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The Top 50 Actors Countdown - You Casted Your Votes
- Thread starter Johnny Unusual
- Start date
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
20. Ian McKellen
AS
Hon Dew
66 Points, 2 Lists, #1 Kirin
Iconic Roles: Gandalf (Lord of the Rings), Magneto (X-Men), Antonio Salieri (Amadeus), Richard III (Richard III: Urban Harvest)
Ian McKellen gained interest in the theatre at a young age and became an actor while in a boy’s school. He went onto become a Shakespearian actor, spending the 60s and 70s as an acclaimed actor of classical and modern theatre. In 1979, he had his break out role as Salieri in the play Amadeus which earned him a Tony and a Broadway debut. During this time, he also earned some screen roles but was mainly starring in acclaimed plays both on the West End and on Broadway. In the early 90s, he appeared in Richard III as the title character and earned the Lawrence Olivier award for acting and then took the role to a big screen adaptation to similar acclaim. In 1999 he was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of director James Whale in the film Gods and Monsters. Soon, he gained to roles as iconic genre characters: as the mutant terrorist Magneto in the X-Men franchise and as Gandalf, the powerful and benevolent wizard in the Lord of the Rings films, earning him wider exposure and he would continue to play those characters in the following decades. In 2013-2016, he starred in the poison-tipped sitcom Vicious about an elderly gay couple who take delight at hurling insults at each other. Most recently he took on the title role of Hamlet on stage in an age-blind production.
There are many great Shakespearian actors but McKellen is among the upper echelon of them. As many of us are, I’m certainly most familiar with his wise mentor roles, bringing with him a sense of power and love, even if it comes with a certain harshness when needed. Even his iconic portrayal of Magneto is one with compassion, even if he’s willing to do terrible acts to help his people. Of course, there’s certainly more than that, as he’s played more complex villains such as Richard the Third and Salieri. It certainly helps his charm that he was willing to come out as gay in the late 80s as a response to a terrible bill with aims to rob gay people of the UK of rights and also his incredibly cute friendship with Patrick Stewart. But both this and his acting feel like they are all informed by a deep well of love and passion and I feel like that does come through in his work, even if it’s about the denial of it when he plays fascists. And it sounds like since a child, he understood love through the theatre, making friends and strengthening bonds through it.
Ah, a true fellow ACTOR. I will put on a CAP… so I may doff it to you. Then may we BOTH learn what DOFF is.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: The Simpsons appeared The Regina Monologues with such British luminaries as, um, JK Rowling and… Tony Blair. Also, less problematic and more “so this is when it was made”, Joe Millionaire.
ACTING!
AS
Hon Dew
66 Points, 2 Lists, #1 Kirin
Iconic Roles: Gandalf (Lord of the Rings), Magneto (X-Men), Antonio Salieri (Amadeus), Richard III (Richard III: Urban Harvest)
Ian McKellen gained interest in the theatre at a young age and became an actor while in a boy’s school. He went onto become a Shakespearian actor, spending the 60s and 70s as an acclaimed actor of classical and modern theatre. In 1979, he had his break out role as Salieri in the play Amadeus which earned him a Tony and a Broadway debut. During this time, he also earned some screen roles but was mainly starring in acclaimed plays both on the West End and on Broadway. In the early 90s, he appeared in Richard III as the title character and earned the Lawrence Olivier award for acting and then took the role to a big screen adaptation to similar acclaim. In 1999 he was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of director James Whale in the film Gods and Monsters. Soon, he gained to roles as iconic genre characters: as the mutant terrorist Magneto in the X-Men franchise and as Gandalf, the powerful and benevolent wizard in the Lord of the Rings films, earning him wider exposure and he would continue to play those characters in the following decades. In 2013-2016, he starred in the poison-tipped sitcom Vicious about an elderly gay couple who take delight at hurling insults at each other. Most recently he took on the title role of Hamlet on stage in an age-blind production.
There are many great Shakespearian actors but McKellen is among the upper echelon of them. As many of us are, I’m certainly most familiar with his wise mentor roles, bringing with him a sense of power and love, even if it comes with a certain harshness when needed. Even his iconic portrayal of Magneto is one with compassion, even if he’s willing to do terrible acts to help his people. Of course, there’s certainly more than that, as he’s played more complex villains such as Richard the Third and Salieri. It certainly helps his charm that he was willing to come out as gay in the late 80s as a response to a terrible bill with aims to rob gay people of the UK of rights and also his incredibly cute friendship with Patrick Stewart. But both this and his acting feel like they are all informed by a deep well of love and passion and I feel like that does come through in his work, even if it’s about the denial of it when he plays fascists. And it sounds like since a child, he understood love through the theatre, making friends and strengthening bonds through it.
Ah, a true fellow ACTOR. I will put on a CAP… so I may doff it to you. Then may we BOTH learn what DOFF is.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: The Simpsons appeared The Regina Monologues with such British luminaries as, um, JK Rowling and… Tony Blair. Also, less problematic and more “so this is when it was made”, Joe Millionaire.
ACTING!
