My top twenty favorite actors

December 15, 2009

Eons ago (I think it was before I even had a blog) there was a tag going around, asking people to name their top 20 favorite actors. I wasn't tagged or anything, but I really really wanted to participate. At first, when I was more or less keeping with the "artwork to go with every single post" idea, I was going to paint or draw ALL of my favorite actors. After failing miserably to capture some of their likenesses on paper (eh-hem, Dirk and Robert) I decided to just go ahead and finally do the post sans-art.

When Millie did her top 20 actors post back in March she left the tag open to anyone who wanted to jump on the bandwagon, so I'm considering myself tagged now :) And I tag anyone who wants to join in on the fun! I also think it would be super neat for people who made the list a year ago to re-do it and see if anything has changed!

Anyway.. on to the list!! The first ten are more or less in order, and the last ten aren't. Like Millie I decided to list my favorite ROLE that each actor played. It's not necessarily my favorite film of theirs, just my favorite role. For some of them I just couldn't narrow it down and had to pick two... sue me ;-D


1. Dirk Bogarde
Favorite roles: The Mind Benders and Hot Enough for June

2. Charles Boyer
Favorite role: History is Made at Night

3. Ronald Colman
Favorite role: Random Harvest

4. James Cagney
Favorite role: The Roaring Twenties

5. John Mills
Favorite Role: The October Man

6. Fred Astaire
Favorite role: On The Beach, Shall We Dance

7. Trevor Howard
Favorite role: Brief Encounter

8. Joel McCrea
Favorite role: Sullivan's Travels

9. Gary Cooper
Favorite role: Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

10. Cary Grant
Favorite role: Indiscreet

11. Dana Andrews
Favorite role: The Best Years of Our Lives & My Foolish Heart

12. Herbert Marshall
Favorite role: The Good Fairy

13. Fredric March
Favorite role: Design for Living

14. Robert Montgomery
Favorite role: Here Comes Mr. Jordan & Piccadilly Jim

15. Jack Lemmon
Favorite role: The Apartment & The Notorious Landlady

16. Alastair Sim
Favorite role: Stage Fright & A Christmas Carol

17. Roger Livesey
Favorite role: I Know Where I'm Going

18. Walter Huston
Favorite role: Dodsworth

19. Richard Burton
Favorite role: Night of the Iguana

20. Marcello Mastroianni
Favorite role: 8 1/2



For the record,
if this list was my top 22 actors instead of my top 20, Henry Fonda and Charlie Chaplin would have made the list. Just saying...

21 comments:

Millie said...

LOVE IT! Really, really great! I'm glad you finally did it! Six of these actors are also on my top twenty!

Yeah, so, I really like it! :-D

Elizabeth said...

Cool! I might accept Millie's open invitation too! ;)

NoirGirl said...

I love this too!!! That photo of Gary Cooper, oh my gosh! I'm swooning in my chair! I agree with almost every actor you picked, and the role, too. :)

But, I feel like I'm missing out on Marcello Mastroianni. I've never seen any of his films. I just saw 8 1/2 in Borders yesterday and almost bought it. Maybe I should! :D

Operator_99 said...

No arguments from me, and happy to see Alistair Sim included. Back in January, I did participate in one to the list memes on actors. It's here if anyone is interested. http://operator_99.blogspot.com/search/label/20%20Actors%20Meme

Sally said...

Awesome list! Thank you for the open invitation, I think I just might make my own list! And I definitely agree on several of the men listed. Great post!

monty said...

Impressive list of actors. I'm tempted to write my own list now. And by the way, very cool blog..which I am following now.

A said...

Love your pics!

Anonymous said...

haha i love your foot note in the end.. just saying.... very swish list :)

Unknown said...

Millie- Thanks for reminding me about it :D

Elizabeth- Please do!! I can't wait to see your list!

Casey- Oh, that picture really is swoon-worthy isn't it?! Definitely watch 8 1/2 if you think you'll like kind of surreal 60's cinema. He also did a few other movies that were more normal if you want to try those first :)

Operator99- I LOVED your post!! And isn't Alastair Sim wonderful?!

sallytonks- Thanks! I can't wait to see your list :D

monty- Thanks - both about the list, and the following! I hope you do write a list!

Amanda- Thanks!

Zoe- haha thanks! I just couldn't completely leave them out! :D

Ursula Steinberg said...

Great list. What a bunch of loveliness!

Sarah said...

I love that you added your favorite roles! I have noticed that since I started blogging that my list has changed and increased. I'll need to sit down and really think on this. I'm so happy March is on your list- he's my number one guy and Design for Living is one of my favorites!

DKoren said...

Love it! And great pictures, too!

Anonymous said...

Btw, I loved your list! Burton was fantastic in Night of the Iguana.

And yesterday, I went to Borders with a fleshie and saw the movie 8 1/2 and thought of you :)

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lolita of the Classics said...

Yikes! Good choices! I love how you made all the pictures in the same size, really classy. I think I will tag myself for this one ;)

Terence Towles Canote said...

Wow, #1 was a total surprise! I didn't know you ware a fan of Sir Dirk Bogarde. ;-) Anyway, a lot of my favourites are on this list (including Dirk). I'll definitely have to do it on my blog sometime.

CagneyFan said...

Great post! I'm especially gratified to see Herbert Marshall, THE GOOD FAIRY, and Roger Livesey, I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING!

Wonderful actors, all. I'd simply add Jimmy Stewart were I to make my own list.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Keith said...

Great list. I'm a big fan of all these man. My favorite two you listed are #10 (which is my all time favorite) and #20.

Jennythenipper said...

Hey, Wow! Someone else loves Herbert Marshall!

And Richard Livesy! I thought I was the only one. Awesome, awesome list. I love your artwork as well. I'm adding your blog to my blog roll, right now.

DKoren said...

So very cool! I love seeing Fredric March pop up on what seems like all the newest lists! Yay! I only did my top 10 back when this ran around before, wonder if I should revisit it. After all, I hadn't discovered George Raft yet when I did my first list, and now he's a favorite. Hmmmmm. :-D

Carolina Grönholm said...

Oooh I love Dirk Bogarde and marcello Mastroianni!