Breadman's all time favs.
by breadman8 | created - 03 Jun 2011 | updated - 26 Dec 2011 | Public
1. Denzel Washington
Actor | Fences
Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. was born on December 28, 1954 in Mount Vernon, New York. He is the middle of three children of a beautician mother, Lennis, from Georgia, and a Pentecostal minister father, Denzel Washington, Sr., from Virginia. After graduating from high school, Denzel enrolled at ...
The modern Master. So many brilliant films and he just gets better with age. Training Day, Man on Fire, Inside Man If you don't know...shame on you. One of his best efforts was in a failed remake of the "Manchurian Candidate". Washington showed new range as the tormented, haunted Major. His smaller movies were worthy contributions too. "Antwone Fisher" and "the Great Debaters".
2. Gene Hackman
Actor | The French Connection
Eugene Allen Hackman was born in San Bernardino, California, the son of Anna Lyda Elizabeth (Gray) and Eugene Ezra Hackman, who operated a newspaper printing press. He is of Pennsylvania Dutch (German), English, and Scottish ancestry, partly by way of Canada, where his mother was born. After ...
To me he is "GENE ! " Small role or large it does not matter. Always amazing. So many wonderful films for the workaholic. From "French Connection thru Mamet's "Heist" as he parries with Danny DeVito and or Del Roy Lindo. He elevates even a standard formula film.
3. Cary Grant
Actor | North by Northwest
Once told by an interviewer, "Everybody would like to be Cary Grant", Grant is said to have replied, "So would I."
Cary Grant was born Archibald Alec Leach on January 18, 1904 in Horfield, Bristol, England, to Elsie Maria (Kingdon) and Elias James Leach, who worked in a factory. His early years in ...
I can only tell younger folk. There will never be another. The best.
4. Burt Lancaster
Actor | From Here to Eternity
Burt Lancaster, one of five children, was born in Manhattan, to Elizabeth (Roberts) and James Henry Lancaster, a postal worker. All his grandparents were immigrants from the north of Ireland. He was a tough street kid who took an early interest in gymnastics. He joined the circus as an acrobat and ...
Great great movie star. The Swimmer, Apache, Run silent Run Deep, From Here to Eternity. the Train. Can't leave out "Sweet Smell of Success". Hollywood folk evidently did not really like him. More reason to go with Burt. Sorry you youngsters may never know.
5. Gong Li
Actress | Man cheng jin dai huang jin jia
Born in Shenyang, grew up in Jinan, the daughter of an economics professor. Loved music from childhood, and dreamed of a singing career. After failing to gain entrance to China's top music school in 1985, applied for and was admitted to the Central Drama Academy in Beijing, from which she graduated...
One film and I was gone..er Gong for her. An unreal beauty. Rent her Chinese epics and see she why she is a huge talent whether well known in the USA or not.
6. Eva Marie Saint
Actress | On the Waterfront
Actress and producer Eva Marie Saint was born on July 4, 1924 on Newark, New Jersey. She is known for starring in Elia Kazan's On the Waterfront (1954), for which she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest (1959). Her film career also includes ...
Ethereal beauty AND In "On the Waterfront" and "North by Northwest". Enough said.
7. Robert De Niro
Actor | Cape Fear
One of the greatest actors of all time, Robert De Niro was born on August 17, 1943 in Manhattan, New York City, to artists Virginia (Admiral) and Robert De Niro Sr. His paternal grandfather was of Italian descent, and his other ancestry is Irish, English, Dutch, German, and French. He was trained ...
an easy choice
8. Al Pacino
Actor | Serpico
Alfredo James "Al" 'Pacino established himself as a film actor during one of cinema's most vibrant decades, the 1970s, and has become an enduring and iconic figure in the world of American movies.
He was born April 25, 1940 in Manhattan, New York City, to Italian-American parents, Rose (nee Gerardi)...
required choice and glad of it.
9. Morgan Freeman
Actor | Driving Miss Daisy
With an authoritative voice and calm demeanor, this ever popular American actor has grown into one of the most respected figures in modern US cinema. Morgan was born on June 1, 1937 in Memphis, Tennessee, to Mayme Edna (Revere), a teacher, and Morgan Porterfield Freeman, a barber. The young Freeman...
lends a certain authority to roles. Love him. In the voice overs for "Shawshank Redemption" Movie people said why haven't we done more of this. They do now.