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
19. Denzel Washington
AS
George
68 Points, 3 Lists, #2 JBear
Iconic Roles: Alonzo Harris (Training Day), Malcolm X (Malcolm X), Dr. Phillip Chandler (St. Elsewhere), The Guy Who Remembered the Titans (Remember the Titans)
Denzel Washington grew up in Mount Vernon and when he was 14, went to Oakland Military Academy, a choice he said may have saved him, because in reference to his friends, he says “The streets got them.” Washington began to study acting and starred in the title roles of Othello and The Emperor Jones. In 1976 he appeared in the summer stock play Wings of the Morning with a narrator role written for him and made an acting debut in the TV movie Wilma. His first screen role was co-lead in the George Segal comedy Carbon Copy and the same year he won an Obie award for his work in the play A Soldier’s Play. In 1982, he got a big break as Dr. Phillip Chandler in the quirky medical drama St. Elsewhere. In 1987, he earned his first Oscar nomination for Cry Freedom and would win two years later for the war drama Glory. Soon after Washington appeared in the dramedy Mo’ Better Blues, beginning a partnership with Spike Lee that would move him to the title role as Malcolm X, as well as a prisoner who must convince his basketball star son to attend a particular college for leniency in He Got Game. Though he also appeared in acclaimed films such as Philadelphia and The Hurricane but it is one of his few villainous roles in Training Day that won him his second Oscar, playing a dangerous corrupt cop. Washington would largely go onto appear in a number of Hollywood thrillers and action movies and in 2016 he starred in the film adaptation of August Wilson’s Fences. Most recently he appeared in Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of MacBeth, the first Coen film without a brother, to rave reviews where he plays the title character and is nominated for best actor by the Oscars.
Denzel is one of those prestige actors who is never afraid to play in the fun fields. Though he certainly isn’t afraid of other genres, he definitely gravitates to action and thrillers and even in the weaker ones, he invariable brings a magnetism as well as a cool confidence that tends to feel very natural rather than affected like some other action stars (not, not a slight on them, I do like the larger than life acting, too). Even though I think of him as a guy who does action, tend to think of him as someone who brings a grounding to something big. That’s not to say he can’t go all out, such as his very different performance in Training Day. And I also think his ability to do comedy needs to be taken advantage of more, as he is hilarious in as the glib protagonist Spike Lee’s Inside Man. His delivery of “Thank you, bank robber.” is a line that is delivered in a deadpan way and completely sells the understanding of the weirdness of getting romantic advice from a bad guy while being unphased.
AS
George
68 Points, 3 Lists, #2 JBear
Iconic Roles: Alonzo Harris (Training Day), Malcolm X (Malcolm X), Dr. Phillip Chandler (St. Elsewhere), The Guy Who Remembered the Titans (Remember the Titans)
Denzel Washington grew up in Mount Vernon and when he was 14, went to Oakland Military Academy, a choice he said may have saved him, because in reference to his friends, he says “The streets got them.” Washington began to study acting and starred in the title roles of Othello and The Emperor Jones. In 1976 he appeared in the summer stock play Wings of the Morning with a narrator role written for him and made an acting debut in the TV movie Wilma. His first screen role was co-lead in the George Segal comedy Carbon Copy and the same year he won an Obie award for his work in the play A Soldier’s Play. In 1982, he got a big break as Dr. Phillip Chandler in the quirky medical drama St. Elsewhere. In 1987, he earned his first Oscar nomination for Cry Freedom and would win two years later for the war drama Glory. Soon after Washington appeared in the dramedy Mo’ Better Blues, beginning a partnership with Spike Lee that would move him to the title role as Malcolm X, as well as a prisoner who must convince his basketball star son to attend a particular college for leniency in He Got Game. Though he also appeared in acclaimed films such as Philadelphia and The Hurricane but it is one of his few villainous roles in Training Day that won him his second Oscar, playing a dangerous corrupt cop. Washington would largely go onto appear in a number of Hollywood thrillers and action movies and in 2016 he starred in the film adaptation of August Wilson’s Fences. Most recently he appeared in Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of MacBeth, the first Coen film without a brother, to rave reviews where he plays the title character and is nominated for best actor by the Oscars.
Denzel is one of those prestige actors who is never afraid to play in the fun fields. Though he certainly isn’t afraid of other genres, he definitely gravitates to action and thrillers and even in the weaker ones, he invariable brings a magnetism as well as a cool confidence that tends to feel very natural rather than affected like some other action stars (not, not a slight on them, I do like the larger than life acting, too). Even though I think of him as a guy who does action, tend to think of him as someone who brings a grounding to something big. That’s not to say he can’t go all out, such as his very different performance in Training Day. And I also think his ability to do comedy needs to be taken advantage of more, as he is hilarious in as the glib protagonist Spike Lee’s Inside Man. His delivery of “Thank you, bank robber.” is a line that is delivered in a deadpan way and completely sells the understanding of the weirdness of getting romantic advice from a bad guy while being unphased.
Oh, I was in a deleted scene in Training Day. Note I was not hired but I appeared in the diner scene splitting apps with everyone and occasionally interjecting with “Yeah.” I was ejected from the set but I did get my share of jalapeno poppers.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: Neither
ACTING!
