Top ten actors/filmstars of all time

A few weeks ago, over here in England, Channel Four did a programme listed the Top 100 Filmstars of all time, as voted by the British public. I think at number one was Al Pacino, number two was Robert De Niro, number three was Tom Hanks, number four was I think Kevin Spacey, and I think Harrison Ford was at number five, and goold old Ewan was at number 9. Anyway, so I thought that perhaps we could list our top ten filmstars/actors of all time! So, who fancies doing that?

 

Well, that's why I did the / as I thought that maybe we could rank actors according to their star quality, and another list for their acting ablility!

 

I'm having a think about it, first.

 

I'm working on a list. So far it includes Brad Pitt and Harpo Marx. I'll probably throw in Paul Newman too. Seven more to go.

 

Harpo Marx?

[image=http://members.aol.com/seconddoordown/thumb.jpg]

 

Will Pauly Shore be included in your list?

*hopes*

 

That's tough to just come up with ten.

I mean, do I put Britney Spears before or after Hepburn?

 

Um, hello! Did you not see Crossroads? BEFORE!

 

No one can weasel quite like Pauly Shore.

And yes, I'm a fan of Harpo. Physical comedy never gets old, his movies are close to 70 years old and it's still knee slapping funny.

Add Peter Sellers (for Dr. Stranglove) and Christopher Walken (for the Deer Hunter) to my list. That means I need 5 more.

 

Tanya Roberts definitely belongs on my top 10 list.

Hey, at least she can scream!

 

Okay, here's my list. This is based on movies I've seen, and who I felt gave the best performance or was the most entertaining:

1. Paul Newman - no one plays a cool guy, average joe like Newman. From Cool Hand Luke, to Butch and Sundance, to Road to Perdition, he's had so many good roles.

2. Peter Sellers - see Dr. Stranglove. He plays three different characters, each one funny in different ways. Add to that his inspector Cleuseau, and you can see why he was so great

3. Harpo Marx - for the reasons I stated above

4. Sean Connery - The coolest Scottsman ever.

5. Brad Pitt - I used to think he was a pretty boy, but then I realized I've liked about 90% of his movies. He was great in 12 Monkeys, Fight Club, and Interview with a Vampire, among others.

6. Christopher Walken - He's...so..damned quirky. But seriously, he's simply amazing in The Deer Hunter. Those eyes of his were so big and so terrified in that movie, the gun he held to his head may have been loaded.

7. Sigorny Weaver - she really introduced the tough chick and female heroine to Hollywood, and paved the way for all girlie action films we have now.

8. Kirsten Dunst - yes, she's done a ton of awful teeny flicks, and yes, she comes across as a dingbat, but for the Virgin Suicides and her amazing role in Interview with a Vampire (a cute little girl never scared me so bad), she gets props.

9. David Warner - why this guy doesn't get more work, I don't know. His stoic attitude and authoritative voice are just..evil. He played Evil in Time Bandits, and the MCP (and Zark) in Tron.

10. Cameron Diaz - I was hesitant to put her on the list, mostly for Charlie's Angels. But she's done a lot of good stuff too: Last Supper, Keys to Tulsa, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Being John Malkovich, Very Bad Things, etc. So that tempers her bad movie, I guess. But Charlie's Angels is so, so bad.

Also, making this list has made me realize, that women had really, really bad roles in the 60s and before. They were basically all supporting men, with a few exceptions. Even today, there are almost no good women actresses who haven't done some type of awful romantic comedy or lesser movie. I guess you've got to pay the rent.

Honorable mention goes to these actors that almost made the list: R. Lee Emery, Uma Thurman, Vincent Price and Johnny Depp.

 

I had seen that list from the UK, at least the top 5. I think it was supposed to be a combination of talent and star power (personally, I think talent is infinitely more important. I pretty much agreed with what I saw of that list for that kind of combo.

I also felt that actors such as Paul Newman, Jack Lemmon, James Stewart, Boggie, Gregory Peck, and Audrey Hepburn should have been right up there. True, most of those are of past generations, but they are certainly all stellar.

As for more modern ones... Cate Blancette, Ed Norton, Juliane Moore, Russel Crowe, Nicole Kidman, and Mel Gibson are ones that I would also classify as great actors who also have star power.

But as for the original list, those top 5 (Pacino, DeNiro, Hanks, Spacey, Ford) are all actors in my top 10 of all time

 

I don't know, really. I haven't seen as many movies as most people, and not so many with actors like Pacino, DeNero and all those classic people. So because they aren't on a list I make is only because I have yet to see them. On my list so far, though, would be:
Harrison Ford
Sean Connery
Ewan McGregor
Nicole Kidman
Tom Cruise
Tom Hanks
Richard Harris

I was hesitant about putting Ewan on there, though, just because he's so young that I don't know if he gets an "all time" award yet.
See, my list of favorite actors and best of all time would be slightly different. Because I like Ian McKellan and Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom and Hugo Weaving... but they won't be getting a lifetime acheivement award anytime soon.

 

Don't be mistaken. Ian has some very good performances under his belt.

