In Appreciation of Character Actors (The Full List)
This is one of the most exciting parts of watching movies. You’re watching a film, and someone comes on screen, and makes you go, “I KNOW that guy!” Or gal. “I know them!” Then — “Wait, but from where?”
And then what happens (especially if you’re with people), someone says, “Oh, they’re from (this).” And everyone’s like, “Ohhh!”, and then everyone remembers, “And they were in (this) too! And (that)!” It’s a lot of fun.
What I’m getting at is — we love character actors. Their job is to be memorable in just about any role they take. They’re rarely the stars, but they accrue enough random roles that they build up in your mind and become the people who, while you don’t necessarily go to the movies for them, they’re the people who pop up in movies and make you go, “I didn’t know he/she was in this this! That’s awesome!”
Unfortunately, they’re also the people who most people can never remember. It’s the nature of the beast. You know them as the characters they’ve played rather than as who they are. (Most people.) Of course, you can look it up, but, even so, character actors are really the people who do some of the strongest and most diverse work, and get little to no credit for it.
So I decided to create this list. A giant list of all those actors we remember from all those minor and semi-major roles that we can just read be like, “Oh I love those people!” And maybe you’ll remember a bunch of films a certain actor was in that you never knew or hadn’t remembered, or discover someone you never knew you knew. But mostly, this is about being able to, in one place, have a certain group of people where it’s just one after another after another, of, “Oh, I love that person!” (See how many you recognize and/or love. And savor it. They deserve it.)
So let’s all just take a minute (or 60) appreciate the backbone of cinema — the character actors.
(Also, I just want to point out, if you recognize these people from most of the films listed (presuming you saw them), you’re probably also one of those people who can immediately spot the celebrity voiceover on commercials, as I am. And if that’s the case, go us!)
F. Murray Abraham
It’s a tough call, saying a Best Actor winner is a character actor, but I think that’s what Abraham is. He’s someone who pops up in a lot of small roles in films that people will recognize, but isn’t someone a lot of people will know my name. For example:
Where you know him from:
Amadeus, as Salieri (I bet you know him as Salieri more than you know him as F. Murray Abraham.)
Scarface, as Omar Suarez (hanging from that helicopter)
Finding Forrester, as Professor Crawford (this is where I first recognized him. He was such a dick here)
Also look for him in: The Sunshine Boys, as a mechanic at the beginning, All the President’s Men, as an arresting officer (more of a bit part than anything), The Name of the Rose, as Bernardo Gui, The Bonfire of the Vanities, as D.A. Abe Weiss, Mobsters, as Arnold Rothstein, National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1, as Harold Leacher, Last Action Hero, as John Practice, Mighty Aphrodite, as the leader of the Greek chorus, Mimic, as Dr. Gates, Star Trek: Insurrection, as Ad’har Ru’afo, and Thirteen Ghosts, as Cyrus Kriticos (I forgot about this one…).
Joey Lauren Adams
Where you know her from:
Chasing Amy, as Alyssa Jones
Mallrats, as Gwen
Big Daddy, as Layla Maloney
Also look for her in: Coneheads, as Christina, as Dazed and Confused, as Simone Kerr, Mallrats, as Gwen, Bio-Dome, as Monique, Jay and Silent bob Strike Back, as Alyssa Jones, The Break-Up, as Addie, United States of Tara, as Pammy.
Ade
Honestly, he’s not really a character actor, but he does fit the character actor profile, which is: do something memorable, then show up in something else and cause people to be like, “Oh shit, I know him!” So I put him on here.
Where you know him from:
Snatch., as Tyrone (“He’s a getaway driver. Ain’t you, Tyrone?”)
Also look for him in: Casino Royale, as Infante (dude at the card game. His one line is, “I’ll have one of those.”)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Where you know him from:
The Bourne Identity, as Wombosi
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, as Hitu
The Mummy Returns, as Lock-Nah
Also look for him in: Congo, as Kahega, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, as Majestic, Lost, as Mr. Eko, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, as Heavy Duty, Faster, as The Evangelist, Killer Elite, as The Agent, The Thing (2011), as Derek Jameson.
Danny Aiello
Where you know him from:
Do the Right Thing, as Sal, owner of Sal’s Pizza.
Once Upon a Time in America, as Chief Vincent Aiello (the guy whose son they switch in the maternity ward)
Leon: The Professional, as Tony (owner of the restaurant who gives Leon all his jobs)
Moonstruck, as Johnny Cammareri (Cher’s superstitious fiancé)
Jacob’s Ladder, as Louis (Tim Robbin’s chiropractor friend)
Also look for him in: The Godfather Part II, as one of the Rosato brothers (his big line to Frank Pentangeli is “Michael Corleone says hello!” as he garrotes him), The Front, as Danny LaGattuta, The Purple Rose of Cairo, as Monk, Radio Days, as Rocco, Hudson Hawk, as Johnny Five-Tone, Prêt-à-Porter, as Major Hamilton, City Hall, as Frank Anselmo, 2 Days in the Valley, as Dosmo Pizzo, Dinner Rush, as Louis Cropa, and Lucky Number Slevin as Roth (the bookie who gets bumped off real early).
Eddie Albert
Where you know him from:
Roman Holiday, as Irving Radovich
The Longest Day, as Colonel Thompson
The Heartbreak Kid, as Mr. Corcoran
The Longest Yard, as Warden Hazen
Also look for him in: Four Daughters, as Dr. Clinton Forest Jr., Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman, as Steve Nelson, Oklahoma!, as Ali Hakim, I’ll Cry Tomorrow, as Burt McGuire, Attack, as Capt. Erskine Cooney, The Teahouse of the August Moon, as Capt. McLean, The Sun Also Rises, as Bill Gorton, Captain Newman, M.D., as Col. Norval Algate Bliss, The Lorax, as Narrator, McQ, as Kosterman, Escape to Witch Mountain, as Jason O’Day.
Jack Albertson
Where you know him from:
Willy Wonka and the Chocloate Factory, as Grandpa Joe
I refuse to believe you know him from anywhere else.
Also look for him in: Miracle on 34th Street (1947), as Post Office Mail Sorter Next to Lou, Man of a Thousand Faces, as Dr. J. Wilson Shields, Teacher’s Pet, as Guide, Period of Adjustment, as Desk Sergeant, Days of Wine and Roses, as Trayner, How to Murder Your Wife, as Dr. Bentley, The Subject was Roses, as John Cleary, The Poseidon Adventure, as Manny Rosen, The Fox and the Hound, as Amos Slade.
Alan Alda
Where you know him from:
M*A*S*H, as Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce
The Aviator, as Senator Brewster
Crimes and Misdemeanors, as Lester
Also look for him in: Same Time, Next Year, as George Peters, California Suite, as Bill Warren, Manhattan Murder Mystery, as Ted, Everyone Says I Love You, as Bob Dandridge, Mad City, as Kevin Hollander, What Women Want, as Dan Wanamaker, Flash of Genius, as Gregory Lawson, Nothing But the Truth, as Alan Burnside (he’s awesome here), 30 Rock, as Milton Greene (who needs a kidney now).
Tom Aldredge
Where you know him from:
Rounders, as Judge Marinacci
Intolerable Cruelty, as Herb Myerson
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, as Major George Hyte
The Sopranos, as Hugh DeAngelis
Boardwalk Empire, as Ethan Thompson
Also look for him in: The Boston Strangler, as Harold Lacey, The Rain People, as Mr. Alfred, *batteries not included, as Sid Hogenson, What About Bob?, as Mr. Guttman, Message in a Bottle, as Hank Land, Cold Mountain, as Blind Man, Game 6, as Michael Rogan, All the King’s Men, as Carruthers’ Banker, Delirious, as Carl Galantine, Damages, as Uncle Pete.
Jane Alexander
Where you know him from:
All the President’s Men, as Bookkeeper
Kramer vs. Kramer, as Margaret Phelps
The Great White Hope, as Eleanor Backman,
Also look for him in: A Gunfight, as Nora Tenneray, The New Centurians, as Dorothy Fehler, Brubaker, as Lillian Gray, Tesatment, as Carol Weatherly, Glory, as Sarah Blake Sturgis Shaw, The Cider House Rules, as Nurse Edna, The Ring, as Dr. Grasnik, Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, as Gertrude Nemerov, Feast of Love, as Esther Stevenson, Gigantic, as Barbara Weathersby, The Unborn, as Sofi Kozma, Terminator Salvation, as Virginia, Dream House, as Dr. Greeley.
Roger Allam
Where you know him from:
Speed Racer, as Royalton
V for Vendetta, as Lewis Prothero
Also look for him in: Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, as Adrian, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, as Sir John Hamilton, The Queen, as Robin Janvrin, Inkheart, as Narrator, Tamara Drewe, as Nicholas Hardiment, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, as Prime Minister Henry Pelham, The Iron Lady, as Gordon Reece, The Woman in Black, as Mr. Bentley
Joan Allen
Where you know her from:
The Bourne Supremacy & The Bourne Ultimatum, as Pamela Landy
Pleasantville, as Betty Parker
Nixon, as Pat Nixon
Face/Off, as Eve Archer
Also look for her in: Manhunter, as Reba McClane, Peggy Sue Got Married, as Maddy Nagle, Searching for Bobby Fischer, as Bonnie Waitzkin, The Crucible, as Elizabeth Proctor, The Ice Storm, as Elena Hood, The Contender, as Laine Hanson, The Notebook, as Anne Hamilton, The Upside of Anger, as Terry Ann Wolfmeyer, Death Race, as Hennessey.
Karen Allen
Where you know her from:
Raiders of the Lost Ark (+ Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), as Marion Ravenwood
Animal House, as Katy
The Sandlot, as Mom
Scrooged, as Claire Phillips
Also look for her in: Manhattan, as Television Actor #2, The Wanderers, as Nina, Cruising, as Nancy, Shoot the Moon, as Sandy, Starman, as Jenny Hayden, The Glass Menagerie, as Laura Wingfield, Malcolm X, as Miss Dunne, The Perfect Storm, as Melissa Brown, In the Bedroom, as Marla Keyes.
Joaquim de Almeida
Where you know him from:
Desperado, as Bucho
Clear and Present Danger, as Col. Felix Cortez
Also look for him in: Behind Enemy Lines, as Admiral Piquet, 24, Day 3, as Ramon Salazar, The Life and Death of Bobby Z ,as Don Huertero, Che: Part II, as President René Barrientos, The Burning Plain, as Nick Martinez, Fast Five, as Hernan Reyes.
Bruce Altman
Where you know him from:
Matchstick Men, as Dr. Klein
Glengarry Glen Ross, as Larry Spannel
Rookie of the Year, as Jack Bradfield (I always like to include the first film I too notice of a person)
Also look for him in: Quiz Show, as Gene, Cop Land, as Counselor Burt Kandel, Girl, Interrupted, as Professor Gilcrest, Changing Lanes, as Terry Kaufman, Solitary Man, as Dr. Steinberg, It’s Complicated, as Ted.
John Amos
Where you know him from:
Coming to America, as Cleo McDowell, owner of McDowell’s (and the golden arcs)
Die Hard 2, as Major Grant
Man also does a lot of TV, most notably as John Sr. on Good Times and as Nia Long’s father on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
These four things alone are enough to put him on this list.
Anthony Anderson
Where you know him from:
Transformers, as Glen Whitmann
Exit Wounds, as T.K. Johnson
Scary Movie 3 & Scary Movie 4, as Mahalik
The Departed, as Brown
Me, Myself & Irene, as Jamaal
Also look for him in: Life, as Cookie, Romeo Must Die, as Maurice, Big Mommas House, as Nolan, Urban Legends: Final Cut, as Stan Washington, Kingdom Come, as Junioe Slocumb, See Spot Run, as Benny, Two Can Play That Game, as Tony, Barbershop, as J.D., Kangaroo Jack, as Louis Booker, Cradle 2 the Grave, as Tommy, Malibu’s Most Wanted, as PJ, My Baby’s Daddy, as G, Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London, as Derek Bowman, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, as Burger Shack Employee, Hoodwinked!, as Detective Bill Stork, Hustle & Flow, as Key, King’s Ransom, as Malcolm King, The Back-Up Plan, as Playground Dad, Law & Order, as Detective Kevin Bernard, Scream 4, as Detective Perkins, The Big Year, as Bill Clemont.
Judith Anderson
Where you know her from:
Rebecca, as Mrs. Danvers
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, as Big Momma Pollitt
Laura, as Ann Treadwell
Also look for her in: Kings Row, as Mrs. Harriet Gordon, Edge of Darkness, as Gerd Bjarnesen, And Then There Were None, as Emily Brent, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, as Mrs. Ivers, The Furies, as Flo Burnett, Salome, as Queen Herodias, The Ten Commandments, as Memnet, Cinderfella, as Wicked Stepmother, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, as Vulcan High Priestess.
Tomas Arana
Where you know him from:
Gladiator, as Quintus
Tombstone, as Frank Stillwell
The Bourne Supremacy, as martin Marshall
Also look for him in: The Last Temptation of Christ, as Lazarus/Crowd Member, The Hunt for Red October, as Loginov (Cook), Shadows and Fog, as Confessing Man, The Bodyguard, as Portman, L.A. Confidential, as Beuning – Dudley’s Guy, Pearl Harbor, as Vice-Adm. Frank J. ‘Jack’ Fletcher, This Girl’s Life, as Aronson, Defiance, as Ben Zion Gulkowitz, Limitless, as Man in Tan Coat, The Dark Knight Rises, as Wayne’s Lawyer, Romeo and Juliet, as Lord Montague.
Alan Arkin
Here’s the case of a leading man who transitioned into character acting as he got older. And man, has he taken on some memorably diverse characters over his career. I feel a lot of people would know him now for the stuff he’s done recently, but I also want to point out all the great stuff he did in the 60s. That’s why he’s here.
Where you know him from:
Little Miss Sunshine (I assume this is where most people would know him from — won him an Oscar), as Grandpa
The In-Laws, as Sheldon Kornpett, D.D.S. (Peter Falk taught him how to “serpentine”)
Wait Until Dark as Roat (if you’ve seen it, you remember him and his scary ass. Attacking Audrey Hepburn when she’s blind…)
The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming, as Lt. Rozanov
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, as John Singer
Catch-22, as John Yossarian
Edward Scissorhands, as Bill (Winona’s father who takes him in. Yeah — that’s Arkin)
Glengarry Glen Ross, as George Aaronow
Also look for him in: Woman Times Seven (in “The Suicides” segment), Inspector Clouseau (he was Inspector Clouseau for christ’s sake! Sellers was busy at the time, that’s why), The Rocketeer, as Peevy, Grosse Point Blank, as Dr. Oatman, Gattaca, as Detective Hugo, Get Smart, as The Chief.
Edward Arnold
Where you know him from:
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, as Jim Taylor
The Devil and Daniel Webster, as Daniel Webster
You Can’t Take It With You, as Anthony P. Kirby
Also look for him in: I’m No Angel, as Big Bill Barton, Come and Get It, as Barney Glasgow, Johnny Eager, as John Benson Farrell, Mrs. Parkington, as Amory Stilham, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, as Joe Lorgan, Annie Get Your Gun, as Pawnee Bill.
Patricia Arquette
Where you know her from:
True Romance, as Alabama Whitman
Bringing Out the Dead, as Mary Burke
Little Nicky, as Valerie Veran
Ed Wood, as Kathy O’Hara
Medium, as Allison Dubois
Also look for her in: A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, as Kristen Parker, Flirting with Disaster, as Nancy Coplin, The Secret Agent, as Winnie, Lost Highway, as Renee Madison/Alice Wakefield, Nighwatch, as Katherine, Stigmata, as Frankie Paige, Human Nature, as Lila Jute, The Badge, as Scarlett, Holes, as Miss Kathryn “Kissin Kate” Barlow, Tiptoes, as Lucy, Fast Food Nation, as Cindy.
William Atherton
One of the great douchebags in the history of film. I love this man.
Where you know him from:
Die Hard & Die Hard 2, as Richard Thornburg, douchiest newsman ever.
Ghostbusters, as Walter Peck, doucehbag EPA agent, and foil to Bill Murray.
Sugarland Express, as Clovis Michael Poplin
Real Genius, as Professor Hathaway
Bio-Dome, as Dr. Noah Faulkner (I’ll be honest, this is where I first knew him from)
Also look for him in: The Day of the Locust, as Tod Hackett, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, as James,Oscar, as Overton, The Pelican Brief, as Bob Gminski, Mad City, as Dohlen, The Last Samurai, as the Winchester rep at the beginning.
Rene Auberjonois
Where you know him from:
The Little Mermaid, as Chef Louis
The Patriot, as Reverend Oliver
Archer, as Mannfred, the 50-something German assassin with the 19-year old girlfriend.
Also look for him in: McCabe & Mrs. Miller, as Sheehan, Pete ‘n’ Tillie, as Jimmy Twitchell, King Kong (1976), as Roy Bagley, Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach, as Tony, The Ballad of Little Jo (at least five people who took that westerns class with me just reacted very strongly to that title), as Streight Hollander, Batman Forever, as Dr. Burton.
Erick Avari
Where you know him from:
The Mummy, Dr. Terrence Bey
Daredevil, as Nikolas Natchios (He got fucking knifed by Colin Farrell…)
Mr. Deeds as Cecil Anderson (the nice guy among the group of asshole executives)
A lot of television. Chances are you saw him in an episode of Fresh Prince, Cheers, Seinfeld (the pilot, even), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Roseanne, Heroes, Party Down, or something where you were like, “I know that guy…”
Also look for him in: Stargate (the film and the series), as Kasuf, Independence Day, as SETI chief, McHale’s Navy, as European leader, The 13th Warrior, as Caravan leader, The Glass House, as Ted Ross, Home Alone 4, as Prescott, Charlie Wilson’s War, as Ari Goldman, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, as Vijay. (If you recognize him from that last one and not the rest, you’re dead to me.)
James Avery
Where you know him from:
Uncle Phil. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. We’re done here.
(He was also the voice of Shredder on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series. That makes him doubly awesome.)
Also look for him in: The voice of the Junkyard Dog on Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling, the voice of Turbo on the Rambo animated series, The voice of War Machine on the Iron Man animated series, The Blues Brothers, as the dude dancing outside Ray Charle’s music shop, Fletch, as Detective #2, and Doctor Dolittle 2, as Eldon. (Also, Who’s Your Caddy?, but I guess that goes without saying, as Caddy Mack.)
Hank Azaria
Where you know him from:
The Simpsons (and, of course, The Simpsons Movie), as Moe Szysklak, Chief Wiggum, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Comic Book Guy, Professor Frink, Bumblebee Man, Carl, Superintendent Chalmers, Duffman, Luigi (the Italian chef), Dr. Nick, Snake, Cletus, Squeaky-Voiced Teen, Drederick Tatum, Johnny Tightlips, Kirk Van Houten. (And of course, a bunch of other random characters, like Frank Grimes, etc.)
The Birdcage, as Agador
Mystery Men, as The Blue Raja (had to shout out this one)
Also look for him in: Pretty Woman, as Detective, Quiz Show, as Albert Freedman, Now and Then, as Bud Kent, Heat, as Alan Marciano, Grosse Point Blank, as Steven Lardner, Anastasia, as Bartok, Great Expectations, as Walter Plane, Godzilla, as Victor “Animal” Palotti, Celebrity, as David, Cradle Will Rock, as Marc Blitzstein, Mystery, Alaska, as Charles Danner, America’s Sweethearts, as Hector Gorgonzolas, Shattered Glass, as Michael Kelly, Along Came Polly, as Claude, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, as Young Patches O’Houlihan, Night at the Museum & Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian, as Kahmunra/The Thinker/Abraham Lincoln, Year One, as Abraham, Love and Other Drugs, as Dr. Stan Knight, The Smurfs, as Gargamel.
Obba Babatundé
Where you know him from:
How High, as Dean Cain Black Dynamite, as Osiris (head pimp of the pimp counsel Life, as Willie Long
The Silence of the Lambs, as a TV anchorman. He’s very recognizable in the film.
Also look for him in: Philadelphia, as Jerome Green, Multiplicity, as Paul, Carpool, as Jeffrey, That Thing You Do!, as Lamarr, John Q, as Sgt. Moody, The Manchurian Candidate, as Senator Wells.
Kevin Bacon
…and Kevin Bacon.
It’s a Six Degrees thing. That’s why he’s on here.
Where you know him from:
Footloose, as Ren McCormack
Apollo 13, as Jack Swigert
Tremors, as Valentine McKee
A Few Good Men, as Cap. Jack Ross
Also look for him in: Animal House, as Chip Diller, Starting Over, as Husband – Young Couple, Friday the 13th, as Jack Burrel, Only When I Laugh, as Don, Diner, as Timothy Fenwick Jr., Quicksilver, as Jack Casey, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, as Taxi Racer, She’s Having a Baby, as Jack Briggs, Flatliners, as David Labraccio, JFK, as Willie O’Keefe, The Air Up There, as Jimmy Dolan, The River Wild, as Wade, Murder in the First, as Henri Young, Balto, as Balto, Sleepers, as Sean Nokes, Wild Things, as Ray Duquette, Stir of Echoes, as Tom Witzky, My Dog Skip, as Jack Morris, Hollow Man, as Sebastian Caine, Mystic River, as Sean Devine, The Woodsman, as Walter, Where the Truth Lies, as Lanny, Death Sentence, as Nick Hume, Frost/Nixon, as Jack Brennan, Super, as Jacques, X-Men: First Class, as Sebastian Shaw, Crazy, Stupid, Love., as David Lindhagen.
Michael Badalucco
Where you know him from:
O Brother, Where Art Thou?, as George Nelson (He hates cows.)
Summer of Sam, as Son of Sam
The Man Who Wasn’t There, as Frank (Billy Bob’s barber brother)
Leon: The Professional, as Mathilda’s father
Also look for him in: Raging Bull, as Soda Fountain Clerk, Broadway Danny Rose, as Money Ripper, Suddenly Seeking Susan, as Guy from Brooklyn, Miller’s Crossing, as Caspar’s Driver, Jungle Fever, as Frankie Botz, Juice, as Detective Kelly, Sleepless in Seattle, as New York Taxi Dispenser, One Fine Day, as Lt. Bonomo, You’ve Got Mail, as Charlie, and The Practice, as Jimmy Berluti.
Fay Bainter
Where you know her from:
Woman of the Year, as Ellen Whitcomb
Jezebel, as Aunt Belle
White Banners, as Hannah
The Children’s Hour, as Mrs. Amelia Tilford
Also look for her in: Make Way for Tomorrow, as Anita Cooper, Our Town, as Mrs. Gibbs, The Human Comedy, as Mrs. Macauley, State Fair (1945), as Melissa Frake.
Dylan Baker
Where you know him from:
Spider-Man 2 & 3, as Dr. Curt Connors
Road to Perdition, as Alexander Rance (the accountant)
Head of State (probably), as Martin Geller
Also look for him in: Planes, Trains and Automobiles, as Owen, The Last of the Mohicans, as Capt. De Bougainville, Love Potion No. 9, as Prince Geoffrey, Happiness, as Bill Maplewood, Random Hearts, as Richard Judd, Requiem for a Dream, as Southern Doctor, Thirteen Days, as Robert McNamara, Along Came a Spider, as Ollie McArthur, Changing Lanes, as Finch, Kinsey, as Alan Gregg, Across the Universe, as Lucy’s father, Revolutionary Road, as Jack Ordway, Secretariat, as Hollis Chenery.
Joe Don Baker
Where you know him from:
The Living Daylights, as Brad Whitaker
Goldeneye/Tomorrow Never Dies, as Jack Wade (He’s one of the few actors to play a Bond villain and a good guy in separate films.)
Walking Tall (1973), as Buford Pusser
Fletch, as Chief Karlin
Also look for him in: Charley Varrick, as Molly, The Natural, as The Whammer, Cape Fear, as Claude Kersek, The Distinguished Gentleman, as Olaf Andersen, Congo, as R.B. Travis, Mars Attacks!, as Richie (Jack Black)’s dad, Joe Dirt, as Brandy’s father.
Kathy Baker
Where you know her from:
Edward Scissorhands, as Joyce
The Right Stuff, as Louise Shepard
Street Smart, as Punchy
Picket Fences, as Dr. Jill Brock
Also look for her in: Clean and Sober, as Charlie Standers, Jacknife, as Martha Flannigan, Mad Dog and Glory, as Lee, Inventing the Abbotts, as Helen Holt, The Cider House Rules, as Nurse Angela,The Glass House, as Nancy Ryan, Cold Mountain, as Sally Swagger, 13 Going on 30, as Bev Rink, All the King’s Men, as Mrs. Burden, Last Chance Harvey, as Jean.
Scott Bakula
Where you know him from:
Most people know him from Quantum Leap or Star Trek: Enterprise. I know him from:
Necessary Roughness, as Paul Blake. (I fucking love this movie.)
Major League: Back to the Minors, as Gus Cantrell
The Informant!, as Brian Shepard
Also look for him in: American Beauty, as Jim Olmeyer, Life as a House, as Kurt Walker
Bob Balaban
Interesting piece of trivia about him — his uncles were the founders of the famous Balaban and Katz theater chain. If you know you’re film history, you know how big that is.
Where you know him from:
Seinfeld, as Russell Dalrymple (head of NBC, whose name George can spell correctly)
Waiting for Guffman, as Lloyd Miller
Best in Show, as Dr. Theodore Millbank, III
A Mighty Wind, as Jonathan Steinbloom
The Mexican, as Bernie Nayman
Also look for him in: Midnight Cowboy, as The Young Student, Catch-22, as Captain Orr, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as David Laughlin, Altered States, as Arthur Rosenberg, Prince of the City, as Santimassino, Absence of Malice, as Rosen, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, as Dr. Chandra, Bob Roberts, as Michael Janes, Amos & Andrew, as Dr. Fink, Deconstructing Harry, as Richard, Cradle will Rock, as Harry Hopkins, Ghost World, as Enid’s Dad, Gosford Park, as Morris Weissman, Capote, as William Shawn, For Your Consideration, as Philip Koontz.
Alec Baldwin
Where you know him from:
Glengarry Glen Ross, as Blake
The Hunt for Red October, as Jack Ryan
The Departed, as Ellerby
Beetlejuice, as Adam Maitland
(It better not just be from) 30 Rock, as Jack Donaghy
Also look for him in: She’s Having a Baby, as Davis McDonald, Married to the Mob, as “Cucumber” Frank De Marco, Working Girl, as Mick Dugan, Talk Radio, as Dan, Great Balls of Fire!, as Jimmy Swaggart, Miami Blues, as Frederick J. Frenger, Jr., Alice, as Ed, The Getaway, as Carter ‘Doc’ McCoy, The Shadow, as Lamont Cranston/”The Shadow”, The Juror, as Teacher, Ghosts of Mississippi, as Bobby DeLaughter, The Edge, as Robert Green, Mercury Rising, as Nick Kudrow, Notting Hill, as Jeff King, State and Main, as Bob Barrenger, Pearl Harbor, as Lt. Col. James Doolittle, The Royal Tenenbaums, as Narrator, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, as M.Z.M, The Cooler, as Shelly Kaplow, The Cat in the Hat, as Quinn, Along Came Polly, as Stan Indursky, The Last Shot, as Joe Devine, The Aviator, as Juan Trippe, Elizabethtown, as Phil Devoss, Fun with Dick and Jane, as Jack McCallister, Running with Scissors, as Norman Burroughs, The Good Shepherd, as Sam Murach, Brooklyn Rules, as Caesar, My Best Friend’s Girl, as Professor Turner, My Sister’s Keeper, as Campbell Alexander, It’s Complicated, as Jake.
Martin Balsam
Where you know him from:
12 Angry Men, as Juror #1
Psycho, as Det. Milton Arbogast
Cape Fear, as Chief Dutton
Tora! Tora! Tora!, as Admiral Husband E. Kimmel
Little Big Man, as Mr. Merriweather
The Taking of Pelham 123, as Green
Also look for him in: On the Waterfront, as Gillette, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, as O.J. Berman, Seven Days in May, as Paul Girard, A Thousand Clowns, as Arnold, After the Fox, as Harry, Catch-22, as Colonel Cathcart, The Anderson Tapes, as Haskins, Murder on the Orient Express, as Bianchi, All the President’s Men, as Howard Simons, St. Elmo’s Fire, as Mr. Beamish, Death Wish 3, as Bennett, The Delta Force, as Ben Kaplan, Cape Fear, as Judge.
Christine Baranski
Where you know her from:
The Birdcage, as Katherine Archer
How the Grinch Stole Chrsitmas, as Martha May Hoover
Chicago, as Mary Sunshine
Also look for her in: Nine 1/2 Weeks, as Thea, Addams Family Values, as Becky Martin-Granger, The Ref, as Connie Chasseur, Bulworth, as Constance Bulworth, Cruel Intentions, as Bunny Caldwell, Bowfinger, as Carol, Welcome to Mooseport, as Charlotte Cole, Mamma Mia!, as Tanya, The Bounty Hunter, as Kitty Hurley.
Thom Barry
Where you know him from:
Space Jam, as James Jordan
Major League: Back to the Minors, as Frank ‘Pops’ Morgan
The Fast and the Furious (+ 2 Fast 2 Furious), as Agent Bilkins
Cold Case, as Will Jeffries
Also look for him in: Congo, as Samahani, Apollo 13, as Orderly, The American President, as Guard, Independence Day, as SETI Technician #2, High School High, as Teacher, Ghosts of Mississippi, as Bennie Thompson, Air Force One, as Ramstein S.O.F. Watch Officer, Rules of Engagement, as Gen. West, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, Curb Your Enthusiasm, “The Weatherman,” as Golf Starter Chuck, House, “Twenty Vicodin” (when he’s in prison at the beginning of season 8), as Dr. Sykes.
Lionel Barrymore
Where you know him from:
It’s a Wonderful Life, as Mr. Potter
You Can’t Take It With You, as Martin Vanderhof
Key Largo, as James Temple
Also look for him in: Sadie Thompson, as Alfred Davidson, A Free Soul, as Stephen Ashe, Grand Hotel, as Otto Kringelein, Dinner at Eight, as Oliver Jordan, David Copperfield, as Dan Peggotty, The Gorgeous Hussy, as Andrew Jackson, Camille, as Monsieur Duval, Test Pilot, as Drake, a bunch of Dr. Kildare films as Dr. Gillespie, Since You Went Away, as Clergyman, Dragon Seed, as Narrator, The Valley of Decision, as Pat Rafferty, Duel in the Sun, as Sen. Jackson McCanles.
Elya Baskin
Where you know him from:
Spider-Man 2 & 3, as Mr. Ditkovich (Peter Parker’s landlord)
Air Force One, as Andrei Kolchak (the hijackers’ pilot)
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, as General Borschevsky
Spy Hard, as Professor Ukrinsky
Also look for him in: Being There, as Karpatov, Moscow on the Hudson, as Anatoly, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, as Maxim Brajlovsky, October Sky, as Ike Bykovsky, Thirteen Days, as Anotoly Dobrinyn, Angels & Demons, as Cardinal Petrov, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as Cosmonaut Dimitri.
Kathy Bates
Where you know her from:
Misery, as Annie Wilkes
Titanic, as Molly Brown
The Waterboy, as Helen “Mama” Boucher
About Schmidt, as Roberta Hertzel
Also look for her in: Straight Time, as Selma Darin, Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, as Stella Mae, The Morning After, as Woman on Mateo Street, Arthur 2: On the Rocks, as Mrs. Canby, Dick Tracy, as Mrs. Green, Shadows and Fog, as Prostitute, Fried Green Tomatoes, as Evelyn Couch, Used People, as Bibby Berman, North, as Alaskan Mom, Dolores Claiborne, as Dolores Claiborne, Primary Colors, as Libby Holden, A Civil Action, as Bankriptucy Judge, American Outlaws, as Ma James, Rat Race, as The Squirrel Lady, Love Liza, as Mary Ann Bankhead, Dragonfly, as Mrs. Belmont, Around the World in 80 Days, as Queen Victoria, Little Black Book, as Kippie Kann, The Bridge of San Luis Rey, as The Marquesa, Six Feet Under, as Bettina, Rumor Has It…, as Aunt Misty, Failure to Launch, as Sue, Charlotte’s Web, as Bitsy the Cow, Bee Movie, as Janet Benson, Fred Claus, as Mother Claus, The Golden Compass, as Hester, P.S. I Love You, as Patricia, The Family That Preys, as Charlotte Cartwright, The Day the Earth Stood Still, as Regina Jackson, Revolutionary Road, as Mrs. Givings, The Blind Side, as Miss Sue, Valentine’s Day, as Susan, Midnight in Paris, as Gertrude Stein, The Office, as Jo Bennett, Harry’s Law, as Harriet Korn.
Paul Bates
Where you know him from:
Coming to America, as Oha
True Romance, as Marty
8 Mile, as Manny
Also look for him in: Hannah and Her Sisters, as Theater Manager, Crazy People, as Robles, The Bonfire of the Vanities, as Buck, The Super, as Storekeeper, The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag, as Officer Finney, Jennifer Eight, as Venables, Mr. Wonderful, as Marlon, Showgirls, as Bouncer at Cheetah, The Preacher’s Wife, as Saul Jeffreys
Instinct, as Bluto, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, as Nightclub Manager, Hesher, as Mr. Elsberry, Bad Teacher, as School Superintendent.
Sean Bean
Where you know him from:
GoldenEye, as Alec Trevelyan, 006
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, as Bormir
Also look for him in: The Field, as Tadgh McCabe, Patriot Games, as Sean Miller, Black Beauty, as Farmer Grey, Airborne, as Dave Toombs, Ronin, as Spence, Don’t Say a Word, as Patrick Koster, Equilibirum, as Partridge, The Big Empty, as Cowboy, Troy, as Odysseus, National Treasure, as Ian Howe, The Island, as Dr. Bernard Merrick, North Country, as Kyle, Flightplan, as Captain Rich, Silent Hill & Silent Hill: Revelation, as Christopher Da Silva, The Hitcher, as John Ryder, Red Riding: 1973 & 1983, as John Dawson, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, as Zeus, Crusoe, as James Crusoe, Game of Thrones, as Eddard Stark, Mirror Mirror, as The King.
Ned Beatty
Where you know him from:
Deliverance, as Bobby
Network, as Arthur Jensen
Superman & Superman II, as Otis
Back to School, as Dean Martin
Toy Story 3, as Lotso
Also look for him in: The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, as Tector Crites, Nashville, as Delbert Reese, All the President’s Men, as Dardis, Silver Streak, as Sweet, 1941, as Ward Douglas, Stroker Ace, as Clyde Torkle, Rudy, as Daniel Ruettiger, Roseanne, as Dan Connor’s father, Radioland Murders, as General Walt Whalen, Life, as Dexter Wilkins, Charlie Wilson’s War, as Doc Long.
Ed Begley Jr.
Where you know him from:
This is Spinal Tap, as John “Stumpy” Pepys
St. Elsewhere, as Dr. Victor Ehrlich
Pineapple Express, as Robert (Rogen’s girlfriend’s father)
Also look for him in: The In-Laws, as Barry Lutz, CIA Intelligence Officer at Embassy, The Accidental Tourist, as Charles Leary, She-Devil, as Bob, Renaissance Man, as Jack Markin, The Pagemaster, as Alan Tyler, Batman Forever, as Fred Stickley, Santa with Muscles, as Ebner Frost, Best in Show, as Hotel Manager, Get Over It, as Frank Landers, Auto Focus, as Mel Rosen, A Mighty Wind, as Lars Olfen, Arrested Development, as Stan Sitwell, For Your Consideration, as Sandy Lane, Whatever Works, as John.
Ralph Bellamy
Where you know him from:
His Girl Friday, as Bruce Baldwin
The Awful Truth, as Dan Leeson
Rosemary’s Baby, as Dr. Sapirstein
Trading Places, as Randolph Duke (and also briefly in Coming to America)
Also look for him in: The Wolf Man, as Colonel Montford, Sunrise at Campobello, as Franklin Delano Roosevelt, The Professionals, as Joe Grant, Oh, God!, as Sam Raven, Pretty Woman, as James Morse.
William Bendix
Where you know him from:
Lifeboat, as Gus Smith
The Life of Riley, as Chester A. Riley
Also look for him in: Woman of the Year, as Pinkie Peters, Wake Island, as Smacksie, Detective Story, as Det. Lou Brady.
Paul Benjamin
Where you know him from:
Escape from Alcatraz, as English
Do the Right Thing, as ML
The Station Agent, as Henry Styles
Also look for him in: Midnight Cowboy, as Bartender – New York, The Anderson Tapes, as Jimmy, Across 110th Stret, as Jim Harris, Deadly Force, as Lester, Nuts, as Harry Harrison, The Five Heartbeats, as Mr. King, The Super, as Gilliam, Hoodlum, as Whispers.
