The large cast of "The Stand" includes lots of familiar faces - some of whom aren't usually seen on television.
The most surprising is Rob Lowe, who plays a deaf-mute. And Molly Ringwald and Laura San Giacomo also have prominent roles.Actors more familiar to TV work include Jamey Sheridan ("Shannon's Deal"), Corin Nemec ("Parker Lewis"), Matt Frewer ("Max Headroom" and "Doctor, Doctor"), Miguel Ferrer ("Twin Peaks"), Ray Walston ("My Favorite Martian" and "Picket Fences") and Bill Faggerbakke ("Coach").
Not to mention the husband-and-wife team of Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis.
There are also a number of high-profile cameos, including Kathy Bates (who won an Oscar for her role in Stephen King's "Misery"), director John Landis and even King himself.
King plays one of the good guys, but an exceptionally dumb good guy.
"I wanted to trade up, you know?," said the author, who's had roles in several of his theatrical films. "I've gotten typecast in my parts. (In `The Stand') I get to play sort of the country idiot - somebody whose IQ and pants size are pretty much interchangeable.
"And I told (director) Mick (Galin) I would play the part if I could step up to an IQ of possibly as high as 65 and he said, `Sure, if you can really emote that high.' "
"It was an IQ based on room temperature and we were in Utah in the winter," Galin said.