10. James Stewart
Actor | Vertigo
James Maitland Stewart was born on May 20, 1908, in Indiana, Pennsylvania, to Elizabeth Ruth (Johnson) and Alexander Maitland Stewart, who owned a hardware store. He was of Scottish, Ulster-Scots, and some English descent. Stewart was educated at a local prep school, Mercersburg Academy, where he ...
A basic for any movie fan. All time movies.
11. Wes Studi
Actor | The Last of the Mohicans
From small-town Oklahoma native to internationally acclaimed actor and musician, Wes Studi credits his passion and multi-faceted background for his powerful character portrayals that forever changed a Hollywood stereotype. Within a few years of his arrival in Hollywood, Studi caught the attention ...
One awesome role in "Last of the Mohigans" etched in memory. Only role not specifically Native American was "Heat". Props to Michael Mann for both those choices. More Wes Please.
12. Delroy Lindo
Actor | Get Shorty
On the stage and on the big screen, Delroy Lindo projects a powerful presence that is almost impossible to ignore. Alhough it was not his first film role, his portrayal of the bipolar numbers boss West Indian Archie in Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992) is what first attracted attention to Lindo's ...
An unforgettable face became a familiar one. Seems like the name stars and directors are quick to hire Del Roy. Great line from "Heist" Gene Hackman to Del Roy character. "How yah doing Bobby? response: "Well,..I think your lookin' at it." Mamet lines flawlessly delivered. Savor such as "Malcolm X", "Get Shorty", "Clockers"
13. Cate Blanchett
Actress | Carol
Cate Blanchett was born on May 14, 1969 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, to June (Gamble), an Australian teacher and property developer, and Robert DeWitt Blanchett, Jr., an American advertising executive, originally from Texas. She has an older brother and a younger sister. When she was ten ...
Just the first "Elizabeth" alone puts her on my list. You get your monies worth everytime.
14. Robert Duvall
Actor | The Apostle
Veteran actor and director Robert Selden Duvall was born on January 5, 1931, in San Diego, CA, to Mildred Virginia (Hart), an amateur actress, and William Howard Duvall, a career military officer who later became an admiral. Duvall majored in drama at Principia College (Elsah, IL), then served a ...
From "Godfathers" on thru "The Great Santini" "Tender Mercies", and "Sling Blade", you can never top his work in the epic TV's "Lonesome Dove" with Tommy Lee Jones. Only the greatest TV drama ever. Check out two of his little movies. "The Apostle" and "A Family Thing" with topics that probably got made only because of Duvall's celebrity. Both deft treatments and deliveries.
15. Christian Bale
Actor | The Dark Knight
Christian Charles Philip Bale was born in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK on January 30, 1974, to English parents Jennifer "Jenny" (James) and David Bale. His mother was a circus performer and his father, who was born in South Africa, was a commercial pilot. The family lived in different countries ...
A guy who could just Take Over. He is as good as he wants to be. He saved the Batman francishe in Batman Begins though he got lost in the Heath Ledger Batman. Stunning to realize he was the boy Jim in Spielberg's passed over epic "Empire of the Sun". ....An ugly film like "American Psycho" seemed career suicide. Wrong. His apocalyptic genre "Reign of Fire" was dismissed but was rather good. It was the rare action movie animated by strong acting rather than effects or even plot. No one could afford the $$$ for that cast today. Not forgetting "3:10 To Yuma" and "The Boxer"...all strong entries.
16. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Actor | Inception
Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt was born February 17, 1981 in Los Angeles, California, to Jane Gordon and Dennis Levitt. Joseph was raised in a Jewish family with his late older brother, Dan Gordon-Levitt, who passed away in October 2010. His parents worked for the Pacifica Radio station KPFK-FM and ...
Ain't it the way. When newer actors get the blockbusters...there is not much to the acting. Joe G-L earned his stripes in small budget films. Especially "The Lookout" where he rocked my world. But then he gets to cash in on summer popcorn efforts like "GI Joe". No acting skills required. But good for this Joe GL.
17. Marlon Brando
Actor | Apocalypse Now
Marlon Brando is widely considered the greatest movie actor of all time, rivaled only by the more theatrically oriented Laurence Olivier in terms of esteem. Unlike Olivier, who preferred the stage to the screen, Brando concentrated his talents on movies after bidding the Broadway stage adieu in ...