Tom Berenger
I’m not sure just how much I consider him a character actor, but I sure do love him, so I’m putting him on here anyway, so people who don’t necessarily know all the awesome stuff he’s done get some more exposure to the awesomeness that is Berenger.
Where you know him from:
Platoon, as Sgt.Barnes
Major League & Major League II, as Jake Taylor
Inception, as Peter Browning (sadly, this is how most people only know him nowadays. Which makes me sad.)
Also look for him in: Looking for Mr. Goodbar, as Gary (great performance), The Big Chill, as Sam Weber, Eddie and the Cruisers (YES!), as Frank Ridgeway, Born on the Fourth of July, as Recruiting Gunnery Sgt. Hayes, The Field, as Peter, the American, Sniper (and 2 & 3), as Thomas Beckett, Gettysburg, as Lt. Gen. James Longstreet, Training Day, as Stan Gursky, Faster, as Warden.
This man needs more work. Christopher Nolan is awesome for casting him. I was so happy when I saw that. The world needs more Berenger.
Corbin Bernsen
Where you know him from:
Major League, Major League II & Major League: Back to the Minors, as Roger Dorn
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as Harlan Dexter
Psych, as Harry Spencer
Also look for him in: Radioland Murders, as Dexter Morris, The Great White Hype, as Peter Prince, Seinfeld, as himself (It was memorable. At least for me, which, I guess means I should also say) L.A. Law, as Arnie Becker.
Abner Biberman
Where you know him from:
His Girl Friday, as Louie
Another Thin Man, as Dum-Dum’, Church’s Henchman
Also look for him in: Gunga Din, as Chota, Each Dawn I Die, as Shake Edwards, The Rains Came, as John the Baptist, The Roaring Twenties, as Henchman, Dragon Seed, as Captain Yasuda, The Keys of the Kingdom, as Wai’s Captain, Back to Bataan, as Japanese Captain, Winchester ’73, as Latigo Means, Elephant Walk, as Dr. Pereira. (He also directed a fair amount of stuff. I really like that.)
Charles Bickford
Where you know him from:
Johnny Belinda, as Black MacDonald
Days of Wine and Roses, as Ellis Arnesen
A Star is Born, as Oliver Niles
Also look for him in: Anna Christie, as Matt Burke, Little Miss Marker, as Big Steve Holloway, The Song of Bernadette, as Father Peyramale, Duel in the Sun, as Sam Pierce, The Farmer’s Daughter, as Joseph Clancy, The Big Country, as Maj. Henry Terrill, The Unforgiven, as Zeb Rawlins.
Michael Biehn
Where you know him from:
The Terminator, as Kyle Reese
Aliens, as Capt. Dwayne Hicks
Tombstone, as Johnny Ringo
Also look for him in: The Abyss, as Lt. Hiram Coffey, Navy Seals, as Lt. James Curran, The Rock, as Commander Charles Anderson, Grindhouse, Planet Terror, as Sheriff Hague.
Theodore Bikel
Where you know him from:
The Defiant Ones, as Sheriff Max Muller
The African Queen, as First Officer
My Fair Lady, as Zoltan Karpathy
Also look for him in: Moulin Rouge, as King Milo IV of Serbia, A Day to Remember, as Henri Dubot, The Pride and the Passion, as General Jouvet, The Enemy Below, as ‘Heinie’ Schwaffer, I Want to Live!, as Carl G.G. Palmberg, The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming, as The Russian captain, The Return of the King (Rankin & Bass), as Aragorn.
Mike Binder
Where you know him from:
Minority Report, as Leo Crow
The Contender, as Lewis Hollis
Reign Over Me, as Bryan Sugarman
Also look for him in: Blankman, as Dr. Victor Norris, The Upside of Anger, as Adam “Shep” Goodman,The Amateurs, as Andy’s Boss, Man About Town, as Morty, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, as Sam Shapiro.
He’s also a writer/director. He also directed: Blankman, The Sex Monster, The Upside of Anger, Man About Town and Reign Over Me.
I put him on this list because I really remembered him after Minority Report and started noticing him popping up in all these other things. And that counts.
Claire Bloom
Where you know her from:
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, as Nan Perry
Charly, as Alice Kinian
Limelight, as Thereza
Also look for her in: Richard III (1955), as The Lady Anne, Alexander the Great, as Barsine, The Brothers Karamazov, as Katya, The Buccaneer, as Bonnie Brown, Look Back in Anger, as Helena Charles, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, as Dorothea Grimm, The Chapman Report, as Naomi Shields, The Haunting, as Theodora “Theo,” The Outrage, as Wife, A Doll’s House, as Nora Helmer, Clash of the Titans, as Hera, Crimes and Misdemeanors, as Miriam Rosenthal, Mighty Aphrodite, as Amanda’s Mother, Daylight, as Eleanor Trilling, The King’s Speech, as Queen Mary.
Roberts Blossom
Where you know him from:
Home Alone, as Marley
You don’t know him from anywhere else. Trust me.
Also look for him in: The Hospital, as Guernsey, Slaughterhouse-Five, as Wild Bob Cody, The Great Gatsby, as Mr. Gatz, Close Encounters of Third Kind, as Farmer, Escape from Alcatraz, as Doc, Resurrection, as John Harper, Christine, as George LeBay, Reuben, Reuben, as Frank Spofford, The Last Temptation of Christ, as Aged Master, Always, as Dave, Doc Hollywood, as Judge Evans, The Quick and the Dead, as Doc Wallace.
Ward Bond
Where you know him from: If you’ve watched John Ford movies, you know Ward Bond. This man was, outside of John Wayne, Ford’s favorite actor. The three of them were drinking buddies. There’s a great story where Bond and Wayne are shitfaced drunk, and Bond bets Wayne that they could stand on opposite ends of a newspaper and Wayne wouldn’t be able to hit him. So Wayne accepts, and Bond puts the newspaper down in a doorway and they stand on either side of it. And Bond slams the door in Wayne’s face and goes, “Try and hit me now, you son of a bitch!” And Wayne just punches through the door and knocks Bond on his ass.
Gone With the Wind, as Tom, a Yankee Captain (the dude who tries to arrest Leslie Howard for the raid on the shantytown)
The Searchers, as Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton
My Darling Clementine, as Morgan Earp
The Quiet Man, as Father Lonergan
Dodge City, as Bud Taylor
Rio Bravo, as Pat Wheeler
Also look for him in: Young Mr. Lincoln, as John Palmer Cass, The Grapes of Wrath, as Policeman, The Long Voyage Home, as Yank, Sergeant York, as Ike Botkin, The Maltese Falcon, as Detective Tom Polhaus, It’s a Wonderful Life, as Bert, Fort Apache, as Sgt. Maj. O’Rourke, Joan of Arc, as La Hire, 3 Godfathers, as Buck Sweet, Wagon Master, as Elder Riggs, Hondo, as Buffalo Baker, Mister Roberts, as Chief Petty Officer Dowdy He also had a lot of uncredited parts in a lot of 30s films (including It Happened One Night, You Can’t Take It With You and Bringing Up Baby). Too many to list. This man made a lot of films (and thank god for that).
Beulah Bondi
Where you know her from:
It’s a Wonderful Life, as Ma Bailey
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, as Ma Smith
Make Way for Tomorrow, as Lucy Cooper
Also look for her in: The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, as Melissa, The Gorgeous Hussy, as Rachel Jackson, Of Human Hearts, as Mary Wilkins, Our Town, as Mrs. Webb, Penny Serenade, as Miss Oliver, Watch on the Rhine, as Anise, The Southerner, as Granny Tucker, The Snake Pit, as Mrs. Greer, The Baron of Arizona, as Loma Morales.
Mark Boone Junior
Where you know him from:
Batman Begins, as Detective Flass
Memento, as Burt Sons of Anarchy, as Bobby Munson
Also look for him in: New York Stories, as Hank (Scorsese’s segment), Die Hard 2, as Shockley, The Quick and the Dead, as Scars, Se7en, as Greasy FBI Man, Trees Lounge, as Mike, The Game, as Shady Private Investigator, Vampires, as Catlin, Armageddon, as New York Guy, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, as Pawn Shop Owner, The Thin Red Line, as Pvt. Peale, The General’s Daughter, as Dalbert Elkins, Animal Factory, as Paul Adams, Get Carter, as Jim Davis, 2 Fast 2 Furious, as Detective Whitworth, Wristcutters: A Love Story, as Mike, 30 Days of Night, as Beau Brower, Frozen River, as Jacques Bruno, Halloween II, as Floyd.
Powers Boothe
Where you know him from:
Deadwood, as Cy Tolliver
Sin City, as Senator Roark
Red Dawn, as Lr. Col. Andrew “Andy” Tanner
Tombstone, as Curly Bill Brocius
Also look for him in: The Goodbye Girl, as Richard III Cast, Cruising, as Hankie Salesman, Extreme Prejudice, as Cash Bailey, Blue Sky, as Vince Johnson, Nixon, as Alexander Haig, U Turn, as Sheriff Potter, Men of Honor, as Captain Pullman, Frailty, as FBI Agent Wesley Doyle, 24, as Vice President Noah Daniels, MacGruber, as Col. James Faith, Guns, Girls and Gambling, as The Rancher.
Sam Bottoms
Where you know him from:
Apocalypse Now, as Lance B. Johnson
The Last Picture Show, as Billy
The Outlaw Josey Wales, as Jamie
Also look for him in: Bronco Billy, as Leonard James, Seabiscuit, as Mr. Blodget, Havoc, as Lt. Maris, Shopgirl, as Dan Buttersfield, Winter Passing, as Brian, Sherrybaby, as Bob Swanson Sr.
Julie Bowen
Normally I’m against people who are primarily TV stars being on here, but I looked and noticed she did have a memorable movie role, so I’m counting it.
Where you know her from:
Happy Gilmore, as Virginia Venit
Ed, as Carol Vessey
Modern Family, as Claire Dunphy
Also look for her in: Multiplicity, as Robin, Joe Somebody, as Meg Harper, Weeds, as Lisa, Boston Legal, as Denise Bauer, Horrible Bosses, as Rhonda Harken.
Tom Bower
Where you know him from:
Die Hard 2, as Marvin
The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, as Pat McDonagh
Crazy Heart, as Bill Wilson
Also look for him in: River’s Edge, as Bennett, Beverly Hills Cop II, as Russ Fielding, True Believer, as Cecil Skell, The Ballad of Little Jo, as Lyle Hogg, Clear and Present Danger, as Clark’s Pilot, Georgia, as Erwin Flood, Nixon, as Frank Nixon, The Postman, as Larry, The Negotiator, as Omar, Pollock, as Dan Miller, Hearts in Atlantis, as Len Files, High Crimes, as FBI Agent Mullins, The Amateurs, as Floyd, North Country, as Gray Suchett, The Hills Have Eyes, as Gas Station Attendant, Appaloosa, as Abner Raines, The Killer Inside Me, as Sheriff Bob Maples, I Melt With You, as Captain Bob.
Peter Boyle
Where you know him from:
Young Frankenstein, as The Monster
Everybody Loves Raymond, as Frank Barone
Taxi Driver, as Wizard
Also look for him in: Medium Cool, as Gun Clinic Manager, Joe, as Joe Curran, Diary of a Mad Housewife, as Man in Group Therapy Session, The Candidate, as Marvin Lucas, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, as Dillon, Beyond the Poseidon Adventure, as Frank Mazzetti, Where the Buffalo Roam, as Lazlo, Johnny Dangerously, as Jocko Dundee, Red Heat, as Comdr. Lou Donnelly, The Dream Team, as Jack McDermott, Honeymoon in Vegas, as Chief Orman, Malcolm X, as Captain Green, The Santa Clause, as Mr. Whittle, While You Were Sleeping, as Ox Callaghan, Doctor Dolittle, as Calloway, Monster’s Ball, as Buck Grotowski, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, as Rowland.
Alice Brady
Where you know her from:
My Man Godfrey, as Angelica Bullock
In Old Chicago, as Molly O’Leary
Also look for her in: The Gay Divorcee, as Aunt Hortense, Gold Diggers of 1935, as Mrs. Prentiss, Three Smart Girls, as Mrs. Lyons, One Hundred Men and a Girl, as Mrs. Frost, Young Mr. Lincoln, as Abigail Clay.
Ewen Bremner
Where you know him from:
Trainspotting, as Spud
Snatch, as Mullet
Black Hawk Down, as Nelson
Also look for him in: Naked, as Archie, Judge Dredd, as Junior Angel, Pearl Harbor, as Lt. Red Winkle, Around the World in 80 Days, as Inspector Fix, AVP: Alien vs. Predator, as Graeme Miller, Match Point, as Inspector Dowd, Death at a Funeral, as Justin, Fool’s Gold, as Alfonz, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, as Henry Strangler, Great Expectations, as Wemmick.
Eileen Brennan
Where you know her from:
The Sting, as Billie
Clue, as Mrs. Peacock
Murder by Death, as Tess Skeffington (Hilarious, because the entire plot of Clue, was taken direct from this movie)
Also look for her in: Divorce, American Style, as Eunice Tase, The Last Picture Show, as Genevieve, Scarecrow, as Darlene, The Cheap Detective, as Betty DeBoop, Private Benjamin, as Capt. Doreen Lewis, Jeepers Creepers, as The Cat Lady, The Amateurs, as Mrs. Cherkiss, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, as Carol Fields.
Walter Brennan
Where you know him from:
To Have and Have Not, as Eddie. “Say, was you ever bit by a dead bee?”
My Darling Clementine, as the elder Clanton. “When you pull a gun, kill a man.”
Rio Bravo, as Stumpy. “Hey, Dude! How do ya like them apples?”
Red River, as Nadine Groot
Also look for him in: The Racket, as Man on Street in front of barber shop, King of Jazz, as Desk Sergeant (“Springtime”)/Soldier (“All Noisy on the Eastern Front”)/Waiter (“Oh! Forevermore!”)/Front End of Horse/Quartet Member (“Nellie), Barbary Coast, as Old Atrocity, Three Godfathers, as Sam “Gus” Barton, These Three, as Taxi Driver, Fury, as “Bugs” Meyer, Come and Get It, as Swan Bostrom, The Buccaneer, as Ezra Peavy, The Cowboy and the Lady, as Sugar, Kentucky, as Peter Goodwin, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, as Walter, The Westerner, as Judge Roy Bean. Sergeant York, as Pastor Pile. Meet John Doe, as The Colonel. The Pride of the Yankees, as Sam Blake, Blood on the Moon, as Kris Barden, The Far Country, as Ben Tatum, Bad Day at Black Rock, as Doc Velie, The Proud Ones, as Jake, How the West Was Won, as Col. Jeb Hawkins, The Oscar, as Orrin C. Quentin, Support Your Local Sheriff!, as Pa Danby.
Brennan has one of the most distinct voices in film history. If you heard him, you’ll know if you’ve seen him before.
Wilford Brimley
Where you know him from:
Those Liberty Medical commercials, talking about his Diabeetus.
The Natural, as Pop Fisher
The Thing, as Dr. Blair
Cocoon, as Ben Luckett
Seinfeld, as the Postmaster General
In & Out, as Frank Brackett
Also look for him in: The China Syndrome, as Ted Spindler, The Electric Horseman, as Farmer, Absence of Malice, as Wells, Tender Mercies, as Harry, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, as Harold Smith, The Firm, as William Devasher, Did You Hear About the Morgans?, as Earl Granger.
Jim Broadbent
Where you know him from:
Moulin Rouge!, as Harold Zidler
Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince & Deathly Hallows, as Professor Slughorn
Gangs of New York, as Boss Tweed
Also look for him in: Time Bandits, as Compere, The Hit, as Barrister, Brazil, as Dr. Jaffe, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, as Jean Pierre Dubois, Enchanted April, as Frederick Arbuthnot, The Crying Game, as Col, Bullets over Broadway, as Warner Purcell, Richard III (1995), as Duke of Buckingham, Topsy-Turvy, as W.S. Gilbert, Bridget Jones’s Diary, as Bridget’s Dad, Iris, as John Bayley, Nicholas Nickleby, as Mr. Wackford Squeers, Vanity Fair, as Mr. Osborne, Vera Drake, as Judge, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, as Professor Kirke, Hot Fuzz, as Inspector Frank Butterman, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, as Dean Charles Stanforth, The Young Victoria, as King William, Another Year, as Tom.
Josh Brolin
Where you know him from:
No Country for Old Men, as Llewelyn Moss
Grindhouse (/Planet Terror), as Doctor Block
American Gangster, as Det. Trupo
W., as George W. Bush
Milk, as Dan White
Also look for him in: The Goonies, as Brand, Flirting with Disaster, as Agent Tony Kent, Mimic, as Josh, The Mod Squad, as Billy, Hollow Man, as Matthew Kensington, Melinda and Melinda, as Greg Earlinger, Into the Blue, as Bates, In the Valley of Elah, as Chief Buchwald, Women in Trouble, as Nick Chapel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, as Bretton James, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, as Roy Channing, Jonah Hex, as Jonah Hex, True Grit, as Tom Chaney, Men in Black III, as Young Agent K.
Albert Brooks
Where you know him from:
Finding Nemo, as Marlin
Taxi Driver, as Tom
Broadcast News, as Aaron Altman
The Simpsons Movie, as Russ Cargill (+ The Simpsons, as Hank Scorpio)
Also look for him in: Real Life, as Albert Brooks, Private Benjamin, as Yale Goodman, Twilight Zone: The Movie, as Car Driver (“Wanna see something really scary?”), Unfaithfully Yours, as Norman Roberts, Lost in America, as David Howard, Defending Your Life, as Daniel Miller, I’ll Do Anything, as Burke Adler, The Scout, as Al Percolo, Doctor Dolittle, as Jacob the Tiger, The In-Laws, as Jerry Peyser, Weeds, as Lenny Botwin, Drive, as Bernie Rose.
Edward Brophy
Where you know him from:
The Thin Man, as Joe Morelli
The Thin Man Goes Home, as Brogan
The Champ, as Tim
Dumbo, as Timothy Q. Mouse
Also look for him in: The Cameraman, as Man in Bath-House, A Free Soul, as Slouch, Freaks, as Rollo Brother, Evelyn Prentice, as Eddie Delaney, Naughty Marietta, as Ezekial “Zeke” Cramer, Mad Love, as Rollo the Knife Thrower, Gold Diggers in Paris, as Mike Coogan, The Bride Came C.O.D., as Hinkle, Air Force, as Marine Sgt. J.J. Callahan, The Last Hurrah, as “Ditto” Boland.
Clancy Brown
Where you know him from:
The Shawshank Redemption, as Captain Hadley
Spongebob Squarepants, as Mr. Krabs
Highlander, as Victor Kruger/The Kurgan
Also look for him in: Bad Boys (1983), as Viking Lofgren, Moonwalker (YES!), as Police Officer (“Speed Demon” segment), Dead Man Walking, as State Trooper, The Hurricane, as Lt. Jimmy Williams, The Guardian, as Capt. Hadley (subtle, no?), Pathfinder, as Gunnar, The Informant!, as Aubrey Daniel, A Nightmare on Elm Street, as Alan Smith, Green Lantern, as the voice of Parralax, Cowboys and Aliens, as Meacham. And as the voice of Lex Luthor on Superman/Justice League/The Batman – pretty much all the animated shows.
Jim Brown
Where you know him from:
The Dirty Dozen, as Robert Jefferson
Mars Attacks!, as Byron Williams
Any Given Sunday, as Montezuma Monroe
Also look for him in: Rio Concho, as Sgt. Franklin, 100 Rifles, as Lyedecker, …tick…tick…tick, as Jimmy Price, Three the Hard Way, as Jimmy Lait, Take a Hard Ride, as Pike, The Running Man, as Fireball, I’m Gonna Git you Sucka, as Slammer, He Got Game, as Spivey, Small Soldiers, as Butch Meathook.
Roscoe Lee Browne
Where you know him from:
The Cowboys, as Jebediah Nightlinger
Topaz, as Philippe Dubois
The Liberation of L.B. Jones, as L.B. Jones
Also look for him in: The Comedians, as Petit Pierre, Uptown Saturday Night, as Congressman Lincoln, Logan’s Run, as Box, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, as Archer Lincoln, Oliver & Company, as Francis, The Mambo Kings, as Fernando Perez, Forest Warrior, as Clovis Madison, Spider-Man, as Kingpin/Wilson Fisk, Babe: Pig in the City, as Narrator, Treasure Planet, as Mr. Arrow, Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties, as Narrator, Epic Movie, as Narrator.
Peter Bull
Where you know him from:
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, as Russian Ambassador Alexi de Sadesky
The African Queen, as Captain of Louisa
Scrooge (1951), as First Businessman, Narrator
Also look for him in: As You Like It, as William, Sabotage, as Michaelis – Conspirator, Marie Antoinette, as Gamin, Oliver Twist, as Landlord of “Three Cripples,” The Lavender Hill Mob, as Joe the Gab, Tom Jones, as Thwackum, Doctor Dolittle, as General Bellowes, The Tempest, as Alonso, the King of Naples, Yellowbeard, as Queen Anne.
Billie Burke
Where you know her from:
The Wizard of Oz, as Glinda
I’m not gonna pretend like people know how from anywhere other than as Glinda. But she did have a lot of supporting roles in the 30s and 40s.
Also look for her in: A Bill of Divorcement, as Meg Fairchild, Dinner at Eight, as Millicent Jordan, Becky Sharp, as Lady Bareacres, Topper, as Mrs. Topper, Merrily We Live, as Mrs. Emily Kilbourne, The Man Who Came to Dinner, as Mrs. Ernest Stanley, Father of the Bride, as Doris Dunston.
Raymond Burr
Where you know him from:
Perry Mason, as Perry Mason
Ironside, as Robert T. Ironside
Rear Window, as Lars Thorwald
A Place in the Sun, as Dist. Attny. R. Frank Marlowe
Also look for him in: Sleep, My Love, as Detective Sgt. Strake, Raw Deal, as Rick Coyle, Pitfall, as J.B. MacDonald, Serpent of the Nile, as Mark Antony, A Man Alone, as Stanley, Bank of Mesa, Count Three and Pray, as Yancey Huggins, Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, as Steve Martin, Airplane II: The Sequel, as Judge D.C. Simonton, Delirious, as Carter Hedison
Steve Buscemi
Where you know him from:
Reservoir Dogs, as Mr. Pink
Fargo, as Carl Showalter
The Big Lebowski, as Donny, Theodore Donald Kerabatsos
Also look for him in: New York Stories, as Gregory Stark, Mystery Train, as Charlie the Barber, King of New York, as Test Tube, Miller’s Crossing, as Mink, Barton Fink, as Chet, Billy Bathgate, as Irving, In the Soup, as Adolpho Rollo, Rising Sun, as Willy “The Weasel” Wilhelm, The Hudsucker Proxy, as Beatnik Barman, Pulp Fiction, as Buddy Holly, Airheads, as Rex, Living in Oblivion, as Nick Reve, Billy Madison, as Danny McGrath, Desperado, as Buscemi, Things to Do in Denver when You’re Dead, as Mister Shhh, Trees Lounge, as Tommy, Escape from L.A., as Map to the Stars Eddie, The Wedding Singer, as Dave Veltri, Armageddon, as Rockhound, Big Daddy, as Homeless Guy, Animal Factory, as A.R. Hosspack, 28 Days, as Cornell, Ghost World, as Seymour, Monsters, Inc., as Randall Boggs, Domestic Disturbance, as Ray Coleman, Mr. Deeds, Crazy Eyes, Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams & Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, as Romero, Big Fish, as Norther Winslow, The Island, as James McCord, Romance & Cigarettes, as Angelo, Art School Confidential, as “Broadway” Bob D’Annunzio, The Sopranos, as Tony Blundetto, Delirious, as Les Galantine, Interview, as Pierre Peders, I Think I Love My Wife, as George, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, as Clint Fitzer, The Messenger, as Dale Martin, Saint John of Las Vegas, as John, Youth in Revolt, as George Twisp, Grown Ups, as Willy, Boardwalk Empire, as Nucky Thompson.
Kathleen Byron
Where you know her from:
Black Narcissus, as Sister Ruth
The Small Black Room, as Susan
A Matter of Life and Death, as An Angel
Also look for her in: I’ll Never Forget You, as Duchess of Devonshire, Young Bess, as Ann Seymour, The Elephant Man, as Lady Waddington, Emma, as Mrs. Goddard, Les Misérables, as Mother Superior, Saving Private Ryan, as Old Mrs. Ryan.
James Caan
Where you know him from:
The Godfather, as Santino ‘Sonny’ Corleone (and briefly in The Godfather Part II)
Brian’s Song, as Brian Piccolo
Elf, as Walter Hobbs
Misery, as Paul Sheldon
Rollerball, as Jonathan E.
Also look for him in: Irma la Douce, as Soldier with Radio, El Dorado, as Mississippi, Countdown, as Lee Stegler, Cinderella Liberty, as John Baggs, Jr., The Gambler, as Axel Freed, Funny Lady, as Billy Rose, The Killer Elite, as Mike Locken, Harry and Walter Go to New York, as Harry Dighby, A Bridge Too Far, as Staff Sergeant Dohun, Comes a Horseman, as Frank “buck” Athearn, 1941, as Sailor in Fight, Chapter Two, as George Schneider, Thief, as Frank, Dick Tracy, as Spaldoni, For the Boys, as Eddie Sparks, Honeymoon in Vegas, as Tommy Korman, The Program, as Sam Winters, Bottle Rocket, as Mr. Henry, Eraser, as U.S. Marshal Robert Deguerin, Bulletproof, as Colton, Mickey Blue Eyes, as Frank Vitale, The Yards, as Frank Olchin, The Way of the Gun, as Joe Sarno, City of Ghosts, as Marvin, Dogville, as The Big Man, Santa’s Slay, as Darren Mason, Las Vegas, as Ed Deline, Get Smart, as The President, New York, I Love You, as Mr. Riccoli, the Pharmacist, Middle Men, as Jerry Haggerty, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, as Tim Lockwood, Henry’s Crime, as Max Saltzman, Detachment, as Me. Seaboldt.
Simon Callow
Where you know him from:
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, as Vincent Cadby. (At least, that’s where I know him from.)
Postcards from the Edge, as Simon Asquith
Four Weddings and a Funeral, as Gareth
Also look for him in: Amadeus, as Emanuel Schikaneder/Papageno in “The Magic Flute,” A Room with a View, as Reverend Beebe, Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, as Dr. Alex Sauer, Street Fighter, as A.N. Official, Shakespeare in Love, as Tilney, Master of the Revels.
Bobby Cannavale
Where you know him from:
Snakes on a Plane, as Hank Harris
The Other Guys, as Jimmy
Romance & Cigarettes, as Fryburg
Also look for him in: The Bone Collector, as Amelia’s Boyfriend, The Station Agent, as Joe Oramas, Fast Food Nation, as Mike, 10 Items or Less, as Bobby, The Ten, as Marty McBride, Dedication, as Don Meeyers, The Merry Gentleman, as Michael, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, as Commander Kent, Win Win, as Terry Delfino.
Yakima Canutt
He’s not a character actor in the definitive sense. However, he was the greatest Hollywood stuntman of the studio era, who doubled for huge, huge movie stars like John Wayne and Clark Gable. Many of the stunts you saw in a lot of really famous films – he was the one who did them. And he also had “bit” parts (most of which required stunts) in many of the films, so I think that counts.
Here’s a list of films he did stunts for, or was the stunt coordinartor for (that you might know. He did work on over 200 films):
The Last Days of Pompeii, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, In Old Chicago, Stagecoach, Dodge City, Young Mr. Lincoln, Gone With the Wind, Virginia City, Boom Town, They Died with Their Boots on, Gentleman Jim, Rio Bravo, Spartacus, The Fall of the Roman Empire, Cat Ballou.
He also staged and co-directed the chariot race in Ben-Hur. Badass.
Harry Carey
Where you know him from:
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, as President of the Senate
Red River, as Mr. Melville
Also look for him in: A bunch of “Cheyenne Harry” serials of the late ’10s and early ’20s, Trader Horn, as Trader Horn, Valiant is the Word for Carrie, as Phil Yonne, Beyond Christmas, as George Vale Melton, They Knew What They Wanted, as the Doctor, The Great Moment, as Professor John C. Warren, Duel in the Sun, as Lem Smoot.
Harry Carey, Jr.
Where you know him from:
The Searchers, as Brad Jorgensen
Rio Grande, as Trooper Daniel “Sandy” Boone
Red River, as Dan Latimer
Also look for him in: Blood on the Moon, as Cowboy, 3 Godfathers, as William Kearney (“The Abilene Kid”), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, as 2nd Lt. Ross Pennell, Wagon Master, as Sandy, Niagara, as Taxi Driver, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, as Winslow – Olympic Team, Island in the Sky, as Ralph Hunt – Moon’s co-pilot, The Long Gray Line, as Dwight Eisenhower, House of Bamboo, as John, Mister Roberts, as Stefanowski, The Great Impostor, as Dr. Joseph Mornay, Two Rode Together, as Ortho Clegg, Cheyenne Autumn, as Trooper Smith, Shenandoah, as Jenkins, Billy the Kid vs. Dracula, as Ben Dooley, Alvarez Kelly, as Cpl. Peterson, The Undefeated, as Webster, Dirty Dingus Magee, as Charles Stuart, Big Jake, as Pop Dawson, Cahill U.S. Marshal, as Hank, Take a Hard Ride, as Dumper, Nickelodeon, as Dobie, The Long Riders, as George Arthur, Gremlins, as Mr. Anderson, Mask, as Red, The Whales of August, as Joshua Brackett, The Exorcist III, as Father Kanavan, Back to the Future Part III, as Saloon Old Timer, Tombstone, as Marshal Fred White.
John Carradine
lWhere you know him from:
The Grapes of Wrath, as Casy (the former preacher)
Stagecoach, as Hatfield
Jesse James, as Bob Ford (as well as the film’s sequel, The Return of Frank James)
The Ten Commandments, as Aaron
Also look for him in: Les Miserables, as Enjolras, Bride of Frankenstein, as Hunter at Hermit’s Cottage, The Prisoner of Shark Island, as Sgt. Rankin, The Garden of Allah, as Sand Diviner, Captains Courageous, as Long Jack, The Hurricane, as Warden, Of Human Hearts, as Abe Lincoln, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, as Speakeasy Doorman/Taxi Driver, The Hound of the Baskervilles, as Barryman, Frontier Marshal, as Ben Carter, Drums Along the Mohawk, as Caldwell, Blood and Sand, as Nacional, Bluebeard, as Gaston Morrell, House of Frankenstein & House of Dracula, as Dracula, Johnny Guitar, as Old Tom, The Egyptian, as Grave Robber, Around the World in 80 Days, as Colonel Proctor, The True Story of Jesse James, as Rev. Jethro Bailey, The Proud Rebel, as Traveling Salesman, The Last Hurrah, as Amos Force, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, as Maj. Cassius Starbuckle, Cheyenne Autumn , as Jeff Blair, Every Thing You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * but Were Afraid to Ask, as Dr. Bernardo, Boxcar Bertha as H. Buckram Sartoris, The Shootist, as Beckum, The Last Tycoon, as a tour guide, The Killer Inside Me, as Dr. Smith, The Sentinel, as Father Halliran The Secret of NIMH,as Great Owl, and Peggy Sue Got Married, as Leo.
Seymour Cassel
Where you know him from:
Rushmore, as Bert Fisher, Max’s dad
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, as Esteban
The Royal Tenenbaums, as Dusty
Also look for him in: The Killers, as Postal Clerk, Faces, as Chet, Coogan’s Bluff, as Young Hood, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, as Mort Weil, The Last Tycoon, as Seal Trainer, Tin Men, as Cheese.
Vincent Cassel
Where you know him from:
Ocean’s Twelve/Ocean’s Thirteen, as François Toulour, aka “The Night Fox”
Eastern Promises, as Kirill
Black Swan, as Thomas Leroy
La Haine, as Vinz
Also look for him in: Jefferson in Paris, as Camille Desmoulins, Elizabeth, as Duc d’Anjou, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, as Gilles de Rais, Brotherhood of the Wolf, as Jean-François, Shrek, as Monsieur Hood, Irreversible, as Marcus, Derailed, a LaRoche, Mesrine: Killer Instinct & Mesrine: Public Enemy #1, as Jacques Mesrine, A Dangerous Method, as Otto Gross.
Dan Castellaneta
Where you know him from:
The Simpsons, as Homer Simpson, Grandpa Abe Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, Barney Gumble, Mayor Quimby (“Vote Quimby!”), Squeaky-Voiced Teen, Hans Moleman, Sideshow Mel, Gil Gunderson, Itchy & Scratchy, Frankie the Squealer, Poochie, et al.
Hey Arnold!, as Arnold’s Grandpa
Also look for him in: Say Anything…, as Diane’s Teacher, The War of the Roses, as Man in Chair, The Client, as Slick Moeller, Space Jam, as Male Fan, My Giant, as Partlow, The Cat in the Hat, as Thing 1 and Thing 2, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With, as Dick, The Pursuit of Happyness, as Alan Frakesh, Entourage, as Andrew Preston (principal of Ari’s son’s school), Superhero Movie, as Carlson, Super 8, as Izzy.
Richard S. Castellano
Where you know him from:
The Godfather, as Clemenza
Lovers and Other Strangers, as Frank Vecchio
He also did two TV shows, The Super and Joe and Sons. But purely off the strength of his Clemenza performance, I think he can go on this list.
John Cazale
Oh you know he was gonna be on here. The dude made five films in his life, and all five of them were nominated for Best Picture, three of them won, and two were up against each other.
Where you know him from:
The Godfather & The Godfather Part II, as Fredo
Dog Day Afternoon, as Sal
The Deer Hunter, as Stan
The Conversation, as Stan
I’d call that a memorable career, no?
Lon Chaney Sr.
The only primarily silent era actor on this list, and the reason for that is — it’s “the man of 1000 faces.” This is a dude that invented character acting on screen.
Where you know him from:
The Phantom of the Opera (1925), as Erik/The Phantom
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), as Quasimodo
He Who Gets Slapped, as Paul Beaumont/HE
The Unholy Three, as Professor Echo/Granny O’Grady
The Unknown, as Alonzo the Armless
Also look for him in: Flesh and Blood, as David Webster, Oliver Twist (1922), as Fagin, A Blind Bargain, as Dr. Lamb/The Ape Man, While Paris Sleeps, as Henri Santodos, The Shock, as Wilse Dilling, The Monster, as Dr. Ziska, The Blackbird, as The Blackbird/The Bishop, London after Midnight, as Professor Edward C. Burke.
Lon Chaney Jr.
Where you know him from:
The Wolf Man, as the Wolf Man
Of Mice and Men (1939), as Lenny
The Ghost of Frankenstein, as the Monster
The Mummy’s Tomb, as Kharis, the Mummy
Son of Dracula, as Dracula
He made many, many monster films in the 40s, always reprising his roles.
Also look for him in: High Noon, as Martin Howe (retired former sheriff Will Kane goes to for advice), The Defiant Ones, as Big Sam (guy who helps the two, who is more sympathetic to their plight than they might think).
Kevin Chapman
Where you know him from:
Black Dynamite, as O’Leary
Mystic River, as Val Savage
Blow, as DEA Eastham
Also look for him in: The Boondock Saints, as Chappy, The Cider House Rules, as Adopting Dad, In the Bedroom, as Tim’s Friend, What’s the Worst That Could Happen?, as Bartender, Ladder 49, as Frank Mckinny, In Good Company, as Lou, Two for the Money, as Southie, Sunshine Cleaning, as Carl, Brotherhood, as Freddie Cork, Unstoppable, as Bunny.
Cyd Charisse
Words cannot express just how much I love this woman. There are actresses you like, and then actresses you like. She’s one of the few actresses who actually stir feelings inside of me. (You know, like, feelings.)
Where you know her from:
Singin’ in the Rain, as Dancer (from the big sequence in the middle of the film, shown above)
The Band Wagon, as Gabrielle Gerard
Also look for her in: Brigadoon, as Fiona Campbell, Silk Stockings, as Ninotchka Yoschenko, It’s Always Fair Weather, as Jackie Leighton, Two Weeks in Another Town, as Carlotta.
She’s one of the few ladies to ever have the privilege of dancing with both Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. And — the Girl Hunt ballet in The Band Wagon – oh my god. I love this woman.
Jessica Chastain
Where you know her from:
The Tree of Life, as Mrs. O’Brien
Take Shelter, as Samantha
The Help, as Celia Foote
Also look for her in: The Debt, as Young Rachel, Coriolanus, as Virgillia, Wilde Salome, as Salome, Texas Killing Fields, as Det. Pam Stall, Tar, as Mrs. Williams, Mama, as Annabel, Wettest Country, as Maggie.
