Favorite Actors

There has been a request for me to include who my favorite actors are in the discussion of my favorite films so that will be today’s topic. Now when thinking about who my favorite are it did not take very long to think of a few that I really like. For instance Charlie Chaplin. As mentioned before I am a huge fan of his and for anyone that says that they do not like silent movies pick up a copy of City Lights or The Kid and tell me that they aren’t fantastic movies. The reason I mention him first, mostly cause he is the oldest on my list, is because he had less to work with without synchronized dialogue. As a result he had to keep you entertained by his motions on screen and his facial expressions. Without these he could not have succeeded in making some many silent comedic films because he used his actions so well. Not only could he make you laugh, but he also could make you cry. Again he really hit a nerve when his character went from happy (which the Tramp often was) to sad.

Another great actor that came to mind was Humphrey Bogart (one academy award). He came from humble begins as non-leads then some leads in many B-films. Then when he did climb to the A-films he was generally the non-lead. He finally made it because he took his job seriously and was good at it. He made some classics and you can’t deny that he is one of the most recognized faces in movie history.

You also can’t argue with Brando (two academy awards, numerous years apart), haven’t really seen many of his films (at least as many as the previous two) but he was good with Kazan and he was good with Francis Ford Coppola. He was an inspiration for other great actors (Dean, who was great and could have been the greatest if it wasn’t for his early death) plus he was avid civil rights supporter, which made him more than an actor. You cannot argue with the range in his awards, meaning that his acting style was able to transcend time, something that many actors aren’t able to do, plus he was nominated numerous other times for the award.

Well where would we be without John Wayne (one academy award), the face of the West. He also had humble beginnings. He made his way through the westerns but he also diversified making him more than just a western man (although he won his AA for true grit, a western). He also appeared in the Quiet Man and some war movies which expanded his horizons.

It brings us to the modern age of movies and lets be honest you do not have to be the greatest of actors to gain fame. However it’s not to say that we do not have great actors now. Connery (old I know) is the man, and I like the roles that he selects. Depp also makes good decisions and chooses roles that I think fit him the best although sometimes they do not result in spectacular movies. Damon also comes to mind as a good actor and shows versatility in his ability to do action films (Bourne series), while also having the ability to make dramas (Good Will Hunting).

Which brings you to the moment you all have been waiting for, and that’s my ranking of my favorite actors.

1. Charlie Chaplin
1.John Wayne
3.Bogart
4. Brando
5. Connery
6. Dean

I know a little bit of cop-out by not choosing an overall number one, but what can I say it’s too hard to pick one over the other. Some of you are probably wondering where the rest of the big shots are (Tracy, Cooper, Hoffman, Hanks, Nicholson etc) they are good actors, but just not my favorite.
[Note: only men on this list, actresses I will address later].