The term understudy was coined.

Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson took over the roles of Jeff Fenholt and Ben Vereen respectively during the 1971 Broadway run of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Baritone Thomas Allen fell ill during a performance at The Proms of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. His understudy was unable to take over, and Patrick McCarthy, then unknown, stepped out of the audience, went backstage, and offered his services as a professional singer who knew the part. He received a standing ovation.

Madeline Kahn departed the Broadway musical On the Twentieth Century nine weeks into its run. She was replaced by understudy Judy Kaye, who had been playing a small role, and the critics were invited to return. According to The New York Times, 'bang, boom, overnight [Kaye] is a star.' They praised her performance, Kaye won a Theatre World Award, and her theatrical career took off.

Roberto Alagna opened the 2006–07 season at La Scala on 7 December 2006 in the new production of Aida by Franco Zeffirelli. During the second performance on 10 December, Alagna, whose opening performance was considered ill-at-ease, was booed and whistled from the loggione (the least expensive seats at the very top of La Scala), and he walked off the stage. The role of Radames was taken over successfully for the rest of the performance by his understudy Antonello Palombi, who entered on stage wearing jeans and a black shirt.