Maury Chaykin
Where you know him from:
My Cousin Vinny, as Sam Tipton (he can cook his grits in five minutes)
Entourage, as Harvey Weinngard (least subtle facsimile ever)
Also look for him in: WarGames, as Jim Sting, Twins, as Burt Klane, Dances with Wolves, as Major Fambrough, Hero, as Winston, Cutthroat Island, as John Reed, The Sweet Hereafter, as Wendell, The Mask of Zorro, as Prison Warden, Entrapment, as Conrad Greene, Bleacher Bums (great TV movie), as Scorekeeper Billy, Being Julia, as Walter Gibbs, Casino Jack, as Big Tony.
Dominic Chianese
Where you know him from:
The Sopranos, as Junior Soprano
The Godfather Part II, as Johnny Ola
Also look for him in: Dog Day Afternoon, as Vi’s Husband – Father, All the President’s Men, as Eugenio R. Martinez, Fingers, as Arthur Fox, …And Justice for All ,as Carl Travers, Q & A, as Larry Pesch/Vito/Lorenzo Franconi, Cradle Will Rock, as Silvano – Papa, Unfaithful, as Frank Wilson, When Will I Be Loved, as Count Tommaso Lupo, Damages, as Stuart Zedeck, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, as Reader, Boardwalk Empire, as Leander Cephas Whitlock
Thomas Hayden Church
Where you know him from:
Sideways, as Jack
Spider-Man 3, as Sandman/Flint Marko Wings, as Lowell Mather
Also look for him in: Tombstone, as Billy Clanton, 3000 Miles to Graceland, as Quigley, Spanglish, as Mike the Realtor, Idiocracy, as Brawndo CEO, Smart People, as Chuck Wetherhold, Imagine That, as Johnny Whitefeather, All About Steve, as Hartman Hughes, Easy A, as Mr. Griffith.
Fred Clark
Where you know him from:
Sunset Boulevard, as Sheldrake
How to Marry a Millionaire, as Waldo Brewster
Daddy Long Legs, as Griggs
Auntie Mame, as Dwight Babcock
Also look for him in: Ride the Pink Horse, as Frank Hugo, White Heat, as Trader Winston, A Place in the Sun, as Bellows, Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops, as Joseph Gorman aka Sergei Toumanoff, The Solid Gold Cadillac, as Clifford Snell, Bells are Ringing, as Larry Hastings, Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man, as Mr. Turner, The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, as Alexander King, Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine, as Donald J. Pevney.
Patricia Clarkson
Where you know her from:
The Untouchables, as Catherine Ness (Eliot’s wife)
Easy A, as Rosemary (Emma Stone’s mother)
Friends with Benefits, as Lorna (Mila Kunis’s mother)
Shutter Island, as Rachel 2
Also look for her in: The Dead Pool, as Samantha Walker, Jumanji, as Carol Parrish, The Green Mile, as Melinda Moores, The Pledge, as Margaret Larson, Far from Heaven, as Eleanor Fine, Pieces of April, as Joy Burns, The Station Agent, as Olivia Harris, Dogville, as Vera, Miracle, as Patti Brooks, Good Night, and Good Luck, as Shirley Wershba, All the King’s Men, as Sadie Burke, Lars and the Real Girl, as Dagmar, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, as Judy, Whatever Works, as Marietta.
Lee J. Cobb
Where you know him from:
On the Waterfront, as Johnny Friendly
12 Angry Men, as Juror #3
The Exorcist, as Lt. William Kinderman
Also look for him in: The Song of Bernadette, as Dr. Dozous, Anna and the King of Siam, as Kralahome, Boomerang!, as Chief Harold F. “Robbie” Robinson, The Luck of the Irish, as David C. Augur, The Three Faces of Eve, as Dr. Curtis Luther, The Brothers Karamazov, as Father Karamazov,Green Mansions, as Nuflo, Exodus, as Barak Ben Canaan, How the West Was Won, as Marshal Lou Ramsey, Our Man Flint & In Like Flint, as Cramden, Coogan’s Bluff, as Lt. McElroy, Mackenna’s Gold, as The Editor, The Liberation of L.B. Jones, as Oman Hedgepath.
Bill Cobbs
Where you know him from:
The Hudsucker Proxy, as Moses
The Bodyguard, as Devaney
Night at the Museum, as Reginald
Also look for him in: The Cotton Club, as Big Joe Ison, The Color of Money, as Orvis, Bird, as Dr. Caulfield, The People Under the Stairs, as Grandpa Booker, Demolition Man, as Zachary Lamb (aged), Things to Do in Denver when You’re Dead, as Malt, Ed, as Tipton, That Thing You Do!, as Del Paxton, Ghosts of Mississippi, as Charlie Evers, Air Bud, as Arthur Chaney, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, as Estes, Random Hearts, as Marvin, Get Low, as Reverend Charlie Jackson
Charles Coburn
Where you know him from:
The Lady Eve, as “Colonel” Harrington
The More the Merrier, as Benjamin Dingle
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, as Sir Francis “Piggy” Beekman
Also look for him in: Of Human Hearts, as Dr. Shingle, Road to Singapore, as Joshua Mallon IV, The Devil and Miss Jones, as John P. Merrick, Kings Row, as Dr. Gordon, Heaven Can Wait, as Hugo Van Cleve, The Green Years, as Alexander Gow, The Paradine Case, as Sir Simon Flaquer, Monkey Business, as Oliver Oxley, Trouble Along the Way, as Father Burke, Around the World in 80 Days, as Steamship Company Clerk.
James Coburn
Where you know him from:
The Magnificent Seven, as Britt
Charade, as Tex Panthollow
Duck, You Sucker (aka A Fistful of Dynamite) as John Mallory
Payback, as Mr. Fairfax
Monsters, Inc. as Henry J. Waternoose
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, as Pat Garrett
Affliction, as Glen Whitehouse
Also look for him in: The Americanization of Emily, as Lt. Comdr. Paul ‘Bus’ Cummings, Our Man Flint/In Like Flint, as Derek Flint, Hard Times, as Speed, Midway, as Captain Vinton Maddox, Cross of Iron, as Rolf Steiner, Young Guns II, as John Simpson Chisum, Hudson Hawk, as George Kaplan, Deadfall, as Mike Donan/Lou Donan, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, as Mr. Crisp, Maverick, as Commodore Duvall, Eraser, as WitSex Chief Beller, The Nutty Professor (1996), as Harlan Hartley.
James Coco
Where you know him from:
Murder by Death, as Milo Perrier
Only When I Laugh, as Jimmy
Also look for him in: Ensign Pulver, as Skouras, Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon, as Mario, A New Leaf, as Uncle Harry, Man of La Mancha, as Sancho Panza/Cervantes’s Manservant, The Cheap Detective, as Marcel, The Muppets Take Manhattan, as Mr. Skeffington.
Gary Cole
Where you know him from:
Office Space, as Bill Lumbergh
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, as Cotton McKnight
Pineapple Express, as Ted Jones
Also look for him in: The Brady Bunch Movie/A Very Brady Sequel, as Mike Brady, A Simple Plan, as Baxter, One Hour Photo, as Bill Owens, Talladega Ngihts: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, as Reese Bobby, Breach, as Rich Garces, Entourage, as Andrew Klein. He was also the voice of Harvey Birdman.
Dabney Coleman
Where you know him from:
WarGames, as McKittrick
Tootsie, as Ron Carlisle
Boardwalk Empire, as Commodore Louis Kaestner
Also look for him in: Cinderella Liberty, as Executive Officer, Midway, as Captain Murray Arnold, North Dallas Forty, as Emmett Hunter, Melvin and Howard, as Judge Keith Hayes, On Golden Pond, as Bill Ray, Amos & Andrew, as Chief of Police Cecil Tolliver, You’ve Got Mail, as Nelson Fox, Inspector Gadget, as Chief Quimby, Stuart Little, as Dr. Beechwood, Recess, as Principal Prickley, Domino, as Drake Bishop.
Olivia Colman
Where you know her from:
Hot Fuzz, as PC Doris Thatcher
Tyrannosaur, as Hannah
Also look for her in: Look Around You, as Pam Bachelor, I Could Never Be Your Woman, as Hairdresser, The Secret World of Arriety, as Homily (U.K. Version), The Iron Lady, as Carol Thatcher, Hyde Park on the Hudson, as Queen Elizabeth.
Clifton Collins, Jr.
Where you know him from:
Capote, as Perry Smith
The Rules of Attraction, as Rupert (the crazy drug dealer)
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, as Vegan Police
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (fuck yeah, video game!), as Cesar Vialpando
Also look for him in: Tigerland, as Pvt. Miter, Traffic, as Francisco Flores, The Last Castle, as Cpl. Ramon Aguilar, Babel, as Officer at Border Crossing, Sunshine Cleaning, as Winston, Star Trek, as Ayel, Crank: High Voltage, as El Huron, Brothers, as Major Cavazos.
Ray Collins
Where you know him from:
Ciitzen Kane, as Jim W. Gettys
Touch of Evil, as District Attorney Adair
The Magnificent Ambersons, as Jack
The Best Years of Our Lives, as Mr. Milton
Also look for him in: The Human Comedy, as Mr. Macauley, The Seventh Cross, as Ernst Wallau, Leave Her to Heaven, as Glen Robie, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, as Beemish, A Double Life, as Victor Donlan, The Senator Was Indiscreet, as Houlihan, Command Decision, as Ma. Desmond Lansing, The Heiress, as Jefferson Almond, Summer Stock, as Jasper G. Wingait, The Racket, as Dist. Atty. Mortimer X. Welsh, The Desperate Hours, as Sheriff Masters, The Solid Gold Cadillac, as Alfred Metcalfe.
Robbie Coltrane
Where you know him from:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone + Chamber of Secrets + Prisoner of Azkaban + Goble of Fire + Order of the Phoenix + Half Blood Prince + Deathly Hallows 1 + 2, as Rubeus Hagrid
GoldenEye + The World is Not Enough, as Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky
Ocean’s Twelve, as Matsui
Also look for him in: Flash Gordon, as Man at Airfield, Krull, as Rhun, Rueopean Vacation, as Man in the Bathroom, Mona Lisa, as Thomas, Let it Ride, as Ticket Seller, Henry V, as Sir John Falstaff, Buddy, as Dr. Bill Lintz, Message in a Bottle, as Ned Tweedledum, From Hell, as Sergeant Peter Godley, Van Helsing, as Mr. Hyde, Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker, as Prime Minister, The Brothers Bloom, as Curator, The Tale of Despereaux, as Gregory, Arthur Christmas, as Lead Elf, Great Expectations, as Mr. Jaggers, Brave, as Lord Dingwall.
Jack Conley
Where you know him from:
Payback, as Detective Leary
L.A Confidential, as Vice Captain
Fast & Furious, as Penning
Get Shorty, as Agent Dunbar
Also look for him in: Heaven’s Gate, as Morison, Apollo 13, as Science Reporter, The Chamber, as White Guard, Mercury Rising, as Detective Nichols, The Cell, as Agent Brock, Traffic, as Agent Hughes, Collateral Damage, as Forensic Specialist, Criminal, as Henry the Angry Man, Fun with Dick and Jane, as INS Agent, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, as Deupty Frye, House, M.D., “Birthmarks,” as Sheriff Costello, Crossing Over, as OIG Agent Poulson, G-Force, as Agent Trigstad.
Frank Conroy
Where you know him from:
The Ox-Bow Incident, as Major Tetley
The Naked City, as Capt. Donahue
The Snake Pit, as Dr. Jonathan Gilford
Also look for him in: The Royal Family of Broadway, as Gilmore Marshall, Possessed, as Horace Travers, Grand Hotel, as Rohna, The Kennel Murder Case, as Brisbane Coe, Frontier Marshal, as George “Oscar” Reid, Manhattan Melodrama, as Blackie’s Defense Attorney, Little Miss Marker, as Doctor Ignalls, The Captain Hates the Sea, as State’s Attorney, Evelyn Prentice, as District Attorney Farley, The White Parade, as Dr. Thorne, The Last Days of Pomepeii ,as Gaius Tanno, The Gorgeous Hussey, as John C. Calhoun, Mighty Joe Young, as Reporter, The Day the Earth Stood Still, as Mr. Harley, The Young Philadelphians, as Doctor Shippen Stearnes.
Elisha Cook, Jr.
Where you know him from:
House on Haunted Hill, as Watson Pritchard
The Maltese Falcon, as Wilmer Cook
The Big Sleep, as Harry Jones
The Killing, as George Peatty
Also look for him in: Pigskin Parade, as Herbert Terwilliger Van Dyck, Love Crazy, as Joe (elevator operator), Sergeant York, as Piano Player, Ball of Fire, as Nightclub Waiter, Dillinger, as Kirk Otto, One-Eyed Jacks, as Carvey, Rosemary’s Baby, as Mr. Nicklas, Emerpor of the North, as Gray Cat, Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, as Cody, The Champ, as Georgie, 1941, as The Patron (Dexter).
Jennifer Coolidge
Where you know her from:
American Pie, American Pie II & American Wedding, as Stifler’s Mom
Also look for her in: A Night at the Roxbury, as Hottie Cop, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, as Woman at the Football Game, Best in Show, as Sherri Ann Cabot, Down to Earth, as Mrs. Wellington, Legally Blonde & Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde, as Paulette, Pootie Tang, as Ireenie, A Mighty Wind, as Amber Cole, Date Movie, as Roz Funkyerdoder, Click, as Janine, For Your Consideration, as Whitney Taylor Brown, Epic Movie, as White Bitch, Soul Men, as Rosalee, The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, as Genevieve, Gentlemen Broncos, as Judith.
Chris Cooper
Where you know him from:
American Beauty, as Colonel Frank Fitts, USMC
The Bourne Identity, as Conklin
Adaptation., as John Laroche
Breach, as Robert Hanssen
Where the Wild Things Are, as Douglas
Also look for him in: Matewan, as Joe Kenehan, Lonesome Dove, as July Johnson, This Boy’s Life, as Roy, Lone Star, as Sam, A Time to Kill as Deputy Dwayne Looney, Great Expectations (1998), as Joe, The Horse Whisperer, as Frank Booker, October Sky, as John Hickam, Me, Myself and Irene, as Lieutenant Gerke, The Patriot, as Colonel Harry Burwell, Interstate 60, as Bob Cody, Seabiscuit, as Tom Smith, Capote, as Alan Dewey, Jarhead, as Lt. Col. Kazinski, Syriana, as Jimmy Pope, The Kingdom, as Grant Sykes, The Company Men, as Phil Woodward, The Town, as Stephen MacRay.
Jeff Corey
Where you know him from:
True Grit (1969), as Tom Chaney
Little Big Man, as Wild Bill Hickock
Fourteen Hours, as Police Sgt. Farley
In Cold Blood, as Mr. Hickock
Also look for him in: Third Finger, Left Hand, as Johann, The Devil and Daniel Webster, as Tom Sharp, Roxie Hart, as Orderly, Syncopation, as Kit’s Attorney, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, as Crypt Keeper, The Killers, as “Blinky” Franklin, California, as Clem, Miracle on 34th Street, as Reporter Brute Force, as “Freshman” Stack, Joan of Arc, as Joan’s Prison Guard, Wake of the Red Witch, as Mr. Loring, Hideout, as Beecham, Home of the Brave, as Doctor, Rawhide, as Luke Davis, The Balcony, as Bishop, Mickey One, as Larry Fryer, The Cincinnati Kid, as Hoban, Seconds, as Mr. Ruby, The Boston Strangler, as John Asgeirsson, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid & Butch and Sundance: The Early Days, as Sheriff Bledsoe, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, as Caspay, They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!, as Captain Marden, Shoot Out, as Trooper, The Last Tycoon, as Doctor, Oh, God!, as Rabbi Silverstone, Conan the Destroyer, as Grand Vizier, Bird on a Wire, as Lou Baird, Beethoven’s 2nd, as Gus, the Janitor.
Kevin Corrigan
Where you know him from:
The Departed, as Cousin Sean
American Gangster, as Campizi
Pineapple Express, as Budlofsky
And also (though you don’t knot it):
Goodfellas, as Michael Hill
Also look for him in: The Exorcist III, as Altar Boy, Billy Bathgate, as Arnold, True Romance, as Marvin, Bad Boys, as Elliott, Kiss of Death, as Kid selling Infinity, Grounded for Life, as Eddie Finnerty, Superbad, as Mark, Definitely, Maybe, as Mark, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, as Man at Port Authority, Big Fan, as Sal, Unstoppable, as Inspector Werner, The Next Three Days, as Alex.
Robert Costanzo
Where you know him from:
Die Hard 2, as Sgt.Vito Lorenzo
Total Recall, as Harry
City Slickers, as Sal
Also look for him in: Dog Day Afternoon, as New York Policeman, The Goodbye Girl, as Liquor Store Salesman, Saturday Night Fever, as Paint Store Customer, Shoot the Moon, as Leo Spinelli,Dick Tracy, as Lips’ Bodyguard, Honeymoon in Vegas, as Sidney Tomashefsky, Flyboys, as Carmine.
Allen Covert
Where you know him from:
All the Adam Sandler movies. But he always manages to be memorable in them.
Happy Gilmore, as Otto (his homeless caddy)
The Wedding Singer, as Sammy
The Waterboy, as Walter
Big Daddy, as Phil D’Amato
Also look for him in: Going Overboard, as Bartender, Airheads, as Cop, Heavy Weights, as Kenny,Bulletproof, as Detective Jones, Deuce Bigelow: Male Gigolo, as Vic, Little Nicky, as Todd, Mr. Deeds, as Marty, Anger Management, as Andrew, 50 First Dates, as Ten Second Tom, The Longest Yard, as Referee, Grandma’s Boy, as Alex, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, as Steve,Bedtime Stories, as Ferrari Guy, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, as Jerky Security Guy, Just Go With It, as Soul Patch.
Brian Cox
Where you know him from: (I feel like most people know Brian Cox, but I’m doing it anyway.)
The Bourne Identity & The Bourne Supremacy, as Ward Abbott
Adaptation., as Robert McKee
25th Hour, as James Brogan
X2: X-Men United, as William Styker
Troy, as Agamemnon
Red, as Ivan Simanov
Manhunter, as Hannibal Lecktor
Also look for him in: Rob Roy, as Killearn, Braveheart (big Scottish period for him), as Argyle Wallace, The Long Kiss Goodnight, as Dr. Nathan Waldman, The Boxer, as Joe Hamill, Rushmore, as Dr. Nelson Guggenheim, Super Troopers, as Captain O’Hagan, Manhunt (great video game), as the Director, Match Point, as Alec Hewitt, Red Eye, as Joe Reisert, The Ringer, as Gary Barker, Zodiac, as Melvin Belli, Fantastic Mr. Fox, as Action 12 Reporter, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, as John Landon.
Bryan Cranston
Where you know him from:
Breaking Bad, as Walter White
Seinfeld, as Tim Whatley (Dentist. Converted to Judaism just for the jokes.)
Malcolm in the Middle, as Hal
(I don’t normally leave just TV stuff on here, but he’s one of those guys, you know him from TV, and then you go, “Oh shit, he was in all these movies too.” That counts. Especially when you see what movies they are and remember, “Oh shit, that was him.”)
Also look for him in: That Thing you Do!, as Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Saving Private Ryan, as War Department Colonel, Illusion, as David, Little Miss Sunshine, as Stan Grossman, Love Ranch, as James Pettis, The Lincoln Lawyer, as Detective Lankford, Drive, as Shannon, Larry Crowne, as Dean Tainot, Contagion, as Lyle Haggerty, Red Tails, as Maj. William Mortamus, John Carter, as Powell, Rock of Ages, as Mayor Mike Whitmore, Total Recall, as Vilos Cohaagen, Argo, as Jack O’Donnell.
Matt Craven
Where you know him from:
A Few Good Men, as Lt. Dave Spradling
Crimson Tide, as Lt. Roy Zimmer, Communications Officer
Bleacher Bums, as Greg
Also look for him in: Tin Men, as Looney, Jacob’s Ladder, as Michael, The Life of David Gale, as Dusty Wright, The Clearing, as Agent Ray Fuller, Assault on Precinct 13 (2004), as Officer Kevin Capra, Deja Vu, as Agent Larry Minuti, Disturbia, as Daniel Brecht, Public Enemies, as Geryr Campbell, Devil, as Lustig, X-Men: First Class, as CIA Director McCone.
Terry Crews
Where you know him from:
The Expendables & The Expendables 2, as Hale Caesar
The Longest Yard, as Cheeseburger Eddy
Idiocracy, as President Camacho
Everybody Hates Chris, as Julius
Also look for him in: The 6th Day, as Vincent, Serving Sara, as Vernon, Friday After Next, as Damon, Deliver Us from Eva, as Big bartender, Malibu’s Most Wanted, as 8 Ball, Baadasssss!, as Big T, Starsky & Hutch, as Porter, Soul Plane, as Thug (Flight Attendant), White Chicks, as Latrell Spencer, Harsh Times, as Darrell, The Benchwarmers, as Poker Guy #1, Click, as Singing Driver, Inland Empire, as Street Person #3, Norbit, as Big Jack Latimore, Who’s Your Caddy?, as Tank, Balls of Fury, as Freddy, Street Kings, as Detective Terrence Washington, Get Smart, as Agent 91, Termiantor Salvation, as Captain Jericho, Middle Men, as James, Gamer, as Hackman, Lottery Ticket, as Jimmy the Driver, Bridesmaids, as Boot Camp Instructor, Are We There Yet?, as Nick Persons
James Cromwell
Where you know him from:
L.A. Confidential, as Dudley Smith
Babe and Babe: Pig in the City, as Farmer Hoggett
W., as George H. W. Bush
Also look for him in: Murder by Death, as Marcel, The Cheap Detective, as Schnell, Revenge of the Nerds I & II, as Mr. Skolnick, Eraser, as William Donohue, The People vs. Larry Flynt, as Charles Keating, Star Trek: First Contact, as Dr. Zefram Cochrane, Deep Impact, as Alan Rittenhouse, The General’s Daughter, as Lt. Gen. Joseph Campbell, RKO 281, as William Randolph Hearst, Space Cowboys, as Bob Gershon, The Sum of All Fears, as President Fowler, I, Robot, as Dr. Alfred Lanning, The Longest Yard, as Warden Hazen, The Queen, as Prince Philip, Spider-Man 3, as Captain Stacy, Secretariat, as Ogden Phipps.
Hume Cronyn
Where you know him from:
The most fascinating thing about Hume Cronyn is his marriage to Jessica Tandy. They were married from 1942 until her death in 1994. That’s 52 years. And, over that time, they often appeared in films together, often as husband and wife. That warms my heart so much. I think that’s one of the most beautiful stories in film history. Here’s a list of all the films they made together (I’ll list his character names. Hers will be on her list):
The Seventh Cross, as Paul Roeder
Blonde Fever, as Diner at Inn
The Green Years, as Papa Leckie
The World According to Garp, as Mr. Fields
Cocoon & Cocoon: The Return, as Joe Finley
*batteries not included, as Frank Riley
Camilla, as Ewald
Also look for him in: Shadow of a Doubt, as Herbie Hawkins, Lifeboat, as Stanley “Sparks” Garett, The Postman Always Rings Twice, as Arthur Keats, Sunrise at Campobello, as Louis Howe, Cleopatra, as Sosigenes, There Was a Crooked Man…, as Dudley Whinner, The Parallax View, as Bill Rintels, Brewster’s Millions, as Rupert Horn, The Pelican Brief, as Justice Rosenberg, Marvin’s Room, as Marvin.
David Cross
Where you know him from:
Arrested Development, as Tobias Fünke
Men in Black, as Newton the Morgue Attendant
Men in Black II, as Newton
Mr. Show with Bob and David
Also look for him in: The Cable Guy, as Sales Manager, Waiting for Guffman, as UFO expert, Small Soldiers, as Irwin Wayfair, Ghost World, as Gerrold, The Pushy Guy, Pootie Tang, as Pootie Tang imposter, Scary Movie 2, as Dwight, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, as Rob, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, as Zero, The Grand, as Larry Schwartzman, I’m Not There, as Allen Ginsberg, Alvin and the Chipmunks (The Squeakquel too), as Ian, Kung Fu Panda & Kung Fu Panda 2 as Crane, Year One, as Cain, Megamind, as Minion.
Scatman Crothers
Where you know him from:
The Shining, as Dick Hallorann
Hong Kong Phooey, as Hong Kong Phooey
The Aristocats, as Scat Cat
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, as Turkle
Also look for him in: Lady Sings the Blues, as Big Ben, The Shootist, as Moses, Silver Streak, as Ralston, The Cheap Detective, as Tinker, Twilight Zone: The Movie, as Mr. Bloom (Segment #2), Transformers: The Movie (1986, and the TV series too), as Jazz.
Benedict Cumberbatch
Where you know him from:
Atonement, as Paul Marshall
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, as Peter Guillam
Sherlock, as Sherlock Holmes
Also look for him in: Starter for 10, as Patrick Watts, Amazing Grace, as William Pitt, The Other Boleyn Girl, as William Carey, Creation, as Joseph Hooker, Four Lions, as Negotiator, The Whistleblower, as Nick Kaufman, War Horse, as Maj. Jamie Stewart, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey & The Hobbit: There and Back Again, as Smaug/The Necromancer
Alan Cumming
Where you know him from:
Goldeneye, as Boris Grishenko (He is invincible!)
X2: X-Men United, as Nightcrawler
Josey and the Pussycats, as Wyatt Frame
Also look for him in: Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion, as Sandy Frink, Spice World, as Piers, Eyes Wide Shut, as Hotel Desk Clerk, Titus, as Saturnicus, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, as Gazoo/Mick Jagged, Get Carter, as Jeremy Kinnear, Spy Kids & Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams & Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, as Fegan Floop, The Anniversary Party, as Joe Therrian, The Smurfs, as Gusty (awesome new addition. He’s a badass Scot).
Tim Curry
Where you know him from:
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, as Dr. Frank-N-Furter – A Scientist
Clue, as Wadsworth
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, as Mr. Hector
The Hunt for Red October, as Dr. Yevgeniy Petrov
The Wild Thornberrys, as Nigel Thornberry
Also look for him in: Annie (1982), as Rooster Hannigan, Oscar, as Thornton Poole, FernGully: The Last Rainforest, as Hexxus, National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1, as Jigsaw, The Three Musketeers (1993), as Cardinal Richelieu, Congo, as Herkermer Homolka, Superhuman Samurai Cyber Squad (anyone else remember this show?), as Kilokahn, Captain Planet and the Planeteers, as MAL, McHale’s Navy, as Maj. Vladikov, Charlie’s Angels, as Roger Corwin, Scary Movie 2, as Professor, Kinsey, as Thurman Rice.
Cliff Curtis
Where you know him from:
Bringing Out the Dead, as Cy Coates
Training Day, as Smiley
Sunshine, as Searle
The Fountain, as Captain Ariel
Also look for him in: The Piano, as Mana, Deep Rising, as Mamooli, Six Days Seven Nights, as Kip,Three Kings, as Amir Abdulah, The Insider, as Sheikh Fadlallah, Blow, as Pablo Escobar, The Majestic, as The Evil But Handsome Prince Khalid, Collateral Damage, as Claudio Perrini, Whale Rider, as Porourangi, Runaway Jury, as Frank Herrera, Fracture, as Detective Franklin, Live Free or Die Hard, as FBI Deputy Director Miguel Bowman, 10,000 BC, as Tic’Tic, Push, as Hook Waters,Trauma, as Reuben “Rabbit” Palchuk, The Last Airbender, as Fire Lord Ozai, Colombiana, as Emilio Restrepo.
Joan Cusack
Where you know her from:
In & Out, as Emily Montgomery
Grosse Point Blank, as Marcella
Toy Story 2 & Toy Story 3, as Jesse — Yodeling Cowgirl
The School of Rock, as Principal Rosalie Mullins
Also look for her in: Broadcast News, as Blair Litton, Married to the Mob, as Rose, Working Girl, as Cyn, Say Anything…, as Constance Dobler, My Blue Heaven, as Hannah Stubbs, Hero, as Evelyn, Nine Months, as Gail Dwyer, Arlington Road, as Cheryl Lang, Cradle Will Rock, as Hazel Huffman, Runaway Bride, as Peggy Fleming, High Fidelity, as Liz, Where the Heart is, as Ruth Meyers, Raising Helen, as Jenny Portman, War, Inc., as Marsha Dillon.
Charles Cyphers
Where you know him from:
Halloween & Halloween II, as Sheriff Leigh Brackett
Major League, as Charlie Donovan
Escape from New York, as Secretary of State
Also look for him in: Assault on Precinct 13, as Starker, MacArthur, as Brig. Gen. Forest Harding, Coming Home, as Pee Wee, The Fog, as Dan O’Bannon, Death Wish II, as Donald Kay, National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1, as Interrogator.
Willem Dafoe
Where you know him from:
Platoon, as Sgt. Elias
Spider-Man & Spider-Man 3, as Green Goblin/Norman Osborn
Shadow of the Vampire, as Max Schreck
The Boondock Saints, as Paul Smecker
Also look for him in: Streets of Fire, as Raven Shaddock, Off Limits, as Buck McGriff, The Last Temptation of Christ, as Jesus, Mississippi Burning, as Agent Alan Ward, Born on the Fourth of July, as Charlie – Villa Dulce, Cry-Baby, as Hateful Guard, Wild at Heart, as Bobby Peru, White Sands, as Deputy Sheriff Ray Dolezal, Body of Evidence, as Frank Dulaney, Tom & Viv, as Tom Eliot, Clear and Present Danger, as John Clark, Basquiat, as The Electrician, The English Patient, as David Caravaggio, Speed 2: Cruise Control, as John Geiger, Affliction, as Rolfe Whitehouse, New Rose Hotel, as X, eXistenZ, as Gas, American Psycho, as Det. Donald Kimball, Animal Factory, as Earl Copen, Auto Focus, as John Carpenter, Finding Nemo, as Gill, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, as Barillo, The Clearing, as Arnold Mack, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, as Klaus Daimler, Control, as Dr. Michael Copeland, The Aviator, as Roland Sweet, xXx: State of the Union, as General George Deckert, Manderlay, aS Grace’s Father, Ripley Under Ground, as Niel Muchinson, American Dreamz, as Chief of Staff, Inside Man, as Captain John Darius, Paris Je T’Aime, as Le Cowboy, Tales from Earthsea, as Cob, The Walker, as Larry Lockner, Mr. Bean’s Holiday, as Carson Clay, Fireflies in the Gaden, as Charles Taylor, Antichrist, as He, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done, as Detective Hank Haverhurst, Daybreakers, as Lionel “Elvis” Cormac, Fantastic Mr. Fox, as Rat, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, as Gavner Purl, Miral, as Eddie, John Carter, as Tars Tarkas.
Jeff Daniels
Where you know him from:
Dumb & Dumber, as Harry Dunne
The Squid and the Whale, as Bernard Berkman
Speed, as Det. Harry Temple
Also look for him in: Terms of Endearment, as Flap Horton, The Purple Rose of Cairo, as Tom Baxter/Gil Shepherd, Heartburn, as Richard, Something Wild, as Charles Driggs, Radio Days, as Biff Baxter, Arachnophobia, as Dr. Ross Jennings, Gettysburg, as Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, 2 Days in the Valley, as Alvin Strayer, 101 Dalmatians, as Roger, Pleasantville, as Bill Johnson, Blood Work, as Jasper “Buddy” Noone, The Hours, as Louis Waters, Gods and Generals, as Lr. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (did not know this was a sequel), Good Night, and Good Luck, as Sig Mickelson, RV, as Travis Gornicke, Infamous, as Alvin Dewey, Traitor, as Carter, The Answer Man, as Allen Faber, State of Play, as Rep. George Fergus, Away We Go, as Jerry Farlander, Paper Man, as Richard Dunn, Howl, as David Kirk.
William Daniels
Where you know him from:
Boy Meets World, as Mr. Feeny
1776, as John Adams
Also look for him in: A Thousand Clowns, as Albert, Two for the Road, as Howard Manchester, The Graduate, as Mr. Braddock, The Parallax View, as Austin Tucker, Reds, as Julius Gerber, Blind Date, as Judge Harold Bedford, Blades of Glory, as Commissioner Ebbers.
Blythe Danner
Where you know her from:
Meet the Parents & Meet the Fockers & Little Fockers, as Dina Byrnes
1776, as Martha Jefferson
The Great Santini, as Lillian Meechum
Also look for her in: Another Woman, as Lydia, Mr. & Mrs. Bridge, as Grace Barron, Alice, as Dorothy, The Prince of Tides, as Sally Wingo, Husbands and Wives, as Rain’s Mother, To Wong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar, as Beatrice, Mad City, as Mrs. Banks, The X Files, as Jana Cassidy, Forces of Nature, as Virginia, Howl’s Moving Castle, as Madame Suliman (English dub), The Last Kiss, as Anna, The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants 2, as Greta, Paul, as Tara Walton, What’s Your Number?, as Ava Darling.
Paul Dano
Where you know him from:
There Will Be Blood, as Paul Sunday/Eli Sunday
Little Miss Sunshine, as Dwayne
Also look for him in: L.I.E., as Howie Blitzer, The Emperor’s Club, as Martin Blythe, The Girl Next Door, as Klitz, The Ballad of Jack and Rose, as Thadduius, Fast Food Nation, as Brian, Taking Woodstock, as VW Guy, Where the Wild Things Are, as Alexander, The Extra Man, as Louis Ives,Knight and Day, as Simon Feck, Meek’s Cutoff, as Thomas Gately, Cowboys & Aliens, as Percy Dolarhyde.
Linda Darnell
Where you know her from:
My Darling Clementine, as Chihuahua
Unfaithfully Yours, as Daphne De Carter
A Letter to Three Wives, as Lora Mae Hollingsway
Also look for her in: The Mark of Zorro, as Lolita Quintero, Blood and Sand, as Carmen Espinosa, The Loves of Edgar Allen Poe, as Virginia Clemm, The Song of Bernadette, as The Virgin Mary, Fallen Angel, as Stella, Anna and the King of Siam, as Tuptim, Forever Amber, as Amber St. Clair, No Way Out, as Edie Johnson – Mrs. John Biddle, Backbeard, the Pirate, as Edwina Mansfield, Zero Hour!, as Ellen Stryker.
Tony Darrow
Where you know him from:
Goodfellas, as Sonny Bunz
Small Time Crooks, as Tommy
Sweet and Lowdown, as Ben
Also look for him in: Bullets over Broadway, as Aldo, Mighty Aphrodite, as Boxing Trainer, Deconstructing Harry, as Camera Operator/Harry’s Character, Celebrity, as Moving Man in Loft, Analyze This, as Moony, Mickey Blue Eyes, as Angelo, The Sopranos, as Larry Boy Barese, Kill the Irishman, as Mikey Mendarolo.
Jane Darwell
Where you know her from:
As ‘Ma’, in everything.
The Grapes of Wrath, as Ma Joad
The Ox-Bow Incident, as “Ma”
Jesse James, as ‘Ma’ Samuels, Jesse’s mother
Also look for her in: Gone With the Wind, as Mrs. Merriweather, The Devil and Daniel Webster, as Ma Stone, My Darling Clementine, as Kate Nelson, 3 Godfathers, as Miss Florie, Wagon Master, as Sister Ledeyard (don’t be fooled by ‘sister.’ They’re Mormons. It’s a ‘Ma’ role), Mary Poppins, as the Bird Woman. (She made hundreds of films. Chances are, you’ve seen her in something.)
Harry Davenport
Where you know him from:
Gone With the Wind, as Dr. Meade
Meet Me in St. Louis, as Grandpa Prophater
You Can’t Take It With You, as Judge
The Ox-Bow Incident, as Arthur Davies
The Thin Man Goes Home, as Dr. Bertram Charles
Also look for him in: The Life of Emile Zola, as Chief of Staff, Juarez, as Dr. Samuel Basch, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, as King Louis XI, All This, and Heaven Too, as Pierre, Foreign Correspondaent, as Mr. Powers, The Bride Came C.O.D., as Pop Tolliver, One Foot in Heaven, as Elias Samson, Kings Row, as Colonel Skeffington, The Farmer’s Daughter, as Dr. Matthew Sulven, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, as Thaddeus, Little Women (1949), as Dr. Barnes.
Robert Davi
Where you know him from:
Die Hard, as FBI Special Agent Johnson
The Goonies, as Jake
Licence to Kill, as Franz Sanchez
Also look for him in: Raw Deal, as Max Keller, Action Jackson, as Tony Moretti, Predator 2, as Captain Phil Heinermann, Showgirls, as Al Torres, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, as Colonel Juan Garcia Cortez, Kill the Irishman, as Ray Ferritto.