Violentvixen
(She/Her)
Same monologue from Ian, showing a very different interpretation:
Both are brilliant actors, but I like the pacing of Ian's better. I felt like the new MacBeth with Denzel just moved a bit too fast overall.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
18. Frank Welker
AS
Baby Monster
70 Points, 2 Lists, #1 Dracula & Torzelbaum
Iconic Roles: Fred Jones (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?), Megatron (Transformers), Jabberjaw (Jabberjaw), All the Animals (Everything)
Frank Welker began his career as a stand up comedian in the 60s before transitioning into voice work, largely for Hanna Barbera. Most notably, he was the voice of Fred Jones in the Scooby-Doo franchise and voice the character in most incarnations of the series (and also began voicing Scooby in 2002). Since then, his voice acting become more prolific and included several characters in Inspector Gadget (he was Dr. Claw AND his cat), Ducktales and Animaniacs and was countless heroes and villains in the Transformers and G.I. Joe franchises. Though he has done live action performances (including as a voice actor in The Duck Factory and as Matt Damon’s father in The Informant!). Welker has continued to work in animation and has remained the most prolific voice actor of all time, earning a lifetime achievement Emmy in 2016.
He voices at least 3 characters in this clip.
I think Frank Welker, like Dee Bradley Baker, is known for being ALL the animals in cartoons. And this talent is amazing in breadth and variety. But his niche/journeyman also undercuts him being a talented actor of people-type characters, another field in which variety is key. I would not identify Mr. Plotz from Animaniacs as Fred from Scooby Doo… or the second Scooby Doo. There’s a reason Welker is so in demand, his capabilities make him the ultimate tight end of animation, where he can do anything you ask of him.
And when I try to ACT the part of a PARAKEET, I get STARES. Of course, THIS is in line at the JAMBA JUICE. ACTING HAPPENS EVERYWHERE, PHILISTINES!
I met Welker on the set of the Action Jackson Saturday morning cartoon as my animal sidekick “Quackson”. I have never been better embodied by a duck.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: He played Spock’s screams in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock’s Screams and played animals and characters in 20 Simpsons episodes, including reprising his role of Nibbler from Futurama and a talking dolphin in a Halloween episode.
ACTING!
AS
Baby Monster
70 Points, 2 Lists, #1 Dracula & Torzelbaum
Iconic Roles: Fred Jones (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?), Megatron (Transformers), Jabberjaw (Jabberjaw), All the Animals (Everything)
Frank Welker began his career as a stand up comedian in the 60s before transitioning into voice work, largely for Hanna Barbera. Most notably, he was the voice of Fred Jones in the Scooby-Doo franchise and voice the character in most incarnations of the series (and also began voicing Scooby in 2002). Since then, his voice acting become more prolific and included several characters in Inspector Gadget (he was Dr. Claw AND his cat), Ducktales and Animaniacs and was countless heroes and villains in the Transformers and G.I. Joe franchises. Though he has done live action performances (including as a voice actor in The Duck Factory and as Matt Damon’s father in The Informant!). Welker has continued to work in animation and has remained the most prolific voice actor of all time, earning a lifetime achievement Emmy in 2016.
He voices at least 3 characters in this clip.
I think Frank Welker, like Dee Bradley Baker, is known for being ALL the animals in cartoons. And this talent is amazing in breadth and variety. But his niche/journeyman also undercuts him being a talented actor of people-type characters, another field in which variety is key. I would not identify Mr. Plotz from Animaniacs as Fred from Scooby Doo… or the second Scooby Doo. There’s a reason Welker is so in demand, his capabilities make him the ultimate tight end of animation, where he can do anything you ask of him.
And when I try to ACT the part of a PARAKEET, I get STARES. Of course, THIS is in line at the JAMBA JUICE. ACTING HAPPENS EVERYWHERE, PHILISTINES!
I met Welker on the set of the Action Jackson Saturday morning cartoon as my animal sidekick “Quackson”. I have never been better embodied by a duck.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: He played Spock’s screams in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock’s Screams and played animals and characters in 20 Simpsons episodes, including reprising his role of Nibbler from Futurama and a talking dolphin in a Halloween episode.
ACTING!
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
I love Denzel but I feel I've missed a lot of his big roles. But Inside Man is a lot of fun.
I think Denzel's a great actor with a pretty mediocre filmography.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
17. Alan Rickman
AS
Cantalop
71 Points, 3 Lists, #7 Kirin
Iconic Roles: Severus Snape (Harry Potter series), Hans Gruber (Die Hard), Alexander Payne (Galaxy Quest), Ronald Reagan (The Butler, a film with bizarre casting choices for presidents)
Alan Rickman was born with a tight jaw which resulted to his unique tone and delivery. Rickman pursued acting after three successful years of graphic design and after attending an acting college, went to the stage. Rickman was a Shakespearian actor in the 70s (even appearing with the Royal Shakespeare Company), and in 1982 made a major breakthrough with the television serial The Barchester Chronicles. But in 1988, he hit much bigger in his feature film debut as supervillain Hans Gruber in the iconic action film Die Hard. Though Rickman continued in the theatre and did play different sorts of roles, he spent much of the 90s being typecast as villains, which Rickman did not care for. He made a notable comedic turn in the beloved sci-fi comedy Galaxy Quest, starring as a cynical actor from a popular science fiction series but it would be two years later when he would star as Severus Snape, the suspicious and ill-tempered teacher in the Harry Potter series. Rickman also appeared in the major romantic comedy Love Actually as Harry, a poor husband in one of the film’s sadder stories and one of his final roles was in the political thriller Eye in the Sky, wherein he and other military brass debate whether to make a drone strike that will kill both terrorists and civilians, which earned him some more acclaim. Rickman died in 2016 of pancreatic cancer.
