VIDEO: Long before Bryan Cranston broke bad he was a soap opera hunk

It’s a shame that Breaking Bad is ending, but it’s probably good that it’s going out on top. Bryan Cranston’s dark portrayal of Walter White will be enjoyed and analyzed for ages. But every legendary actor has to start somewhere.

In 1983 the now 57-year-old Bryan Cranston got his first real acting gig on an ABC soap opera called Loving. He played Douglas (Doug) Donovan for about two years before they gave him the boot (the nickname for the show was “Leaving” because the turnover was so high.)

Here’s Cranston in a clip from Loving. He comes in at the 1:20 mark:

Here’s another clip of the Cranstonator in a soap commercial before he foiled with Malcolm in the Middle or Jessie Pinkeman:

Just for giggles and puppies, here’s a yearbook photo of Bryan unearthed last year on his episode of The Mortified Sessions:

And Walter White, for comparison purposes: