A Good Thriller discussion

I love and always remember the great stars, films of the 30,s ,40's, and 50's.

You had some great supporting actors, who really gave so much to the films but never earned top billing.

Walter Brennan
Van Heflin
Edward G Robinson
Spencer Tracy
Trevor Howard
Peter Lorre
Charles Durning
Eddie Albert
Edmond O'Brien
Wilford Brimley
Lee J Cobb
Strother Martin
Slim Pickens
Eli Wallach
Jack Warden
Elisha Cook
Martin Balsam
James Whitmore
Karl Malden
Sir Anthony Quale
George Kennedy
Dean Jagger
Claude Rains
Jack Palance
Peter Ustinov
Robert Morley
Charles Bickford
John Carradine
Robert Loggia
James Hong
Ian Holm
Robert Loggia
Sam Elliott
Brian Dennehy
Harry Dean Stanton
Ned Beatty
Christopher Walken
William H Macy
James Cromwell
Ed Lauter
Stanley Tucci
Jason Robards
Van Johnson
and E Emmet Walsh(no many will know the name but will know the face, made lots of films)

Basil Rathbone?
Nigel Bruce?

Raymond Burr?

Sir Christopher Lee?

Melanie wrote: "Raymond Burr?"

I've been watching TCM's Noir Alley on Sunday's and they have had some recent movies where a young Raymond Burr played the heavy and, wow, did he do those rolls well.......

Raymond Burr,

was a very well know actor in the early 50's and as a villain, and played some very nasty characters.

Basil Rathbone, yes a character actor.

Christopher Lee, some time supporting, sometime a leading actor, made lots and lots of very bad films especially in the 60's.

But became a very well respected veteran of the screen in later years, and he loved his tennis.

Most of his awful films were his reprisals of Count Dracula, Sean. I remember this scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tfcx...

Also a tribute to Fats Domino.

Very funny

Yeah, it was the best scene in the whole movie. :)

Sidney Greenstreet
Claude Raines
Ward Bond
William Demerest
Mary Wickes
Barry Fitzgerald

Edward G. Robinson was a lead actor early in his career.
Spencer Tracey was almost always the lead.

I'll come up with more later.

I'd add Robert Shaw

Hey all - no women?

Angie Dickenson, Maureen OHara, Katherine Hepburn?

I too mostly focus on the men but without these women, do the men really look as good? I am too lazy to look up the name right now but Melanie in Gone with the Wind.

They are all leading actress's..

Character, means a supporting role, but often gives a great supporting and steals the film.

But yes great supporting actress's, will add some..

Rita Shaw
Mildred Natwick
Margaret Hamilton
Beulah Bondi

Here is a few

Jessica Tandy
Jane Darwell
Olivia De Havilland
Gloria Graham(so underrated)
Teresa Wright
Jane Alexander
Cloris Leachman
Agnes Moorehead(Bewitched)
Celeste Holm
Glynis John (still alive at 96)
Anne Baxter
Donna Reed
Shelley Winters
Rita Moreno
Edith Evans
Helen Hayes
Shirley Knight
Ruth Gordon
Barbara Barrie
Brenda Fricker
Emma Thompson

Sean wrote: "Here is a few

Jessica Tandy
Jane Darwell
Olivia De Havilland
Gloria Graham(so underrated)
Teresa Wright
Jane Alexander
Cloris Leachman
Agnes Moorehead(Bewitched)
Celeste Holm
Glynis John (still al..."

Agnes Moorhead did some really great stuff - including Citizen Kane. I totally forgot about Shelley Winters. Great list Sean!

So good he needs singular mention: Warren Oates

Absolutely wonderful in the Wild Bunch.

David wrote: "Absolutely wonderful in the Wild Bunch."

Unforgettable in that role. Also in Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, another Peckinpah film and in Two Lane Blacktop. Died way too young.

Died age 50 of a heart attack, way too young

And just saw that Michael J. Pollard has died. Another great character actor.