It’s both understandable why Rickman might prickle at being cast as the villain and why people want to keep casting him as such. He excelled at the sort of aura a good villain needs but it’s because he was great at something “bristling” and coming across in a prickly manner. But despite this, he was also skilled in the other fields of acting two, being human in other gentler ways when needed. All the same, it’s hard to deny the allure of his presence and while the Harry Potter holds little appeal for me now through no fault of the actors and directors who made those films quite good, Severus Snape is a great character and one I suspect spoke to Rickman, a character whom other characters often peg as a villain (and certainly is a bully from time to time) but is revealed also to have a sadder story and a more heroic goal than expected. And Rickman often did come across as sort of noble and decent, even if he played chilly characters. He was also a great contributor to various charities and also produced a play called My Name Is Rachel Corrie a play based on the letters of a US activist who was killed in Gaza by an Isreali bulldozer.
I don’t ENVY a man with a tight JAW! It makes it HARDER… to bloviate.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: Nope. Obviously, Galaxy Quest was a loving homage to the Trek franchise but never Trek proper.
ACTING!
AS
Cantalop
71 Points, 3 Lists, #7 Kirin
Iconic Roles: Severus Snape (Harry Potter series), Hans Gruber (Die Hard), Alexander Payne (Galaxy Quest), Ronald Reagan (The Butler, a film with bizarre casting choices for presidents)
Alan Rickman was born with a tight jaw which resulted to his unique tone and delivery. Rickman pursued acting after three successful years of graphic design and after attending an acting college, went to the stage. Rickman was a Shakespearian actor in the 70s (even appearing with the Royal Shakespeare Company), and in 1982 made a major breakthrough with the television serial The Barchester Chronicles. But in 1988, he hit much bigger in his feature film debut as supervillain Hans Gruber in the iconic action film Die Hard. Though Rickman continued in the theatre and did play different sorts of roles, he spent much of the 90s being typecast as villains, which Rickman did not care for. He made a notable comedic turn in the beloved sci-fi comedy Galaxy Quest, starring as a cynical actor from a popular science fiction series but it would be two years later when he would star as Severus Snape, the suspicious and ill-tempered teacher in the Harry Potter series. Rickman also appeared in the major romantic comedy Love Actually as Harry, a poor husband in one of the film’s sadder stories and one of his final roles was in the political thriller Eye in the Sky, wherein he and other military brass debate whether to make a drone strike that will kill both terrorists and civilians, which earned him some more acclaim. Rickman died in 2016 of pancreatic cancer.
It’s both understandable why Rickman might prickle at being cast as the villain and why people want to keep casting him as such. He excelled at the sort of aura a good villain needs but it’s because he was great at something “bristling” and coming across in a prickly manner. But despite this, he was also skilled in the other fields of acting two, being human in other gentler ways when needed. All the same, it’s hard to deny the allure of his presence and while the Harry Potter holds little appeal for me now through no fault of the actors and directors who made those films quite good, Severus Snape is a great character and one I suspect spoke to Rickman, a character whom other characters often peg as a villain (and certainly is a bully from time to time) but is revealed also to have a sadder story and a more heroic goal than expected. And Rickman often did come across as sort of noble and decent, even if he played chilly characters. He was also a great contributor to various charities and also produced a play called My Name Is Rachel Corrie a play based on the letters of a US activist who was killed in Gaza by an Isreali bulldozer.
I don’t ENVY a man with a tight JAW! It makes it HARDER… to bloviate.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: Nope. Obviously, Galaxy Quest was a loving homage to the Trek franchise but never Trek proper.
ACTING!
Narrowing down a career like Rickmans to one single best performance should be impossible.
But it’s actually very easy, because it’s Hans Gruber, no contest.
But it’s actually very easy, because it’s Hans Gruber, no contest.
Yeah, his Sheriff of Nottingham is amazing.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
I... I think I want to watch this movie? I saw it as a kid and remembered it being, like, the "dark" Robin Hood with blood (mostly from the witch) but this is far more cartoony than I remember. Yeah, of course this came out in the same era as Dick Tracy.
It was decent, but no one would remember it if it wasn't for Rickman.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
16. Jackie Chan
AS
Lantern Cop #1
74 Points, 3 Lists, #7 Dracula
Iconic Roles: Wong Fei Hung (Drunken Master), Chan Ka-Kui (Police Story), Inspector Yang Naing Lee (Rush Hour), Mr. Han (The erroneously named Karate Kid)
Chan Kong-sang was born to a struggling family whose father eventually left for Australia to work as a head cook in the American embassy. Chan was sent to the China Drama Academy, a Peking Opera School run by Master Yu Jim-yuen, where he excelled in acrobatics and martial arts. Fang gained the stage name Yuen Lo when he became part of the Seven Little Fortunes, a group of the top students, and made friends with Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao with the three becoming known as the Three Dragons/Three Brothers. Chan made smaller appearances in smaller kung fu films including the incredibly influential Come Drink With Me. Chan For a time he went to Australia to be close to his family where he worked as a construction worker and became friends with man named Jack and became known as Little Jack (and later Jackie). When he returned to China, he caught the eye of producer Willie Chan who thought to make him the successor to Bruce Lee as the big action star in New Fist of Fury but Jackie’s big breakthrough Snake in Eagle’s Shadow, which became influential in creating a new trend in Hong Kong: comedy kung fu. The trend continued with the successful Drunken Master, where Jackie plays a martial arts master whose greatest moves require him to get drunk. Chan became a star and even began appearing in American films, such as the US/Chinese co-production The Big Brawl and a small role in Cannonball Run. Chan’s success continued and things took another turn with Project A, which not only featured comedy and martial arts but also elaborate stunts that played for both laughs and thrills. Chan’s star rose only further with major hits and even franchises such as Police Story and the Armour of God and eventually he took a foothold in the US with Rumble in the Bronx (a film definitely not filmed in the Bronx). He soon starred in major Hollywood buddy comedies Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon, pairing him with a smart mouthed sidekick. He eventually did more focus on films for the Chinese market with occasional returns to Hollywood flicks, such as a voice in the kung fu panda movies and the thriller The Foreigner.
