David Lynch's dark and dreamy "Mulholland Drive" is characteristically strange for various reasons: the twisting narrative, nefarious Hollywood dealings, macabre twilight figures, and Billy Ray Cyrus as a pool cleaner cum live-in-lover. Er, Billy Ray Cyrus? That's right, the mullet-haired achy-breaky-heart man has managed to snag himself a part in one of the most acclaimed films of 2002.

Lower those eyebrows and unfurrow that brow. Weird and wonderful appearances from the nether regions of the entertainment world have been a regular feature in the movies.

There was Benny Hill as the buxom-fixated Professor Peach in "The Italian Job" (1969), which led to a slew of casting directors offering (relatively) straight roles to small screen comedians with serious big screen aspirations.

Currently showing is Amenábar's accomplished "The Others", featuring a capable and unsettling turn from former Sykes man Eric Sykes. Yes, Eric Sykes. OK, he appeared in Gormenghast, but it's a long way from Hattie Jacques to Nicole Kidman.

Roseanne (no surname necessary) has a list of not so flattering credits as long as your arm, but she also snared parts in interesting fare like "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" (1993), "Smoke" off-shoot "Blue in the Face" (1995), and John Waters' suitably trashy "Cecil B Demented" (2000).

However, best and most bizarre performance by a comedian goes - hands-down - to Jim Davidson's bemused turn as a zookeeper in Peter Greenaway's weird but slightly wonderful "A Zed & Two Noughts" (1985). Light entertainer Brian Conley was equally misplaced in Brit thriller "Circus".

Musicians have also been keen to muscle in on the act: we've recently seen the likes of Goldie in "The Ninth Gate", "The World Is Not Enough" and "Snatch"; Shaun Ryder in "The Avengers"; and Tricky in "The Fifth Element". All attempting to prove that there's more to them than a tune or two.

But the most surprising on-screen performance from a crooner comes from hip-to-be-square man turned bona fide actor Huey Lewis, in Robert Altman's "Short Cuts" (1993).

Oh, and just in case he's reading this, let's give due praise to boxing legend Mike Tyson's aggressive snarls in James Toback's "Black and White" (1999), a debut which the terrorised Robert Downey Jr won't forget in a hurry.

Have you spotted other unlikely names popping up in movies? Head to the message boards and let us know.