Character actors are the unsung heroes of Hollywood. These are the guys you see in everything, you know their face, but you can’t quite place their name. Character actors have built their careers around small, yet distinctive roles. So – here are 15 of the best!
Diane Wiest has enjoyed a successful career on stage, television, and film. She might be best known for roles in Parenthood and Edward Scissorhands, and she has become better known for a series of anxious, insecure women who seem to be taxed to the breaking point just getting through the day.
Hedaya had a minor role in Oliver Stone’s Nixon and later played Nixon himself in Dick. He was a junior high school teacher for many years before deciding to pursue acting full-time.
Who can forget Jeffrey Jones in Beetle Juice or as the principal in Ferris Bueller’s Day off? Sadly, Jones became a registered sex offender in 2003, after having been accused of hiring a 14-year-old boy to pose for sexually explicit photographs, and pled guilty to a felony charge.
Acting since the age of seventeen, Stern got his start in off-Broadway productions and has built up quite an impressive list of movie credits. He starred in City Slickers and Home Alone.
I was surprised to learn Donal Logue attended Harvard and studied at the British-American Drama Academy in London. Logue starred in Blade and Jerry Maguire, among other things.
Cromwell has played a US President four times – fictional President Fowler in The Sum of All Fears, fictional President Newman in “The West Wing”, Lyndon B. Johnson in the TV movie RFK, and George H.W. Bush in Oliver Stone’s film W.
A veteran of over 100 television and 120+ movie roles, James is best remembered for roles such as the replicant Leon in Blade Runner, Gen. Munro in The Fifth Element, Big Teddy in Cabin Boy. He died of a heart attack in 1999.
Morse is frequently cast in book-to-movie/television works by Stephen King, and I personally enjoyed his performance in The Langoliers. He claims that out of all of the films he’s done, his favorites are The Green Mile, The Crossing Guard, The Indian Runner, and The Rock.
Stanton served in WWII before beginning his acting career. He also fronts a band called “The Harry Dean Stanton Band” which regularly performs in the Los Angeles area. He starred in Alien, Repo Man, Paris, Texas, and other films.
Vincent Schiavelli, selected in 1997 by Vanity Fair as one of the best character actors in America, made over 120 film and television appearances. Aside from his acting career, Vincent was the author of three cookbooks, and has written numerous articles on food for magazines and newspapers. He died of lung cancer in 2005. He starred in Blade Runner and Tomorrow Never Dies.
Fred Thompson was a United States Senator representing Tennessee from 1994 through 2002. He has played the same character, District Attorney Arthur Branch, in five different series: “Law & Order”, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”, “Law & Order: Trial by Jury” and “Conviction”. He also ran for president in 2008! Fred ’08.
Root has developed a cult following since his performance in Office Space and says people often give him red Swingline staplers.
Most famous for being one of the principal providers of voices on The Simpsons, he became better known through his appearances in films such as The Birdcage, Godzilla and Along Came Polly. As well as Moe, Wiggum and Apu, Azaria provides the voices of Comic Book Guy, Carl Carlson, Cletus Spuckler, Professor Frink, Dr. Nick Riviera, Lou, Snake, Kirk Van Houten, the Sea Captain, Superintendent Chalmers, Duffman, the “Wise Guy” and numerous other one-time characters in the Simpsons.
Edie McClurg is usually typecast as a middle-aged, somewhat stubborn and dimwitted Midwesterner. She has a Master of Science from Syracuse and taught radio at the University of Missouri/Kansas City for eight years. She starred in Natural Born Killers, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Mr. Mom.
Probably most well-known for playing Booger in Revenge of the Nerds, Armstrong also had a recurring role on Moonlighting.
Contributor: rushfan
…and who the ***** are you, “TOMMY 2 X 4″ ?
my newest fan?
I’d add Stephen Tobolowsky to this list. He’s been in over 180 movies! Look him up on IMDB and you’ll recognize him.
Doesn’t Jeffery Jones play proffessor Lupin in the Harry Potter movies? Or is it just me who think they look alike?
How about Jesse White- or as he is also known–The Maytag Repairman, perpetual victim of loneliness. This role is primarily a U.S. role,(I believe), but he did debut in 1947, Kiss of Death. His career lists 149 roles (IMDB), that covered movies, television and commercials.
He passed in Jan., 1997 heart attack.
Rushfan–thanks for the great list!!
No David Threwliss or something
Iain (8) –Yeah, He’s really great too. Especially in “Basic”.
Wilford Brimley called. He’s like his #1 spot on this list back, please.