Keith David
Where you know him from:
The Thing, as Childs
They Live, as Frank Armitage (combatant in the longest fistfight ever put to screen)
Pitch Black & Chronicles of Riddick, as Abu ‘Imam’ al-Walid
Also look for him in: Platoon, as King, Bird, as Buster Franklin, Road House, as Ernie Bass, Always, as Powerhouse, Men at Work, as Louis Fedders, Clockers, as André the Giant, Dead Presidents, as Kirby, Volcano, as Police Lieutenant Ed Fox, Hercules, as Apollo the Sun God, Armageddon, as General Kimsey, Requiem for a Dream, as Big Tim, The Replacements, as Lindell, Barbershop, as Leser Wallace, Head of State, as Bernard Cooper, Crash, as Lt. Dixon, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, as Father (Jolie’s boss), Transporter 2, as Stappleton, The Princess and the Frog, as Dr. Facilier.
Tommy Davidson
Where you know him from:
Black Dynamite, as Cream Corn
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, as The Tiny Warrior
Booty Call, as Rushon
Also look for him in: In Living Color, Bamboozled, as Womack/Sleep’n Eat, Juwanna Mann, as Puff Smokey Smoke.
Embeth Davidtz
Where you know her from:
Matilda, as Miss Honey
Schindler’s List, as Helen Hirsch
Army of Darkness, as Sheila
Also look for her in: Murder in the First, as Mary McCasslin (great film), Fallen, as Gretta Milano, Bicentennial Man, as Little Miss Amanda Martin/Portia Charney, Bridget Jones’s Diary, as Natasha, The Hole, as Dr. Philippa Horwood, Thur13en Ghosts, as Kalina Oretzia, The Emperor’s Club, as Elizabeth, Junebug, as Madeleine, Fracture, as Jennifer Crawford, Fragments, as Joan Laraby, Californication, as Felicia, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as Annika Blomkvist, The Amazing Spider-Man, as Mary Parker.
Hope Davis
Where you know her from:
About Schmidt, as Jeannie Schmidt
American Splendor, as Joyce Brabner
The Weather Man, as Noreen
Also look for her in: Flatliners, as Anne Coldren, Home Alone, as French Ticket Agent, Kiss of Death, as Junior’s Girlfriend, Arlington Road, as Brooke Wolfe, Joe Gould’s Secret,as Therese Mitchell, Hearts in Atlantis, as Liz Garfield, The Matador, as Carolyn “Bean” Wright, Proof, as Claire, Infamous, as Slim Keith, The Hoax, as Andrea Tate, The Nines, as Sarah/Susan/Sierra, Charlie Bartlett, as Marilyn Bartlett, Synecdoche, New York, as Madeline Gravis.
Judy Davis
Where you know her from:
Barton Fink, as Audrey Taylor
A Passage to India, as Adela
Also look for her in: Alice, as Vicky, Naked Lunch, as Joan Frost/Joan Lee, Husbands and Wives, as Sally, The Ref, as Caroline Chasseur, Absolute Power, as Gloria Russell, Deconstructing Harry, as Lucy, Celebrity, as Robin Simon, Marie Antoinette, as Comtesse de Noailles, The Break-Up, as Marilyn Dean, The Starter Wife, as Joan McAllister.
Warwick Davis
Where you know him from:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone & Chamber of Secrets & Prisoner of Azkaban & Goblet of Fire & Order of the Phoenix & Half-Blood Prince & Deathly Hallows Part I & Deathly Hallows Part 2, as Professor Flitwick/Griphook/Wizard
Willow, as Willow Ufgood
Leprechaun & Leprechaun 2 & Leprechaun 3 & Leprechaun 4: In Space & Leprechaun in the Hood & Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood, as Leprechaun
Also look for him in: Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, as Wicket, Labyrinth, as Goblin Corps, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, as Wald/Pod race spectator/Mos Espa Citizen, Ray, as Oberon, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, as Marvin, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, as Nikabrik, Life’s Too Short, as himself (sort of).
Bruce Davison
Where you know him from:
X-Men, as Senator Kelly
Willard (1971), as Willard
Also look for him in: Mother, Jugs and Speed, as Leroy, Longtime Companion, as David, Short Cuts, as Howard Finnigan, Six Degrees of Separation, as Larkin, The Crucible, as Reverend Parris, Crazy/Beautiful, as Tom Oakley, Summer Catch, as Reed Parrish, Runaway Jury, as Durwood Cable, Breach, as John O’Neill.
Ossie Davis
I know this isn’t technically in alphabetical order, but husband and wife get to be next to one another. And I think that’s awesome.
Where you know him from:
Do the Right Thing, as Da Mayor
The Client, as Judge Harry Roosevelt
Also look for him in: The Cardinal, as Father Gillis, Shock Treatment, as Capshaw, The Hill, as Jacko King, The Scalphunters, as Joseph Lee Joe vs. the Volcano, as Marshall, Jungle Fever, as The Good Reverend Doctor Purify, Malcolm X, as Eulogy Performer, Grumpy Old Men, as Chuck, Doctor Dolittle, as Archer Dolittle, Bubba Ho-Tep, as Jack.
Ruby Dee
Where you know her from:
Do the Right Thing, as Mother Sister
American Gangster, as Mama Lucas
Also look for her in: A Raisin in the Sun, as Ruth Younger, Buck and the Preacher, as Ruth, Jungle Fever, as Lucinda Purify, Baby Geniuses, as Margo.
Dom DeLuise
Where you know him from:
Blazing Saddles, as Buddy Bizarre (“Watch. Me. Faggots.” – throw up your hands, stick out your tush, hands on your hips, give em a push, you’ll be surprised, you’re doing the French Mistake, Voila!)
History of the World: Part I, as Emperor Nero
An American Tail & An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, as Tiger
Spaceballs, as Pizza the Hutt
Also look for him in: Fail-Safe, as Sgt. Collins, What’s So Bad About Feeling Good?, as J. Gardner Monroe, The Twelve Chairs, as Father Fyodor, Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?, as Irwin Marcy, The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother, as Eduardo Gambetti, Silent Movie, as Dom Bell, The World’s Greatest Lover, as Adolph Zitz, The End, as Marlon Borunki, The Cheap Detective, as Pepe Damascus, The Muppet Movie, as Bernie the Agent, Fatso, as Dominick DiNapoli, Wholly Moses!, as Shadrach, Smokey and the Bandit II, as Doc, The Cannonball Run & Cannonball Run II, as Victor Prinzim/Captain Chaos (& Don Canneloni, in II only), The Secret of NIMH, as Jeremy, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, as Melvin, Johnny Dangerously, as The Pope, Oliver & Company, as Fagin, All Dogs Go to Heaven, as Itchy Itchiford, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, as Don Giovanni, The Silence of the Hams, as Dr. Animal Cannibal Pizza, Baby Geniuses, as Lenny.
William Demarest
Where you know him from:
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek, as Constable Edmund Kockenlocker
The Jolson Story, as Steve Martin
The Lady Eve, as Muggsy
Sullivan’s Travels, as Mr. Jones
Also look for him in: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, as Carl Griffith, The Great McGinty, as Skeeters — The Politician, The Devil and Miss Jones, as First Detective, The Palm Beach Story, as First Member Ale and Quail Club, Hail the Conquering Hero, as Sgt. Heppelfinger, It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, as Police Chief Aloysius, Viva Las Vegas, as Mr. Martin, My Three Sons, as Uncle Charley O’Casey.
Jeffrey DeMunn
Where you know him from:
The Green Mile, as Harry Terwilliger
The Mist, as Dan Miller
The Shawshank Redemption, as 1946 D.A.
The Walking Dead, as Dale Horvath
Also look for him in: Resurrection, as Joe, Ragtime, as Harry Houdini, Frances, as Clifford Odets, The Hitcher, as Captain Esteridge, The Blob, as Sheriff Herb Geller, Newsies, as Mayor Jacobs, Phenomenon, as Prof. John Ringold, RocketMan, as Paul Wick, The X Files, as Ben Bronschweig, M.D., The Majestic, as Ernie Cole, Burn After Reading, as Cosmetic Surgeon.
Judi Dench
Where you know her from:
Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, Die Another Day, Casino Royale & Quantum of Solace, as M
Shakespeare in Love, as Queen Elizabeth
Also look for her in: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1968), as Titania, A Room with a View, as Eleanor Lavish, 84 Charing Cross Road, as Nora Doel, Henry V, as Mistress Nell Quickly, Hamlet (1996) as Hecuba, Tea with Mussolini, as Arabella, Chocolat, as Armande Voizin, Iris, as Iris Murdoch, The Shipping News, as Agnis Hamm, The Importance of Being Earnest, as Lady Augusta Backnell, The Chronicles of Riddick, as Aereon, Pride & Prejudice, as Lady Catherine de Bourg, Mrs. Henderson Presents, as Mrs. Laura Henderson, Notes on a Scandal, as Barbara Covett, Nine, as Lili, Jane Eyre, as Mrs. Fairfax, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, as Society Lady, My Week with Marilyn, as Dame Sybil Thorndike, J. Edgar, as Anne Marie Hoover.
Brian Dennehy
Where you know him from:
First Blood, as Teasle
Cocoon, as Walter
Silverado, as Cobb
Tommy Boy, as Big Tom
Also look for him in: Looking for Mr. Goodbar, as Surgeon, Foul Play, as Fergie, Gorky Park, as William Kirwill, Twice in a Lifetime, as Nick, Never Cry Wolf, as Rosie, Romeo + Juliet, as Ted Montague, Assault on Precinct 13 (2004), as Sgt. Jasper O’Shea, Ratatouille, as Django.
Bruce Dern
Where you know him from:
The ‘Burbs, as Lt. Mark Rumsfield
Coming Home, as Capt. Bob Hyde
Big Love, as Frank Harlow
Also look for him in: Marnie, as Sailor, Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte, as John Mayhew, The War Wagon, as Hammond, Hang ‘Em High, as Miller, One of the 3 rustlers, and murderer, Support Your Local Sheriff, as Joe Danby, Castle Keep, as Ly. Billy Byron Bix, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, as James, The Great Gatsby, as Tom Buchanan, Posse, as Jack Strawhorn, Family Plot, as George Lumley, The Driver, as The Detective, Diggstown, as John Gillon, Last Man Standing, as Sheriff Ed Galt, Monster, as Thomas.
Laura Dern
Where you know her from:
Jurassic Park & Jurassic Park III, as Dr. Ellie Sattler
Blue Velvet, as Sandy Williams
Wild at Heart, as Lula Fortune
Rambling Rose, as Rose
Also look for her in: White Lightning, as Sharon Anne, Maggie’s Daughter, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, as Girl Eating Ice Cream Cone, Foxes, as Debbie, Mask, as Diana Adams, Fat Man and Little Boy, as Kathleen Robinson, A Perfect World, as Sally Gerber, Citizen Ruth, as Ruth Stoops, October Sky, as Miss Riley, Dr T and the Women, as Peggy, I Am Sam, as Randy Carpenter, Happy Endings, as Pam, The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio, as Dorth Schaefer, Lonely Hearts, as Rene Fodie, Inland Empire, as Nikki Grace/Susan Blue, Year of the Dog, as Bret, Everything Must Go, as Delilah, Little Fockers, as Prudence, Enlightened, as Amy Jellicoe, The Master, as Helen.
Stanley DeSantis
Where you know him from:
The Aviator, as Louis B. Mayer
Boogie Nights, as Buck’s Manager
I Am Sam, as Robert
Bulworth, as Manny Liebowitz
Entourage, as Scott Wick
Also look for him in: Candyman, as Dr. Burke, Ed Wood, as Mr. Feldman, The Birdcage, as TV Man in Van, The Truth About Cats and Dogs, as Mario, The Fan, as Stoney, Fools Rush In, as Judge Marshall, Rush Hour, as FBI Gate Guard #1, Head Over Heels, as Alfedo, Human Nature, as Doctor, Curb Your Enthusiasm, “The Blind Date,” as Stanley, Something New, as Jack Pino.
William Devane
Where you know him from:
Marathon Man, as Janeway
Payback, as Carter
Knots Landing, as Gregory Summer
Also look for him in: McCabe & Mrs. Miller, as The Lawyer, Family Plot, as Arthur Adamson aka Edward Shoebridge, The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training, as Mike Leak, Rolling Thunder, as Major Charles Rane, Yanks, as John, Space Cowboys, as Eugene Davis, Hollow Man, as Dr. Howard Kramer, Race to Space, as Roger Thornhill, The Badge, as The Judge, 24, as James Heller, The Fall, as Judge Stanley Seeban.
Andy Devine
Where you know him from:
Stagecoach, as Buck (one of the drivers) — He has the honor of delivering the best line in the film. After Lucy Mallory has her baby, he walks in and is like, “Well why didn’t anybody tell me?!” (The joke being that films of the 30s and 40s couldn’t explicitly state (or show) that a woman was pregnant, especially without her husband present (and her storyline is that she’s meeting her husband because she’s about to give birth), so the whole films she’s “sick” and we don’t know why, and all of a sudden she gives birth out of nowhere despite not even seeming pregnant at all.)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, as Link Appleyard
A Star is Born, as Danny McGuire, Janet Gaynor’s actor friend who lives in the boarding house with her.
Also look for him in: Pete Kelly’s Blues, as George Tenell, Around the World in 80 Days, as the first mate of the “Henrietta,” How the West Was Won, as Corporal Peterson, It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World as the Sheriff of Crockett County. Another one of the most famous voices in film. High-pitched and raspy — you’ve heard this man speak.
Danny DeVito
Where you know him from:
Batman Returns, as Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot
L.A. Confidential, as Sid Hudgens
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, as Martini
Get Shorty & Be Cool, as Martin Weir
Matilda, as Harry Wormwood/Narrator
Throw Momma from the Train, as Owen
Taxi, as Louie De Palma
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, as Frank Reynolds
Also look for him in: Bananas, as Subway Hood, Car Wash, as Joe, The World’s Greatest Lover, as Assistant Director, Goin’ South, as Hog, Moon’s Old Gang, Terms of Endearment, as Vernon Dahlart, Romancing the Stone, as Ralph, Johnny Dangerously, as Burr, The Jewel of the Nile, as Ralph, Wise Guys, as Harry Valentini, Ruthless People, as Sam Stone, Tin Men, as Ernest Tilly, Twins, as Vincent Benedict, The War of the Roses, as Gavin D’Amato, Hoffa, as Bobby Ciaro, Jack the Bear, as John Leary, Last Action Hero, as Whiskers, Look Who’s Talking Now, as Rocks, Renaissance Man, as Bill Rago, Junior, as Dr. Larry Arbogast, Space Jam, as Swackhammer, Mars Attacks!, as Rude Gambler, Hercules, as Philoctetes, The Rainmaker, as Deck Shifflet, The Virgin Suicides, as Dr. Horniker, The Big Kahuna, as Phil Cooper, Man on the Moon, as George Shapiro, What’s the Worst That Could Happen?, as Max Fairbanks, Heist, as Mickey Bergman, Death to Smoochy, as Burke Bennett, Anything Else, as Harvey Wexler, Big Fish, as Amos Calloway, Friends, “The One Where the Stripper Cries,” as Roy, the Stripper, The Oh in Ohio, as Wayne the Pool Guy, Even Money, as Walter, 10 Items or Less, as Big D, Deck the Halls, as Budyd Hall, Reno 911!: Miami, as District Attorney, Solitary Man, as Jimmy Merino, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, as The Lorax.
He also (just to show you how awesome he is) directed: Throw Momma from the Train, The War of the Roses, Hoffa, Matilda, Death to Smoochy and Duplex.
Garret Dillahunt
Where you know him from:
No Country for Old Men, as Wendell
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, as Ed Miller
Raising Hope, as Burt Chance
Also look for him in: The Believer, as Billings, Deadwood, as Francis Wolcott, The Last House on the Left, as Krug, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, as John Henry, The Road, as Gang Member, Burning Bright, as Johnny Gaveneau, Winter’s Bone, as Sheriff Baskin, Cogan’s Trade, as Eddie Mattie, Looper, as Jesse.
Melinda Dillon
Where you know her from:
A Christmas Story, as Mother
Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as Jillian Guller
Slap Shot, as Suzanne Hanrahan
Also look for her in: Absence of Malice, as Teresa, Harry and the Hendersons, as Mother, Captain America (1990), as Mrs. Rogers, The Prince of Tides, as Savannah Wingo, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, as Merna, Magnolia, as Rose Gator.
Vincent D’Onofrio
Where you know him from:
Full Metal Jacket, as Leonard Lawrence/Pvt. Pyle
Men in Black, as Edgar
Ed Wood, as Orson Welles
Law & Order: Criminal Intent, as Detective Robert Goren
Also look for him in: Mystic Pizza, as Bill, Dying Young, as Gordon, JFK, as Bill Newman, The Player, as David Kahane, Mr. Wonderful, as Dominic, Stuart Saves His Family, as Donnie – The Smalley Family, Strange Days, as Burton Steckler, Feeling Minnesota, as Sam Clayton, The Velocity of Gary, as Valentino, The Thirteenth Floor, as Jason Whitney/Jerry Ashton, Steal This Movie, as Abbey Hoffman, The Cell, as Carl Stargher, Chelsea Walls, as Frank, The Salton Sea, as Pooh-Bear, Thumbsucker, as Mike Cobb, The Break-Up, as Dennis Grobowski, The Narrows, as Vinny Manadoro, Brooklyn’s Finest, as Carlo, Kill the Irishman, as John Nardi.
Paul Douglas
Where you know him from:
Angels in the Outfield, as Aloysius X. ‘Guffy’ McGovern
Panic in the Streets, as Capt. Tom Warren
Fourteen Hours ,as Police Ofcr. Charlie Dunnigan
Also look for him in: A Letter to Three Wives, as Porter Hollingsway, Everybody Does It, as Leonard Borland aka Logan Bennett, We’re Not Married!, as Hector C. Woodruff, Forever Female, as E. Harry Phillips, The Maggie (aka High and Dry), as Calvin B. Marshall, The American, Executive Suite, as Josiah Walter Dudley, The Solid Gold Cadillac, as Edward L. McKeever, The Mating Game, as Sidney ‘Pop’ Larkin.
Brad Dourif
Where you know him from:
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers & The Return of the King, as Grima Wormtongue
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, as Billy Bibbit
Mississippi Burning, as Deputy Pell
Child’s Play, as Charles Lee Ray/Chucky (as well as the rest of the Child’s Play/Chucky movies)
Deadwood, as Doc Cochran
Also look for him in: Heaven’s Gate, as Mr. Eggleston, Ragtime, as Younger Brother, Dune,as Peter De Vries, Blue Velvet, as Raymond, Jungle Fever, as Leslie, Amos & Andrew, as Officer Donnie Donaldson, Murder in the First, as Byron Stamphill, Alien: Resurrection, as Dr. Jonathan Gediman, Halloween & Halloween II (2007), as Sheriff Leigh Brackett, The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, as Ned Schoenholtz (Cage’s bookie), My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done, as Uncle Ted, Priest, as Salesman.
Alice Drummond
Where you know her from:
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, as Mrs Finkle
In & Out, as Aunt Susan
Ghostbusters, as Librarian
Doubt, as Sister Veronica
Also look for her in: Man on a Swing, as Mrs. Dawson, Funny Farm, as Mrs. Ethel Dinges, Running on Empty, as Mrs. Powell, Awakenings, as Lucy, Money for Nothing, as Mrs. Breen, Nobody’s Fool, as Hattie, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, as Clara, Joe Gould’s Secret, as Helen, Pieces of April, as Grandma Dottie, House of D, as Mrs. Brevoot, The Honeymooners, as Miss Benvenuti, Synecdoche, New York, as Actress Playing Frances, After.Life, as Mrs. Hutton, Furry Vengeance, as Mrs. Martin.
Rick Duccommun
Where you know him from:
Blank Check, as Henry (he’s got s-t-y-l-e. Style!)
The ‘burbs, as Art Weingartner
Groundhog Day, as Gus
And also — this one may be personal to me, but — George Carlin’s “Playin’ with Your Head” special (the one that had the bits about Sports, and all the ways we say hello and goodbye and tell people to “give him a hug and a kiss for me”) begins with this little mini-noir film, where Carlin is a private eye and “The Bad Guys” are chasing him. And Duccommun plays one of the bad guys. He’s very recognizable if you know him. I always loved that.
Also look for him in: Spaceballs, as Prison Guard (“Hey, those guys stole our uniforms!” “They beat the shit out of us too!”), Die Hard, as Walt, City Worker (the dude who tells them they need to shut the power grid down), The Hunt for Red October, as Navigator C-2A, The Last Boy Scout, as Pool Owner, Encino Man, as Mr. Brush, Loaded Weapon 1, as D.A., Last Action Hero, as Ripper’s Agent, Scary Movie, as Cindy’s Dad.
Mildred Dunnock
Where you know her from:
Kiss of Death, as Mrs. Rizzo (Woman in wheelchair who gets pushed down the stairs)
Baby Doll, as Aunt Rose Comfort
BUtterfield 8, as Mrs. Wandrous
Death of a Salesman (1951), as Linda Loman
Also look for her in: The Corn is Green, as Miss Ronberry, Viva Zapata!, as Señora Espejo, The Trouble with Harry, as Mrs. Wiggs, Love Me Tender, as Martha Reno, Peyton Place, as Miss Elsie Thornton, The Nun’s Story, as Sister Margharita (Mistress of Postulants), Sweet Bird of Youth, as Aunt Nonnie, What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?, as Miss Tinsley.
Olympia Dukakis
Where you know her from:
Moonstruck, as Rose Castorani
Mr. Holland’s Opus, as Principal Jacobs
Look Who’s Talking & Look Who’s Talking Too & Look Who’s Talking Now, as Rosie
Also look for her in: Lilith, as Patient, John and Mary, as John’s Mother, Sisters, as Louise Wilanski, Bakery Shop Employee #2, The Wanderers, as Joey’s Mom, The Idolmaker, as Mrs. Vacarri, Working Girl, as Personnel Director, Dad, as Bette Tremont, Steel Magnolias, as Clairee Belcher, I Love Trouble, as Jeannie, Peter’s Secretary, Mighty Aphrodite, as Jocasta, Picture Perfect, as Rita Mosley, Jane Austen’s Mafia!, as Sophia, The Thing About My Folks, as Muriel Kleinman, Away from Her, as Marian, In the Land of Women, as Phyllis.
Bill Duke
Where you know him from:
Predator, as Mac
Payback, as Det. Hicks
Exit Wounds, as Chief Hinges
X-Men: The Last Stand, as Trask
Also look for him in: Car Wash, as Duane – Abdullah, American Gigolo, as Leon, Commando, as Cooke, Action Jackson, as Capt. Earl Armbruster, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, as Mr. Johnson, Red Dragon, as Police Chief, National Security, as Lt. Washington.
He’s also a prodigious director. He directed: Deep Cover, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, Hoodlum, and most recently, Not Easily Broken.
Michael Clarke Duncan
Where you know him from:
The Green Mile, as John Coffey
Armageddon, as Bear
The Whole Nine Yards, as Franklin “Frankie Figs” Figueroa
Also look for him in: Friday, as Craps Player, Bulworth, as Bouncer, A Night at the Roxbury, as Roxbury Bouncer, See Spot Run, as Murdoch, Catc & Dogs, as Sam, Planet of the Apes, as Attar, The Scorpion King, as Balthazar, Daredevil, as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, Brother Bear, as Tug, Racing Stripes, as Clydesdale, Sin City, as Manute, The Island, as Starkweather Two Delta/Jamal Starkweather, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, as Lucius Washington, School for Scoundrels, as Lesher, The Last Mimzy, as Nathanial Broadman, Slipstream, as Mort/Phil Henderson/Patrolman, Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins, as Otis, Delgo, as Elder Marley, Kung Fu Panda, as Commander Vachir, American Crude, as Spinks, The Slammin’ Salmon, as Cleon Salmon, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, as Balrog, Redemption Road, as Augy, Green Lantern, as Kilowog.
Kevin Dunn
Where you know him from:
Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen & Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as Ron Witwicky
I’m not even gonna pretend like you know him from anywhere else.
Also look for him in: Mississippi Burning, as Agent Bird, The Bonfire of the Vanities, as Tom Killian, Hot Shots!, as Lt. Comdr. James Block, Chaplin, as J. Edgar Hoover, Dave, as Alan Reed, Little Big League, as Arthur Goslin, Nixon, as Charles Colson, Godzilla, as Colonel Hicks, Small Soldiers, as Stuart Abernathy, Snake Eyes, as Lou Logan, I Heart Huckabees, as Marty, Lions for Lambs, as ANX Editor, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, as Mark, Unstoppable, as Galvin.
Nora Dunn
Where you know her from:
Three Kings, as Adriana Cruz
Entourage, as Ari and Mrs. Ari’s marriage counselor
Bruce Almighty, as Ally Loman
Also look for her in: Working Girl, as Ginny, Miami Blues, as Ellita Sanchez, Passion Fish, as Ti-Marie, Bulworth, as Missy Berliner, Reporter, What Planet Are You From?, as Madeline,Heartbreakers, as Miss Madress, What’s the Worst that Could Happen?, as Lutetia Fairbanks, the Hebrew Hammer, as Mrs. Carver, Runaway Jury, as Stella Hulic, Laws of Attraction, as Judge Abramovitz, Southland Tales, as Cyndi Pinziki, Pineapple Express, as Shannon, It’s Complicated, as Sally.
Kevin Durand
Where you know him from:
X-Men Origins: Wolverine, as Fred Dukes (The Blob)
Legion, as Gabriel
Real Steel, as Ricky
Also look for him in: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, as Assassin, Mystery, Alaska, as “Tree” Lane, The Butterfly Effect, as Carlos, Scooby Doo: Monsters Unleashed, as Black Knight Ghost, Walking Tall, as Booth, Big Mommas House 2, as Oshima, Smokin’ Aces, as Jeeves Tremor, Wild Hogs, as Red, 3:10 to Yuma, as Tucker, Robin Hood, as Little John, I Am Number Four, as Mogadorian Commander, Cosmopolis, as Torval, Resident Evil: Retribution, as Barry Burton.
Charles Durning
Where you know him from:
The Sting, as Lt. Snyder
Dog Day Afternoon, as Det. Dgt. Eugene Moretti
O Brother, Where Art Thou?, as Pappy O’Daniel
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, as Governor
To Be or Not to Be, as Col. Erhardt
Also on Family Guy, as Peter’s father, and Rescue Me, as Tommy’s father
Also look for him in: The Front Page, as Murphy, The Muppet Movie, as Doc Hooper, North Dallas Forty, as Coach Johnson, When a Stranger Calls, as John Clifford, Sharky’s Machine, as Lr. Friscoe, Tootsie, as Les Nichols, Scarface, as the voice of the Immigration officer at the very beginning, Dick Tracy, as Chief Brandon, The Hudsucker Proxy, as Waring Hudsucker, Home for the Holidays, as Henry Larson, Spy Hard, as the Director, One Fine Day, as Lew.
Christopher Eccleston
Where you know him from:
Gone in 60 Seconds, as Raymond Calitri
28 Days Later, as Major Henry West
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, as McCullen/Destro
Also look for him in: Jude, as Jude Fawley, A Price Above Rubies, as Sender Horowitz, Elizabeth, as Duke of Norfolk, eXistenZ, as Seminar Leader, The Others, as Charles Stewart, The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising, as The Rider, Amelia, as Fred Noonan.
Richard Edson
Where you know him from:
Do the Right Thing, as Vito
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, as Garage Attendant
Super Mario Bros., as Spike
Also look for him in: Howard the Duck, as Ritchie, Platoon, as Sal, Good Morning, Vietnam, as Pvt. Abersold, Eight Men Out, as Billy Maharg, Let it Ride, as Johnny Casino, Starsky and Hutch, as Monix, Black Dynamite, as Dino.
Anthony Edwards
Where you know him from:
Top Gun, as Goose
ER, as Dr. Mark Greene
Zodiac, as Inspector William Armstrong
Also look for him in: Fast Times at Ridgemont High, as Stoner Bud, Revenge of the Nerds & Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise, as Gilbert Lowell, Pet Sematary II, as Chase Matthews, Thunderbirds, as Brains, The Forgotten, as Jim Paretta, Flipped, as Steven Loski.
Cliff Edwards
Where you know him from:
Pinocchio, as Jiminy Cricket
His Girl Friday, as Endicott
Also look for him in: Sidewalks of New York, as Poggle, The Sin of Madelon Claudet, as Victor Lebeau, Gone With the Wind, as Reminiscent Soldier, Dumbo, as Jim Crow, Seven Miles from Alcatraz, as Stormy, Fun & Fancy Free, as Jiminy Cricket.
Jennifer Ehle
Where you know her from:
Pride and Glory, as Abby Tierney
The King’s Speech, as Myrtle Logue
Contagion, as Dr. Ally Hextall
Also look for her in: Wilde, as Constance Lloyd Wilde, Sunshine (1999), as Valerie Sonnenschein, Possession, as Christabel LaMotte, The Greatest, as Joan, The Adjustment Bureau, as Brooklyn Ice House Bartender, The Ides of March, as Cindy Morris.
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Where you know him from:
Children of Men, as Luke
Love Actually, as Peter
American Gangster, as Huey Lucas
Also look for him in: Amistad, as Ensign Convey, Dirty Pretty Things, as Okwe, Melinda and Melinda, as Ellis Moonsong, Four Brothers, as Victor Sweet, Serenity, as The Operative, Kinky Boots, as Lola, Talk to Me, as Dewey Hughes, Redbelt, as Mike Terry, 2012, as Adrian Helmsley, Salt, asPeabody.
Jack Elam
Where you know him from:
Once Upon a Time in the West, as Snaky (dude at the beginning who traps the fly in his gun barrel)
The Cannonball Run & Cannonball Run II, as Doctor Nikolas Van Helsing
Also look for him in: High Noon, as Charlie (the drunk in the jail), Vera Cruz, as Tex, Kiss Me Deadly, as Charlie Max, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, as Tom McLowery, Pocketful of Miracles, as Cheesecake, Rio Lobo, as Phillips, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, as Alamosa Bill, The Villain, as Avery Simpson.
Idris Elba
Where you know him from:
The Wire, as Stringer Bell
RocknRolla, as Mumbles
Thor, as Heimdall
Also look for him in: Buffalo Soldiers, as Kimborough, 28 Weeks Later, as Stone, American Gangster, as Tango, Obsessed, as Derek Charles, The Office, as Charles Miner, The Losers, as Roque, Takers, as Gordon Cozier, Luther, as SCI John Luther.
Hector Elizondo
Where you know him from:
Necessary Roughness, as Ed Gennero (Big film for me growing up. My father and I love this movie.)
Pretty Woman, as Barney Thompson
Runaway Bride, as Fisher
Chicago Hope, as Dr. Phillip Watters
Also look for him in: The Landlord, as Hector, The Taking of Pelham 123, as Grey, American Gigolo, as Sunday, Beaches, as Judge, Frankie and Johnny, as Nick, Beverly Hills Cop III, as Jon Flint, The Other Sister, as Ernie, Tortilla Soup, as Martin Naranjo, The Princess Diaries, as Joe, How High, as Bill the Crew Coach, Love in the Time of Cholera, as Don Leo, Monk, as Dr. Neven Bell, Valentine’s Day, as Edgar.
Chris Elliott
Where you know him from:
Groundhog Day, as Larry
There’s Something About Mary, as Dom
Also look for him in: Manhunter, as Zeller, The Abyss, as Bendix, Kingpin, as The Gambler, Snow Day (how often do you get to drop this one into a conversation?), as Roger the Snowplowman, Scary Movie 2, as Hanson, Osmosis Jones, as Bob, Scary Movie 4, as Ezekiel (hooray, continuity!), How I Met Your Mother, as Lily’s father.
Sam Elliott
Where you know him from:
The Big Lebowski, as The Stranger
Thank You for Smoking, as Lorne Lutch
Also look for him in: Road House, as Wade Garrett, Gettysburg, as Brig. Gen. John Buford, The Contender, as Kermit Newman, We Were Soldiers, as Sgt. Maj. Basil Plumley, Hulk, as Ross, Ghost Rider, as Caretaker, The Golden Compass, as Lee Scoresby, Up in the Air, as Maynard Finch.
Noah Emmerich
Where you know him from:
The Truman Show, as Marlon
Frequency, as Gordo Hersch
Little Children, as Larry Hedges
Also look for him in: Last Action Hero, as Rookie, Cop Land, as Deputy Bill Geisler, Life, as Stan Blocker, Windtalkers, as Private Chick, Miracle, as Craig Patrick, Cellular, as Jack Tanner, Pride and Glory, as Francis Tierney, Jr., Fair Game, as Bill, Super 8, as Nelec.
Mike Epps
Where you know him from:
Next Friday & Friday After Next, as Day-Day
The Hangover, as Black Doug
Resident Evil: Apocalypse & Resident Evil: Extinction, as L.J.
Also look for him in: Bait, as Stevie Sanders, Dr. Dolittle, as Sonny, How High, as Baby Powder, All About the Benjamins, as Reggie, Malibu’s Most Wanted, as Rap-Battle Host, The Fighting Temptation, as Lucius, Guess Who, as The Cab Driver, The Honeymooners, as Ed Norton, Roll Bounce, as Byron, Something New, as Walter, Talk to Me, as Milo Hughes, The Grand, as Reggie Marshall, Hancock, as Criminal, Soul Men, as Duane Henderson, Next Day Air, as Brody, The Janky Promoters, as Jellyroll, Lottery Ticket, as Reverend Taylor, Faster, as Roy Grone, Jumping the Broom, as Willie Earl, Sparkle, as Satin.
R. Lee Ermey
Where you know him from:
Full Metal Jacket, as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (Need I say more?)
Se7en, as Police Captain
Toy Story, as Army Sarge
Saving Silverman, as Coach
Also look for him in: Apocalypse Now, as Helicopter Pilot (during the “Ride of the Valkyries” sequence), Mississippi Burning, as Mayor Tilman, Fletch Lives, as Jimmy Lee Farnsworth, Leaving Las Vegas, as Conventioneer, Dead Man Walking, as Clyde Percy, Life, as Older Sheriff Pike, The Salton Sea, as Verne Plummer, Willard (2003), as Mr. Martin, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre & Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, as Sheriff Hoyt, X-Men: The Last Stand, as Sergeant, House, as House’s father.
Giancarlo Esposito
Where you know him from:
The Usual Suspects, as Jack Bear, FBI
Do the Right Thing, as Buggin Out
Ali, as Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr.
Also look for him in: Taps, as Cadet Captain J.C. Pierce, Trading Place, as Cellmate #2, The Cotton Club, as Bump Hood, Desperately Seking Susan, as Street Vendor, School Daze, as Julian, King of New York, as Lance, Mo’ Better Blues, as Left Hand Lacey, Bob Roberts, as Bugs Raplin, Malcolm X, as Thomas Hayer, Amos & Andrew, as Reverend Fenton Brunch, Fresh, as Esteban, Smoke, as OTB Man #1, Tommy, Monkeybone, as Hypnos, Derailed, as Detective Church, SherryBaby, as Parole Officer Hernandez, The Box, as Det. Dwayne Burkhalter, Rabbit Hole, as Auggie, Breaking Bad, as Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring, I, Alex Cross, as Daramus Holiday.
Frankie Faison
Where you know him from:
The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal & Red Dragon, as Barney
Coming to America, the Landlord. (“Hey Stu, your rent’s due, motherfucker! And don’t pull that falling down the stairs shit on me, you hear?! Are you conscious?! Shit…”)
Down to Earth, as Whitney Daniels
The Wire, as Commissioner Ervin H. Burrell
Also look for him in: Cat People (1982), as Detective Brandt, The Money Pit, as James, Manhunter, as Lt. Fisk (which is just awesome, that he was in all the Lecter films), Mississippi Burning, as Eulogist, Do the Right Thing, as Coconut Sid, The Thomas Crown Affair (1999), as Detective Paretti, Showtime, as Lr. Winship, White Chicks, as Chief Elliott Gordon, Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist, as Ticket Salesman, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, as Rhamus Twobellies.
Peter Falk
This one’s personal. Everyone should know Peter Falk. But I’m putting him on here anyway, just so we can all go, “Aww, Peter Falk!”
Where you know him from:
Columbo. He’s Columbo.
The Princess Bride, as The Grandfather/Narrator
The In-Laws, as Vincent J. Ricardo
Murder by Death, as Sam Diamond
A Woman Under the Influence, as Nick Longhetti
Also look for him in: Murder, Inc., as Reles, Pocketful of Miracles, as Joy Boy, The Great Race, as Maximilian Meen, The Cheap Detective, as Lou Peckinpaugh, Made, as Max, Corky Romano, as Francis A. Romano, Undisputed, as Mendy Ripstein, Shark Tale, as Don Feinberg, Next, as Irv.