Jackie’s films revolutionized action comedy because the action and the laughs were one and the same. At their best, his films are a perfect blend of performer and choreography, and it all comes together, it’s like magic. He’s clearly also taking a page from the great silent performers, where the physical comedy is not only from the body but it’s relationship to the situation. And it’s not just that Chan can do those stunts, he sells the comedy of it with his reactions, allowing him to be the buffoon or hapless everyman despite his clear amazing skill in the martial arts. His characters are rarely world beaters like Bruce Lee but rather a leaf in a hurricane, floating around the chaos desperately trying to stay afloat while being generally overwhelmed. It’s not too surprising that his films start in old China and quickly make their way into more modern times as it creates a new paradigm in action, a more fun sensibility that ended up reverberating through the kung fu genre (even the second 36th Chamber film went in this direction). He’s branched out into other fields but he’ll always be remembered the guy who puts his body in danger for our laughter and wonder.
Fun fact: after being in the Cannonball Run, Chan was inspired to put bloopers at the end of his film.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: Neither.
ACTING!
AS
Lantern Cop #1
74 Points, 3 Lists, #7 Dracula
Iconic Roles: Wong Fei Hung (Drunken Master), Chan Ka-Kui (Police Story), Inspector Yang Naing Lee (Rush Hour), Mr. Han (The erroneously named Karate Kid)
Chan Kong-sang was born to a struggling family whose father eventually left for Australia to work as a head cook in the American embassy. Chan was sent to the China Drama Academy, a Peking Opera School run by Master Yu Jim-yuen, where he excelled in acrobatics and martial arts. Fang gained the stage name Yuen Lo when he became part of the Seven Little Fortunes, a group of the top students, and made friends with Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao with the three becoming known as the Three Dragons/Three Brothers. Chan made smaller appearances in smaller kung fu films including the incredibly influential Come Drink With Me. Chan For a time he went to Australia to be close to his family where he worked as a construction worker and became friends with man named Jack and became known as Little Jack (and later Jackie). When he returned to China, he caught the eye of producer Willie Chan who thought to make him the successor to Bruce Lee as the big action star in New Fist of Fury but Jackie’s big breakthrough Snake in Eagle’s Shadow, which became influential in creating a new trend in Hong Kong: comedy kung fu. The trend continued with the successful Drunken Master, where Jackie plays a martial arts master whose greatest moves require him to get drunk. Chan became a star and even began appearing in American films, such as the US/Chinese co-production The Big Brawl and a small role in Cannonball Run. Chan’s success continued and things took another turn with Project A, which not only featured comedy and martial arts but also elaborate stunts that played for both laughs and thrills. Chan’s star rose only further with major hits and even franchises such as Police Story and the Armour of God and eventually he took a foothold in the US with Rumble in the Bronx (a film definitely not filmed in the Bronx). He soon starred in major Hollywood buddy comedies Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon, pairing him with a smart mouthed sidekick. He eventually did more focus on films for the Chinese market with occasional returns to Hollywood flicks, such as a voice in the kung fu panda movies and the thriller The Foreigner.
Jackie’s films revolutionized action comedy because the action and the laughs were one and the same. At their best, his films are a perfect blend of performer and choreography, and it all comes together, it’s like magic. He’s clearly also taking a page from the great silent performers, where the physical comedy is not only from the body but it’s relationship to the situation. And it’s not just that Chan can do those stunts, he sells the comedy of it with his reactions, allowing him to be the buffoon or hapless everyman despite his clear amazing skill in the martial arts. His characters are rarely world beaters like Bruce Lee but rather a leaf in a hurricane, floating around the chaos desperately trying to stay afloat while being generally overwhelmed. It’s not too surprising that his films start in old China and quickly make their way into more modern times as it creates a new paradigm in action, a more fun sensibility that ended up reverberating through the kung fu genre (even the second 36th Chamber film went in this direction). He’s branched out into other fields but he’ll always be remembered the guy who puts his body in danger for our laughter and wonder.
Fun fact: after being in the Cannonball Run, Chan was inspired to put bloopers at the end of his film.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: Neither.
ACTING!
Last edited:
Ah, the most dangerous man in the world with a ladder. Or chair. Or mop. Desk. Umbrella. Whatever. Anyway, a legend.