 

Really, Rachel? I hadn't seen anything of his besides LotR. I mean, I knew he was in plenty of other stuff too... perhaps I should check out some of his other performances

 

You mean you haven't watched X-Men?

[face_shocked]

 

I was thinking more along the lines of Gods and Monsters or Apt Pupil (one of those other Bryan Singer films )

 

McKellen is a brilliant actor. Here's just his film work from imdb.com:

Kinsey (2004) (pre-production)
Emile (2003) (post-production) .... Emile
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003) (post-production) .... Gandalf
... aka Return of the King, The (2003)
X2 (2003) .... Erik Lensherr/Magneto
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002) .... Gandalf
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) .... Gandalf
William Shakespeare (2000) (archive footage) .... Richard III
X-Men (2000) .... Erik Mangus Lensherr/Magneto
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man (2000) (voice) .... Narrator
David Copperfield (1999) (TV) .... Creakle (episode 1)
Apt Pupil (1998) .... Kurt Dussander
Gods and Monsters (1998) .... James Whale
Swept from the Sea (1997) .... Dr. James Kennedy
Bent (1997) .... Uncle Freddie
Evening with Lily Savage, An (1996) (TV) .... Audience Member/Himself
Rasputin (1996) (TV) .... Tsar Nicholas II
Restoration (1995) .... Will Gates
Richard III (1995) .... Richard III (also Duke of Gloucester)
Jack and Sarah (1995) .... William
Cold Comfort Farm (1995) (TV) .... Amos Starkadder
To Die For (1994) (voice) .... Quilt Documentary Narrator
... aka Heaven's a Drag (1994)
Shadow, The (1994) .... Dr. Reinhardt Lane
I'll Do Anything (1994) .... John Earl McAlpine
Six Degrees of Separation (1993) .... Geoffrey
And the Band Played On (1993) (TV) .... Bill Kraus
Ballad of Little Jo, The (1993) .... Percy Corcoran, Jo's Roommate, worked in Ruby City Assay Office
Last Action Hero (1993) .... Death
"Tales of the City" (1993) (mini) TV Series .... Archibald Anson Gidde
... aka "Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City" (1993) (mini)
Othello (1991) (TV) .... Iago
Countdown to War (1989) (TV) .... Adolf Hitler
Scandal (1989) .... John Profumo
Windmills of the Gods (1988) (TV) .... Chairman
Walter and June (1986) .... Walter
Zina (1985) .... Kronfeld
Plenty (1985) .... Sir Andrew Charleson
Keep, The (1983) .... Dr. Theodore Cuza
Scarlet Pimpernel, The (1982) (TV) .... Chauvelin
Dying Day (1982) (TV) .... Anthony Skipling
Priest of Love (1981) .... D. H. Lawrence
"Amud Ha'Esh" (1979) (mini) TV Series .... Narrator (English Version)
Macbeth (1979) (TV) .... Macbeth
Recruiting Officer, The (1973) (TV) .... Capt. Plume
Hamlet (1972) (TV) .... Hamlet
Hedda Gabler (1972) (TV) .... George Tesman
... aka Play of the Month: Hedda Gabler (1972) (TV) (UK)
Edward II (1970) (TV) .... King Edward
Tragedy of King Richard II, The (1970) (TV) .... Richard II
Ross (1970) (TV) .... T.E. Lawrence
Keats (1970) (TV) .... John Keats
Promise, The (1969) .... Leonidik
Alfred the Great (1969) .... Roger
Touch of Love, A (1969) .... George Matthews
Hay Fever (1968) (TV) .... Simon Bliss
"David Copperfield" (1966) TV Series .... David Copperfield (episodes 5-13)
Sunday Out of Season (1965) (TV) .... Victor Leech
Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne, The (1965) (TV)

He's also quite an accomplished stage actor.

 

Wow, his career survived "Last Action Hero".

Leo LaFart is going to pass gas one...last...time!

 

You mean you haven't watched X-Men?
not yet!

Wow, that'a lot Kate! Hey... he was Chauvelin in Scarlet Pimpernel. We watched that in my World Lit class earlier this year, and I thought he looked familiar. So, which do you think are his better performances? Maybe I should rent some of them.

 

Uh, here we go...

Don't laugh.
And please excuse any and all ignorance.

1) Ewan McGreggor
2) Edward Norton
3) The guy from scream behind the mask
4) The guy who played "Frank" in Donnie Darko
5) Samuel L. Jackson
6) Reese Witherspoon (from S.F.W. at least)
7) Brad Pit
8) Harrison Ford
9) The guy behind the Barney suit. God, he must be rich.
10) Me.. seriously. I can really and truly act. Just ask anyone who knows me.


~ James

 

Alison, Rachel mentioned two of his best roles - Apt Pupil and Gods and Monsters. Both are brilliant.

Quite a list there James.

 

I don't know names of many actors and such.

So.. yeah!


~ James

 

Well, there are just too many actors/actresses out there that I like. I'm not sure if I could come up with a top ten.

 

thanks Kate then

@ James! Barney suit!