It’s well-known that comic book writer, producer, and former Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee made cameos in every movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But he also made many appearances on TV, in other movies, and even in one DC film. Some were notable moments, others were blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fast. Sometimes he played himself, sometimes he entered the world of fantasy and took on a new role. Explore them all below in our handy list of all of Stan Lee’s cameos throughout his long career.
Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends (1981)
Stan’s role: Narrator.
What happens: Stan narrated the episode “7 Little Superheroes”.
Incredible Hulk (TV series, 1982)
Stan’s role: Narrator.
What happens: At the beginning of every episode, Stan would introduce the upcoming story, ending with the phrase: “This is Stan Lee saying, ‘Excelsior!'”
X-Men: Pryde Of The X-Men (1989)
Stan’s role: Narrator.
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The Trial Of The Incredible Hulk (1989)
Stan’s role: Jury foreman.
What happens: Stan acts as the head juror during David Banner’s trial.
Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies (1989)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: Stan appears when the babies wander into the comic section of a newspaper.
The Ambulance (1990)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-GtQKs3NQ0
Stan’s role: Himself.
Mallrats (1995)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: He turns up to a comic store to sign books and, later, gives Brodie Bruce some romantic advice.
Spider-Man (TV series, 1998)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: In the show’s final episode, “Farewell, Spider-Man”, Stan appeared as an animated version of himself. The titular superhero drops him off the top of a building, leaving Stan stuck on a roof.
X-Men (2000)
Stan’s role: A hotdog stand vendor.
What happens: He’s ready to serve up sizzling sausages when a naked Senator Kelly appears onshore having escaped Magneto.
Spider-Man (2002)
Stan’s role: Rescuer.
What happens: During Spider-Man’s first battle with the Green Goblin, Stan saves a little girl from being hit by falling debris.
The Simpsons (2002)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: He gives Bart advice when the young Simpson tries to become a comic book artist.
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (2003)
Stan’s role: Frank Elson.
What happens: Stan voiced the guest character in the episode “Mind Games”.
Daredevil (2003)
Stan’s role: A pedestrian.
What happens: As a child, Matt Murdock (who later becomes Daredevil), stops Stan from crossing the road and into the path of an oncoming bus.
Hulk (2003)
Stan’s role: Security guard.
What happens: He and actor Louis Ferrigno play security guards tasked with protecting Bruce Banner’s lab.
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Stan’s role: Rescuer.
What happens: Mirroring his appearance in 2002’s Spider-Man, Stan saves another innocent bystander during Spidey’s first fight with Doctor Octopus.
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)
Stan’s role: “Three Stooges Wedding Guest”.
Fantastic Four (2005)
Stan’s role: Mail carrier Willie Lumpkin.
What happens: He is seen greeting the Fantastic Four as they go into the Baxter Building, where their HQ is based.
Man-Thing (2005)
Stan’s role: He is seen on a photo board of missing people.
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
Stan’s role: One of Jean Grey’s neighbours, credited as “Waterhose Man”.
What happens: Stan’s going about his business, watering his lawn, when Jean uses her telekinetic powers to redirect the water from the hose into the air.
Heroes (2006)
Stan’s role: A bus driver.
Yoga Hosers (2006)
Stan’s role: A police officer.
Robot Chicken (2007)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: Stan and Pamela Anderson discussed superhero gossip in a segment called “Superheroes Tonight”.
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Stan’s role: “Man in Times Square”.
What happens: He is seen stood next to Peter Parker, both reading the same news story about Spider-Man. Stan tells Peter: “You know, I guess one person can make a difference.”
Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer (2007)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: He is turned away from Reed Richards and Susan Storms’ wedding because his name isn’t on the guest list.
Iron Man (2008)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: Tony Stark mistakes Stan, who is pictured with three blondes at a gala, for Hugh Hefner.
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Stan’s role: A citizen.
What happens: The Marvel boss accidentally drinks a beverage that’s been mixed with Bruce Banner’s blood. He later falls ill from gamma radiation sickness, which helps uncover Banner’s location in Brazil.
The Spectacular Spider-Man (2009)
Stan’s role: A loading dock-worker.
The Super Hero Squad Show (2009)
Stan’s role: Mayor of Super Hero City.
The Big Bang Theory (2010)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: He is shown answering the door to Sheldon, who missed a signing at a comic store and shows up at Stan’s house to get an autograph. Instead, he gets a restraining order.
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: Seen at the Stark Expo, Stan is once again the subject of mistaken identity at the hands of Tony Stark. This time, he greets him as US TV host Larry King.
Entourage (2010)
Stan’s role: Himself
Nikita (2010)
Stan’s role: Hank Excelsior.
What happens: Hank witnesses a bank robbery and later recounts his story to a TV reporter.
Thor (2011)
Stan’s role: Himself, or “Stan The Man”, as he’s credited.
What happens: He rips the bed off of a pickup truck by trying to pull Thor’s hammer Mjolnir out of the ground with a chain.
The Guild (2011)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: He is captured at a costume contest by Zaboo’s men.
Eureka (2011)
Stan’s role: Dr. Lee/Generalissimo.
Avengers Assemble! (2011)
Stan’s role: Future Tony Stark.
What happens: He sends a cryptic message to the rest of the Avengers team but annoys them with his lack of understanding of technology.
Chuck (2011)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: Stan attends a CIA party where it is revealed that he is secretly working for the government and is romantically linked to Brigadier General M. Diane Beckman.
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Stan’s role: A World War II general.
What happens: This time, it’s Stan getting someone else’s identity mixed up. He spies who he thinks is Captain America and comments: “I thought he’d be taller.”
Pizza Man (2011)
Stan’s role: Himself.
Ultimate Spider-Man (2012)
Stan’s role: A school janitor.