( @Johnny Unusual You've got an image link error with Lantern Cop playing Lantern Cop there.)
( @Johnny Unusual You've got an image link error with Lantern Cop playing Lantern Cop there.)
Just catching up on this list.
There's too much to comment on, but regarding Karloff, the first time I really recognized him as one of my favorites was in The Mummy.
The way he puts forth such gravitas with so little motion. He barely moves his face. Every individual motion is controlled to increase the dread this character exudes.
As for Jackie Chan, I've gained a strong appreciation for him over the last decade or so. One of my best buds is a huge Chan fan and we've watched a lot of his best work together. Chan's acting isn't the type of acting that lands Oscars - but I see physical performance as an important part of an actor's repertoire and there are few people who understand it better than Chan. He was inspired by Hollywood greats like Buster Keaton and took that level of physical comedy to insane new heights.
He also worked to further talent within the industry - one of my favorite anecdotes is about a young Australian martial artist named Brad Allen. Allen became a fan of Chan at a young age, and when he heard Chan was filming in Melbourne, he managed to attend a shoot and demonstrate his skills to the director. Chan was impressed and signed Allen on to work with his stunt crew, where he quickly rose through the ranks.
The movie "Gorgeous" has a couple scenes that serve as tribute to Allen's skill, letting him and Chan duke it out in one of the best fight scenes in the Chan canon.
(Sorry for the poor quality, I couldn't find better.)
Allen then took his skills to Hollywood. If you've been impressed by a fight scene in a Hollywood movie, there's a good chance Allen worked on it. He did all the action directing for Edgar Wright's films, for example. He sadly passed away last year but not before delivering one of the best fight scenes I've ever seen in an MCU movie:
Stunt work and action choreography is one of the more underrated or at least under-appreciated talents in Hollywood, but you can always tell the difference between films that use good talent and films that don't bother.
There's too much to comment on, but regarding Karloff, the first time I really recognized him as one of my favorites was in The Mummy.
The way he puts forth such gravitas with so little motion. He barely moves his face. Every individual motion is controlled to increase the dread this character exudes.
As for Jackie Chan, I've gained a strong appreciation for him over the last decade or so. One of my best buds is a huge Chan fan and we've watched a lot of his best work together. Chan's acting isn't the type of acting that lands Oscars - but I see physical performance as an important part of an actor's repertoire and there are few people who understand it better than Chan. He was inspired by Hollywood greats like Buster Keaton and took that level of physical comedy to insane new heights.
He also worked to further talent within the industry - one of my favorite anecdotes is about a young Australian martial artist named Brad Allen. Allen became a fan of Chan at a young age, and when he heard Chan was filming in Melbourne, he managed to attend a shoot and demonstrate his skills to the director. Chan was impressed and signed Allen on to work with his stunt crew, where he quickly rose through the ranks.
The movie "Gorgeous" has a couple scenes that serve as tribute to Allen's skill, letting him and Chan duke it out in one of the best fight scenes in the Chan canon.
(Sorry for the poor quality, I couldn't find better.)
Allen then took his skills to Hollywood. If you've been impressed by a fight scene in a Hollywood movie, there's a good chance Allen worked on it. He did all the action directing for Edgar Wright's films, for example. He sadly passed away last year but not before delivering one of the best fight scenes I've ever seen in an MCU movie:
Stunt work and action choreography is one of the more underrated or at least under-appreciated talents in Hollywood, but you can always tell the difference between films that use good talent and films that don't bother.
Five of mine have shown up so I think I'm doing about the same as I usually do.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
15. Jeff Bridges
AS
Lantern Cop #2
74 Points, 3 Lists, #2 Adrenaline
Iconic Roles: Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski (The Big Lebowski), Duane Jackson (The Last Picture Show), Kevin Flynn / CLU (Tron), Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski (real life now)
Son of actor Lloyd Bridges, Jeff (and his brother Beau) became stars of stage and screen at a young age, including when he was about a year old in The Company She Keeps. Both would make appearances in their father’s TV series Sea Hunt and the Lloyd Bridges Show. After several TV appearances, he had his first major role in The Last Picture Show, a “new Hollywood” film where his portrayal of a small town teen likely doomed to never leave town earned him an Oscar nomination. He soon starred in major films including the King Kong remake and getting another Oscar nom in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (directed by Clint Eastwood). He also starred in the science fiction films Tron and Starman (the latter earning him yet another Oscar nomination), and made big waves in the film Fearless, with many believing it to be a bold portrayal of a man dealing with grief and survivor’s guilt following a plane crash. His most iconic role would come in 1998, in which he played the Dude in the noir comedy The Big Lebowski. Though the film was met with mild regard on it’s release (after the far more successful Fargo), it would go onto become a cult success and then re-evaluated as a true classic and the film Bridges is most associated with. In 2010, Bridges would in the Oscar for a country singer in Crazy Heart and would be nominated twice more for the Coen Brothers remake of True Grit and for the modern western-crime film Hell and High Water. Most recently he appeared in the stylish crime thriller Bad Times at the El Royale and is set to star in his first ongoing TV role in the spy thriller The Old Man.