Can’t forget Elisha Cook, Jr. He was Wilmer in The Maltese Falcon and Icepick on Magnum PI.
haha these are some good characters
Peter Stormare
If we’re across the pond and dragging in the excellent Spall (Iain, 64) and Thewlis (Tivvyred, 125 – it’s Thewlis, Tivvy, and surely supporting rather than character?), can we possibly leave out sports?man-turned-actor Vinny Jones? Tim Spall is hardly famous, but who could deny Vinny?
i love the green wing reference on the home page
@ rushfan
whatever you’re smoking and/or drinking…send me some!
sick..so sick but funny!
Hmm.. Noticed something.. Don’t know if its just me but there are 2 7’s and no 8..
The first 2 names i thought of were Gary Oldman and Ron Perlman. A bit sad not to see these two on the list.
Insaniac: You’re right, the list goes from 10 to 9 and then 7, 7, with no 8.
Great List! The most memorable movie Vincent Schiavelli acted in would be Ghost, though, for me. I think Brent Spiner should have been on the list. He’s acted the part of a redneck on the TV show Night Court, a scientist in the movie Independence Day, and the android Data on Star Trek TNG. His credits may not be as long as others but he’s diverse in his characters.
Where’s Paul Gleason? The stressed out principle of The Breakfast Club, Van Wilder, Not another Teen Movie, and Boy Meets World. Then again, wasn’t he ‘Richard Vernon’ in all of those roles?
No Warren Oates? Murray Hamilton? How could you not have at least one of them on the list?
I enjoyed this list, good work!
James James, the man so nice they named him twice! Woot Stephen Root is AWESOME.
I nearly started making a list of my fave “I know that guy” actors but the list really would be too long. I think though, one omission that stands out a bit more than others is Vincent Schiavelli; he was in *everything*.
Oh dude I fail. It must be late because I read the whole post and then said Schiavelli was omitted….*cough* *runs and hides*
the sign of a good list is the amount of response generated. good job, but the best character actor ever is Robert Duvall, yea he has had a leading roll or two but who can forget kilgore in that vietnam movie that we all talk about.
I’ve basically disqualified myself from this list. Im a character actor fan. Whenever I see an actor a few times, I’ll look at the credits to get their name. If an American points at a TV and says, “Look, it’s that guy” or “that woman” or “There’s the guy that had *some* disease on “Scrubs”. chances are that I’ll know their name. I could keep thinking of actors but I’m not sure how “famous” some of them would be considered.
How about:
Eric Christmas, Frances Sternhagen, K Callan, Gordon Jump, M Emmet Walsh, Tom Poston(I met him), Eugene Roach, Paul Sorvino, Fred Stoller
so for all of you who think Fred Thompson is a “one hit wonder” look him up he has been in 24 movies. and a bunch of tv shows i was surprised myself to see how many. weird huh?
Great list, I’m surprised Paul Giamatti has only been mentioned once, in the comments. He has mainstreamed into lead roles lately.
Tom Wilkinson
Robert Carlyle
Nick Frost
Christopher Walken has been a leading man but I would consider his best roles have been as defined in the list
What’s his name? R. Lee Ermey? The coach in Saving Silverman. As well as numerous drill seargents (sic?). He’d have fit right in on this list.
I didn’t know Vincent Schiavelli was dead.
Great list. All of those actors are fantastic and have memorable characters. I’d like to throw in a nomination for my all time favorite character actor: Stephen Tobolowski (Ned Ryerson in “Groundhog Day”, and Werner Brandes in “Sneakers”).
Correction: Stephen Tobolowsky
Michael Jeter anyone? I loved him in The Green Mile.Sadly he has now since died but i thought he was pretty good.I think he also had a part in Jurassic Park three.Or is that just me?
It seems, with the exception of Diane Wiest, that a requirement in the role of charactor actor is to be ugly as hell.
Captain Super, (154),
You’ve just offered an awful lot of people an awful lot of hope.
How do you have this list without Ned Beatty?
Deliverance
the life and times of Judge Roy Bean
All the Presidents Men
Superman
Rudy
Charlie Wilson’s War
any number of TV shows from Kojak to MASH to CSI.
louis, (156),
Wikipedia cites a total of 78 films (including your six) for the sadly neglected (here) and splendid Ned Beatty.
Cool breif list rush
actually helped put names to faces
Hi CRSN Wanna hear a joke? We were cut off before! I know lots!
I remember Daniel Stern best from “Breaking Away.” That was a great movie.
Vincent S was the best in Ghost as the weird old dead dude.