What happens: After partaking in some battles, the janitor is revealed to be a top S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Stan’s role: A librarian at Midtown Science High School.
What happens: Caught up in the classical music he’s listening to, librarian Stan completely misses the fight between Spider-Man and the Lizard, even when a table nearly hits him.
The Avengers (2012)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTnREQqylps
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: His game of chess is interrupted by an interviewer seeking his opinion on the Avengers saving Manhattan. His response? “Superheroes in New York? Give me a break.”
Hulk And The Agents Of S.M.A.S.H. (2013)
Stan’s role: Stan the salesman/Mayor Stan of Vista Verde.
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Stan’s role: Beauty pageant judge.
What happens: During the contest, Stan is seen giving one of the contestants top marks.
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Stan’s role: A patient in a mental hospital.
What happens: He lends his shoe to Erik Selvig so he can give a demonstration about “The Convergence.”
Video Game High School (2013)
Stan’s role: A judge.
Phineas And Ferb: Mission Marvel (2013)
Stan’s role: Hot dog vendor in New York.
The Simpsons (2014)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: He officiates the wedding between Comic Book Guy and Kumiko Nakamura.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Stan’s role: Graduation guest.
What happens: While attending the graduation of Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy, Stan comments on Peter’s familiarity to him.
Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie (2014)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: He is seen talking with Bluntman and Chronic about the “Avenger Initiative”.
Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2014)
Stan’s role: “Debonair gentleman”.
Big Hero 6 (2014)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKG_L-fDk8U
Stan’s role: Fred’s dad.
What happens: In a post-credits scene, he shows Fred the pair have a lot to talk about together.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Stan’s role: A security guard at the Smithsonian.
What happens: He discovers Captain America has stolen his WWII uniform from an exhibit and fears for his job.
Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)
Stan’s role: An old man.
What happens: Rocket sees him talking to a woman who he is much younger than him via a scanning device and declares him one of the problems with planet Xandar.
Agent Carter (2015)
Stan’s role: A man.
What happens: He is seen next to Howard Stark.
Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGkWGOtbe3A
Stan’s role: A military veteran.
What happens: At the Avengers’ victory party, Stan uses his history of fighting at Omaha Beach as “proof” he can drink some of Thor’s Asgardian liquor. As it turns out, he can’t handle the hard stuff and is carried off, mumbling, “Excelsior!”
Ant-Man (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugKVeoYmk4k
Stan’s role: A bartender.
What happens: In a story told by Luis to Scott Lang, Stan features as a bartender trying to convince Ignacio to a “crazy, stupid, fine” woman who is also in the bar.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Du–He3zQ
Stan’s role: A FedEx delivery man.
What happens: He delivers a package from Steve Rogers, intended for Tony Stark, but addresses him as “Tony Stank.”
Doctor Strange (2016)
Stan’s role: A passenger on a bus.
What happens: He sits and reads The Doors Of Perception by Aldous Huxley, seemingly oblivious to the battle going on between Doctor Strange and Mordo and Kaecilius.
Deadpool (2016)
Stan’s role: A strip club worker.
What happens: Stan acts as a compere of sorts, announcing a character called Chastity to the room.
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKbkvjZkzkE
Stan’s role: A spectator.
What happens: Stan and his wife Joan are seen watching the nuclear weapons launched by supervillain Apocalypse.
Big Hero 6: The Series (2017)
Stan’s role: Fred’s dad.
What happens: He is revealed to once have been a famous superhero, known as Boss Awesome.
No Good Deed (2017)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: He has a brief conversation with Deadpool, in which he compliments the character’s suit and is promptly told to “Zip it.”
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Stan’s role: An astronaut.
What happens: He tells a story to the Watchers, in which he references his cameo in Civil War.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Stan’s role: A neighbour called Gary.
What happens: He sees Spider-Man confronting an innocent person and threatens him. Later, he is shown having a conversation with his neighbour Majorie.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fZpaCTMMDg
Stan’s role: A servant to the Grandmaster.
What happens: While on the planet of Sakaar, Stan cuts Thor’s hair but warns the hero to stay still because his “hands aren’t as good as they used to be.”
The Gifted (2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhNvthqa9TE
Stan’s role: Man leaving Tex’s Lounge.
Runaways (2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oDSAg7lSaE
Stan’s role: Limo driver.
Deadpool 2 (2018)
Stan’s role: Due to scheduling conflicts, he didn’t appear in the flesh in this movie, but was more than visible in graffiti seen as Domino flies through the city.
Black Panther (2018)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZZRoTfH1Fc
Stan’s role: A casino attendee.
What happens: While gambling in a casino in Busan, Stan takes T’Challa’s unclaimed winnings.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Stan’s role: School bus driver.
What happens: Stan drives Peter Parker’s school bus and acts nonchalant when Ebony Maw’s spaceship arrives, stunning the kids.
Ant-Man And The Wasp (2018)
Stan’s role: A citizen.
What happens: Wasp shrinks his car, causing him to remark: “Well, the ’60s were fun but now I’m paying for it.”
Cloak And Dagger (2018)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-iaNvEymEY
Stan’s role: The subject of a painting.
What happens: Stan is seen in a painting inspired by Andy Warhol’s four-panel images of Marilyn Monroe.
Venom (2018)
Stan’s role: A dog walker.
What happens: He tries to encourage Eddie Brock to stay in his relationship with Anne Weying.
Teen Titans Go! To The Movies (2018)
Stan’s role: Himself.
What happens: Stan realises he’s in a DC movie and leaves but returns later to shout his catchphrase: “Excelsior!”
Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and The Punisher
Stan’s role: NYPD police officer/lawyer.
What happens: He is only seen in photos but is identified as Irving Forbush. That name is later used for a legal attorney.