I feel like I am far more familiar the latter Bridges. Yes, I’ve seen some of the younger, fresh-faced Bridges when he seemed to be an exciting young actor but I feel like a lot of people my age, we know the turning point when he became an earthy older man. I feel like The Big Lebowski was the first and though his character wasn’t “old”, he was clearly older and burnt out and I feel like even though he’s played very different roles, it has informed a lot of the direction of his characters, older people who have lived hard and often rich lives. They might sometimes be villains like Obediah Stane but I’m much more used to him in films like True Grit and Hell and High Water, where he really lives in the roles of people of character and a boldness and confident of understanding the life they lived.
People appreciate his WIZENED style and don’t appreciate MINE… even when I say “OH, I AM OLD! SO VERY OLD!”
He can show me how to make white Russians and I can show him how to make left over orange drink with gin in it.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: Neither again. I feel we are on a very sad streak.
ACTING!
AS
Lantern Cop #2
74 Points, 3 Lists, #2 Adrenaline
Iconic Roles: Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski (The Big Lebowski), Duane Jackson (The Last Picture Show), Kevin Flynn / CLU (Tron), Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski (real life now)
Son of actor Lloyd Bridges, Jeff (and his brother Beau) became stars of stage and screen at a young age, including when he was about a year old in The Company She Keeps. Both would make appearances in their father’s TV series Sea Hunt and the Lloyd Bridges Show. After several TV appearances, he had his first major role in The Last Picture Show, a “new Hollywood” film where his portrayal of a small town teen likely doomed to never leave town earned him an Oscar nomination. He soon starred in major films including the King Kong remake and getting another Oscar nom in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (directed by Clint Eastwood). He also starred in the science fiction films Tron and Starman (the latter earning him yet another Oscar nomination), and made big waves in the film Fearless, with many believing it to be a bold portrayal of a man dealing with grief and survivor’s guilt following a plane crash. His most iconic role would come in 1998, in which he played the Dude in the noir comedy The Big Lebowski. Though the film was met with mild regard on it’s release (after the far more successful Fargo), it would go onto become a cult success and then re-evaluated as a true classic and the film Bridges is most associated with. In 2010, Bridges would in the Oscar for a country singer in Crazy Heart and would be nominated twice more for the Coen Brothers remake of True Grit and for the modern western-crime film Hell and High Water. Most recently he appeared in the stylish crime thriller Bad Times at the El Royale and is set to star in his first ongoing TV role in the spy thriller The Old Man.
I feel like I am far more familiar the latter Bridges. Yes, I’ve seen some of the younger, fresh-faced Bridges when he seemed to be an exciting young actor but I feel like a lot of people my age, we know the turning point when he became an earthy older man. I feel like The Big Lebowski was the first and though his character wasn’t “old”, he was clearly older and burnt out and I feel like even though he’s played very different roles, it has informed a lot of the direction of his characters, older people who have lived hard and often rich lives. They might sometimes be villains like Obediah Stane but I’m much more used to him in films like True Grit and Hell and High Water, where he really lives in the roles of people of character and a boldness and confident of understanding the life they lived.
People appreciate his WIZENED style and don’t appreciate MINE… even when I say “OH, I AM OLD! SO VERY OLD!”
He can show me how to make white Russians and I can show him how to make left over orange drink with gin in it.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: Neither again. I feel we are on a very sad streak.
ACTING!
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
14. Mark Hamill
AS
Lantern Cop #3
79 Points, 3 Lists, #3 Dracula
Iconic Roles: Luke Skywalker (Star Wars), the Joker (Batman: The Animated Series), The Trickster (The Flash), Guy Who Turns Into a Cockroach and Dies (The Guyver. Yeah, there was a Guyver movie and Mark Hamill was in it)
Mark Hamill began his career in a small role in the soap opera General Hospital and after a few years of smaller TV roles, starred in the short lived sitcom The Texas Wheelers and voicing the main character in Jeanie, an animated version of the sitcom I Dream of Jeanie. He did more guesting on TV series and appearing in TV movies but his life changed when he earned the starring role in Star Wars, a sci-fi movie that would become a phenomena. Hamill decided to strive for very different roles to avoid being typecast but while he never lacked for work, the shadow of Star Wars was undeniable with Hamill often reprising the role. Nonetheless, his career on stage was more successful, even earning a Drama Desk award for Harrigan N Hart. In the early 90s, Hamill had a recurring role as The Trickster in the television series the Flash (which he would reprise in a new continuity over two decades later) which would be a warm up for playing the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series. His version of the Joker would be as iconic as Nicholson or Romero and would also open a door to MUCH more work in animation, a field he’d had only a few parts in before. Hamill would continue to appear as himself in TV, often in reference to Star Wars but he only literally return to it much later with the newer Star Wars trilogy. Hamill’s current work includes a recurring role on Invincible, voicing Chucky the doll in the most recent Child’s Play film and a miniseries adaptation of the Fall of the House of Usher.
Star Wars was a film I watched obsessively as a kid… and if I wasn’t watching it, it was on in the background on a loop from my VHS. And I also loved Batman the animated series. I used to consider myself more of a Marvel zombie but the show really turned me around from thinking of the characters as a collection of cool action figure looking dudes and more tragic figures of interest. My mind was blown that sweet Luke and the depraved Joker were one and the same. I feel like Hamill was underestimated for much of his career and that he was that guy who did OK as Luke but he’s really got a skill as an actor who will work with whatever you need him for. But I love that Hamill clearly loves being a voice actor, getting to be an alien in the last Star Wars movie or even a random animal or cop in the Powerpuff Girls. This is a guy just joyful to be in the game and stretching out beyond his icons (which is probably why he keeps trying not to be the Joker).