An All Time great. Remember him forever as young...not the weird old guy he became. A line still used around our place...from "the Appaloosa" by John Saxton as a banditto talking to Brando. "You would not want to embarrass me in front of my pistoleros !" (as a threat). Take be back to Viva Zapata, The Young Lions or One Eyed Jacks. ...any time.
18. Stephen Rea
Actor | The Crying Game
Stephen Rea was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He attended Belfast High School and the Queen's University, where he studied English. He later trained at the Abbey Theatre School in Dublin. In 1970s, he acted in the Focus Company in Dublin with the talented Gabriel Byrne and Colm Meaney. After ...
OH thats what they meant by Irish wit and charm. "the Crying Game"...also "Citizen X"
19. Anthony Hopkins
Actor | The Silence of the Lambs
Anthony Hopkins was born on December 31, 1937, in Margam, Wales, to Muriel Anne (Yeats) and Richard Arthur Hopkins, a baker. His parents were both of half Welsh and half English descent. Influenced by Richard Burton, he decided to study at College of Music and Drama and graduated in 1957. In 1965, ...
Can watch him all day. But you didn't see his "Human Stain"
20. Bruce Willis
Actor | Die Hard
Actor and musician Bruce Willis is well known for playing wisecracking or hard-edged characters, often in spectacular action films. Collectively, he has appeared in films that have grossed in excess of $2.5 billion USD.
Walter Bruce Willis was born on March 19, 1955, in Idar-Oberstein, West Germany,...
Solid. Can play the everyman that few can. We just like him.
21. Brad Pitt
Actor | Fight Club
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt was born on December 18, 1963 in Shawnee, Oklahoma and raised in Springfield, Missouri to Jane Etta Pitt (née Hillhouse), a school counselor & William Alvin "Bill" Pitt, a truck company manager. At Kickapoo High School, Pitt was involved in sports, debating, student ...
At the end of the day...he's been a very good actor. Be sure and see "Snatch" it was a surprise when he showed up in that one but it worked. Troy was trashed but hey Brad Pitt was doing it ! Jesse James, Ben Button. We excuse "Mr. and Mrs Smith."
22. Sean Bean
Actor | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Sean Bean's career since the eighties spans theatre, radio, television and movies. Bean was born in Handsworth, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, to Rita (Tuckwood) and Brian Bean. He worked for his father's welding firm before he decided to become an actor. He attended RADA in London and appeared in a ...
Rarely a leading man but always excellant as friend or foe. Hero, villain or fraud. Two that come to mind "I'll Never Tell" "Ronan". Waiting for "Game of Thrones" series.
23. Gary Oldman
Actor | The Dark Knight
Gary Oldman is a talented English movie star and character actor, renowned for his expressive acting style. One of the most celebrated thespians of his generation, with a diverse career encompassing theatre, film and television, he is known for his roles as Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy (1986), ...
Show stopping bad cop in the The Professional. "I SAID...EVERYBODY !" This guy can do it all. Can't wait for the new version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
24. Geoffrey Rush
Actor | The King's Speech
Geoffrey Roy Rush was born on July 6, 1951, in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, to Merle (Bischof), a department store sales assistant, and Roy Baden Rush, an accountant for the Royal Australian Air Force. His mother was of German descent and his father had English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. ...
He's become the iconic pirate. As much as Margaret !!! became the iconic witch after Wizard of Oz. Gave weight to the Elizabeth films and should have won the Oscar for the Kings Speech.
25. Edie Falco
Actress | The Sopranos
Edith Falco, called Edie, was born on July 5, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York, to Judith Anderson, an actress, and Frank Falco, a jazz drummer. She is of Italian (father) and Swedish, English, and Cornish (mother) descent. Edie grew up on Long Island and attended SUNY Purchase, where she was trained in ...
Never saw the Sopranos until it was off TV. Freakin' unbelieveable. She made the show 'real". That ran for years...but one 10 min. role as Karen in the film "Freedomland" (C+) blew the doors off again. A world apart from prior TV roles...."Just a nod of the head....it's such a little thing...just a nod" WOW.
26. Joaquin Phoenix
Actor | Walk the Line
Joaquin Phoenix was born Joaquin Rafael Bottom in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Arlyn (Dunetz) and John Bottom, and is the middle child in a brood of five. His parents, from the continental United States, were then serving as Children of God missionaries. His mother is from a Jewish family from New ...
Absolutely: In retirement? What? His movie rolls that rocked: Gladiator, The Village, Johnnie Cash, Signs. etc etc.
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