To be honest, I have to admit that I got this idea from another Web site that I go to. Okay, forget the stars. Sometimes actors who are more suitable for supporting roles are very interesting and/or talented. They are generally known as character actors. That doesn't mean they can't star in something, but they aren't traditional leading man/lady types.

Can you think of anyone like this? Let me mention one to get the ball rolling - Jerry Orbach, who currently plays one of the police detectives on "Law & Order." He's a great addition to the show because he's very funny and interesting. He gets a lot of the funny lines on the show. He's been around since the 50s, and has been in at least 60 movies.

Three come to my mind immediately.

Naming only one of the many, many films for each:

Kevin Bacon - Apollo 13
Gary Sinise - Apollo 13
Scott Glenn - Backdraft

wilford brimley - the Firm, plus a million movies and tvshows in which he appeared as "grandpa"

Although he had some starring roles I think that Lee Marvin would be considered a character actor. To me , he was vastly underrated!

Originally posted by Mysty Eyes
Three come to my mind immediately.

Naming only one of the many, many films for each:

Kevin Bacon - Apollo 13
Gary Sinise - Apollo 13
Scott Glenn - Backdraft


Scott Glenn.............Oh yes!:D

These are some of the best:

Philip Seymour Hoffman

J.T. Walsh

William H. Macy

Ed Harris

Oliver Platt

Will Patton

Luis Guzman

Vincent D'Onofrio

Chris Cooper

Steve Buscemi


Here is a good list with pictures of these and other character actors and movies they are known for:

http://www.geocities.com/jamiehol/actors.html

Originally posted by dlemond

Steve Buscemi


*gasp* I :heart: Steve!!!

Anyway, Alan Rickman is a good one. Always the villain. Villains are never the lead. *pouts* Alan needs to get his own movie. That'd please me greatly.


What about that guy? Burt Mustin or whatever his name was? TVLand gave him his own song. :lol:

This is my 6th time to try post, cos people keep asking for the phone in the middle of my typing- and I have to reload the page, sometimes the stuff I've wrote so far is gone! My new pet hate!

Ok, I got a few character actors:

John Lithgow: He was a big actor in the 70's/80's, but now he's only known for 3rd Rock- and he's done alot of character acting, and movies no one remembers. He's great in The World According to Garp as a transvestite

Paul Dooley: For years I knew his face but couldn't ever remember his name, he was in Sixteen Candles (which i've never seen) but does lots of tv guest roles and small movie roles (he replaced Jim Belushi in Little Shop of Horror other ending)

Milton Berle: He's dead now, but I've seen him in alot of small roles as well- though he used to be ultra famous.

Is Tim Curry considered a character actor now? He was big for a while- but now, though he has alot of work, and you remember his face he's not really a superstar- he's doing the new Terry Gilliam Monty Python kinda film, as Reverend Whoopsie in 'The Remains of the Piano. I was creeped out by his humour for years, cos I always remembered his voice- but after Rocky Horror you can see where his humour is coming from- and laugh now!

Originally posted by Rockapella722
*gasp* I :heart: Steve!!!

Anyway, Alan Rickman is a good one. Always the villain. Villains are never the lead. *pouts* Alan needs to get his own movie. That'd please me greatly.


What about that guy? Burt Mustin or whatever his name was? TVLand gave him his own song. :lol:

I LOVE ALAN RICKMAN!! But he doesn't always play villains. Case in point-"Dogma" and I've seen him in movies on channels like Bravo where he wasn't a villain. When he is a villain, though, he is what I like to call 'delicious'. I loved him in Harry Potter. I also like Steve Buscemi. Although he's been in a number of his 'own' movies, he's a Adam Sandler flunkie. That's my word for anybody who worked with the same people in movies.

Lastly, Burt Mustin. I think that's his name, too, and I do know who you're talking about, Rockapella. I remember the commercial they did on him on TVLand. I'm sure he's dead by now. He was already pretty old when he was on All in the Family. That's the only show I can remember him on right now, but I've seen him on a lot more shows.

Originally posted by phoebe7165
I LOVE ALAN RICKMAN!! But he doesn't always play villains. Case in point-"Dogma" and I've seen him in movies on channels like Bravo where he wasn't a villain. When he is a villain, though, he is what I like to call 'delicious'. I loved him in Harry Potter. I also like Steve Buscemi. Although he's been in a number of his 'own' movies, he's a Adam Sandler flunkie. That's my word for anybody who worked with the same people in movies.


Yes, I loved his character in 'Dogma'. Metatron was hilarious. I loved when he tried to clean up the mess Bartleby made when he fell over using God's dress. It makes me laugh so hard. And he kept smiling in that movie. I nearly died. :eyes: I've recently found his fan mail address and I have a letter half-written. I gotta wait until he starts accepting fan mail again... probably not until HP is done filming. :p

I agree, he's great as anything, but usually he gets the villain role. I don't think he's as wonderful in the romantic roles... unless it's ME he's being romantic with. ;) :D

And I agree, he IS delicious. :heart:

Originally posted by BrandonS

Can you think of anyone like this? Let me mention one to get the ball rolling - Jerry Orbach, who currently plays one of the police detectives on "Law & Order." He's a great addition to the show because he's very funny and interesting. He gets a lot of the funny lines on the show. He's been around since the 50s, and has been in at least 60 movies.

Jerry Orbach was the first Billy Flynn in Chicago the musical back in 1975. :)