WATCH HIM IN BRIGSBY BEAR! A sweet comedy drama where… well, the less you know going in, the more of a surprise the first act is.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: Sadly, no Trek yet, though I feel appearing in Lower Decks MUST be in the offing. But he did appear in the Simpsons in Mayored to the Mob and he’s not only the best part of the episode playing himself, he gets to play a wacky bodyguard trainer.
ACTING!
AS
Lantern Cop #3
79 Points, 3 Lists, #3 Dracula
Iconic Roles: Luke Skywalker (Star Wars), the Joker (Batman: The Animated Series), The Trickster (The Flash), Guy Who Turns Into a Cockroach and Dies (The Guyver. Yeah, there was a Guyver movie and Mark Hamill was in it)
Mark Hamill began his career in a small role in the soap opera General Hospital and after a few years of smaller TV roles, starred in the short lived sitcom The Texas Wheelers and voicing the main character in Jeanie, an animated version of the sitcom I Dream of Jeanie. He did more guesting on TV series and appearing in TV movies but his life changed when he earned the starring role in Star Wars, a sci-fi movie that would become a phenomena. Hamill decided to strive for very different roles to avoid being typecast but while he never lacked for work, the shadow of Star Wars was undeniable with Hamill often reprising the role. Nonetheless, his career on stage was more successful, even earning a Drama Desk award for Harrigan N Hart. In the early 90s, Hamill had a recurring role as The Trickster in the television series the Flash (which he would reprise in a new continuity over two decades later) which would be a warm up for playing the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series. His version of the Joker would be as iconic as Nicholson or Romero and would also open a door to MUCH more work in animation, a field he’d had only a few parts in before. Hamill would continue to appear as himself in TV, often in reference to Star Wars but he only literally return to it much later with the newer Star Wars trilogy. Hamill’s current work includes a recurring role on Invincible, voicing Chucky the doll in the most recent Child’s Play film and a miniseries adaptation of the Fall of the House of Usher.
Star Wars was a film I watched obsessively as a kid… and if I wasn’t watching it, it was on in the background on a loop from my VHS. And I also loved Batman the animated series. I used to consider myself more of a Marvel zombie but the show really turned me around from thinking of the characters as a collection of cool action figure looking dudes and more tragic figures of interest. My mind was blown that sweet Luke and the depraved Joker were one and the same. I feel like Hamill was underestimated for much of his career and that he was that guy who did OK as Luke but he’s really got a skill as an actor who will work with whatever you need him for. But I love that Hamill clearly loves being a voice actor, getting to be an alien in the last Star Wars movie or even a random animal or cop in the Powerpuff Girls. This is a guy just joyful to be in the game and stretching out beyond his icons (which is probably why he keeps trying not to be the Joker).
WATCH HIM IN BRIGSBY BEAR! A sweet comedy drama where… well, the less you know going in, the more of a surprise the first act is.
Simpsons or Star Trek?: Sadly, no Trek yet, though I feel appearing in Lower Decks MUST be in the offing. But he did appear in the Simpsons in Mayored to the Mob and he’s not only the best part of the episode playing himself, he gets to play a wacky bodyguard trainer.
ACTING!
I didn't vote for him, but, IMO, Hamill's secret best performance, and one relevant to this forum, is Full Throttle, where he played both the villain, Adrian Ripburger, and my personal favourite, Todd:
Oh, and he was also the truck driver at the bar, which I only learned when looking up these clips!
Oh, and he was also the truck driver at the bar, which I only learned when looking up these clips!
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As a kid I felt like I had a spiritual connection to Mark Hamill in some way - I was a blond-haired kid named Luke obsessed with spaceships and robots, after all. Star Wars were probably the first films in which I learned the names of the actors. I'd also watch BTAS on TV, and sometimes I'd catch the credits afterward. I almost couldn't believe it when I saw Hamill's name next to "Joker." Could they really be the same guy? There was no Internet back then for me to go check.
Ever since then I've always been excited to hear Hamill voice acting in anything. He's such a joy. One of my favorite roles for him was in Batman: The Brave & The Bold, a show which normally does not feature Hamill. In the episode "Chill of the Night" (written by BTAS mastermind Paul Dini), the ethereal Spectre and Phantom Stranger gamble over Batman's soul, determining whether he will embody a spirit of justice or of vengeance. Stranger, voiced by Batman alum Kevin Conroy, represents justice, while Spectre, voiced by Hamill, represents vengeance. I love meta stuff like this.
And I do hope we get years more of Hamill's angry tweets.
Ever since then I've always been excited to hear Hamill voice acting in anything. He's such a joy. One of my favorite roles for him was in Batman: The Brave & The Bold, a show which normally does not feature Hamill. In the episode "Chill of the Night" (written by BTAS mastermind Paul Dini), the ethereal Spectre and Phantom Stranger gamble over Batman's soul, determining whether he will embody a spirit of justice or of vengeance. Stranger, voiced by Batman alum Kevin Conroy, represents justice, while Spectre, voiced by Hamill, represents vengeance. I love meta stuff like this.
And I do hope we get years more of Hamill's angry tweets.