Siobhan Fallon
Where you know her from:
Men in Black, as Beatrice
Forrest Gump, as School Bus Driver
The Negotiator, as Maggie
Also look for her in: The Paper, as Lisa, Seinfeld, as Tina (Elaine’s roommate), Only You, as Leslie, Jury Duty, as Heather, Striptease, as Rita Grant, Fools Rush In, as Lanie, Boiler Room, as Michelle, Harry’s Supervisor, Dancer in the Dark, as Brenda, What’s the Worst That Could Happen?, as Edwina, Big Trouble, as Fly by Air Ticket Agent, Holes, as Stanley’s Mom, Daddy Day Care, as Peggy, Dogville, as Martha, Fever Pitch, as Lana, Charlotte’s Web, as Mrs. Zuckerman, Funny Games, as Betsy, Baby Mama, as Birthing Teacher, New in Town, as Blanche Gunderson, The Bounty Hunter, as Teresa, Another Happy Day, as Bonnie, We Need to Talk About Kevin, as Wanda.
Dennis Farina
Where you know him from:
Snatch, as Avi (“You know: fish, chips, cup ‘o tea, bad food, worse weather, Mary fucking Poppins… London!”)
Get Shorty, as Ray ‘Bones’ Barboni
Also look for him in: Thief, as Carl, Manhunter, as Jack Crawford, Midnight Run, as Jimmy Serrano, Another Stakeout, as Brian O’Hara, Striking Distance, as Capt. Nick Detillo, Little Big League, as George O’Farrell, Out of Sight, as Marshall Sisco, Saving Private Ryan, as Lt. Col. Anderson, Reindeer Games, as Jack Bangs, Big Trouble, as Harry Desalvo, Stealing Harvard, as Mr. Warner, Paparazzi, as Detective Burton, You Kill Me, as Edward O’Leary, The Grand, as LBJ ‘Deuce’ Fairbanks. Also, Law and Order, as Detective Joe Fontana.
Richard Farnsworth
Where you know him from:
The Straight Story, as Alvin
The Natural, as Red Blow
Also look for him in: Comes a Horseman, as Dodger, Rhinestone, as Noah, Jake’s Father, The Two Jakes, as Earl Rawley, Misery, as Buster, The Getaway (1994), as Slim.
Colm Feore
Where you know him from:
Face/Off, as Dr. Malcolm Walsh
The Chronicles of Riddick, as Lord Marshal
Changeling, as Chief James E. Davis
Also look for him in: City of Angels, as Jordan Ferris, The Insider, as Richard Scruggs, Titus, as Marcus Andronicus, Pearl Harbor, as Adm. Husband E. Kimmel, Chicago, as Harrison, Paycheck, as Wolfe, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, as Karl Gunderson, Thor, as King Laufey.
Miguel Ferrer
Where you know him from:
Traffic, as Eduardo Ruiz
Blank Check, as Quigley
RoboCop, as Bob Morton
Twin Peaks & Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, as FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield
Also look for him in: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, as First Officer, Hot Shots! Part Deux, as Commander Arvid Harbinger, Another Stakeout, as Tony Castellano, Mr. Magoo, as Ortega Peru, Mulan, as Shan-Yu, The Manchurian Candidate, as Colonel Garret, The Man, as Agent Peters.
He’s also George Clooney’s cousin. I feel this is important.
Pam Ferris
Where you know her from:
Matilda, as Agatha Trunchbull
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, as Aunt Marge
Death to Smoochy, as Tommy Cotter
Also look for her in: Children of Men, as Miriam, The Other Man, as Vera, Malice in Wonderland, as Doochey, The Raven, as Mrs. Bradley
William Fichtner
One of the best character actors working today. I love this man. He delivers the goods in everything he does.
Where you know him from:
The Dark Knight, as Bank Manager
Armageddon, as Colonel Willie Sharp
Crash, as Flanagan
Drive Angry, as The Accountant (seriously, watch him in this. He’s fucking awesome.)
Also: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and San Andreas, as Ken Rosenberg, the coked out lawyer.
Also look for him in: Quiz Show, as Stage Manager, Virtuosity, as Wallace, Strange Days, as Dwayne Engelman, Heat, as Roger Van Sant (the launderer they steal from), Contact, as Kent, Go, as Burke, The Perfect Storm, as David “Sully” Sullivan, Pearl Harbor, as Danny’s Father, Black Hawk Down, as Sanderson, Equilibirum, as Jurgen, The Amateurs, as Otis, The Longest Yard, as Captain Knauer, Blades of Glory, as Darren MacElroy, Prison Break, as Alex Mahone, Date Night, as DA Frank Crenshaw, Entourage, as Phil Yagoda.
Joseph Fiennes
Where you know him from:
Shakespeare in Love, as Will Shakespeare
Enemy at the Gates, as Commisar Danilov
Also look for him in: Elizabeth, as Eobert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, as Proteus, The Merchant of Venice, as Bassanio, The Great Raid, as Major Gibson, The Darwin Awards, as Michael Burrows, Running with Scissors, as Niel Bookman, The Escapist, as Lenny Drake, The Red Baron, as Capt. Roy Brown, FlashForward, as Mark Benford, Camelot, as Merlin.
Harvey Fierstein
You’ve heard this man’s voice. I will put money on it.
Where you know him from:
Mrs. Doubtfire, as Uncle Frank Hilliard
Independence Day, as Marty Gilbert
Mulan, as Yao
Death to Smoochy, as Merv Green (Nobody turns down the Parade of Hope.)
Also look for him in: Bullets over Broadway, as Sid Loomis, also that one episode of The Simpsons, as the gay guy who helps Homer better himself.
John Finnegan
Where you know him from:
An American Tail, as Warren T. Rat
The Natural, as Sam Simpson
JFK, as Judge Haggerty
Mars Attacks!, as Speaker of the House
Also look for him in: Play It As It Lays, as Frank, A Woman Under the Influence, as Clancy, Capone, as N.Y. Police Lt., The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, as Taxi Driver, Nickelodeon, as Kathleen’s Director, Opening Night, as Prop Man, The In-Laws, as Deliveryman #1, Little Miss Marker, as Clerk, Gloria, as Frank, School Spirit, as Pinky Batson, Big Man on Campus, as Judge Ferguson, Last Action Hero, as Watch Commander, Vegas Vacation, as Arty, the Hoover Dam Guide.
Albert Finney
Where you know him from:
Tom Jones, as Tom Jones
Big Fish, as Ed Bloom – Senior
Scrooge, as Ebenezer Scrooge
Ocean’s Twelve, as Gaspar LeMarque
Erin Brockovich, as Ed Masry
Also look for him in: The Entertainer ,as Mick Rice, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, as Arthur Seaton, Night Must Fall, as Danny, Two for the Road, as Mark Wallace, Murder on the Orient Express, as Hercule Poirot, The Duellists, as Fouche, Wolfen, as Dewey Wilson, Annie, as Daddy Oliver Warbucks, The Dresser, as Sir, Under the Volcano, as Geoffrey Firmin, Miller’s Crossing, as Leo, Traffic, as Chief of Staff, Corpse Bride, as Finis Everglot, A Good Year, as Uncle Henry, Amazing Grace, as John Newton, The Bourne Ultimatum & The Bourne Legacy, as Dr. ALbert Hirsch, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, as Charles, Skyfall, as Kincade.
Laurence Fishburne
Here’s one where, I can be pretty sure people know him, but, they may not know all the great work he did before The Matrix. So that’s why he’s here. Dude’s done some great work in his career outside of Morpheus.
Where you know him from:
The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded & The Matrix Revolutions, as Morpheus
Boyz n the Hood, as Furious Styles
Apocalypse Now, as Mr. Clean
Pee-wee’s Playhouse, as Cowboy Curtis
Also look for him in: Rumble Fish, as Midget, The Cotton Club, as Bumpy Rhodes, The Color Purple, as Swan, Quicksilver, as Voodoo, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, as Max, School Daze, as Dap, Red Heat, as Lt. Charlie Stobbs, King of New York, Jimmy Jump, Deep Cover, as Russell Stevens Jr./John Hull, What’s Love Got to Do with It, as Ike Turner, Searching for Boby Fischer, as Vinnie, Higher Learning, as Prof. Maurice Phipps, Othello, as Othello, Event Horizon, as Captain Miller, Hoodlum, as Bumpy Johnson, Osmosis Jones, as Thrax, Biker Boyz, as Smoke,Mystic River, as Whitey Powers, Assault on Precinct 13, as Marion Bishop, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as Bear in Genaros Beer Commercials (“What do I know? I’m a bear! I suck the heads off fish!”), Akeelah and the Bee, as Dr. Larabee, Mission: Impossible III, as Theodore Brassel, Bobby, as Edward,Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, as The Silver Surfer, 21, as Cole Williams, Armored, as Baines,Predators, as Noland, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, as Dr. Raymond Langston, Contagion, as Dr. Ellis Cheever, Man of Steel, as Perry White.
Fionnula Flanagan
Where you know her from:
Four Brothers, as Evelyn Mercer
Transamerica, as Elizabeth
Tears of the Sun, as Sister Grace
Also look for her in: Ulysses, as Gerty MacDowell, Money for Nothing, as Mrs. Coyle, Waking Ned Devine, as Annie O’Shea, The Others, as Mrs. Bertha Mills, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, as “Teensy” Melissa Whitman, Slipstream, as Bette Lustig, Yes Man, as Tillie, Brotherhood, as Rose Caffee, The Invention of Lying, as Martha Bellison, A Christmas Carol, as Mrs. Dilber, Lost, as Eloise Hawking, Kill the Irishman, as Grace O’Keefe, The Guard, as Eileen Boyle.
Jo Van Fleet
Where you know her from:
East of Eden, as Kate
Cool Hand Luke, as Arletta
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, as Kate Fisher
Also look for her in: The Rose Tattoo, as Bessie, I’ll Cry Tomorrow, as Katie Roth, I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!, as Mother, The Tenant, as Madame Dioz.
Jason Flemyng
Here’s a dude you may know from like three things, but he’s actually done a nice amount of stuff over his career.
Where you know him from:
Snatch, as Darren (as Brad Pitt’s ‘pikey’ friend. Red hair — can’t miss him)
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, as Tom
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, as Thomas Button
X-Men: First Class, as Azazel
Also look for him in: Rob Roy, as Gregor, Spice World, as Brad, Deep Rising, as Mulligan, The Red Violin, as Frederick Pope, Rock Star, as Bobby Beers, Drom Hell, Netley, the Coachman, Below, as Stumbo, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, as Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Layer Cake, as Crazy Larry, Transporter 2, as Dimitri, Stardust, as Primus, Kick-Ass, as Lobby Goon (the one Hit Girl fucks up with that silenced pistol), Clash of the Titans, as Calibos/Acrisius, Hanna, as Sebastian.
Nina Foch
Where you know her from:
An American in Paris, as Milo Roberts
Spartacus, as Helene Glabrus
The Ten Commandments, as Bithiah
Executive Suite, as Erica Martin
Also look for her in: A Song to Remember, as Constantia, Scaramouche, as Marie Antoinette, It’s My Party, as Brandon’s Mother, ‘Til There Was You, as Sophia Monroe, Hush, as Alice Baring, Pumpkin, as Betsy Collander, How to Deal, as Grandma Halley.
Paul Ford
Where you know him from:
A Big Hand for the Little Lady, as Ballinger
The Music Man, as Mayor George Shinn
The Teahouse of the August Moon, as Col. Wainwright Purdy III
Also look for him in: The Naked City, as Henry Fowler, All the King’s Men, as Spokesman for Impeachment, The Phil Silvers Show, as Col. John T. Hall, Advise & Consent, as Senator Stanley Danta, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, as Col. Wilberforce, The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming, as Fendall Hawkins, The Comedians, as Smith.
Wallace Ford
Where you know him from:
Freaks, as Phroso
The Informer, as Frankie McPhillip
Shadow of a Doubt, as Fred Saunders
Harvey, as The Taxi Driver
The Rainmaker, as Sheriff Howard Thomas
Also look for him in: The Lost Patrol, as Morelli, Blood on the Sun, as Ollie Miller, Spellbound, as Stranger in Hotel Lobby, The Green Years, as Jamie Nigg, Magic Town, as Lou Dicketts, The Set-Up, as Gus, The Furies, as Scotty Hyslip, The Breaking Point, as F.R. Duncan, The Man from Laramie, as Charley O’Leary, Twilight for the Gods, as Old Brown, The Matchmaker, as Malachi Stack, The Last Hurrah, as Charles J. Hennessey, Warlock, as Judge Holloway, A Patch of Blue, as Ole Pa.
Frederic Forrest
Where you know him from:
Apocalypse Now, as Chef (Oh, he’ll go with you, but on the boat!)
The Rose, as Huston Dyer
One from the Heart, as Hank
Also look for him in: The Conversation, as Mark, The Missouri Breaks, as Cary, Valley Girl, as Steve Richman, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, as Eddie, The Two Jakes, as Chuck Newty, Falling Down, as Nick, the Nazi Surplus Store Owner, All the King’s Men (2006), as Willie’s Father.
William Forsythe
Where you know him from:
The Rock, as Special Agent Paxton
Once Upon a Time in America, as Cockeye
Raising Arizona, as Evelle Snoats
Also look for him in: Dick Tracy, as Flattop, Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead, as Franchise, Virtuosity, as William Cochran, Blue Streak, as Detective Hardcastle, Deuce Bigelow: Male Gigolo, as Detective Fowler, City by the Sea, as Spyder, The Devil’s Rejects, as Sheriff Wydell, Freedomland, as Boyle, 88 Minutes, as Frank Parks, Halloween, as Ronnie White.
Paul Freeman
Where you know him from:
Raiders of the Lost Ark, as Dr. René Belloq
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, as Ivan Ooze
Also look for him in: The Long Good Friday, as Colin, Without a Clue, as Professor Moriarty, Double Team, as Goldsmythe, Hot Fuzz, as Rev. Shooter, Centurion, as Governor Agricola.
Brenda Fricker
Where you know her from:
My Left Foot, as Mrs. Brown
Angels in the Outfield, as Maggie Nelson
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, as Bird Lady
Also look for her in: The Field, as Maggie McCabe, So I Married an Axe Murderer, as May Mackenzie, Moll Flanders, as Mrs. Mazzawatti, A Time to Kill, as Ethel Twitty, Masterminds, as Principal Maloney, Veronica Guerin, as Bernie Guerin, Rory O’Shea Was Here, as Eileen, Closing the Ring, as Eleanor, Albert Nobbs, as Polly.
Gert Fröbe
Where you know him from:
Goldfinger, as Auric Goldfinger
Also look for him in: Decision Before Dawn, as German Corporal – Nuremberg Control Point, Man on a Tightrope, as Police Agent, Mr. Arkadin, as First Policeman – Munich, The Eternal Waltz, as Gawrinoff, The Longest Day, as Sgt. Kaffekanne, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours and 11 minutes, as Colonel Manfred von Holstein, Is Paris Burning?, as General Dietrich von Choltitz, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, as Baron Bombrst, $, as Mr. Kessel.
Kurt Fuller
Where you know him from:
Wayne’s World, as Russell Finley (the guy who teaches them how to count to five)
Scary Movie, as The Sheriff
The Pursuit of Happyness, as Walter Ribbon (the dude who gives him the Niners tickets)
Also look for him in: The Running Man, as Tony, Ghostbusters II, as Jack Hardemeyer, The Bonfire of the Vanities, as Pollard Browning, Pushing Tin, as Ed Clabes, The New Guy, as Mr. Undine, Auto Focus, as Werner Klemperer, Anger Management, as Frank Head, Ray, as Sam Clark, Superhero Movie, as Bank Loan Officer, Midnight in Paris, as John.
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Where you know her from:
Moulin Rouge, as Jane Avril
We’re Not Married, as Eve Melrose
Lili, as Rosalie
Also look for her in: Death of a Scoundrel, as Mrs. Ryan, Touch of Evil, as Strip-Club Owner, as well as a shitload of appearances as herself, such as in Pepe, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, The Beverly Hillbillies, A Very Brady Sequel…she was basically famous for being her.
James Gammon
Where you know him from:
Major League and Major League II, as Lou Brown
Natural Born Killers as the Redneck’s Buddy in the Diner (at the very beginning)
Cold Mountain, as Esco Swanger
Also look for him in: Cool Hand Luke, as Sleepy, Urban Cowboy, as Steve Strange, Any Which Way You Can, as Palomino Bartender, Silverado, as Dawson, Ironweed, as Reverend Chester, The Milagro Beanfield War, as Horsethief Shorty, I Love You to Death (1990), as Lt. Larry Schooner, Wyatt Earp, as Mr. Sutherland, The Man in the Iron Mask, as The Commandant, The Iron Giant as the voice of Foreman Marv Loach and Floyd Turbeaux, The Cell, as Teddy Lee, Life or Something Like It, as Pat Kerrigan, Silver City, as Sheriff Joe Skaggs, Don’t Come Knocking, as Old Ranch Hand, Appaloosa, as Earl May, In the Electric Mist, as Ben Hebert.
James Gandolfini
Where you know him from:
The Sopranos, as Tony Soprano
Everyone knows him from there, but also check out his strong character work in:
The Mexican, as Winston Baldry
The Man Who Wasn’t There, as Big Dave Brewster
The Taking of Pelham 123, as Mayor
Where the Wild Things Are, as Carol
Romance & Cigarettes, as Nick Murder
Also look for him in: True Romance, as Virgil, Crimson Tide, as Lt. Bobby Dougherty, Get Shorty, as Bear, The Juror, as Eddie, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, as Diner Cook #2, Fallen, as Lou, A Civil Action, as Al Love, 8MM, as Eddie Poole, The Last Castle, as Col. Winter, Surviving Christmas, as Tom Valco, Lonely Hearts, as Det. Charles Hilderbrandt, All the King’s Men, as Tiny Duffy, In the Loop, as Lt. Gen. George Miller, Welcome to the Rileys, as Doug Riley, Violet & Daisy, as Michael.
Bruno Ganz
Where you know him from:
Wings of Desire, as Damiel
Downfall, as Adolf Hitler
The Reader, as Professor Rohl
Also look for him in: The American Friend, as Jonathan Zimmermann, The Boys from Brazil, as Professor Bruckner, Nosferatu the Vampire, as Jonathan Harker, The Manchurian Candidate, as Delp, Youth Without Youth, as Professor Stanciulescu, Unknown, as Ernst Jürgen.
James Garner
Where you know him from:
The Great Escape, as Hendley “The Scrounger”
Maverick as Bret Maverick (and Maverick, as Marshal Zane Cooper)
The Rockford Files, as Jim Rockford
The Notebook, as Duke
Also look for him in: Sayonara, as Captain Bailey, Up Periscope, as Lt. j.g. Kenneth M. Braden, The Children’s Hour, as Dr. Joe Cardin, The Thrill of It All, as Dr. Gerald Boyer, The Wheeler Dealers, as Henry Tyroon, The Americanization of Emily, as Lt. Cmdr. Charles Edward Madison, 36 Hours, as Maj. Jefferson Pike, Grand Prix, as Pete Aron, Hour of the Gun, as Wyatt Earp, Support Your Local Sheriff!, as Jason McCullough, Marlowe, as Philip Marlowe, A Man Called Sledge, as Luther Sledge, Support Your Local Gunfighter, as Latigo, HealtH, as Harry Wolff, The Fan, as Jake Berman, Victor Victoria, as King Marchand, Murphy’s Romance, as Murphy Jones, The Distinguished Gentleman, as Jeff Johnson, Space Cowboys, as Tank Sullivan, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, as Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, as Shepard James “Shep” Walker, 8 Simple Rules, as Jim Egan, Battle for Terra, as Doron.
Allen Garfield
Where you know him from:
Beverly Hills Cop II, as Police Chief Harold Lutz
The Conversation, as Bernie Moran
Nashville, as Barnett
Let it Ride, as Greenberg
Also look for him in: The Owl and the Pussycat, as Dress Shop Proprietor, Bananas, as Man on Cross, The Candidate, as Klein, The Front Page, as Kruger, Mother, Jugs & Speed, as Harry Fishbine, The Brink’s Job, as Vinnie Costa, The Stunt Man, as Sam, One from the Heart, as Restaurant Owner, The Cotton Club, as Irreconcilable Differences, Dick Tracy, as Reporter, The Ninth Gate, as Witkin, The Majestic, as Leo Kubelsky.
Ben Gazzara
Where you know him from:
The Big Lebowski, as Jackie Treehorn
Anatomy of a Murder, as Lr. Frederick Manion
Opening Night, as Manny Victor
Also look for him in: Husbands, as Harry, Capone, as Al Capone, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, as Cosmo Vittelli, Voyage of the Damned, as Morrie Troper, They All Laughed, as John Russo, Road House, as Brad Wesley, Buffalo ’66, as Jimmy Brown, Happiness, as Lenny Jordan, Summer of Sam, as Luigi, The Thomas Crown Affair, as Andrew Wallace, Dogville, as Jack McKay, 13, as Schlondorff.
Chief Dan George
He didn’t make many films, but god-damn if he wasn’t one of the most memorable character actors of all time because of it.
Where you know him from:
Little Big Man, as Old Lodge Skins
The Outlaw Josey Wales as Lone Watie
Harry and Tonto, as Sam Two Feathers
He did a couple of lesser known things, but I’ve yet to see if they’re as good as this other stuff. I’d imagine so, but those three are the real three. Man, he’s so awesome.
Gina Gershon
Where you know her from:
Face/Off, as Sasha Hassler
Showgirls, as Cristal Connors
Also look for her in: Pretty in Pink, as Trombley, Girl Friend/Gym Class, Red Heat, as Catherine “Cat” Manzetti, Cocktail, as Coral, The Player, as Whitney Gersh, Bound, as Corky, The Insider, as Helen Caperelli, Driven, as Cathy Heguy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, as Anna (Hasidic dry cleaning lady), The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, Cameo, Love Ranch, as Irene, Killer Joe, as Sharla Smith.
Paul Giamatti
Where you know him from:
American Splendor, as Harvey Pekar
Man on the Moon, as Bob Zmuda
Sideways, as Miles
John Adams, as John Adams
Also look for him in: Singles, as Kissing Man, Mighty Aphrodite, as Extras Guild Researcher, Sabrina, as Scott, Donnie Brasco, as FBI Technician, Private Parts, as Kenny, My Best Friend’s Wedding, as Richard the Bellman, Deconstructing Harry, as Prof. Abbott, The Truman Show, as Control Room Dictator, Doctor Dolittle, as Blaine, Saving Private Ryan, as Sgt. Hill, The Negotiator, as Rudy, Safe Men, as Veal Chop, Cradle Will Rock, as Carlo, Big Momma’s House, as John, Duets, as Todd Woods, Planet of the Apes, as Limbo, Big Fat Liar, as Marty Wolf, Thunderpants, as Johnson J. Johnson, Confidence, as Gordo, Paycheck, as Shorty, Cinderella Man, as Joe Gould, The Hawk is Dying, as George Gattling, The Illusionist, as Inspector Uhl, Shoot ‘Em Up, as Hertz, The Nanny Diaries, as Mr. X, Fred Claus, as Santa, Cold Souls, as Giamatti – Paul, Duplicity, as Richard Garsik, The Last Station, as Chertkov, Barney’s Version, as Barney Panofsky, Win Win, as Mike Flaherty, Ironclad, as King John, The Hangover Part II, as Kingsley, The Ides of March, as Tom Duffy, Cosmopolis, as Benno Levin, John Dies at the End, as Arnie Blondstone, Rock of Ages, as Paul Gill.
Giancarlo Giannini
Where you know him from:
Casino Royale & Quantum of Solace, as Mathis
Hannibal, as Inspector Pazzi
Also look for him in: The Secret of Saint Vittoria, as Fabio, Swept Away, as Gennarino Carunchio (this is the movie that Guy Ritchie remade with Madonna. Yeah…), Seven Beauties, as Pasqualino Frafuso (seriously, he was Oscar-nominated for it. He’s really great in it), New York Stories, as Claudio (in Coppola’s Segment), Mimic, as Manny, Man on Fire, as Manzano.
Billy Gilbert
Where you know him from:
His Girl Friday, as Joe Pettibone
The Great Dictator, as Herring
Anchors Aweigh, as Café Manager
Also look for him in: The Merry Widow, as Fat Lacky, Evelyn Prentice, as Barney, Café Owner, Mad Love, as Autograph Seeker on Train, A Night at the Opera, as Passenger Asking Fiorello Not to Play Piano, The Devil-Doll, as Matin’s Butler, Captain’s Courageous, as Soda Steward, Broadway Melody of 1938, as George Papaloopas, Barber, One Hundred Men and a Girl, as Garage Owner, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, as Sneezy, Destry Rides Again, as Loupgerou, Lucky Partners, as Charles, Waiter, Fun and Fancy Free, as Willie the Giant.
Burton Gilliam
Where you know him from:
Blazing Saddles, as Lyle
Also look for him in: Beach Blanket Bingo, as Beach Boy, Paper Moon, as Floyd (Desk Clerk), Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, as Welder, Farewell, My Lovely, as Cowboy, Gator, as Smiley, Telefon, as Gas Station Attendant, Fletch, as Bud, Back to the Future Part III, as Colt Gun Salesman, Honeymoon in Vegas, as Roy Bacon, Elvis Impersonator, The Getaway (1994), as Gollie, Evening Shade, as Virgil, Wild Bil, as Bartender.
James Gleason
Where you know him from:
Here Comes Mr. Jordan (and Down to Earth), as Max Corkle
Arsenic and Old Lace, as Lt. Rooney
Meet John Doe, as Henry Connell
The Night of the Hunter, as Birdie Steptoe
Also look for him in: The Broadway Melody, as Music Publisher, A Free Soul, as Eddie, The Big Gamble, as Fred “Squint” Dugan, The Ex-Mrs. Bradford, as Inspector Corrigan, Babes on Broadway, as Thornton Reed, Theatrical Producer, My Gal Sal, as Pat Hawley, Crash Dive, as Chief Mike “Mac” McDonnell, A Guy Named Joe, as ‘Nails’ Kilpatrick, The Keys of the Kingdom, as Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, as McGarrity, The Clock, as Al Henry, The Hoodlum Saint, as Snarp, The Bishop’s Wife, as Sylvester, Tycoon, as Pop, The Dude Goes West, as Sam Briggs, When My Baby Smiles at Me, as Lefty More, The Life of Riley, as Gillis, Come Fill the Cup, as Charlie Dolan, I’ll See You in My Dreams, as Fred Thompson, We’re Not Married!, as Duffy, The Story of Will Rogers, as BEry Lynn, What Price Glory, as Gen. Cokely, Forever Female, as Eddie Woods, The Last Hurrah, as ‘Cuke’ Gillen.
Paul Gleason
Where you know him from:
The Breakfast Club, as Richard Vernon (who must have been named after John Vernon in Animal House)
Die Hard, as Deputy Police Chief Dwayne T. Robinson
Trading Places, as Clarence Beeks
Also look for him in: Arthur, as Executive (the guy who complains bout Arthur in the waiting room and Hobson is like, “On the other hand, go screw yourself.”), Tender Mercies, as Reporter, She’s Having a Baby, as Howard, Loaded Weapon 1, as FBI Agent (basically reprising the Die Hard role), Not Another Teen Movie, as Richard Vernon (actually reprising the Breakfast Club role), Van Wilder, as Professor McDoogle.
Brendan Gleeson
Where you know him from:
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, & Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as Alastor “Mad Eye” Moody
28 Days Later, as Frank
Braveheart, as Hamish
Gangs of New York, as Walter “Monk” McGinn
In Bruges, as Ken
Also look for him in: The Field, as Quarryman, Far and Away, as Social Club Policeman, Michael Collins, as Liam Tobin, The General, as Martin Cahill, Lake Placid, as Sheriff Hank Keough, Mission: Impossible II, as John C. McCloy, The Tailor of Panama, as Michelangelo “Mickie” Abraxas, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, as Lord Johnson-Johnson, Dark Blue, as Jack Van Meter, Cold Mountain, as Stobrod Thewes, Troy, as Menelaus, The Village, as August Nicholson, Kingdom of Heaven, as Reynald de Chatillon, Breakfast on Pluto, as John Joe Kenny, Beowulf, as Wiglaf, The Secret of Kels, as Abbot Cellach, Green Zone, as Martin Brown, The Guard, as Sergeant Gerry Boyle, Albert Nobbs, as Dr. Holloran.
Scott Glenn
Love this man. His presence in a movie instantly elicits a smile from my face.
Where you know him from:
The Silence of the Lambs, as Jack Crawford
The Right Stuff, as Alan Shepard
Silverado, as Emmett
Training Day, as Roger (that snail joke…)
Vertical Limit, as Montgomery Wick (I love this movie)
The Bourne Ultimatum, as Ezra Kramer
Also look for him in: Apocalypse Now, as Richard Colby, Urban Cowboy, as Wes, The River, as Joe Wade, Man on Fire (1987), as Creasy, The Hunt for Red October, as Bart Mancuso, Backdraft, as John ‘Axe’ Adcox, Courage Under Fire, as Gartner, Absolute Power, as Bill Burton, The Virgin Suicides, as Father Moody, Buffalo Soldiers, as Sergeant Lee, The Shipping News, as Jack Buggit, W., as Donald Rumsfield, Secretariat, as Chris Chenery, Sucker Punch, as Wise Man.
Crispin Glover
Where you know him from:
Back to the Future, as George McFly
Charlie’s Angels, as Thin Man
Beowulf, as Gendel
Also look for him in: At Close Range, as Lucas, River’s Edge, as Layne, Wild at Heart, as Dell, The Doors, as Andy Warhol, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, as Boby McBurney, Dead Man, as Train Fireman, The People vs. Larry Flynt, as Arlo, Nurse Betty, as Roy Ostery, Like Mike, as Stan Bitterman, Epic Movie, as Willy Wonka, 9, as 6, Alice in Wonderland, as Stayne, Knave of Hearts, Hot Tub Time Machine, as Phil.
Walton Goggins
Where you know him from:
The Shield, as Detective Shane Vendrell
Justified, as Boyd Crowder
Major League: Back to the Minors, as Billy “Downtown” Anderson (this is where I first noticed him)
The Bourne Identity, as Research Tech (and this is where I was like, “Oh shit, I know him!”)
Also look for him in: Forever Young, as Gate MP, The Next Karate Kid, as Charlie, The Apostle, as Sam, Shanghai Noon, as Wallace, The World’s Fastest Indian, as Marty, The Architect, as Joe,Miracle at St. Anna ,as Captain Nokes, Predators, as Stan, Damage, as Reno Paulsaint, Cowboys & Aliens, as Hunt, Straw Dogs, as Daniel.
Adam Goldberg
Where you know him from:
Saving Private Ryan,as Pvt. Stanley Mellish
The Hebrew Hammer, as Mordechai Jefferson Carver
Also look for him in: Mr. Saturday Night, as Eguene Gimbel, Dazed and Confused, as MikE Newhouse, Friends, as Crazy Eddie, Chandler’s roommate, Edtv, as John, A Beautiful Mind, as Sol, The Salton Sea, as Kujo, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, as Tony, Deja Vu, as Dr. Alexander Denny, 2 Days in Paris, as Jack, Zodiac, as Duffy Jennings, Entourage, as Nick Rubenstein.
Jeff Goldblum
I feel like Goldblum is one of those guys that’s on the cusp of everyone knowing who he is, but is still obscure enough to merit status on this list.
Where you know him from:
Independence Day, as David Levinson
Jurassic Park & The Lost World: Jurassic Park, as Dr. Ian Malcolm
The Fly, as Seth Brundle
Also look for him in: Death Wish, as Freak #1, California Split, as Lloyd Harris, Nashville, as Tricycle Man, Annie Hall, as Lacey Party Guest, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), as Jack Bellicec, The Big Chill, as Michael Gold, The Right Stuff, as Recruiter, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, as New Jersey, Silverado, as Slick, Transylvania-6500, as Jack Harrison, Earth Girls are Easy, as Mac, Deep Cover, as David Jason, The Great White Hype, as Mitchell Kane, The Prince of Egypt, as Aaron, Cats & Dogs, as Professor Brady, Igby Goes Down, as D.H., The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, as Alistair Hennessey, Fay Grim, as Agent Fulbright, Man of the Year, as Stewart, The Switch, as Leonard, Morning Glory, as Jerry Barnes.
Tony Goldwyn
Where you know him from:
Ghost, as Carl Bruner
The 6th Day, as Michael Drucker
The Last Samurai, as Colonel Bagley
Tarzan, as Tarzan
Also look for him in: Gaby: A True Story, as David, The Pelican Brief, as Fletcher Coal, Nixon, as Harold Nixon, Kiss the Girls, as Dr. William “Will” Rudolph, The Last House on the Left, as John, The Mechanic, as Dean.
He’s also a director. He’s directed such films as: Someone Like You…, The Last Kiss and Conviction.
Thomas Gomez
Where you know him from:
Force of Evil, as Leo Morse
Key Largo, as Richard “Curly” Huff
Come to the Stable, as Luigi Rossi
Also look for him in: Pittsburgh, as Joe Malneck, Ride the Pink Horse, as Pancho, A Double Life, as Cassio, The Furies, as El Tigre, The Conqueror, as Wang Khan, Trapeze, as Bouglione, But Not For Me, as Demetrios Bacos, Summer and Smoke, as Papa Zachaias, Beneath of the Planet of the Apes, as Minister.
John Goodman
Where you know him from:
The Big Lebowski, as Walter Sobchak
Barton Fink, as Charlie Meadows
O Brother Where Art Thou?, as Big Dan Teague
Monsters, Inc., as James P. “Sulley” Sullivan
Roseanne, as Dan Conner
Also look for him in: Revenge of the Nerds, as Coach Harris, Raising Arizona, as Gale Snoats, Punchline, as John Krytsick, Sea of Love, as Det. Sherman, Always, as Al Yackey, Arachnophobia, as Delbert McClintock, King Ralph, as Ralph Hampton Gainesworth Jones, The Babe, as George Herman “Babe” Ruth, Born Yesterday, as Harry Brock, The Hudsucker Proxy, as Newsreel announcer, We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story, as Rex, The Flintstones, as Fred Flintstone, Fallen, as Jonesy, Blues Brothers 2000, as Mighty Mack McTeer, Dirty Work, as Mayor Adam Riggins, Bringing Out the Dead, as Larry, What Planet Are You From?, as Roland Jones, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, as Oklahoma Cop, Coyote Ugly, as Bill, The Emperor’s New Groove, as Pacha, One Night at McCool’s, as Detective Dehling, Masked and Anonymous, as Uncle Sweetheart, Beyond the Sea, as Steve Blauner, Cars, as Sullivan Truck Death Sentence, as Bones Darley, Evan Almighty, as Congressman Long, Bee Movie, as Layton T. Montgomery, Speed Racer, as Pops, Confessions of a Shopaholic, as Graham Bloomwood, In the Electric Mist, as Julie “Baby Feet” Balboni, The Princess and the Frog, as “Big Daddy” La Bouff, Red State, as Joseph Keenan, Treme , as Creighton Bernette, Damages, as Howard T. Erickson, Happy Feet Two, as The Beach Master.
Keith Gordon
Where you know him from:
Back to School, as Jason Melon
Dressed to Kill, as Peter Miller
Also look for him in: Jaws 2, as Doug Fetterman, All That Jazz, as Young Joe, Home Movies, as Denis Byrd, Christine, as Arnie Cunningham, I Love Trouble, as Andy.
He’s also become a director in recent years, directing: The Singing Detective, and a bunch of Dexter episodes
Elliott Gould
Where you know him from:
Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve & Ocean’s Thirteen, as Reuben Tishkoff
MASH, as Trapper John
Friends, as Jack Geller
Also look for him in: Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, as Ted Henderson, Little Murders, as Alfred Chamberlain, The Long Goodbye, as Philip Marlowe, S*P*Y*S, as Griff, California Split, as Charlie Waters, A Bridge too Far, as Colonel Stout, The Muppet Movie ,as Beauty Contest Compere, The Muppets Take Manhattan, as Cop in Pete’s, Bugsy, as Harry Greenberg, American History X, as Murray, Contagion, as Dr. Ian Sussman.
Stephen Graham
Where you know him from:
Snatch., as Tommy
Boardwalk Empire, as Al Capone
Also look for him in: Gangs of New York, as Shang, This is Englan, as Combo, Public Enemies, as Baby Face Nelson, London Boulevard, as Danny, Season of the Witch, as Hagamar, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, as Scrum, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, as Jerry Westerby.
