivotal early career break, leaving him “crying with relief” after he was cast. Although his part was small, it gave him a foothold in film at a time when he was struggling to find acting work, illustrating how minor roles can prove decisive for emerging performers.

Coma, directed by Michael Crichton and based on Robin Cook’s novel, starred Geneviève Bujold and Michael Douglas and followed a doctor investigating suspicious comas at a hospital. Harris played a medical intern, one of his first screen appearances, before going on to establish himself through films including The Right Stuff, The Abyss and Glengarry Glen Ross.