Sometimes they have lead roles. Many times not. What are some of your favorite character actors? 1-5 is in favorite order but after 5 it's out of order.

1. Lee Van Cleef
2. Steve Buscemi
3. Joe Pantoliano
4. Joe Pesci
5. Frank Vincent
6. John Cusak
7. Walter Brennan [may have many lead roles as I have not seen a lot from him]
8. Eli Wallach
9. Michael Madsen
10. John Cazale

Christopher Walken

Christ, how could I forget him.

1. Joe Pesci
2. John Cusack
3. Steve Buscemi
4. Christopher Walken
5. Michael Madsen

Honorable Mentions: Joey Pants, John Cazale, Anthony Michael Hall (sorry, I find his geek persona of the 80's hilarious), Judd Nelson and Frank Vincent.

1) John Cusack
2) Peter Lorre
3) Christopher Walken
4) Steve Buscemi
5) Judd Nelson

Liam Dunn, Margaret Dumont, Donald Sutherland, John Spencer, Christine Baranski

Danny Aiello is another great character actor.


After Chicago, I bet I know who Don Malta's new favorite character actor is!


Don Cardi

1) Robert De Niro
2) Al Pacino
3) Willem Dafoe
4) Samuel L. Jackson
5) Adam Sandler

Remember, this isn't my favorite list of actors ranked in order. I'm ranking them by the characters they play. But these are still my top 5 favorite actors, again just not in this order.

Pacino and Deniro?

Do you even know what a character actor is?

You're asking Christ? I don't think He cares about character actors.

Maybe you should provide the group with a definition of "character actor". They seem to be confused.

Obviously not. :rolleyes:

Besides you and Mikey??

I don't. Can someone explain it to me?

I don't. Can someone explain it to me? [/b][/quote]Actors who aren't known for lead roles. They usually have many movies but almost always roles as secondary characters. Cleef in many Westerns, Buscemi in RDogs and others, etc.

Well, I always thought, contrary to what DV says in his opening post, that a character actor, first and foremost, would not be a star, but, although he might be well known to the public, usually plays supporting, or even minor roles which could be quite memorable but involved relatively little screen time.

A Senator Geary, for example. A Hyman Roth. Moe Green.

I also looked up a definition, and it said that the roles played by character actors were usually "eccentric or unusual" characters.

I think once a character actor has a lead role or two, you can't really call him a character actor any more, although Pesci may be the exception since he always plays the same type of character.

In that case I wouldn't consider Joe Pesci or John Cusak character actors then.

I'd agree with you about Cusack. Pesci is almost like a special case. The only movie you could really say that he ever "starred" in, meaning that it was really "his" movie, was "My Cousin Vinnie".

To me Frank Vincent and Steve Buscemi are perfect examples.

Vincent always plays the same character, always in a small role, and Buscemi is no star, but he's always playing those eccentric, unusual, quirky kinds of guys.

John Cusack can definitely be argued -- but I would call him a special case, as well as Pesci. He usually plays the same type of nice guy role who has a hunch or underlying problem, etc. Examples: High Fidelity, Grosse Point Blanke, Say Anything, etc. It can go either way, but I would consider him a character actor.

One of my favorite character actors is Hector Elizondo. I think he brings great depth to even the tiniest role. Who could forget him as the hotel manager in Pretty Woman?

Yeah, John Cusack is definitely not a character actor. Walken wasnt before but has sort of become one lately. Him and buschemi are the best.

I've always thought of Peter Lorre as the greatest example of a character actor. And I read an interesting comparison, saying that Steve Buscemi is like the Peter Lorre of today.

I've always considered Cusack a character actor.. but if you guys want to get pissy about it, then how bout.. Charles Lane.

Omar gave the quintessential example of a character actor - Peter Lorre.

A few more (especially from that era) were Andy Devine (in all those wonderful westerns) and Jimmy Finlayson, best known for his "D'oh" in the Laurel & Hardy comedies.

"Hey Wild Bill....Wait for me!"
(Remember that one?)

Wouldn't Tony Randall be considered a character actor as well. I remember him always co-starring with Rock Hudson/Doris Day. How about Gig Young, remember him???


TIS

Here's my list. Some of them are oldies but goodies.

1. Peggy Cass
2. Jack Elam
3. Hattie McDaniel
4. Margaret Hamilton
5. Joe Pantoliano
6. David Carradine
7. Claude Akins
8. Pat Hingle
9. William Schallert
10. William H. Macy
11. Kathy Bates
12. Rene Auberjonois
13. James Cromwell
13. Charles S. Dutton
14. Luis Guzman
15. Ed Harris
16. Hal Holbrook

Wow, this is kind of off topic, but just as I read this.. Tony Randall popped up on my TV.. I'm watching TCM and they were showing an interview of Randall talking about Doris Day. Ironic.

I just thought of another person: Tony Shaloub.

He played the weirdest guy on "Wings", and has had some very memorable (small) parts in films over the years, my favorite being his performance in "The Man Who Wasn't There".

Christopher Walken for me: Things To Do in Denver When You're Dead, Pulp Fiction, True Romance, Annie Hall Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice" video, etc. Plus, his career is summed up with his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for The Deer Hunter.

Other favourites of mine: John Cazale, Philip Seymour Hoffmann, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, and, although going by only one performance, Dean Stockwell (Suave Ben in Blue Velvet) and Tony Salhoub (The Man Who Wasn't There).

I must be missing loads that I'll remember when offline and then forget about once I'm online again...

Mick

Is he the guy the stars in the TV show "Monk"?