Lee Grant
Where you know her from:
Shampoo, as Felicia Karpf
Detective Story, as Shoplifter
Mulholland Dr., as Louise Bonner
Also look for her in: The Balcony, as Carmen, Divorce American Style, as Dede Murphy, In the Heat of the Night, as Mrs. Colbert, Valley of the Dolls, as Miriam Polar, Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell, as Fritzie Braddock, The Landlord, as Joyce Enders, There Was a Crooked Man…, as Mrs. Bullard, Plaza Suite, as Norma Hubley, Voyage of the Damned, as Lili Rosen, Airport ’77, as Karen Wallace, Damien: Omen II, as Ann Thorn, The Swarm, as Anne MacGregor, Little Miss Marker, as The Judge, Defending Your Life, as Lena Foster, Dr. T and the Women, as Dr. Harper.
Charles Gray
Where you know him from:
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, as The Criminologist
You Only Live Twice, as Dikko Henderson
Diamonds are Forever, as Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Also look for him in: The Beast Must Die, as Arthur Bennington (This movie is fucking incredible. I watch this at least once every few months, it’s that awesome.), The Seven Per-Cent Solution, as Mycroft Holmes, Shock Treatment, as Judge Oliver Wright.
Graham Greene
This dude is in a lose-lose situation. Native American actors get typecast like a motherfucker (see: Adam Beach), yet, the alternative is to put white people in brown face. We really fucked them over, didn’t we? Fucking white people…
Where you know him from:
Dances with Wolves, as Kicking Bird
Die Hard With a Vengeance, as Joe Lambert
The Green Mile, as Arlen Bitterbuck
Also look for him in: Maverick, as Joseph, Transamerica, as Calvin, New Moon, as Harry Clearwater (I should put this up there, but fuck that noise. This is not the blog for that to happen. Chances are, more people will recognize him from that other stuff), Casino Jack, as Bernie Sprague.
Peter Greene
One of the quintessential villains of the 90s.
Where you know him from:
Pulp Fiction, as Zed
The Usual Suspects, as Redfoot (that guy out in California)
The Mask, as Dorian Tyrell
Blue Streak, as Deacon
Also look for him in: Permanent Midnight, as Gus, Training Day, as Jeff.
Sydney Greenstreet
Sometimes one role is all it takes.
Where you know him from:
The Maltese Falcon, as Kasper Gutman
Casablanca, as Signor Ferrari
Also look for him in: They Died with Their Boots On, as Lt. Gen, Winfield Scott, Across the Pacific, as Dr. Lorenz.
He did a lot of character work in the 40s, but a lot of them are films most people wouldn’t know or have heard of.
Bruce Greenwood
Where you know him from:
Star Trek, as Pike
I, Robot, as Lawrence Robertson
Thirteen Days, as John F. Kennedy
Also look for him in: Passenger 57, as Stuart Ramsey, Fathers’ Day, as Bob Andrews, The Sweet Hereafter, as Billy, Double Jeopardy, as Nick, Rule of Engagement, as National Security Advisor Bill Sokal, Swept Away, as Tony, Below, as Brice, The Core, as Cmdr. Robert Iverson, Hollywood Homicide, as Lt. Bennie Macko, Being Julia, as Lord Charles, Capote, as Jack Dunphy, The World’s Fastest Indian, as Jerry, Eight Below, as Davis McClaren, Deja Vu, as Agent Jack MacCready, I’m Not There, as Keenan Jones/Pat Garrett, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, as The President, Dinner for Schmucks, as Lance Fender, Meek’s Cutoff, as Stephen Meek, Barney’s Version, as Blair, Super 8, as Cooper.
Judy Greer
Where you know her from:
Arrested Development, as Kitty Sanchez
Archer, as Cheryl/Carol/Carine/Cristal
Adaptation., as Alice the Waitress
13 Going on 30, as Lucy Wyman
Also look for her in: Three Kings, as Cathy Daitch (the reporter who sleeps with people for stories), What Planet Are You From?, as Rebecca, What Women Want, as Erin, The Wedding Planner, as Penny, The Hebrew Hammer (How often does this film come up? Not enough, is the answer there), as Ester Bloomenbergensteinenthal, The Village, as Kitty Walker, The Amateurs, as Ellie, Elizabethtown, as Heather Baylor, The TV Set, as Alice, 27 Dresses, as Casey, Barry Munday, as Ginger Farley.
Zach Grenier
Where you know him from:
Fight Club, as Richard Chesler
Tommy Boy, as Ted Reilly
Zodiac, as Mel Nicholai
Also look for him in: Working Girl, as Jim, Talk Radio, as Sid Greenberg, See No Evil, Hear No Evil, as Jerk, Problem Child 2, as Voytek, Cliffhanger, as Davis, Twister, as Eddie, Donnie Brasco, as Dr. Berger, Shaft, as Harrison Loeb, Swordfish, as Assistant Director Bill Joy, Curb Your Enthisiasm, “The Massage” & “The Doll,” as Lane Michaelson, 24, season 1, as Carl Webb, Deadwood, as Andy Cramed, Rescue Dawn, as Squad Leader, Fantastic 3: Rise of the Silver Surfer, as Mr. Sherman/Rafke, J. Edgar, as John Condon.
Joel Grey
Where you know him from:
Cabaret, as Master of Ceremonies
Dancer in the Dark, as Oldrich Navy, Oz
Also look for him in: Man on a Swing, as Franklin Wills, Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson, as The Producer, The Seven Per-Cent Solution, as Lowenstein, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, as Chiun, Kafka, as Burgel, as Lemuel Idzik, Choke, as Phil.
Richard Griffiths
Where you know him from:
Harry Potter, as Uncle Vernon (He told us how the post office operates.)
The History Boys, as Hector
Also look for him in: Chariots of Fire, as Head Porter at Caius College, The French Lieutenant’s Woman, as Sir Tom, Gandhi, as Collins, Gorky Park, as Anton, Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan, as Captain Billings, Withnail and I, as Monty, King Ralph, as Duncan Phipps, The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear, as Dr. Albert S. Meinheimer/Earl Hacker, Guarding Tess, as Frederick, Sleepy Hollow, as Magistrate Philipse, Venus, as Donald, Bedtime Stories, as Barry Nottingham, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, as King George.
Carla Gugino
Man, she’s awesome.
Where you know her from:
Sin City, as Lucille
Snake Eyes, as Julia Costello (this is where I first noticed her. I had to mention it)
Watchmen, as Sally Jupiter/Silk Spectre 1
Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams & Spy Kids 3D: Game Over, as as Ingrid Cortez
Also look for her in: The Singing Detective, as Betty Dark/Hooker, Even Money, as Veronica, Night at the Museum, as Rebecca, The Lookout, as Janet, Rise: Blood Hunter (ha ha. This movie…), as Eve, American Gangster, as Laurie Roberts, Righteous Kill, as Karen Corelli, Race to Witch Mountain, as Dr. Alex Friemdan, Women in Trouble & Elektra Luxx, as Elektra Luxx, Entourage, as Amanda Daniels, Faster, as Cicero, Sucker Punch, as Dr. Vera Gorski, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, as Amanda.
Noel Gugliemi
This motherfucker seems to pop up everywhere.
Where you know him from:
The Fast and the Furious, as Hector
Training Day, as Moreno
Bruce Almighty, as Hood (the dude with the monkey)
Also look for him in: The Animal, as Gang Leader, National Security, as Latino Convict, Masked and Anonymous, as Inmate #1, Old School, as Student #1, Malibu’s Most Wanted, as Snuffy, S.W.A.T., as Latino Thug, Employee of the Month, as Chicken, Harsh Times, as Flaco, Crank, as Warehouse Rooftop Hood, School for Scoundrels, as Subway Guy, The Bucket List, as Mechanic, Street Kings, as Quicks, The Soloist, as Winston Street Cop, Our Family Wedding, as Raymond Mata.
Bob Gunton
Where you know him from:
The Shawshank Redemption, as Warden Norton
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, as Burton Quinn
Also look for him in: Matewan, as C.E. Lively, Glory, as Gen. Charles Garrison Harker, Born on the Fourth of July, as Doctor #1 at the VA Hospital, JFK, as TV Newsman #3, Patriot Games, as Interviewer, Demolition Man, as Chief George Earl, Broken Arrow, as Pritchett, Patch Adams, as Dean Walcott, The Perfect Storm, as Alexander McAnally III, I Heart Huckabees, as Mr. Silver, Rendition, as Lars Whitman, Kill the Irishman, as Jerry Merke, The Lincoln Lawyer, as Cecil Dobbs.
Luis Guzman
Where you know him from:
Carlito’s Way, as Pachanga
Boogie Nights, as Maurice TT Rodriguez
Out of Sight, as Chino
Also look for him in: The Limey, as Eduardo Roel, The Bone Collector, as Eddie Ortiz, Magnolia, as Luis, Traffic, as Ray Castro, The Count of Monte Cristo, as Jacopo, The Salton Sea, as Quincy, Punch Drunk Love, as Lance, Welcome to Collinwood, as Cosmo, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, as Felix Laranga, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, as Ricardo Diaz, Anger Management, as Lou, Runaway Jury, as Jerry Hernandez, Waiting…, as Raddimus, The Taking of Pelham 123 as Phil Ramos, Arthur, as Bitterman.
Fred Gwynne
Where you know him from:
The Munsters, as Herman Munster
My Cousin Vinny, as Judge Chamberlain Haller
Also look for him in: The Cotton Club, as Frenchy Demange, Fatal Attraction, as Arthur, Ironweed, as Oscar Reo, Pet Cemetary, as Jud Crandall.
Mike Hagerty
Where you know him from:
Wayne’s World, as Davy
The George Carlin Show, as Frank
Curb Your Enthusiasm, as AAMCO Guy Mike Duffy
Lucky Louie, as Mike
Also look for him in: Brewster’s Millions, as Furniture Warehouseman, Overboard, as Billy Pratt, Red Heat, as Pat Nunn, Dick Tracy, as Doorman, So I Married an Axe Murderer, as Obituary Writer, Speed 2: Cruise Control, as Harvey, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, as Peanut Vendor, Inspector Gadget, as Sikes, Friends, as Mr. Treeger.
Kathryn Hahn
Where you know her from:
Step Brothers, as Alice
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, as Babs Merrick
Also look for her in: How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, as Michelle Rueben, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton, as Angelica, Anchorman, as Helen, Around the Bend, as Sarah, The Holiday, as Bristol, Revolutionary Road, as Milly Campbell, How Do You Know, as Annie.
Alan Hale (Sr.)
Where you know him from:
The Adventures of Robin Hood, as Little John
Dodge City, as Rusty Hart
Destination Tokyo, as “Cookie” Wainwright
Also look for him in: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, as Karl von Hartrott, Robin Hood, as The Squire/Little John, The Lost Patrol, as Cook, It Happened One Night, as Danker, Little Man, What Now?, as Holger Jachman, Of Human Bondage, as Emil Miller, The Scarlet Letter, as Bartholomew Hockings, Great Expectations, as Joe Gargery, Imitation of Life, as Martin, the Furniture Man, Broadway Bill, as Orchestra Leader, The Last Days of Pompeii, as Burbix, Stella Dallas, as Ed Munn, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, as Earl of Tyrone, Virginia City, as Olaf Swenson, The Sea Haw, as Carl Pitt, They Drive By Night, as Ed Carlsen, Santa Fe Trail, as Tex Bell, The Strawberry Blonde, as Old Man Grimes, Gentleman Jim, as Pat Corbett, Action in the North Atlantic, as Boats O’Hara, This is the Army ,as Sgt. McGee, Night and Day, as Leon Dowling, Pursued, as Jake Dingle.
Jackie Earle Haley
Where you know him from:
Watchmen, as Rorshach
The Bad News Bears, as Kelly Leak
Little Children, as Ronnie J. McGorvey
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), as Freddy Krueger
Also look for him in: The Day of the Locust, as Adore, Breaking Away, as Moocher, All the King’s Men, as Sugar Boy, Semi-Pro, as Dukes, Shutter Island, as George Noyce.
Albert Hall
Where you know him from:
Apocalypse Now, as Chief Phillips
Also look for him in: The Fabulous Baker Boys, as Henry, Music Box, as Mack Jones, Malcolm X, as Baines, Rookie of the Year, as Martinella, Major Payne, as General Decker, The Great White Hype, as Roper’s Manager, Courage Under Fire, as Speaker, Ali, as Elijah Muhammad, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, as Dr. Nichols.
Philip Baker Hall
Where you know him from:
Boogie Nights, as Floyd Gondolli
Magnolia, as Jimmy Gator Seinfeld, as Joe Bookman, Library Cop
Rush Hour, as Captain Diel
Also look for him in: Midnight Run, as Sidney, Say Anything, as IRA Boss, Ghostbusters II, as Police Commissioner, Kiss of Death, as Big Junior Brown, Hard Eight (AKA “Sydney”), as Sydney, The Rock, as Chief Justice, Air Force One, as U.S. Atty. General Andrew Ward, Sour Grapes, as Mr. Bell, The Truman Show, as Network Executive, Enemy of the State, as Attorney Mark Silverberg, Psycho, as Sheriff Al Chambers, Cradle Will Rock, as Gray Mathers, The Insider, as Don Hewitt, The Talented Mr. Ripley, as Alan MacCarron, Rules of Engagement, as Gen. H. Lawrence Hodges, The Contender, as Oscar Billings, The Sum of all Fears, as Defense Secretary Becker, Dogville, as Tom Edison Sr.,Bruce Almighty, as Jack Baylor, In Good Company, as Eugene Kalb, The Matador, as Mr. Randy,Duck, as Arthur Pratt, The Amityville Horror, as Father Calloway, The Shaggy Dog, as Lance Strictland, The TV Set, as Vernon Maxwell, You Kill Me, as Roman Krzeminski, Zodiac, as Sherwood Morrill, Curb Your Enthusiasm, as Doctor Morrison, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, as Franklin.
Porter Hall
Where you know him from:
The Thin Man, as MacCaulay.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, as Senator Monroe. (Look for him. You’ll recognize him.)
His Girl Friday, as Murphy. (One of the men in the reporter’s room. Again, you’ll notice him.)
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek, as Justice of the Peace. (When they try to get married. Gets one of the biggest laughs in the film.)
Miracle on 34th Street, as Granville Sawyer. (The man who gives Kringle the psych evaluation.)
Also look for him in: Petrified Forest, as Jason Maple (owner of the diner), Make Way for Tomorrow, as Harvey Chase (one of the daughters’ husbands), Sullivan’s Travels, as Mr. Hadrian, Double Indemnity, as Mr. Jackson, Going My Way, as Mr. Belknap, Ace in the Hole, as Boot (the editor Kirk Douglas works for).
Margaret Hamilton
Where you know her from:
The Wizard of Oz, as Miss Gulch/The Wicked Witch of the West
Also look for her in: Broadway Bill, as Edna, These Three, as Agatha the Maid, Babes in Arms, as Martha Steele, The Ox-Bow Incident, as Mrs. Larch, The Sin of Harold Diddlebock, as Flora, 13 Ghosts, as Elaine Zacharides, The Anderson Tapes, as Miss Kaler.
This one is more, “Oh hey, she actually did do more than that one role we know her for.” She pops up quite a bit, actually.
Murray Hamilton
Where you know him from:
Jaws (and Jaws 2), as Mayor Larry Vaughn
The Graduate, as Mr. Robinson
Anatomy of a Murder, as Alphonse Paquette
The Hustler, as Findley
Also look for him in: Bright Victory, as Pete Hamilton, The Spirit of St. Louis, as Bud Gurney, Houseboat, as Capt. Alan Wilson, The Cardinal, as Lafe, The Boston Strangler, as Det. Frank McAfee, The Way We Were, as Brooks Carpenter, The Amityville Horror, as Father Ryan, 1941, as Claude Crumn.
John Hannah
Where you know him from:
The Mummy & The Mummy Returns & The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, as Jonathan
Also look for him in: Four Weddings and a Funeral, as Matthew, The Hurricane, as Terry Swinton, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, as Batiatus.
Anne Haney
Where you know her from:
Liar, Liar, as Greta
Mrs. Doubtfire, as Mrs. Sellner, the Social Worker
Also look for her in: The American President, as Mrs. Chapil, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, as Margaret Williams, Psycho (1998), as Mrs. Ezra Chambers, Forces of Nature, as Emma.
Larry Hankin
Where you know him from:
Escape from Alcatraz, as Charley Butts
Billy Madison, as Carl Alphonse
Friends, as Mr. Heckles
Also look for him in: Yours, Mine and Ours, as Supermarket Clerk/Harry, Annie, as Pound Man, The Sting II, as Handicap, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, as Doobie, She’s Having a Baby, as Hank, Pretty Woman, as Landlord, Home Alone, as Officer Balzak, The George Carlin Show, “George Goes too Far,” as Kenny, Vegas Vacation, as Preacher.
Marcia Gay Harden
Where you know her from:
Miller’s Crossing, as Verna
Mystic River, as Celeste Boyle
Meet Joe Black, as Allison
Also look for her in: Used People, as Norma, Spy Hard, as Miss Cheevus, Space Cowboys, as Sara Holland, Pollock, as Lee Krasner, Mona Lisa Smile, as Nancy Abbey, Welcome to Mooseport, as Grace Sutherland, The Hoax, as Edith Irving, Bad News Bears, as Liz Whitehead, The Invisible, as Diane Powell, Into the Wild, as Billie McCandless, The Mist, as Mrs. Carmody, Whip It, as Brooke Cavendar.
Tom Hardy
Where you know him from:
Bronson, as Charles Bronson/Michael Peterson
Inception, as Eames
The Dark Knight Rises, as Bane
Also look for him in: Band of Brothers, as Pfc. John Janovec, Black Hawk Down, as Twombly, Star Trek: Nemesis, as Praetor Shinzon, Layer Cake, as Clarkie, Marie Antoinette, as Raumont, RocknRolla, as Handsome Bob, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, as Ricki Tarr, Warrior, as Tommy Conlan, Wettest Country, as Forest.
Ed Harris
Where you know him from:
Apollo 13, as Gene Kranz
The Rock, as Brigadier General Francis X. Hummel
A History of Violence, as Carl Fogarty
The Right Stuff, as John Glenn
Also look for him in: Creepshow, as Hank Blaine, Swing Shift, as Jack Walsh, Places in the Heart, as Wayne Lomax, Sweet Dreams, as Charlie Dick, Jacknife, as David “High School” Flannigan, The Abyss, as Virgil “Bud” Brigman, State of Grace, as Frankie Flannery, Glengarry Glen Ross, as Dave Moss, The Firm, as Wayne Tarrance, Nixon, as E. Howard Hunt, Absolute Power, as Seth Frank, The Truman Show, as Christof, Stepmom, as Luke Harrison, Pollock, as Jackson Pollock, Enemy at the Gates, as Major König, Buffalo Soldiers, as Colonel Berman, A Beautiful Mind, as Parcher, The Hours, as Richard Brown, Masked and Anonymous, as Oscar Vogel, The Human Stain, as Lester Fairley, Radio, as Coach Jones, Empire Falls, as Miles Roby, Winter Passing, as Doc Holden, Copying Beethoven, as Ludwig van Beethoven, Gone Baby Gone, as Remy Bressant, Cleaner, as Eddie Lorenzo, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, as Mitch Wilkinson, Appaloosa, as Virgil Cole, The Way Back, as Mr. Smith.
Estelle Harris
Where you know her from:
Seinfeld, as Estelle Costanza
Toy Story 2 & Toy Story 3, as Mrs. Potato Head
Once Upon a Time in America, as Peggy’s Mother
Also look for her in: Stand and Deliver, as Secretary, Out to Sea, as Bridget, Chairman of the Board, as Mrs. Krubavitch, My Giant, as Aunt Pearl, Lost & Found, as Mrs. Stubblefield, Brother Bear, as Old Lady Bear, Home on the Range, as Audrey, the Chicken, The Grand, as Ruth Melvin.
George Harris
Where you know him from:
Harry Potter, as Kingsley Shacklebolt
Raiders of the Lost Ark, as Katanga
Also look for him in: Flash Gordon, as Prince Thun of Ardentia, Ragtime, as Clef Club Band Leader, See No Evil, Hear No Evil, as Bartender, Black Hawk Down, as Atto, Layer Cake, as Morty.
Jared Harris
Where you know him from:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, as Captain Mike
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, as Professor Moriarty
Mad Men, as Lane Pryce
Mr. Deeds, as Mac McGrath
Also look for him in: Far and Away, as Paddy, The Last of the Mohicans, as British Lieutenant, Natural Born Killers, as London Boy, Dead Man, as Benmont Tench, Smoke, as Jimmy Rose, Father’s Day, as Lee, Lost in Space, as Old Will Robinson, Happiness, as Vlad, Igby Goes Down, as Russell, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, as Dr. Ashford, Ocean’s Twelve, as Basher’s Engineer, The Notorious Bettie Page, as John Willie, Lady in the Water, as Goatee Smoker, Extraordinary Measures, as Dr. Kent Webber, The Ward, as Dr. Stringer, Lincoln, as Ulysses S. Grant
Rachael Harris
Where you know her from:
The Hangover, as Melissa
Archer, as Rona Thorne (the movie star. Whose vocal performance is “Ah-may-zing!”)
Also look for her in: Best in Show, as Winky’s Party Guest, A Mighty Wind, as Steinbloom’s Assistant, The Haunted Mansion, as Mrs. Coleman, Starsky & Hutch, as Mrs. Feldman’s Other Friend, After the Sunset, as June, Kicking and Screaming, as Ann Hogan, For Your Consideration, as Mary Pat Hooligan, Evan Almighty, as Ark Reporter, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, as Susan Heffley.
Rutger Hauer
Where you know him from:
Blade Runner, as Roy Batty
Batman Begins, as EArle
Sin City, as Cardinal Roark
Hobo with a Shotgun, as Hobo
The Hitcher, as John Ryder
Also look for him in: Soldier of Orange, as Erik Lanshof, Eureka, as Claude Maillot Van Horn, Ladyhawke, as Captain Etienne Navarre, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as Lothos, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, as Keeler, Dracula 3D, as Abraham Van Helsing, The Rite, as Istvan Kovak.
John Hawkes
Where you know him from:
From Dusk Till Dawn, as Pete Bottoms, Liquor Store Clerk
American Gangster, as Freddie Spearman
Winter’s Bone, as Teardrop
Also look for him in: Rush Hour, as Stucky, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, as Dave, Blue Streak, as Eddie, The Perfect Storm, as Bugsy, Identity, as Larry, Me and You and Everyone We Know, as Richard Swersey, The Amateurs, as Moe, Wristcutters: A Love Story, as Yan, Miami Vice, as Alonzo Stevens, Miracle at St. Anna, as Herb Redneck, Contagion, as Roger.
Sterling Hayden
Where you know him from:
The Godfather, as Capt. McCluskey
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, as Brig. Gen. Jack Ripper
The Asphalt Jungle, as Dix Handley
Johnny Guitar, as Johnny “Guitar” Logan
The Killing, as Johnny Clay
Also look for him in: Virginia, as Norman Williams, Bahama Passage, as Adrian Ainstworth, Flat Top, as Cmdr. Dan Collier, The Star, as Jim Johannsen aka Barry Lester, Prince Valiant, as Sir Gawain, Naked Alibi, as Chief Joe Conroy, Battle Taxi, as Capt. Russ Edwards, The Last Command, as Jim Bowie, Zero Hour!, as Capt. Martin Treleaven, The Long Goodbye, as Roger Wade/Billy Joe Smith, 1900, as Leo Dalco, Nine to Five, as Russell Tinsworthy.
Dennis Haysbert
Where you know him from:
Take your pick.
Major League, Major League II & Major League: Back to the Minors, as Pedro Cerrano
24, as David Palmer
Those Allstate commercials
Also look for him in: Love Field, as Paul Cater, Heat, as Donald Breedan, Waiting to Exhale, as Kenneth Dawkins, Absolute Power, as Tim Collin, The Thirteenth Floor (this was a really awesome movie when I was 11), as Detective Larry McBain, Random Hearts, as Detective George Beaufort, Far From Heaven, as Raymond Deagan, Jarhead, as Major Lincoln, Breach, as Dean Plesac, Kung Fu Panda 2, as Master Ox.
Glenne Headly
Where you know her from:
Mr. Holland’s Opus, as Iris Holland
Dick Tracy, as Tess Trueheart
Also look for her in: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, as Janet Colgate, Mortal Thoughts, as Joyce Urbanski, Sgt. Bilko, as Rita Robbins, What’s the Worst That Could Happen?, as Gloria Sidell, Around the Bend, as Katrina, The Amateurs, as Helen Tatelbaum, The Joneses, as Summer Symonds.
Anthony Heald
Where you know him from:
The Silence of the Lambs & Red Dragon, as Dr. Chilton
Also look for him in: Silkwood, as 2nd Doctor at Union Meeting, Postcards from the Edge, as George Lazan, Searching for Bobby Fisher, as Fighting Parent, The Ballad of Little Jo, as Henry Grey, The Pelican Brief, as Larry Trumann, Kiss of Death (1995), as Dr. Wilbert Rodeheaver, Deep Rising, as Simon Canton, 8MM, as Daniel Longdale, Boston Public, as Scott Guber, X-Men: The Last Stand, as FBI Mystique Investigator, Accepted, as Dean Richard Van Horne.
John Heard
Where you know him from:
Home Alone & Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, as Peter McCallister
Big, as Paul
Also look for him in: Cat People (1982), as Oliver Yates, After Hours, as Tom the bartender, The Trip to Bountiful, as Ludie Watts, The Milagro Beanfield War, as Charlie Bloom, Beaches, as John Pierce, Awakenings, as Dr. Kaufman, In the Line of Fire, as Professor Riger, The Pelican Brief, as Gavin Verekk, Snake Eyes, as Gilbert Powell, Pollock, as Tony Smith, O, as Dean Bob Brable, White Chicks, as Warren Vandergeld, The Guardian, as Catp. Frank Larson.
Anne Heche
Where you know her from:
Donnie Brasco, as Maggie Pistone
Psycho, as Marion Crane
John Q, as Rebecca Payne
Also look for her in: Volcano, as Dr. Amy Barnes, I Know What You Did Last Summer, as Missy Egan, Wag the Dog, as Winifred Ames, Six Days Seven Nights, as Robin Monroe, Birth, as Clara, Spread, as Samantha, The Other Guys, as Pamela Boardman, Hung, as Jessica Haxon, Cedar Rapids, as Joan Ostrowski-Fox.
Dan Hedaya
Where you know him from:
The Usual Suspects, as Sgt. Jeff Rabin
A Night at the Roxbury, as Kamehi Butabi
Clueless, as Mel Horowitz
Dick, as Richard Nixon
Also look for him in: The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, as John Gomez, Blood Simple, as Julian Marty, Commando, as Arius, Wise Guys, as Anthony Castelo, Jow vs. the Volcano, as Mr. Waturi, The Addams Family, as Tully Alford, Benny & Joon, as Thomas, Rookie of the Year, as Larry “Fish” Fisher, Searching for Bobby Fisher, as Tournament Director, Maverick, as Twitchy, Riverboat Poker Player, Nixon, as Trini Cardoza, Ransom, as Jackie Brown, Marvin’s Room, as Bob, In & Out, as Military Attorney, Alien: Resurrection, as Gen. Martin Perez, A Civil Action as John Riley, The Hurricane, as Det. Sgt. Della Pesca, Shaft, as Jack Roselli, Mulholland Dr., as Vincenzo Castigliane.
Van Heflin
Where you know him from:
Shane, as Joe Starrett
3:10 to Yuma, as Dan Evans
Airport, as D.O. Guerrero
Also look for him in: Johnny Eager, as Jeff Hartnett, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, as Sam Masterson, Possessed, as David Sutton, The Greatest Story Ever Told, as Bar Amand, Stagecoach (1966), as Marshal Curly Wilcox, The Big Bounce (1969), as Sam Mirakian.
Shirley Henderson
Where you know her from:
Harry Potter, as Moaning Myrtle
Bridget Jones’s Diary, as Jude
Also look for her in: Rob Roy, as Morag, Trainspotting, as Gail, Topsy-Turvy, as Lenora Braham (Yum-Yum), Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, as Susannah, Marie Antoinette, as Aunt Sophie, I Really Hate My Job, as Alice, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day ,as Edythe, Life During Wartime, as Joy, Meek’s Cutoff, as Glory White.
Barry Shabaka Henley
Where you know him from:
Collateral, as Daniel
Rush Hour, as Bobby
Miami Vice, as Castillo
Also look for him in: What’s Love Got to Do with It, as El Paso Doctor, The Scout, as McDermott, Destiny Turns on the Radio, as Dravec, Fallen, as Uniformed Cop, Bullworth, as Man at Frankie’s, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, as Buddy, Patch Adams, as Emmet, Life, as Pokerface, Ali, as Jabir Herbert Muhammad, The Terminal, as Thurman, Four Brothers, as Councilman Douglas, State of Play, as Gene Stavitz, The Big Year, as Dr. Neil Kramer.
Gregg Henry
Where you know him from:
Payback, as Val Resnick
Slither, as Jack MacReady
Hung, as Mike
Also look for him in: Body Double, as Sam Bouchard, Femme Fatale, as Shiff, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, as Robert Gant/Clark, United 93, as Col. Robert Marr, The Black Dahlia, as Pete Lukins, The Riches, as Hugh Panetta, Super, as Detective Felkner.
Edward Herrmann
Where you know him from:
Intolerable Cruelty, as Rex Rexroth
Ri¢hie Ri¢h, as Richard Rich
The Aviator, as Joseph Breen
Gilmore Girls, as Richard Gilmore
Also look for him in: The Paper Chase, as Thomas Craig Anderson, The Great Gatsby, as Klipspringer, The Great Waldo Pepper, as Ezra Stiles, The Betsy, as Dan Weyman, Reds, as Max Eastman, Annie, as FDR, The Purple Rose of Cairo, as Henry, Compromising Positions, as Bob Singer, The Lost Boys, as Max, Overboard, as Grant Stayton III, Big Business, as Graham Sherbourne, Hero, as Mr. Broadman (Man Committing Suicide), Born Yesterday, as Ed Devery, Nixon, as Nelson Rockefeller, Critical Care, as Robert Payne, Double Take, as Charles Allsworth, The Emperor’s Club, as Headmaster Woodbridge, Welcome to Mooseport, as Avery Hightower (Debate Moderator), Wedding Daze, as Lyle, Factory Girl, as James Townsend, I Think I Love My Wife, as Mr. Landis, The Six Wives of Henry Lefay, as Goodenough.
Barbara Hershey
Where you know her from:
Black Swan, as Nina’s Mother
Boxcar Bertha, as Boxcar Bertha
The Last Temptation of Christ, as Mary Magdalene
Beaches, as Hillary Whitney Essex
The Falling Down, as Beth Travino (Michael Douglas’s wife)
Also look for her in: With Six You Get Eggroll, as Stacey Iverson, Last Summer, as Sandy (man, she’s beautiful here), The Liberation of L.B. Jones, as Nella Mundine, The Stunt Man, as Nina Franklin, The Right Stuff, as Glennis Yeager, The Natural, as Harriet Bird, Hannah and Her Sisters, as Lee, Hoosiers, as Myra Fleener, Tin Men, as Nora Tilley, The Portrait of a Lady, as Madame Merle, 11:14, as Norma.
Bernard Hill
Where you know him from:
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Return of the King, as Theoden
Titanic, as Captain Edward James Smith
Also look for him in: Gandhi, as Segreant Putnam, The Bounty, as William Cole, Shirley Valentine, as Joe Bradshaw, True Crime, as Warden Luther Plunkitt, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as Egeus, The Scorpion King, as Philos, Gothika, as Phil Parsons, Wimbledon, as Edward Colt, Franklyn, as The Individual/Peter Esser, Valkyrie, as Confident General – Desert.
Ciarán Hinds
Where you know him from:
There Will Be Blood, as Fletcher Hamilton
Munich, as Carl
Road to Perdition, as Finn McGovern
Also look for him in: Excalibur, as Lot, The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover, as Cory, Rules of Engagement, as Cambell Ferguson, The Sum of All Fears, as President Nemerov, Veronica Guerin, as John Traynor, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life ,as Jonathan Reiss, The Phantom of the Opera, as Firmin, Miami Vice, as FBI Agent Fujima, Rome, as Julius Caesar, Margot at the Wedding, as Dick Koosman, In Bruges, as Priest, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, as Joe, Stop-Loss, as Roy King, Race to Witch Mountain, as Henry Burke, Life During Wartime,a s Bill, The Debt, as David Peretz, The Rite, as Father Xavier, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, as Aberforth Dumbledore, Timker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, as Roy Bland.
Cheryl Hines
Where you know her from:
Curb Your Enthusiasm, as Cheryl
Also look for her in: Along Came Polly, as Catering Manager, Herbie Fully Loaded, as Sally, RV, as Jamie Munro, Keeping Up with the Steins, as Casey Nudelman, Waitress, as Becky, The Grand, as Lainie Schwartzman.
Judd Hirsch
Where you know him from:
Independence Day, as Julius Levinson
Taxi, as Alex Reiger
Ordinary People, as Dr. Tyrone Berger
Also look for him in: Running on Empty, as Arthur Pope/Paul Manfield, A Beautiful Mind, as Helinger, and a great cameo in the first episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, as the show runner who has a great rant about the downfall of television.
Hal Holbrook
Where you know him from:
All the President’s Men, as Deep Throat
Wall Street, as Lou Mannheim
Into the Wild, as Ron Franz
Also look for him in: The Great White Hope, as Al Cameron, Julia, as Alan, The Fog, as Father Malone, Creepshow, as Henry Northrup (in “The Crate” segment), Fletch Lives, as Hamilton “Ham” Johnson, The Firm, as Oliver Lambert, Hercules, as the voice of Amphitryon, Hercules’s Foster Father, Men of Honor, as Mr. Pappy, Water for Elephants, as old Jacob.
Ian Holm
Where you know him from:
The Lord of the Rings, as Bilbo Baggins
Alien, as Ash
The Fifth Element, as Father Vito Cornelius
Also look for him in: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1968), as Puck, The Fixer, as Grubeshov, Nicholas and Alexandra, as Yakovlev, Mary, Queen of Scots, as David Riccio, Robin and Marian, as King John, Chariots of Fire, as Sam Mussabini, Time Bandits, as Napoleon, Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan, as Capitane Phillippe D’Arnot, Brazil, as Mr. Kurtzmann, Henry V (1989), as Captain Fluellen, Hamlet (1990), as Polonius, Frankenstein, as Baron Frankenstein, The Madness of King George, as Dr. Willis, Big Night, as Pascal, The Sweet Hereafter, as Mitchell Stevens, Joe Gould’s Secret, as Joe Gould, From Hell, as Sir William Gull, Garden State, as Gideon Largeman, The Day After Tomorrowi, as Terry Rapson, The Aviator, as Professor Fitz, Lord of War, as Simeon Weisz, Ratatouille, as Skinner.
James Hong
Where you know him from:
Big Trouble in Little China, as Lo Pan
Blade Runner, as Hannibal Chew
Mulan, as Chi Fu
Balls of Fury, as Wong (and his lucky cricket)
Kung Fu Panda, as Mr. Ping
Also look for him in: The Sand Pebbles, as Victor Shu, Chinatown, as Evelyn’s butler, Bound for Glory, as Chili Joint Owner, The In-Laws, as Bing Wong, owner of Wong Airlines, Airplane!, as Japanese general, The Two Jakes, as Kahn, Wayne’s World 2, as Jeff Wong, Operation Dumbo Drop, as Y B’ham, McHale’s Navy, as Asian Leader, The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), as Mr. Wu.
Edward Everett Horton
Where you know him from:
He played Fred Astaire’s buddy in:
The Gay Divorcee, Top Hat, and Shall We Dance.
Here Comes Mr. Jordan, as Messenger 7013 (The role that Buck Henry and Eugene Levy played in Heaven Can Wait and Down to Earth, respectively.)
Arsenic and Old Lace, as Mr. Witherspoon
Also look for him in: The Front Page (1931), as Roy V. Bensinger, Alice in Wonderland (1933), as Mad Hatter, The Merry Widow, as Ambassador Popoff, Lost Horizon, as Lovett, Holiday (1938), as Professor Nick Potter, The Gang’s All Here, as Peyton Potter, Pocketful of Miracles, as Hudgins, It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, as Mr. Dinckler, Sex and the Single Girl, as The Chief.
