On an opposite note, I initially did not know that Bucky Bright was just a fictional character. [detail]
I thought Bucky Bright was a real person making a cameo, and that he was just a real good sport about making absurd jokes about his time as an actor. It was not until seeing the announcement of Conway's death in 2019 that I realized Bucky Bright was made up for 30 Rock.
To be fair…. I bet Mr Conway would’ve happily played himself and be willing to say even more absurd stuff. Dude is a comedic legend.
If you don’t know his work, check out any of the many Tim Conway bloopers from the Carol Burnett Show (or Mama’s Family).
I particularly like the elephant scene. Highly recommend.