Vincent Schiavelli in “Blade Runner”? I think not-maybe you were thinking of “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” …
Edie McClurg? Is she the “You’re *****ed” lady in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”?
Vera, (160),
‘Breaking Away’? That’s one of my all-time personal favourite films, but Anita absolutely loved it when it came up (Spanish-dubbed) here too. She isn’t a cycling nut like me either (well done our guys in the olympics). It’s on the *buy next time* binge-list when our American friend here goes back for a visit to her native country in December.
I’ve quoted “The Cutters” to people as a way of adopting and turning round an insult to give your enemies the finger (not always possible, who’d want to call themselves “The Dick-Heads”?!). The encounter with the Italian *heroes* is so true of much of real-life sport, olympic spirit aside. Many competitors will do anything underhand to win, and even worse not to lose! I wonder how many idealistic young kids with talent have had similar rude awakenings during early trials in the pro world?
I have an idea for a list of sport films, probably later rather than sooner, one film per sport. ‘Breaking Away’ would be it for cycling.
Where’s John Cazale and Alex Rocco????
I’m sorry, but Ned Beatty from Deliverance only brings to mind one thing.
“Squee, squee squee. . . .”
And if you want to know, Bill McKinney, which I pointed out in a previous post, was the one forcing the action.
bucslim, (166),
Oh, boy, I love it, I love it. But you’ve just totally ruined ‘Deliverance’ for me for ever and ever. I shall never be able to watch it again without corpsing every time that scene comes on. I might as well play ‘The Cat and the Canary’ instead.
It says *famous* not *good* by the way.
I enjoyed the list but have a very difficult time calling a TWO-TIME OSCAR WINNER a character actor/actress (Diane Wiest).
Another satisfied vote foe Clint Howard as “cooperdick”
Anon (164) I love when he’s on the highway and the trucker (from the other team) flashes his fingers to show how fast he’s cycling. 40, 50, 60, and the trucker gets a ticket,and the cycler just cruises past. Great scene.
Vera, (171),
Yes, it’s full of such deft, inventive and memorable touches. Any film bought or listed to sit on our shelves has to have that repeat-worthy quality.
Plus, you can see how everyone got involved and must have enjoyed making it, I’m sure. Another hallmark of any fine film.
#173. Anon
Plus, you can see how everyone got involved and must have enjoyed making it, I’m sure. Another hallmark of any fine film.
****
That really is true, most of the time. When the actors love their characters, and the story, there is a special extra something that goes into the work (and let me be perfectly clear everyone, making a movie is work!). Whatever the something is would be impossible to define, but it encases the entire production…sorry, I’m distracted by a woodpecker banging on the branch of a tree about 10 feet from me…and even the p.a.s, the gofers, pickup on it.
OTOH, really talented actors can create a screen presence which would lead you to believe the work place was harmonious and serene when, in fact, it was a living hell. It may leak out here and there, just as a tension where none should exist, a pulsing blood vessel in the temple, a sharp tendon in the neck, but not anything anyone would notice.
That’s why they are called “actors”.
segue, (174),
Sure, or in a wider sense, “pros”. No one, when our botancial books come out, could guess the internecine hatreds that have existed between co-authors and perhaps editors and publishers during their *pregnancies*! (Joint literary *conception* is usually a fairly tranquil and inspired moment!)
You are right. Sometimes one sees a relaxed and natural film that is almost impossible to tell apart from real life (How DO they do that?). Then you hear afterwards that so-and-so (actor, director) was an evil bastard, a little Hitler, hated by the entire company. But sometimes perfectionists are made that way, and of course achieve what they seek: perfection.
When leading small groups in fieldwork, I’ve on occasion defied all the rest in a decision I believe to be essential. Normally I only work with consultation and consensus, but in those cases I went against my own standard character and was quite agressively and uncompromisingly insistent. I’ve felt the spiky barrier of instant resentment, unpopularity and dislike, and forced myself to ride it. Happily my judgement has hardly ever failed me (I certainly won’t claim Papal infallibility and say never!), and the guys have come back with more respect and admiration than ever afterwards.
I love Hank Azaria!
But you forgot to mention he was also in Tuesdays with Morrie.
Stephen Root also does a character voice on the show “King of the Hill”. He plays Bill.
No Danny Trejo? C’mon that guy has been in more movies than morgan freeman.
Hank Azaria was super-brilliant in Mystery Men. And Dabney Coleman, Ron Rifkin and Ron Lacey all come to mind.
Missy Pyle is HILAROUS