Bob Hoskins
Where you know him from:
Who Framed Roger Rabbit, as Eddie Valiant
Hook, as Smee
Super Mario Bros., as Mario Mario
Also look for him in: The Long Good Friday, as Harold Shand, Pink Floyd The Wall, as Rock and Roll Manager, The Cotton Club, as Owney Madden, Brazil, as Spoor, Mona Lisa, as George, Mermaids, as Lou Landsky, Nixon, as J. Edgar Hoover, Balto, as Boris the Goose, Michael, as Vartan Malt, The Secret Agent, as Verlock, Enemy at the Gates, as Nikita Khrushchev, Maid in Manhattan, as Lionel Bloch, Vanity Fair, as Sir Pitt Crawley, Beyond the Sea, as Charlie Cassotto Maffia, Unleashed, as Bart, Son of the Mask, as Odin, Mrs. Henderson Presents, as Vivian Van Damm, Stay, as Dr. Leon Patterson, Paris, Je T’Aime, as Bob (“Pigale”), Hollywoodland, as Eddie Mannix, A Christmas Carol, as Fezziwig/Old Joe, Made in Dagenham, as Albert Passingham, Snow White and the Huntsman, as Constantine.
Arliss Howard
Where you know him from:
Full Metal Jacket, as Pvt. Cowboy
Natural Born Killers, as Owen Traft, Mickey & Mallory’s Guardian Angel/The Demon
Moneyball, as John Henry
Also look for him in: For the Boys, as Sgt. Michael Leonard, Ruby, as Maxwell, The Sandlot, as Grown-Up Scotty, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, as Virgil, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, as Peter Ludlow, Amistad, as John C. Calhoun, Birth, as Bob, The Time Traveler’s Wife, as Richard DeTamble.
Clint Howard
Where you know him from:
Well, his brother Ron Howard’s films, firstly. Most probably:
Apollo 13, as Sy Liebergot, ENCOM White
Austin Powers (all three), as Johnson Ritter
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977), as Roo
Also look for him in: Grand Theft Auto (the Ron Howard movie, not the game), as Ace, Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, as Eaglebauer, Night Shift, as Jeffrey, Cocoon, as John Dexter, Parenthood, as Lou, Backdraft, as Rico, Pathologist, The Rocketeer, as Mark, Far and Away, as Flynn, The Paper as Ray Blaisch, That Thing You Do!, as KJZZ Disk Jockey, Santa with Muscles, as Hinkley, The Waterboy, as Paco, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, as Whobris, Cinderella Man, as Referee, Halloween (2007), as Doctor Koplenson, Frost/Nixon, as Lloyd Davis, Night at the Museum, as Air and Space Mission Control Tech #1.
David Huddleston
Where you know him from:
The Big Lebowski, as Jeffrey Lebowski (the titular character)
Blazing Saddles, as Olson Johnson (who has the memorable line: “All right… we’ll give some land to the niggers and the chinks. But we don’t want the Irish!”)
Also look for him in: Rio Lobo, as Dr. Ivor Jones, Brian’s Song, as Ed McCaskey, Smokey and the Bandit 2, as John Coen, Santa Claus: The Movie, as Santa Claus, The Producers (the shitty musical film version), as Judge.
Ernie Hudson
Where you know him from:
Ghostbusters, as Winston Zeddmore (and Ghostbusters II)
Also look for him in: The Jazz Singer, as Heckler, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, as Solomon, The Crow, as Sergeant Albrecht, Airheads, as Sergeant O’Malley, Speechless, as Ventura, The Basketball Diaries, as Reggie, Congo, as Captain Munro Kelly, Miss Congeniality, as Harry McDonald (and Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous), Oz, as Warden Leo Glynn, Dragonball: Evolution, as Sifu Norris.
Tom Hulce
Where you know him from:
Amadeus, as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Animal House, as Larry Kroger
I’d be shocked if you knew him from anywhere else. He’s actually done a nice amount of stuff.
Also look for him in: Parenthood, as Larry Buckman, Fearless, as Brillstein, Frankenstein, as Henry Clerval, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, as the voice of Quasimodo (uh uh), Stranger Than Fiction,as Dr. Cayly, Jumper, as Mr. Bowker.
Linda Hunt
Where you know her from:
The Year of Living Dangerously, where she won an Oscar for playing a man! (as Billy Kwan)
Kindergarten Cop, as Miss Schlowski
Dune, as Shadout Mapes
Also look for her in: Popeye, as Mrs. Oxheart (Popeye’s Mudder), Silverado, as Stella, She-Devil, as Hooper, Prêt-à-Porter, as Regina Krumm, Pocahontas, as the voice of Grandmother Willow, Stranger Than Fiction, as Dr. Mittag-Leffler.
She is also the walking embodiment of the Edna Mode character from The Incredibles. Seriously, look at her IMDB photo. I know they based her on Edith Head, but look at Linda Hunt. She’s also 4’9”. Just sayin’.
Kim Hunter
Where you know her from:
A Streetcar Named Desire, as Stella Kowalski
Planet of the Apes, as Zira
A Matter of Life and Death, as June
Also look for her in: The Seventh Victim, as Mary Gibson. And she also reprised Zira in Beneath the Planet of the Apes and Escape from the Planet of the Apes.
John Hurt
Where you know him from:
The Elephant Man, as John Merrick
Alien, as Kane (his poor chest…)
Harry Potter, as Ollivander
Midnight Express, as Max
V for Vendetta, as Adam Sutler
Also look for him in: A Man for All Seasons, as Rich, Watership Down, as Hazel, The Lord of the Rings (animated), as Aragorn, Heaven’s Gate, as Billy Irvine, The Hit, as Braddock, Nineteen Eighty-Four, as Winston Smith, The Black Cauldron, as The Horned King, King Ralph, as Lord Percival Graces, Rob Roy, as Montrose, Dead Man, as John Scholfield, Contact, as S.R. Hadden, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, as Dr. Iannis, Hellboy, as Trevor “Broom” Bruttenholm, The Proposition, as Jellon Lamb, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, as Professor Oxley, Melancholia, as Dexter.
Anjelica Huston
Where you know her from:
The Addams Family & The Addams Family Values, as Morticia Addams
The Royal Tenenbaums, as Etheline Tenenbaum
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, as Eleanor Zissou
Prizzi’s Honor, as Maerose Prizzi
The Grifters, as Lilly Dillon
Also look for her in: The Last Tycoon, as Edna, The Postman Always Rings Twice, as Madge, Frances, as Mental Patient, This is Spinal Tap, as Polly Deutsch, Captain EO, as The Supreme Leader, The Dead, as Gretta Conroy, Lonesome Dove, as Clara Allen, Crimes and Misdemeanors, as Dolores Paley, Enemies: A Love Story, as Tamara Broder, The Witches, as Miss Eva Ernst/Grand High Witch, The Crossing Guard, as Mary, Buffalo ’66, as Jan Brown, The Man from Elysian Fields, as Jennifer Adler, Blood Work, as Dr. Bonnie Fox, Daddy Day Care, as Mrs. Gwyneth Harridan, Art School Confidential, as Art History Teacher, Material Girls, as Fabiella, Seraphim Falls, as Madame Louise, The Darjeeling Limited, as Patricia, Choke, as Ida J. Mancini, When in Rome, as Celeste, 50/50, as Diane, The Big Year, as Annie Auklet.
Danny Huston
Where you know him from:
Children of Men, as Nigel
The Aviator, as Jack Frye
The Proposition, as Arnold Burns
X-Men Origins: Wolverine, as William Stryker
Also look for him in: Leaving Las Vegas, as Bartender #2, Timecode, as Randy, Htoel, as Hotel Manager, 21 Grams, as Michael, Silver City, as Danny O’Brien, Birth, as Joseph, The Constant Gardener, as Sandy Woodrow, Marie Antoinette, as Emperor Joseph II, Fade to Black, as Orson Welles, I Really Hate My Job, as Al Bowlly/Himself, The Number 23, as Isaac French/Dr. Miles Phoenix, The Kingdom, as Gideon Young, 30 Days of Night, as Marlow, John Adams, as Samuel Adams, How toe Lose Friends & Alienate People, as Lawrence Maddox, Boogie Woogie, as Art Spindle, Edge of Darkness, as Jack Bennett, Clash of the Titans & Wrath of the Titans, as Poseidon, Robin Hood, as King Richard the Lionheart, The Conspirator, as Joseph Holt, Made in Dagenham, as American Boss, The Warrior’s Way, as Colonel.
Rhys Ifans
Where you know him from:
The Replacements, as Nigel “The Leg” Gruff
Little Nicky, as Adrian
Notting Hill, as Spike
Also look for him in: Human Nature, as Puff, Formula 51, as Iki, The Shipping News, as Beaufield Nutbeem, Danny Deckchair, as Danny Morgan, Vanity Fair, as William Dobbin, Enduring Love, as Jed, Hannibal Rising, as Vladis Grutas, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, as Robert Reston, The Informers, as Roger, Pirate Radio, as Gavin, Greenberg, as Ivan Schrank, Nanny McPhee Returns, as Phil Green, Passion Play, as Sam Adamo, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, as Xenophilius Lovegood, The Amazing Spider-Man, as Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard.
Michael Ironside
Where you know him from:
Total Recall, as Richter
Top Gun, as Jester
The Machinist, as Miller
Also look for him in: Scanners, as Darryl Revok, Highlander 2, as Gen. Katana, Free Willy (YES!), as Dial, The Next Karate Kid, as Col. Dugan, Starship Troopers, as Jean Rasczak, The Perfect Storm, as Bob Brown, Splinter Cell games as Sam Fisher, Terminator Salvation, as General Ashdown, X-Men: First Class, as Captain (great cameo. That entire sequence just has cameos from recognizable character actors, designed to get people like me to shout because they showed up).
Jason Isaacs
Where you know him from:
The Patriot, as Colonel Tavington
Harry Potter, as Lucius Malfoy
I’m pretty sure that’s where every person who knows him knows him from. In that order, as well.
Also look for him in: DragonHeart, as Lord Felton, Event Horizon, as D.J., Armageddon, as Ronald Quincy, The End of the Afair, as Father Smythe, Black Hawk Down, as Steele, Resident Evil, as Dr. William Birkin, Windtalkers, as Major Mellitz, Peter Pan, as Capain Hook, Elektra, as DeMarco, Friends with Money, as David, Grindhouse, in the trailer for “Don’t”, Green Zone, as Briggs, Cars 2, as Siddeley/Leland Turbo.
Zeljko Ivanek
Where you know him from:
Big Love, as JJ
24, as Andre Drazen
Live Free or Die Hard, as Agent Molina
Hannibal, as Dr. Cordell Doemling
In Bruges, as Canadian Guy
Also look for him in: School Ties, as Mr. Clearly, White Squall, as Coast Guard Capt. Saunders, Courage Under Fire, as Banacek, Donnie Brasco, as Tim Curley, A Civil Action, as Bill Crowley, Dancer in the Dark, as District Attorney, Black Hawk Down, as Harrell, Unfaithful, as Det. Dean, Oz, as Governor James Devlin, Dogville, as Ben, The Manchurian Candidate, as Vaughn Utly, Manderlay, as Dr. Hector, The Hoax, as Ralph Graves, House M.D, “Last Resort,” as Jason, Heroes, as Emile Danko, Damages, as Ray Fiske, Tower Heist, as Director Mazin, The Words, as Joseph Cutler, Seven Psychopaths, as Paulo, Argo, as Adam Engell
Burl Ives
Where you know him from:
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, as Sam the Snowman
Honestly, do you need any more than that? This dude has narrated all of our Christmases for 50 years!
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, as Big Daddy Pollitt
East of Eden, as Sam the Sheriff
Also look for him in: The Big Country, as Rufus Hannassey, Our Man in Havana, as Dr. Hasselbacher.
Eddie Izzard
Where you know him from:
His stand up. I mean, how many “executive transvestite” comedians are there, out there?
Ocean’s Twelve & Ocean’s Thirteen, as Roman Nagel
The Riches, as Wayne Malloy/Doug Rich
Also look for him in: Velvet Goldmine, as Jerry Devine, The Avengers, as Bailey, Mystery Men, as Tony P, Shadow of the Vampire, as Gustav von Wangenhein, The Cat’s Meow, as Charlie Chaplin, Romance & Cigarettes, as Gene Vincent, My Super Ex-Girlfriend, as Professor Bedlam/Barry, Across the Universe, as Mr. Kite, Igor, as Dr. Schadenfreude, Valkyrie, as General Erich Fellgiebel, United States of Tara, as Dr. Hattarras, Cars 2, as Sir Miles Axelrod.
Samuel L. Jackson
Of course, Samuel L. Jackson. Motherfucker.
Where you know him from:
Pulp Fiction, as Jules Winnfield (“ENGLISH, MOTHERFUCKER, DO YOU SPEAK IT?!!!”)
Die Hard with a Vengeance, as Zeus Carver (“MY NAME IS ZEUS!…YEAH, ZEUS! AS IN, FATHER OF APOLLO? MT. OLYMPUS? DON’T FUCK WITH ME OR I’LL SHOVE A LIGHTNING BOLT UP YOUR ASS? ZEUS! YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?!!!”)
Coming to America, as Hold-Up Man (“WHO THE FUCK IS THIS ASSHOLE?!!”)
Jackie Brown, as Ordell Robbie (“AK-47. THE VERY BEST THERE IS. WHEN YOU ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY GOT TO KILL EVERYMOTHERFUCKER IN THE ROOM – ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES.”)
Do the Right Thing, as Mister Señor Love Daddy (“WAKE UP! WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP! UP YOU WAKE UP YOU WAKE UP YOU WAKE!”)
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, as Mace Windu (“This party’s over.”)
Snakes on a Plane, as Neville Flynn (“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!! I HAVE HAD IT WITH THESE MOTHERFUCKIN’ SNAKES ON THIS MOTHERFUCKIN’ PLANE!!!” and, “LEFT! TURN THIS BIG MOTHERFUCKER LEFT, TROY!!!”)
Jurassic Park, as Ray Arnold (“Hold onto your butts…”)
A Time to Kill, as Carl Lee Hailey (“YES THEY DESERVED TO DIE, AND I HOPE THEY BURN IN HELL!!!!”)
Deep Blue Sea, as Russell Franklin (“WE’RE NOT GONNA FIGHT ANYMORE! WE’RE GONNA PULL TOGETHER, AND FIND A WAY TO GET OUT OF HERE! FIRST, WE’RE GONNA SEAL OFF THIS POOL — AAAAHHHH!”)
The Incredibles, as Lucius Best/Frozone (“WHERE IS MY SUPER SUIT, WOMAN?!!”)
The Long Kiss Goodnight, as Mitch Hennessey (“THAT’S RIGHT! YOU CAN’T KILL ME, MOTHERFUCKERS!!!”)
Afro Samurai, as Afro Samurai/Ninja Ninja (“IS THAT AN RPG? YOU GOT A MOTHERFUCKIN’ RPG? AN RPG IN A MOTHERFUCKIN’ BACKPACK?”)
Also look for him in: Ragtime, as Gang Member #2, School Daze, as Leeds, Sea of Love, as Black Guy, The Exorcist III, as Blind Man, Mo’ Better Blues, as Goodfellas, as Stacks Edwards, Jungle Fever, as Gator Purify, Johnny Suede, as B-Bop, Juice, as Trip, White Sands, as Greg Meeker, Patriot Games, as Lt. Comdr. Robby Jackson, Loaded Weapon 1, as Wes Luger, Amos & Andrew, as Andrew, Menace II Society, as Tet Lawson, True Romance, as Big Don, Fresh, as Sam, Kiss of Death, as Calvin Hart, Hard Eight, as Jimmy, The Great White Hype, as Rev. Fred Sultan, Trees Lounge, as Wendell, One Eight Seven, as Trevor Garfield, Eve’s Bayou, as Louis Batiste, Sphere, as Dr. Harry Adams, Out of Sight, as Hejira Henry, The Negotiator, as Danny Roman, The Red Violin, as Charles Morritz, Rules of Engagement, as Col. Terry L. Childers, Shaft, as John Shaft, Unbreakable, as Elijah Price, The Caveman’s Valentine, as Romulus, Formula 51, as Elo McElroy, Changing Lanes, as Doyle Gipson, No Good Deed, as Jack Friar, xXx & xXx: State of the Union, as Augustus Gibbons, Basic, as West, S.W.A.T., as Sgt. Dan “Hondo” Harrelson, In My Country, as Langston Whitfield, Twisted, as John Mills, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, as Rufus, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, as Oficer Frank Tenpenny, Coach Carter, as Coach Carter, The Man, as Derrick Vann, Farce of the Penguins, as Narrator, Freedomland, as Lorenzo Council, Black Snake Moan, as Lazarus, Home of the Brave, as Will Marsh, Recurrecting the Champ, as Champ, 1408, as Gerald Olin, Cleaner, as Tom Cutler, Jumper, as Roland, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers, as Nick Fury, Lakeview Terrace, as Abel Turner, Soul Men, as Louis Hinds, The Spirit, as Octopous, Inglourious Basterds, as Narrator, Mother and Child, as Paul, Astro Boy, as Zog, The Other Guys, as P.K. Highsmith, The Sunset Limited, as Black, The Boondocks, as Gin Rummy, Django Unchained, as Steven.
Ricky Jay
Where you know him from:
Boogie Nights, as Kurt Longjohn
Tomorrow Never Dies, as Henry Gupta
Magnolia, as Burt Ramsey/Narrator
Also look for him in: House of Games, as George/Vegas Man, The Spanish Prisoner, as George Lang, Mystery Men, as Vic Weems, State and Main, as Jack, Heartbreakers, as Dawson’s Auctioneer, Heist, as Don ‘Pinky’ Pincus, Deadwood, as Eddie Sawyer, The Prestige, as Milton, The Great Buck Howard, as Gil Bellamy, Redbelt, as Marty Brown, The Brothers Bloom, as Narrator.
Richard Jaeckel
Where you know him from:
The Dirty Dozen, as Sergeant Bowren
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid ,as Sheriff Kip McKinney
Sometimes a Great Notion, as Joe Ben Stamper
Also look for him in: Battleground, as Bettis, Sands of Iwo Jima, as Pfc. Frank Flynn, The Gunfighter, as Eddie, Come Back, Little Sheba, as Turk Fisher, The Shanghai Story, as ‘Knuckles’ Greer, Attack, as Pvt. Snowden, 3:10 to Yuma, as Charlie Prince, 4 for Texas, as Pete Mancini, The Devil’s Brigade, as Pvt. Omar Greco, Chisum, as Jess Evans, Starman, as George Fox.
Dean Jagger
Where you know him from:
Elmer Gantry, as William L. Morgan
White Christmas, as Major General Thomas F. Waverly
Bad Day at Black Rock, as Tim Horn
Twelve O’Clock High, as Maj. Harvey Stovall
Also look for him in: Sister Kenny, as Kevin Connors, Pursued, as Grant, Dark City, as Captain Garvey, The Robe, as Justus, Executive Suite, as Jesse Q. Grimm, Forty Guns, as Sheriff Ned Logan, The Proud Rebel, as Harry Burleigh, King Creole, as Mr. Fisher, The Nun’s Story, as Dr. Van Der Mal, Billy Rose’s Jumbo, as John Noble, The Kremlin Letter, as Highwayman, Vanishing Point, as Prospector.
Brion James
Where you know him from:
The Fifth Element, as General Munro
Blade Runner, as Leon Kowalski
48 Hrs. & Another 48 Hrs., as Ben Kehoe
Also look for him in: Silverado, as Hobart, The Player, as Joel Levinson, Striking Distance, as Det. Eddie Eiler, Radioland Murders, as Bernie King.
Clifton James
Where you know him from:
Live and Let Die & The Man with the Golden Gun, as Sheriff J.W. Pepper
Cool Hand Luke, as Carr
Superman II, as Sheriff
Also look for him in: Experiment in Terror, as Capt. Moreno, David and Lisa, as John, The Reivers, as Butch Lovemaiden, …tick…tick…tick…, as D.J. Rankin, The Iceman Cometh, as Pat McGloin, The Last Detail, as M.A.A., Bank Shot, as Streiger, Silver Streak, as Sheriff Chauncey, The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training, as Sy Orlansky, The Untouchables, as District Attorney, Eight Men Out, as Charles “Commie” Comiskey, The Bonfire of the Vanities, as Albert Fox, Lone Star, as Hollis.
Lennie James
Where you know him from:
Snatch., as Sol
Also look for him in: Lost in Space, as Jeb Walker, Sahara (2005), as General Zateb Kazim, The Next Three Days, as Lieutenant Nabulsi, Hung, as Charlie, the pimp (this is the one that shocked the shit out of me, because his accent is fucking perfect), Colombiana, as Ross.
Allison Janney
Where you know her from:
American Beauty, as Barbara Fitts
The West Wing, as C.J. Cregg
Juno, as Bren MacGuff
Also look for her in: Big Night, as Ann, Private Parts, as Dee Dee, The Ice Storm, as Dot Halford, Primary Colors, as Miss Walsh, Six Days, Seven Nights, as Marjorie, Robin’s Boss, 10 Things I Hate About You, as Ms. Perky, Drop Dead Gorgeous, as Loretta, Nurse Betty, as Lyla Branch, The Hours, as Sally Lester, Finding Nemo, as Peach, Hairspray, as Prudy Pingleton, Away We Go, as Lily, Life During Wartime, as Trish, The Help, as Charlotte Phelan.
Eddie Jemison
Where you know him from:
Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve & Ocean’s Thirteen, as Livingston Dell
Waitress, as Ogie
Hung, as Ronnie Haxon
Also look for him in: Bruce Almighty, as Bobby, The Punisher, as Mickey Duka, The Informant!, as Kirk Schmidt.
Richard Jenkins
Where you know him from:
Everywhere, hopefully.
Intolerable Cruelty, as Freddy Bender
Step Brothers, as Dr. Robert Doback
Burn After Reading, as Ted
Also look for him in: Silverado, as Kelly, Hannah and Her Sisters, as Dr. Wilkes, The Witches of Eastwick, as Clyde Alden, Sea of Love, as Gruber, The Indian in the Cupboard, as Victor, There’s Something About Mary, as Psychiatrist, Random Hearts, as Truman Trainor, What Planet Are You From?, as Don Fisk, Me, Myself & Irene, as Agent Boshane, The Man Who Wasn’t There, as Walter Abundas, Changing Lanes, as Walter Arnell, Stealing Harvard, as Honorable Emmett Cook, I Heart Huckabees, as Mr. Hooten, North Country, as Hank Aimes, The Kingdom, as Earl Huttinger, The Visitor, as Walter, Eat Pray Love, as Richard from Texas, Let Me In, as The Father, Friends with Benefits, as Mr. Harper.
Brent Jennings
Where you know him from:
Witness, as Carter
Moneyball, as Ron Washington
Red Heat, as Abdul Elijah
Also look for him in: Brubaker, as Mr. Clarence, Alone in the Dark, as Ray Curtis, Another 48 Hrs., as Tyrone Burroughs, Live Wire, as Shane Rogers, Life, as Hoppin’ Bob.
Michael Jeter
Where you know him from:
The Green Mile, as Eduard Delacroix (the dude with the mouse)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as L. Ron Bumquist (the dude giving the speech at the convention)
Jurassic Park III, as Mr. Udesky (neck snap!)
Also look for him in: Hair, as Sheldon, The Money Pit, as Arnie, Miller’s Crossing, as Adolph, The Fisher King, as Homeless Cabaret Singer, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, as Father Ignatius, Waterworld, as Old Gregor, Air Bud, as Norm Snively, Mousehunt, as Quincy Thorpe, Patch Adams, as Rudy, Welcome to Collinwood, as Toto, Open Range, as Percy.
Glynis Johns
Where you know her from:
Mary Poppins, as Mrs. Banks
The Sundowners, as Mrs. Firth
The Court Jester, as Maid Jean
Also look for her in: 49th Parallel, as Anna, An Ideal Husband, as Miss Mabel Chiltern, Sir Robert’s Sister, Around the World in 80 Days, as Sporting Lady’s Companion, The Chapman Report, as Teresa Harnish, The Ref, as Rose Chausseur, While You Were Sleeping, as Elsie, Superstar, as Grandma.
Carolyn Jones
Where you know her from:
The Addams Family, as Morticia Addams
House of Wax, as Cathy Gray
Invasion of the Body Snatchers, as Teddy Belicec
The Bachelor Party, as The Exitentialist
A Hole in the Head, as Shirl
Also look for her in: The Big Heat, as Doris, Desirée, as Mme. Tallien, The Seven Year Itch, as Miss Finch, The Tender Trap, as Helen, The Man Who Knew Too Much, as Cindy Fontaine, The Opposite Sex, as Pat, King Creole, as Ronnie, Last Train from Gun Hill, as Linda, Craig’s Girl, How the West Was Won, as Julie Rawlings, Batman, as Marsha, Queen of Diamonds.
Cherry Jones
Where you know her from:
Signs, as Officer Paski
Ocean’s Twelve, as Molly Star/Mrs. Caldwell
24, as President Allison Taylor
Also look for her in: The Horse Whisperer, as Liz Hammond, Cradle Will Rock, as Hallie Flanagan, Erin Brockovich, as Pamela Duncan, The Perfect Storm, as Edie Bailey, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, as Grandma “Buggy” Abbott, The Village, as Mrs. Clack, Mother and Child, as Sister Joanne, Amelia, as Eleanor Roosevelt, The Beaver, as Vice President.
Jeffrey Jones
Where you know him from:
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, as Ed Rooney.
Nowhere else. That’s where you know him from. Everything else is, “Oh, hey, Mr. Rooney’s in this.”
Also look for him in: Easy Money, as Clive Barlow, Amadeus, as Emperor Joseph II, Howard the Duck, as Dr. Walter Jenning, Beetle Juice, as Charles Deetz, The Hunt for Red October, as Skip Tyler, Ed Wood, as Criswell, The Devil’s Advocate, as Eddie Barzoon, Sleepy Hollow, as Reverend Steenwyck, Stuart Little, as Uncle Crenshaw Little, Dr. Dolittle 2, as Joe Potter, How High, as Vice President.
Toby Jones
Where you know him from:
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets & Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, as Dobby
Infamous, as Truman Capote
W., as Karl Rove
Also look for him in: Naked, as Man at Tea Bar, Les Misérables, as Doorkeeper, Ever After: A Cinderella Story, as Royal Page, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, as English Judge, Finding Neverland, as ‘Smee’, Mrs. Henderson Presents, as Gordon, Amazing Grace, as Duke of Clarence, The Painted Veil, as Waddington, The Mist, as Ollie Weeks, City of Ember, as Barton Snode, Frost/Nixon, as Swifty Lazar, Creation, as Thomas Huxley, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, as Hargreaves, The Rite, as Father Matthew, Your Highness, as Julie, Captain America: The First Avenger, as Dr. Arnim Zola, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, as Percy Alleline, My Week with Marilyn, as Arthur Jacobs, The Advnetures of Tintin, as Silk, Red Lights, as Dr. Shackleton, The Hunger Games, as Claudius Templesmith, Snow White and the Huntsman, as Coll.
Vinnie Jones
Where you know him from:
Snatch., as Bullet Tooth Tony
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, as Big Chris
EuroTrip, as Mad Maynard (Soccer Hooligan)
X-Men: The Last Stand, as The Juggernaut (bitch)
Also look for him in: Gone in 60 Seconds, as The Sphinx, Road Trip, as Mad Maynard, Swordfish, as Marco, The Big Bounce, as Lou Harris, The Condemned, as McStarley, Year One, as Stargon, Kill the Irishman, as Keith Ritson.
Victor Jory
Where you know him from:
Gone With the Wind, as Jonas Wilkerson – Field Overseer
Dodge City, as Yancy
The Miracle Worker, as Captain Arthur Keller
Also look for him in: State Fair, as Hoop Toss Barker, Pursued, as Beauregard, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as Oberon, King of the Fairies, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, as Inun Joe, Man of Conquest, as William B. Travis, The Shadow, as Lamont Cranston, aka ‘The Shadow’, The Fugitive Kind, as Jabe M. Torrance, Manhunt, as Police Lt. Howard Finucane, Cheyenne Autumn, as Tall Tree, Mackenna’s Gold, as The Narrator, Papillon, as Indian Chief.
Milla Jovovich
Where you know her from:
The Fifth Element, as Leeloo
Resident Evil, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Resident Evil: Extinction, Resident Evil: Afterlife, Resident Evil: Retribution, as Alice
Also look for her in: Chaplin, as Mildred Harris, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, as Joan of Arc, The Million Dollar Hotel, as Eloise, Zoolander, as Katinka Ingabogovinanana, Dummy, as Fangora, No Good Deed, as Erin, Ultraviolet, as Violet Song Jat Shariff, .45, as Kat, A Perfect Getaway, as Cydney, The Fourth Kind, as Abbey Tyler/Herself, Stone, as Lucetta Creeson, Dirty Girl, as Sue-Ann, The Three Musketeers, as Milady de Winter.
Katy Jurado
Where you know her from:
High Noon, as Helen Ramirez
Broken Lance, as Señora Devereaux
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, as Mrs. Baker
Also look for her in: Arrowhead, as Nita, Trial, as Mrs. Consuela Chavez, Trapeze, as Rosa, The Badlanders, as Anita, One-Eyed Jacks, as Maria Longworth, Barrabas, as Sara, Stay Away, Joe, as Annie Lightcloud, Under the Volcano, as Senora Gregoria, The Hi-Lo Country, as Meesa.
Madeline Kahn
Where you know her from:
Blazing Saddles, as Lili Von Shtupp
Young Frankenstein, as Elizabeth
Clue, as Mrs. White
Also look for her in: What’s Up, Doc?, as Eunice Burns, Paper Moon, as Trixie Delight, At Long Last Love, as Kitty O’Kelly, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother, as Jenny Hill, High Anxiety, as Victoria Brisbane, The Cheap Detective, as Mrs. Montenegro, The Muppet Movie, as El Sleezo Patron, History of the World: Part 1, as Empress Nympho, An American Tail, as Gussie Mausenheimer, Nixon, as Martha Mitchell, A Bug’s Life, as Gypsy Moth.
Boris Karloff
Where you know him from:
Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, Son of Frankenstein as The Monster,
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, as Narrator/The Grinch
The Mummy, as Imhotep
Also look for him in: Two Arabian Knights, as The Purser, Five Star Final, as T. Vernon Isopod, Scarface, as Gaffney, The Mask of Fu Manchu, as Dr. Fu Manchu, The Lost Patrol, as Sanders, The House of Rothschild, as Count Ledrantz, The Black Cat, as Hjalmar Poelzig, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, as Dr. Hugo Hollingshead, Mr. Wong, Detective, The Mystery of Mr. Wong & Mr. Wong in Chinatown, as Mr. Wong.
Michael Keaton
Where you know him from:
Batman & Batman Returns, as Bruce wayne/Batman
Beetlejuice, as Beetlejuice
Jackie Brown, as Ray Nicolette (and also briefly in Out of Sight)
Toy Story 3, as Ken
Cars, as Chick Hicks
Also look for him in: Night Shift, as Bill Blazejowski, Mr. Mom, as Jack, Johnny Dangerously, as Johnny Kelly/Johnny Dangerously, Gung Ho, as Hunt Stevenson, Clean and Sober, as Daryl Poynter, The Dream Team, as Billy Caufield, Porco Rosso, as Porco Rosso, Much Ado About Nothing, as Dogberry, My Life, as Bob Jones, The Paper, as Henry Hackett, Speechless, as Kevin Vallick, Multiplicity, as Doug Kinney, Jack Frost, as Jack Frost, Game 6, as Nicky Rogan (great movie), White Noise, as Jonathan Rivers, The Merry Gentleman, as Frank Logan, Post Grad, as Walter Malby, The Other Guys, as Captain Gene Mauch.
Catherine Keener
Where you know her from:
Being John Malkovich, as Maxine Lund
Capote, as Nell Harper Lee
Where the Wild Things Are, as Mom
Also look for her in: Seinfeld, “The Letter,” as Nina (the woman who plagiarizes a love letter from a movie), Living in Oblivion, as Nicole Springer, Out of Sight, as Adele, 8MM, as Amy Welles, Death to Smoochy, as Nora Wells, Full Frontal, as Lee, S1m0ne, as Elaine Christian, The Ballad of Jack and Rose, as Kathleen, The Interperter, as Dot Woods, The 40 Year old Virgin, as Trish, Friends with Money, as Christine, Into the Wild, as Jan Burres, What Just Happened, as Lou Tarnow, Synecdoche, New York, as Adele Lack, The Soloist, as Mary Weston, Please Give, as Kate, Cyrus, as Jamie, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.
Jack Kehoe
Where you know him from:
The Untouchables, as Walter Payne
The Sting, as Joe Erie
Serpico, as Tom Keough
Also look for him in: The Friends of Eddie Coyle, as The Beard, Car Wash, as Scruggs, Melvin and Howard, as Jim Delgado, Reds, as Eddie, The Pope of Greenwich Village, as Bunky, Midnight Run, as Jerry Geisler, Dick Tracy, as Customer at Raid, Young Guns II, as Ashmun Upson, Falling Down, as Street Worker, The Paper, as Phil, The Game, as Lieutenant Sullivan.
Sally Kellerman
Where you know her from:
Back to School, as Dr. Diane Turner
MASH, as “Hot Lips” O’Houlihan
Also look for her in: The Boston Strangler, as Dianne Cluny, Brewster McCloud, as Louise, A Little Romance, as Kay King Prêt-à-Porter, as Sissy Wanamaker, I Could Never Be Your Woman, as Sally Kellerman (imagine that).
Arthur Kennedy
Where you know him from:
Lawrence of Arabia, as Jackson Bentley
Elmer Gantry, as Jim Lefferts
Peyton Place, as Lucas Cross
Also look for him in: High Sierra, as Red, Champion, as Connie Kelly, The Glass Menagerie, as Tom Wingfield, Bright Victory, as Larry Nevins, The Desperate Hours, as Deputy Sheriff Bard, Some Came Running, as Frank Hirsch, Cheyenne Autumn, as Doc Holliday, Fantastic Voyage, as Dr. Duval.
George Kennedy
Where you know him from:
Cool Hand Luke, as Dragline
The Naked Gun, as Ed Hocken (& 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear & 33 1/3: The Final Insult)
Charade, as Herman Scobie
Also look for him in: Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte, as Foreman, In Harm’s Way, as Col. Gregory, Shenandoah, as Col. Fairchild, The Sons of Katie Elder, as Curley, The Flight of the Phoenix, as Bellamy, The Dirty Dozen, as Major Max Armbruster, The Boston Strangler, as Det. Phil DiNatale, Guns of the Magnificent Seven, as Chris, …tick…tick…tick…, as John Little, Airport & Airport 1975 & Airport ’77 & The Concorde…Airport ’79, as Joe Patroni, Dirty Dingus Magee, as Herkimer ‘Hoke’ Birdsill, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, as Red Leary, Earthquake, as Slade, The Eiger Sanction, as Ben Bowman, The ‘Human’ Factor, as John Kindsdale, Death on the Nile, as Andrew Pennington, The Delta Force, as Father O’Malley, Creepshow, as Ray Spruce, Dallas, as Carter McKay, Small Soldiers, as Brick Bazooka.
David Keith
Where you know him from:
Major League 2, as Jack Parkman
An Officer and a Gentleman, as Sid Worley
Daredevil, as Jack Murdock
The Indian in the Cupboard, as Boone
Also look for him in: The Great Santini, as Red Petus, The Rose, as Pfc. Mal, The Two Jakes, as Det. Lt. Loach, Ernest Goes to School, as Squint Westwood, U-571, as Maj. Matthew Coonan, Men of Honor, as Captain Hartigan, Behind Enemy Lines, as Master Chief Tom O’Malley.
This man needs more work.
Michael Kelly
Where you know him from:
The Adjustment Bureau, as Charlie Traynor
Changeling, as Detective Lester Ybarra
Dawn of the Dead, as CJ
Also look for him in: Man on the Moon, as Michael Kaufman, Unbreakable, as ER Doctor, Carlito’s Way: Rise to Power, as Rocco, Invincible, as Pete, The Sopranos, as Agent Ron Goddard, Law Abiding Citizen, as Bray, Did You Hear About the Morgans?, as Vincent, Chronicle, as Richard Detmer, Now You See Me, as Agent Fuller, Man of Steel, as Steve Lombard.
Richard Kiel
Where you know him from:
The Spy Who Loved Me & Moonraker, as Jaws.
Happy Gilmore, as Mr. Larson.
That’s it. You know him from one or the other. Or both. There are no other possibilities.
Also look for him in: The Longest Yard, as Samson, Silver Streak, as Reace, Cannonball Run II, as Arnold, Mitsubishi Driver, Pale Rider, as Club, Inspector Gadget, as Famous Big Guy with Silver Teeth (subtle, no?), Tangled, as Vlad.
Udo Kier
Watch a lot of German B-movies, do you?
Where you know him from:
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, as Ron Camp
Blade, as Dragonetti
In Rob Zombie’s “Werewolf Women of the SS” Grindhouse trailer. (He “heils” Hitler in it.)