Yes age 80 years old of a heart attack

I don't know if he is "underrated" or not, but I rate him ***** Five Stars! And that's Luis Guzmán! He really hit it outta the park in The Limey when he said, "That's valets, man!" to Terrance Stamp, who thought the guys in the red vests were extra security. Up here in Montana we don't have valets, man. Coming from SOCAL, I sure do miss 'em. Even the Whole Foods in LA had valets! Anyway, Guzmán is always my favorite in every film he's in.
https://www.google.com/search?biw=122...

15 Roles That Prove Luis Guzmán Is the Most Prolific Character Actor of Our Time:

https://remezcla.com/lists/film/15-ro...

Yes a great actor.

Some of my favorite character actors:

Thelma Ritter
Lionel Barrymore
Walter Huston
Marie Windsor
Mary Astor
Sam Jaffe
Ellen Corby
Mildred Natwick
Jeanette Nolan
Diana Sands
Judy Davis
Elisha Cook
Barry Sullivan
Carolyn Jones
Jessie Ralph
Sydney Greenstreet
Judith Anderson
Paul Giamatti
Wendell Corey
William Talman
Dane Clark
Louis Calhern
James Edwards
Edmond O'Brien
Edward Everett Horton
Brian Keith
Leona Dana
Henry Jones
Phyllis Thaxter
Robert Emhardt
Charles Coburn
Basil Rathbone
Richard Conte
Melvyn Douglas
Joseph Calleira
John Turturro
Agnes Moorehead
Beulah Bondi
Margaret Rutherford
Claire Trevor
Charles McGraw
Lawrence Tierney
Frank Lovejoy
Frank Pangborn
Ann Todd
Eve Arden
Claude Rains
Lee Remick
Lurene Tuttle
Raymond Burr
Ben Johnson
Otto Kruger
Lee J Cobb
Beverly Garland
Wendy Hiller
Casey Adams/Max Showalter
Ossie Davis
Ruby Dee
Judith Evelyn
Googie Withers
Aline MacMahon
Jessica Walter
Barbara Nichols
Percy Helton
Regis Toomey
Keye Luke
Frank McHugh
Frank and Ralph Morgan
Bruce Dern
Herbert Lom
Jose Ferrer
Alice Brady
Frieda Inescourt
Rosalind Cash
Gene Lockhart
Reginald Gardiner
Theresa Harris
Ralph Forbes
Gale Sondergaard
Geraldine Fitzgerald
Ralph Meeker
Herbert Marshall
Walter Connolly
Michael Rennie
C. Aubrey Smith
Gladys Cooper
Danny Aiello
Marcus Goring
Van Heflin
David Strathairn
David Opatoshu
Peter Lorre
Evelyn Varden
Eileen Heckart

Some great actors on your list.

I did especially Michael Rennie

Van Heflin.

Loved

Walter Brennan

Alan Hale both Sr. and Jr.

Can't believe I left them off my earlier lists.

Jack Elam. Funny and Villain. Good range

Creolecat wrote: "Some of my favorite character actors:

Thelma Ritter
Lionel Barrymore
Walter Huston
Marie Windsor
Mary Astor
Sam Jaffe
Ellen Corby
Mildred Natwick
Jeanette Nolan
Diana Sands
Judy Davis
Elisha Cook
..."


Lot of names I song recognize and watch a lot of the old movies. Will keep an eye out for them. Judy Davis is fantastic and still active although she is not THAT old

Also Strother Martin

He's not as old as some others you guys are mentioning, but I loved J T Walsh.

Yes a great real character actor Kandice

Sadly died at the age of 54 years old in 1998.

Would have had a great career.

Sean wrote: "Yes a great real character actor Kandice

Sadly died at the age of 54 years old in 1998.

Would have had a great career."

I live 5 houses from La Mesa which is where he died. It was a pretty big deal here when it happened.

Near San Diego, he was on holiday and had a heart attack.

Shame left a son.

I love San Diego !

No mention of Yaphet Kotto? Yaphet Kotto! If he's angry, you are scared.

Marco wrote: "No mention of Yaphet Kotto? Yaphet Kotto! If he's angry, you are scared."

Wasn't he in a Bond film?

Kirsten wrote: "Marco wrote: "No mention of Yaphet Kotto? Yaphet Kotto! If he's angry, you are scared."

Wasn't he in a Bond film?"

Yes he was, in Live and Let Die with Jane Seymour reading the taro cards for him.