This is a list of characters in the American television series Early Edition which ran from September 28, 1996 to May 27, 2000. The characters are listed alphabetically by their last name or by the name which appears in the episode credits.
The characters listed in this section are those whose portrayer has appeared in the opening credits. They are listed according to the order in the opening credits.[1]
| width=15% | Name | Description | Portrayer | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Hobson | Hobson, who grew up in the state of Indiana, lived and worked in Chicago as a stockbroker until his wife Marsha left him. After this dramatic event, Gary began receiving The Paper, and subsequently left his job. As he kept encountering more and more opportunities to help people and prevent tragedies using The Paper, he proved himself to be a person of high integrity and upstanding morals. Gary had difficulty finding another love interest, and at the conclusion of the series still remained single. | Kyle Chandler | 1–4 [2] | |
| Marissa Clark | Blind since the age of 16 months after contracting meningitis, she was formerly a receptionist at the stock brokerage firm Hobson formerly worked at.[3] She too left the brokerage firm, ultimately helping Gary Hobson manage McGinty's Bar later in the series. During the first season, Gary uses horse-track winnings to help her purchase a guide dog named Spike, who remained with her until the show's end. Similar to Gary, Marissa was never married during the series. | Shanésia Davis-Williams | 1–4 | |
| Chuck Fishman | Fishman, a friend of Gary's, is a former fellow stockbroker. He would like to make profit out of The Paper, besides helping people. | Fisher Stevens | 1–2 (Starring), 3–4 (Guest Starring) | |
| Erica Paget | Paget works at McGinty's. She is the mother of Henry Paget and is divorced from her husband, Michael. She briefly dated Gary. | Kristy Swanson | 3 | |
| Henry Paget | Son of Erica Paget, who loves to hang around Gary | Myles Jeffrey | 3 | |
| Patrick Quinn | Bartender at McGinty's | Billie Worley | 3–4 |
Recurring characters that appeared on Early Edition.[1]
| width=15% | Name | Description | Portrayer | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Armstrong | Police detective that has a few run-ins with Gary and is constantly trying to figure out what he is hiding | Michael Whaley | 3–4 | |
| Toni Brigatti | Police detective that has a few run-ins with Gary; a confirmed love interest in season four | Constance Marie | 3–4 | |
| Marion Zeke Crumb | Police detective that believes Gary is strange, but a good guy | Ron Dean | 1–4 | |
| Miguel Diaz | Photographer who wants to find out the truth about how Gary knows things | Luis Antonio Ramos | 4 | |
| Bernie Hobson | Gary's father | William Devane | 1–4 | |
| Lois Hobson | Gary's mother | Tess Harper | 2–4 |