Now for the hardcore film geeks:
Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein & Andy Warhol’s Dracula, as Baron Frankenstein and Count Dracula, respectively (obviously)
Suspiria (YES!) as Dr. Frank Mandel (aka Mr. Exposition in the scene with the random overhead shot for no reason. See? Me and like, six people are really happy we just shared that moment.)
Okay, let’s save some for down here…
Also look for him in: Moscow on the Hudson, as Gay Man on Street (only because I actually recognized him while watching it), My Own Private Idaho, as Hans, Johnny Mnemonic, as Ralfi, Barb Wire (never thought you’d see this on here, did you?), as Curly, Breaking the Waves, as Sadistic Sailor, Armageddon, as Psychologist, Shadow of the Vampire, as Albin Grau, Dancer in the Dark, as Dr. Porkorny, Dogville, as the Man in the Coat, Surviving Christmas (oh this man has been in some gems), as Heinrich, BloodRayne, as Regal Monk (if this is where you know him from, I apologize for your life), Halloween, as Morgan Walker (he’s not in the sequel. I guess he doesn’t surivive), Melancholia, as Wedding planner.
Greg Kinnear
Where you know him from:
Little Miss Sunshine, as Richard Hoover
As Good As It Gets, as Simon Bishop
Also look for him in: You’ve Got Mail, as Frank Navasky, Mystery Men, as Captain Amazing, What Planet Are You From?, as Perry Gordon, Nurse Betty, as Dr. David Ravell, Loser, as Prof. Edward Alcott, The Gift, as Wayne Collins, Someone Like You…, as Ray Brown, We Were Soldiers, as Maj. Bruce “Snake” Crandall, Auto Focus, as Bob Crane, Stuck on You, as Walt Tenor, Godsend, as Paul Duncan, The Matador, as Danny Wright, Bad News Bears (2005), as Roy Bullock, Fast Food Nation, as Don Anderson, Invincible, as Dick Vermeil, Feast of Love, as Bradley Smith, Baby Mama, as Rob, Ghost Town, as Frank, Flash of Genius, as Bob Kearns, Green Zone, as Clark Poundstone, The Last Song, as Steve Miller, Salvation Boulevard, as Carl Vanderveer.
Roy Kinnear
Where you know him from:
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, as Mr. Salt
Also look for him in: The Hill, as Monty Bartlett, Help!, as Algernon, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, as Gladiator Instructor, How I Won the War, as Clapper, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, as Prince Regent, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother, as Moriarty’s Assistant, Watership Down, as Pipkin.
Bruno Kirby
Where you know him from:
The Godfather Part II, as Young Clemenza
City Slickers, as Ed Furillo
When Harry Met Sally, as Jess
Also look for him in: Cinderella Liberty, as Alcott, Where the Buffalo Roam, as Marty Lewis, This is Spinal Tap, as Tommy Pischedda, Tin Men, as Mouse, Good Morning, Vietnam, as Lt. Steven Hauk, Sleepers, as Shakes’ Father, Donnie Brasco, as Nicky, Stuart Little, as the voice of Reggie Stout, and also on Entourage, on that episode where he has his Shrek doll stolen.
Richard Kind
Where you know him from:
Spin City, as Paul Lassiter
Curb Your Enthusiasm, as Cousin Andy
A Serious Man, as Uncle Arthur
Also look for him in: Stargate, as Gary Meyers, A Bug’s Life, as Molt, Mad About You, as Mark, The Station Agent, as Louis Tiboni, The Producers (shitty movie musical version), as Jury Foreman, Cars, as Van, For Your Consideration, as Marketing Person, The Grand, as Andy Andrews, The Visitor, as Jacob, Toy Story 3, as Bookworm, Hereafter, as Christos.
Hmm — that’s weird. I felt like he did more. I guess he’s just one of those people you know, but you never know from where.
Robert Klein
Where you know him from:
Uhh — his stand up? “I can’t stop my leg”? I don’t know, actually. Just pick something from down there.
Also look for him in: The Landlord, as Peter Coots, The Owl and the Pussycat, as Melvin Lasher, Radioland Murders, as Father Writer, One Fine Day, as Dr. Martin, Primary Colors, as Norman Asher, Two Weeks Notice, as Larry Kelson, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, as Phillip Warren, Reign Over Me, as Jonathan Timpleman, The Back-Up Plan, as Dr. Harris.
Wayne Knight
Where you know him from:
Seinfeld, as Newman
Jurassic Park, as Dennis Nedry
JFK, as Numa Bertel (he’s the guy they use for the “back, and to the left” demonstration, making the Seinfeld use of that scene even better)
Space Jam, as Stan Podolak (Oh yeah, I went there)
Also look for him in: Dirty Dancing, as Stan, Born on the Fourth of July, as Official #2, Democratic Convention, Dead Again, as Piccolo Pete Dugan, Basic Instinct, as John Correll, To Die For, as Ed Grant, Tarzan, as Tantor, Toy Story 2, as Al the Toy Collector, 3rd Rock from the Sun, as Officer Don, Rat Race, as Zack Mallozzi.
David Koechner
Where you know him from:
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, as Champ Kind
Thank You for Smoking, as Bobby Jay Bliss
Waiting…, as Dan
Also look for him in: Wag the Dog, as Director, Dirty Work, as Anton Phillips, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, as Co-Pilot, Man on the Moon, as National Enquirer Reporter, as Out Cold, as Stumpy, Run Ronnie Run, as Clay, Curb Your Enthusiasm, “Mary, Joseph and Larry,” as Joseph, My Boss’s Daughter, as Speed, The Dukes of Hazzard, as Cooter Davenport, The 40 Year Old Virgin, as Dad at Health Clinic, Yours, Mine and Ours, as Darrell, Farce of the Penguins, as Melvin, Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector, as Donnie, Snakes on a Plane, as Rick, Let’s Go to Prison, as Shannahan, Unaccompanied Minors, as Ernie, Reno 911!: Miami, as Sheriff of Aspen, Balls of Fury, as Rick the Birdmaster, The Comebacks, as Lambeau “Coach” Fields, Semi-Pro, as Comissioner, Drillbit Taylor, as Frightened Dad, Get Smart, as Larabee, Sex Drive, as Hitchhiker, Tenure, as Jay Hadley, The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, as Brent Gage, Extract, as Nathan, Paul, as Gus, The Office, as Todd Packer, Final Destination 5, as Dennis, A Good Old Fashioned Orgy, as Vic George, Piranha 3DD, as Chet, Hotel Transylvania, as Quasimodo.
Clarence Kolb
Where you know him from:
His Girl Friday, as Mayor
Adam’s Rib, as Judge Reiser
After the Thin Man, as Cousin Lucius
Also look for him in: Merrily We Live, as Henry Kilbourne, Carefree, as Judge Travers, It Could Happen to You, as Alfred Newman, Blossoms in the Dust, as Texas Senator T.R. Cotton, The Kid from Brooklyn, as Mr. Austin, Man of a Thousand Faces, as Clarence Kolb.
Harvey Korman
Where you know him from:
Blazing Saddles, as Hedy Lamarr (“That’s Hedley!”)
The Flintstones, as The Great Gazoo
The Carol Burnett Show
Also look for him in: High Anxiety, as Dr. Charles Montague, History of the World: Part I, as Count de Monet, Trail of the Pink Panther & Curse of the Pink Panther, as Prof. Auguste Balls (let nobody say that low humor isn’t worthwhile), The Flintstones, as the voice of Dictabird, Radioland Murders, as Jules Cogley, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, as Dr. Jack Seward, Jingle All the Way (I love when this movie comes up in conversation), as President, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, as Colonel Slagoople (dude made it through two Flintstones movies. No one else in the cast can say that).
Elias Koteas
Where you know him from:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles + Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, as Casey Jones
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, as Mr. Gateau
Shutter Island, as Laeddis
Let Me In, as The Policeman
Also look for him in: Some Kind of Wonderful, as Skinhead, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, as Alex Tremulis, Desperate Hours, as Wally Bosworth, Look Who’s Talking Too, as Stuart, Crash, as Vaughan, Gattaca, as Antonio Freeman, Fallen, as Edgar Reese, The Thin Red Line, as Cap. James “Bugger” Staros, Collateral Damage, as Peter Brandt, S1m0ne, as Hank Aleno, The Greatest Game Ever Played, as Arthur Ouimet, Zodiac, as Sgt. Jack Mulanax, Shooter, as Jack Payne, Two Lovers, as Ronald Blatt, The Haunting in Connecticut, as Reverend Popescu, Defendor, as Sgt. Chuck Dooney, The Fourth Kind, as Abel Campos, The Killer Inside Me, as Joe Rothman, Dream House, as Boyce, A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas, as Sergei Katsov.
Yaphet Kotto
Where you know him from:
Live and Let Die, as Kananga
Alien, as Parker
Midnight Run, as Alonzo Mosely
Also look for him in: The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), as Carl, Across 110th Street, as Lt. Pope, Truck Turner, as Harvard Blue, The Running Man, as William Laughlin, Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare, as Doc.
Olek Krupa
Oh man, I have such vivid memories of this dude in so many movies. Other people recognizing this dude is like, instant connection for me. We can be friends if you know who he is automatically (don’t pretend if you don’t. Don’t be that person).
Where you know him from:
Blue Streak, as Jean LaFleur
Home Alone 3, as Petr Beaupre (Not gonna lie, this is a big marker for me, memory-wise)
Behind Enemy Lines, as Miroslav Lokar
Burn After Reading, as Krapotkin (When they “go to the Russians,” he’s the Russian.)
Also look for him in: Nine 1/2 Weeks, as Bruce, Miller’s Crossing, as Tad, Eraser, as Sergei Ivanovich Petrofsky, Thirteen Days, as Andrei Gromyko, The Italian Job (2003), as Mashkov, Whatever Works, as Morgenstern, Salt, as President Boris Matveyev, X-Men: First Class (I legit stood up and applauded in the theater during this scene, when all the cameos came up.)
Art LaFleur
Where you know him from:
The Sandlot, as Babe Ruth. (If you just went, “YES!”, we can totally be friends.)
Field of Dreams, as Chick Gandil, 1B (“At least I got muscles.” “No, at most you got muscles.”
The Replacements, as Barnes
Also look for him in: WarGames, as Guard, Cobra, as Captain Sears, The Blob (1988), as Pharmacist/Mr. Penny, Air America, as Jack Neely, Oscar, as Officer Quinn, Mr. Baseball, as Skip, Forever Young, as Alice’s Father, Maverick, as Poker Player, The Santa Clause 2 & The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, as Tooth Fairy, Hostage, as Bill Jorgenson.
Phil LaMarr
Where you know him from:
Pulp Fiction, as Marvin
Also look for him in: The George Carlin Show, as Bob Brown, Bio-Dome, as Assistant, Mad TV (1995-2000), as Various Characters, Shark Tale, as Prawn Shop Owner, Samurai Jack, as Samurai Jack, Justice League, as John Stewart/Green Lantern, Step Brothers, as Second Homebuyer, Old Dogs, as Joe, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, as Paws/Cat Spy Analyst, Real Steel, as EXPN Boxing Commentator, Family Guy, as Ollie Williams, Futurama, as Hermes Conrad.
Elsa Lanchester
Where you know her from:
Bride of Frankenstein, as Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley/The Monster’s Bride
Witness for the Prosecution, as Miss Plimsoll
Murder by Death, as Jessica Marbles
Mary Poppins, as Katie Nanna
Also look for her in: The Private Life of Henry VIII, as Anne of Cleves The Fourth Wife, David Copperfield, as Clickett, Naughty Marietta, as Madame d’Annard, Forever and a Day, as Mamie, Lassie Come Home, as Mrs. Carraclough, The Spiral Staircase, as Mrs. Oates, The Razor’s Edge, as Miss Keith, The Bishop’s Wife, as Matilda, Come to the Stable, as Amelia Potts, Bell Book and Candle, as Aunt Queenie Holroyd, Blackbeard’s Ghost, as Emily Stowecroft, Me, Natalie, as Miss Dennison, Willard, as Henrietta Stiles.
Martin Landau
Where you know him from:
Ed Wood, as Bela Lugosi
Entourage, as Bob Ryan (“Is that something you might be interested in?”)
Rounders, as Abe Petrovsky
Also look for him in: North by Northwest, as Leonard (James Mason’s right hand man. Yes, that’s him.), Cleopatra, as Rufio (Ru-fi-o! Ru-fi-o! … not that Rufio, but who can resist?), The Greatest Story Ever Told, as Caiaphas, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, as Abe, Crimes and Misdemeanors, as Judah Rosenthal, City Hall, as Judge Walter Stern, The X Files, as Alvin Kurtzweil, Edtv, as Al, Sleepy Hollow, as Peter Van Garrett, Ready to Rumble (it’s sad how well I remember this movie), as Sal Bandini, The Majestic, as Harry Trimble, City of Ember, as Sul.
Charles Lane
By sheer volume, holy shit, this guy’s got even Christopher Lee beat. 358 titles on IMDB. Bit parts in such huge films, too. I don’t even know where to begin with this one. I don’t even think most people would even know him if I told you what he was in. So I’ll just list a bunch of titles.
Dude didn’t get credited until 1938, as Henderson in You Can’t Take It With You. He was Nosey in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, a reporter in Arsenic and Old Lace, a Real Estate Salesman in It’s a Wonderful Life, a campaign reporter in The Farmer’s Daughter, Constable Locke in The Music Man, the Airport Manager in It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World – jesus, fuck Kevin Bacon, use this guy, you’ll get less than three degrees for anyone. The voice of Lawyer in The Aristocats. He was in over 250 films and lied to 102. This dude just won at life. Good for him. More like this, please.
Stephen Lang
Where you know him from:
Avatar, as Colonel Quaritch
Tombstone, as Ike Clanton
Public Enemies, as Charles Winstead
Also look for him in: Twice in a Lifetime, as Keith, Manhunter, as Freddy Lounds, Last Exit to Brooklyn, as Harry Black, Gettysburg & Gods and Generals, as Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett, The Men Who Stare at Goats, as Brigadier General Dean Hopgood, Conan the Barbarian, as Khaler Zym.
Frank Langella
Where you know him from:
Frost/Nixon, as Nixon
Superman Returns, as Perry White
The Ninth Gate, as Boris Balkan
Also look for him in: Diary of a Mad Housewife, as George Prager, The Twelve Chairs, as Ostap Bender, Dracula (1979), as Dracula, 1492: Conquest of Paradise, as Luis de Santángel, Dave, as Bob Alexander, Junior, as Noah Banes, Cutthroat Island, as Dawg, Eddie, as Wild Bill Burgess, Lolita (1997), as Clare Quilty, Small Soldiers, as Archer, Sweet November, as Edgar Price, Good Night, and Good Luck, as William Paley, The Box, as Arlington Steward, All Good Things, as Sanford Marks, Unknown, as Rodney Cole.
John Larch
Where you know him from:
Dirty Harry, as The Chief
Written on the Wind, as Roy Carter
The Phenix City Story, as Clem Wilson
Also look for him in: The Naked Street, as Police Desk Sergeant, Play Misty For Me, as Sgt. McCallum, The Amityville Horror, as Father Nuncio, Airplane II: The Sequel, as Prosecuting Attorney.
Ed Lauter
Where you know him from:
The Longest Yard (1974), as Captain Knauer
Magic, as Duke
French Connection II, as General Brian
Not Another Teen Movie, as The Coach
Also look for him in: The Magnificent Seven Ride!, as Scott Elliott, The New Centurians, as Galloway, Family Plot, as Joseph P. Maloney, King Kong, as Carnahan, Eureka, as Charles Perkins, Cujo, as Joe Camber, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, as Colonel Glenn, Real Genius, as David Decker, Death Wish 3, as Richard Shriker, Raw Deal, as Barker, Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise, as Buzz Musslinger, Born on the Fourth of July, as Legion Commander, The Rocketeer, as Fitch, School Ties, as Alan Greene, True Romance, as Police Captain Quiggle, Wagons East, as John Slade, Leaving Las Vegas, as Mobster #3, Mulholland Falls, as Earl, Thirteen Days, as General Marshall Carter, Seabiscuit, as Charles Strub, The Longest Yard (2005), as Duane, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, as John Hanafin, Seraphim Falls, as Parsons, The Number 23, as Father Sebastian, The Artist, as The Butler and The Distinguished.
Cloris Leachman
Oh, Cloris. That little minx.
Where you know her from:
Young Frankenstein, Frau Blücher (cue neighing of the horses)
Kiss Me Deadly, as Christina Bailey
The Last Picture Show, as Ruth Popper
Bad Santa, as Grandma (“I’ll make you some sandwiches.”)
Also look for her in: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, as Agnes, Lovers and Other Strangers, as Bernice Henderson, Dillinger, as Anna Sage, High Anxiety, as Nurse Diesel, History of the World: Part I, as Madame Defarge, Music of the Heart, as Assunta Guaspari, Spanglish, as Evenlyn Wright, Sky High, as Nurse Spex, The Longest Yard, as Lynette, Scary Movie 4, as Mrs. Norris, Beerfest, as Great Gam Gam, New York, I Love You, as Mitzie (she has a wonderful short with Eli Wallach at the end of the film. It’s so amazing). She’s also currently on Raising Hope.
Christopher Lee
Where you know him from:
Take your pick.
The Lord of the Rings, as Saruman
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (and the beginning of Revenge of the Sith, until he gets his head cut off), as Count Dooku
The Man with the Golden Gun, as Francisco Scaramanga
The Wicker Man, as Lord Summerisle
All the Hammer horror films of the 50s, 60s and 70s, as Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, the Mummy, Fu Manchu, all of the monsters. He’s just the fucking man. He also played Sherlock Holmes. What a fucking boss. Thirty years ago, this dude would have been the perfect Red Skull.
Also look for him in: The Three Musketeers: The Queen’s Diamonds & The Four Musketeers: Milady’s Revenge, as Rochefort, Airport ’77, as Martin Wallace, 1941, as Capt. Wolfgang von Kleinschmidt, Police Academy: Mission to Moscow, as Cmndt. Alexandrei Nikolaivich Rakov, Sleepy Hollow, as Burgomaster, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as Dr. Wonka, The Golden Compass, as First High Councilor, Alice in Wonderland (2010), as Jabberwocky, Season of the Witch, as Cardinal D’Ambroise, Hugo, as Monsieur Labisse.
Reggie Lee
Where you know him from:
Tropic Thunder, as Byong (“We are Flaming Dragon!”)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, as Headless (the dude with the shell head that keeps coming off)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, as Tai Huang (Sao Feng’s guy)
Also look for him in: The Fast and the Furious, as Lance Nguyen, Masked and Anonymous, as Armed Man, Drag Me to Hell, as Stu Rubin, Star Trek, as Test Administrator, Life as We Know It, as Alan Burke, Crazy, Stupid Love, as Officer Huang.
John Leguizamo
Where you know him from:
My person introduction to John Leguizamo was from:
His HBO special “Freak.” Which is just an amazing one man show and one of the first stand-up comedy specials I ever saw.
Super Mario Bros., as Luigi
For other people, their introduction to “Johnny Legs,” as I like to call him, might also include:
Carlito’s Way, as Benny Blanco
Romeo + Juliet, as Tybalt
Moulin Rouge, as Toulousse-Lautrec
And an honorable mention to: Spawn, as Clown/Violator (Remember that big fat clown with the blue face? That was Leguizamo. I know.)
Also look for him in: Casualties of War, as PFC Antonio Diaz, Die Hard 2, as Burke, To Wong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar, as Chi-Chi, Executive Decision, as Captain Rat, The Fan, as Manny, The Pest, as Pestario “Pest” Vargas, Doctor Dolittle, as Rat #2, Summer of Sam, as Vinny, What’s the Worst That Could Happen?, as Berger, Empire, as Victor Rosa, Collateral Damage, as Felix Ramirez, Ice Age (all of them) as Sid the Sloth, Spun, as Spider Mike, Assault on Precinct 13, as Beck, Land of the Dead, as Cholo DeMora, The Happening, as Julian, Miracle at St. Anna, as Enrique, Righteous Kill, as Det. Perez, Gamer, as Freek, The Lincoln Lawyer, as Val Valenzuela.
Thomas Lennon
Where you know him from:
Reno 911!, and Reno 911!: Miami, as Lieutenant Jim Dangle
I Love You Man, as Doug
Archer, “Honeypot,” as Charles
Also look for him in: The State, Memento, as Doctor, Out Cold, as Eric, Boat Trip, as The Priest, A Guy Thing, as Pete, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, as Thayer, Le Divorce, as Roger Walker, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, as Eddie the Computer, Herbie Fully Loaded, as Larry Murphy, The Ten, as Scotty Pale, Balls of Fury, as Karl Wolfschtagg, Hancock, as Mike, 17 Again, as Ned Gold, Hot Tub Time Machine, as Customer, Cedar Rapids, as Roger Lemke, Bad Teacher, as Carl Halabi, What’s Your Number?, as Dr. Barrett Ingold, A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas, as Todd.
Dude also created The State and Reno 911!, and wrote the scripts for The Pacifier, Herbie Fully Loaded, Let’s Go to Prison, Night a the Museum, and Balls of Fury. Somehow I feel better about those movies knowing this.
Melissa Leo
Where you know her from:
The Fighter, as Alice Ward
Frozen River, as Ray Eddy
Also look for her in: The Ballad of Little Jo, as Beatrice Grey, 21 Grams, as Marianne Jordan, Hide and Seek, as Laura, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, as Rachel, Mr. Woodcock, as Sally Jansen, Righteous Kill, as Cheryl Brooks, Everybody’s Fine, as Colleen, Welcome to the Rileys, as Lois Riley, Conviction, as Nancy Taylor, Red State, as Sara, Mildred Pierce, as Lucy Gessler, Treme, as Toni Bernette.
Al Leong
Where you know him from:
Die Hard, as Uli
Lethal Weapon, as Endo
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, as Genghis Khan
Also look for him in: Twilight Zone: The Movie, as Vietnamese in Segment #1. (I should say I’m surprised. But I’m not. Not even a little bit.), Big Trouble in Little China, as Wing Kong Hatchet Man (my stripper name), Action Jackson, as Dellaplane’s Chauffeur, They Live, as Asian revolutionary (these are all great things for me to name my child), Beverly Hills Cop III, as Car Mechanic, Double Dragon, as Lewis, Shulo Henchman, Godzilla, as Japanese fishing boat crewman, The Scorpion King (somehow I knew this was coming), as Asian training master (he wins on character names).
Michael Lerner
Where you know him from:
Barton Fink, as Jack Lipnick
Blank Check, as Biderman
Do you need anything else?
Okay, fine…
Elf, as Fulton (“Even if the two pages were in there, the book still would have sucked.”)
Also look for him in: The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), as Mr. Katz, Eight Men Out, as Arnold Rothstein, Newsies, as Weasel, Amos & Andrew, as Phil Gillman, Radioland Murders, as Lieutenant Cross, Godzilla, as Mayor Ebert (subtle, Roland Emmerich. Real subtle), A Serious Man, as Solomon Schultz.
Ken Leung
Where you know him from:
Rush Hour, as Sang (“Wipe yourself off…you’re bleeding.”)
Keeping the Faith, as Don
Saw, as Detective Steven Sing
X-Men: The Last Stand, as Kid Omega
Also look for him in: The Family Man, as Sam Wong, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, as Syatyoo-Sama, Spy Game, as Li, Vanilla Sky, as Art Editor, Red Dragon, as Lloyd Bowman, The Squid and the Whale, as School Therapist, Inside Man, as Wing, Lost, as Miles Straume.
Ted Levine
Goodbye horses…
Where you know him from:
Buffalo Bill. Come on, now. The Silence of the Lambs. Does it want to get the hose again?
Monk, as Captain Leland Stottlemeyer.
But really, though. You know him as Buffalo Bill. Don’t even play like that.
Also look for him in: Ironweed, as Pocono Pete, Georgia, as Jake, Heat, as Bosko, Mad City, as Lemke, Flubber, as Wesson, Wild Wild West, as General “Bloodbath” McGrath (I’ll hand it to the film. This is one great character name), Evolution, as General Russell Woodman, The Fast and the Furious, as Sgt. Tanner, Joy Ride, as the voice of Rusty Nail, Ali, as Joe Smiley, The Manchurian Candidate, as Colonel Howard, Memoirs of a Geisha, as Colonel Derricks, The Hills Have Eyes, as Billy Bob Carter, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, as Sheriff Timberlake, American Gangster, as Lou Toback, Shutter Island, as Warden.
Eugene Levy
Where you know him from:
American Pie, American Pie II, American Wedding, American Reunion, as Jim’s Dad
Waiting for Guffman, as Dr. Allan Pearl
Best in Show, as Gerry Fleck
A Mighty Wind, as Mitch Cohen
For Your Consideration, as Morley Orfkin
Also look for him in: Vacation, as Car Salesman, Splash, as Walter Kornbluth, Club Paradise, as Barry Steinberg, Armed and Dangerous, as Norman Kane, Father of the Bride, as Singer at Audition, Father of the Bride II, as Mr. Habib, Multiplicity, as Vic, Almost Heroes, as Guy Fontenot, The Ladies Man, as Bucky Kent, Down to Earth, as Keyes, Serendipity, as Bloomingdale’s Salesman, Like Mike, as Frank Bernard, Bringing Down the House, as owie Rottman, Dumbe and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, as Principal Collins, New York Minute, as Max Lomax, The Man, as Andy Fiddler, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, as Jimmy Murtaugh, Curious George, as Clovis, Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian, as Albert Einstein, Taking Woodstock, as Max Yasgur.
Juliette Lewis
Where you know her from:
Natural Born Killers, as Mallory Knox
Cape Fear, as Danielle Bowden
Old School, as Heidi
Also look for her in: Christmas Vacation, as Audrey Griswold, Husbands and Wives, as Rain, Kalifornia, as Adele Corners, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, as Becky, The Basketball Diaries, as Diane Moody, From Dusk Till Dawn, as Kate Fuller, The Way of the Gun, as Robin, Starsky and Hutch, as Kitty, Catch and Release, as Maureen, Whip It, as Iron Maven, The Switch, as Debbie, Due Date, as Heidi.
Delroy Lindo
Where you know him from:
Get Shorty, as Bo Catlett
Gone in 60 Seconds, as Det. Rolan Castlebeck
The Cider House Rules, as Arthur Rose
Up, as Beta
Also look for him in: Malcolm X, as West Indian Archie, Crooklyn, as Woody Carmichael, Clockers, as Rodney Little, Broken Arrow, as Colonel Max Wilkins, Ransom, as Agent Lonnie Hawkins, The Devil’s Advocate, as Phillipe Moyez, Romeo Must Die, as Isaak O’Day, Heist, as Bob Blane, The Core, as Braz, Sahara, as Carl, Domino, as Calremont Williams.
Tiny Lister Jr.
Where you know him from:
Friday, Next Friday & Friday After Next, as Deebo (Of course I’m gonna start with Deebo.)
The Fifth Element, as President Lindberg
No Holds Barred, as Zeus
The Dark Knight, as the Prisoner on the ferry. You remember him.
Also look for him in: Runaway Train, as Black Guard, Beverly Hills Cop II, as Orvis, The Meteor Man, as Digit, Don Juan Demarco, as Rocco Compton, Jackie Brown, as Winston, Little Nicky, as Cassius, Austin Powers in Goldmember, as Prisoner #2.
John Lithgow
Where you know him from:
Blow Out, as Burke
The World According to Garp, as Roberta Muldoon
Terms of Endearment, as Sam Burns
Footloose, as Reverend Shaw Moore
All That Jazz, as Lucas Sergeant
3rd Rock from the Sun, as Dr. Dick Solomon
Also look for him in: Obsession, as Robet Lasalle, Twilight Zone: The Movie, as John Valentine, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, as Lord John Whorfin/Dr. Emilion Lizardo, 2010, as Dr. Walter Curnow, Santa Claus, as B.Z., Harry and the Hendersons, as George Henderson, Memphis Belle, as Lt. Col. Bruce Derringer, L.A. Story, as Harry Zell, Cliffhanger, as Eric Qualen, The Pelican Brief, as Smith Keen, A Civil Action, as Judge Walter J. Skinner, Shrek, as Lord Farquaad, Orange County, as Bud Brumder, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, as Blake Edwards, Kinsey, as Alfred Seguine Kinsey, Dreamgirls, as Jerry Harris, Confessions of a Shopaholic, as Edgar West, Dexter, Arthur Mitchell, Leap Year, as Jack Brady, How I Met Your Mother, as Jerry Whitaker, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, as Charles Rodman, New Year’s Eve, as Ingrid’s boss.
Christopher Lloyd
Where you know him from:
Back to the Future I, II & III, as Doc Brown.
Great scott, that should be all you need.
Taxi, as Reverend Jim Ignatowski
Clue, as Professor Plum
Angels in the Outfield, as Al
Dennis the Menace, as Switchblade Sam (fondly remember this scene from my childhood)
The Pagemaster, as Mr. Dewey/The Pagemaster
Also look for him in: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, as Taber, Goin’ South, as Deputy Towfield, To Be Or Not to Be, as Capt. Schultz, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, as Cmdr. Kruge, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, as John Bigboote, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, as Judge Doom, Eight Men Out, as “Sleepy” Bill Burns, The Dream Team, as Henry Sikorsky, The Addams Family, as Uncle Fester, Radioland Murders, as Zoltan, Anastasia as the voice of Rasputin, Interstate 60, as Ray, Piranha 3D and Piranha 3DD, as Mr. Goodman (though he’s basically just doing Doc Brown. Which doesn’t make it any less awesome).
Meat Loaf
Oh, we had to include Meat on here. We just did. Plus, he does technically count as a character actor. He’s done a bunch of different roles in his career.
Where you know him from:
Fight Club, as Bob, with the bitch tits. (Oh, I’m sorry, Robert Paulson. Happy now, hipsters?)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, as Eddie
Formula 51 (aka The 51st State), as The Lizard (best character name ever)
Also look for him in: Wayne’s World, as Tiny, Spice World, as Dennis, Black Dog, as Red, The Salton Sea, as Bo, BloodRayne, as Leonid, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, as Jack Black’s father, and House, in the episode where Kutner kills himself. Him and his “wife” are the patients.
Tone Loc
There are two reasons Tone is on here. Well, three. First, he’s awesome. Second, he somehow ended up right after Meat Loaf. And that had to stay. It’s like how, no matter what I do, after 15,000 songs, on my iTunes, “Baby Got Back” and “The Thong Song” are right next to each other. You can’t ignore the universe when things exist in perfect harmony. And the third thing is — dude was actually in a lot of films from my childhood. I saw him a lot when I was young and remembered him.
Plus he had to act opposite Jim Carrey as he talked out of his ass cheeks. That deserves some sort of consideration, doesn’t it?
Where you know him from:
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, as Emilio
Blank Check, as Juice
Also look for him in: The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, as Slam the Rapper, FernGully: The Last Rainforest, as Goanna, Surf Ninjas, as Lieutenant Spence, Heat, as Richard Torena, Spy Hard, as Gangster #1, Titan A.E., as Tek.
Gene Lockhart
Where you know him from:
His Girl Friday, as Sheriff Hartwell
Miracle on 34th Street, as Judge Henry X. Harper
Meet John Doe, as Mayor Lovett
Going My Way, as Ted Haines, Sr.
Also look for him in: Smilin’ Through, as Village Rector, The Gorgeous Hussy, as Maj. William O’Neal, Of Human Hearts, as Quid, the Janitor, Algiers, as Regis, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, as Stephen Douglas, The Sea Wolf, as Dr. Prescott, One Foot in Heaven, as Preston Thurston, The Devil and Daniel Webster, as Squire Slossum, They Died with Their Boots On, as Samuel Bacon, Esq., Forever and a Day, as Cobblewick, Leave Her to Heaven, as Dr. Saunders, Cynthia, as Dr. Fred I Jannings, Joan of Arc, as Georges De la Trémouille, Carousel, as Starkeeper/Dr. Selden.
Robert Loggia
Where you know him from:
Scarface, as Frank Lopez
Big, as MacMillan (of course you remember the “Heart and Soul” on the piano scene)
Independence Day, as General William Grey
Necessary Roughness, as Coach Wally Rig (this one’s more for me, but he’s fucking awesome here)
Also look for him in: Somebody Up There Likes Me, as Frankie Peppo, The Greatest Story Ever Told, as Joseph, Revenge of the Pink Panther, as Al Marchione, S.O.B., as Herb Maskowitz, An Officer and a Gentleman, as Byron Mayo, Trail of the Pink Panther & Curse of the Pink Panther, as Bruno Langois, Psycho II, as Dr. Bill Raymond, Prizzi’s Honor, as Eduardo Prizzi, Jagged Edge, as Sam Ransom, Armed and Dangerous, as Jason Cutler, Gaby: A True Story, as Michel, Oliver & Company, as Sykes, Lost Highway, as Mr. Eddy/Dick Laurent, Grand Theft Auto III, as Ray Machowski, The Sopranos, as Feech La Manna.
Donal Logue
Where you know him from:
The Patriot, as Dan Scott
Blade, as Quinn
Grounded for Life, as Sean Finnerty
Also look for him in: Sneakers, as Dr. Gunter Janek, Gettysburg, as Capt. Ellis Spear, Little Women, as Jacob Mayer, Miami Rhapsody, as Derek, 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up, as Jimmy, Jerry Maguire, as Rick, Junior Agent, Runaway Bride, as Priest Brian Norris, The Tao of Steve, as Dex, The Million Dollar Hotel, as Charley Best, Reindeer Games, as Pug, American Splendor, as Stage Actor Harvey, Confidence, as Wentworth, Just Like Heaven, as Jack, The Groomsmen, as Jimbo, Ghost Rider, as Mack, Zodiac, as Captain Ken Narlow, Purple Violets, as Chazz Coleman, Max Payne, as Alex Balder, Charlie St. Cloud, as Tink Weatherbee, Shark Night 3D, as Sabin.
Herbert Lom
Where you know him from:
A Shot in the Dark & The Return of the Pink Panther & The Pink Panther Strikes Again & Revenge of the Pink Panther & Trail of the Pink Panther & Curse of the Pink Panther & Curse of the Pink Panther, as Charles Dreyfus
The Ladykillers, as Louis
Spartacus, as Tigranes Levantus
Also look for him in: Night and the City, as Kristo, War and Peace, as Napoleon, I Accuse!, as Maj. DuPaty de Clam, Mysterious Island, as Captain Nemo, El Cid, as Ben Yussuf, The Phantom of the Opera (1962), as the Phantom, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, as Simon Legree, Gambit, as Shahbandar, Count Dracula (1970), as Prof. Abraham Van Helsing, Ten Little Indians (1974), as Dr. Edward Armstrong, The Dead Zone, as Dr. Sam Welzak.
Peter Lorre
Where you know him from:
M, as Hans Beckert
The Maltese Falcon, as Joel Cairo
Casablanca, as Ugarte
Also look for him in: The Man Who Knew Too Much (the original, 1934), as Abbott, Mad Love, as Doctor Gogol, in all the Mr. Moto films as Mr. Moto, Arsenic and Old Lace, as Dr. Einstein, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, as Conseil, Around the World in 80 Days, as Steward, Silk Stockings, as Brankov.
Faizon Love
Where you know him from:
Elf, as Gimbel’s Manager
The Replacements, as Jamal Jackson
Made, as Horrace
Also look for him in: Friday, as Big Worm, Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, as Rufus, B*A*P*S, as Tiger J, Money Talks, as Cellmate, The Players Club, as Peters, Blue Crush, as Leslie, The Fighting Temptations, as Prison Warden, Torque, as Sonny, Grand theft Auto: San Andreas, as Sweet, Idlewils, as Ace, Who’s Your Caddy?, as Big Large, Couples Retreat, as Shane, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son, as Kurtis Kool, Zookeeper, as Bruce the Bear.
Jane Lynch
Where you know her from:
Role Models, as Sweeny
Glee, as Sue Sylvester
The 40 Year Old Virgin, as Paula
Also look for her in: The Fugitive, as Dr. Kathy Wahlund, What Planet Are You From?, as Doreen, Best in Show, as Christy Cummings, Collateral Damage, as Agent Russo, A Mighty Wind, as Laurie Bohner, Arrested Development, as Cindi Lightballoon, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, as Lucy Bobby, For Your Consideration, as Cindy, Alvin and the Chipmunk, as Gail, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, as Gail the Television Reporter, Julie & Julia, as Dorothy McWililams, Paul, as Pat Sevens.
John Carroll Lynch
You want the definition of reliable — here it is. Love this man.
Where you know him from:
The Drew Carey Show, as Steve Carey
Gran Torino, as Barber Martin
Zodiac, as Arthur Leigh Allen
Also look for him in: Grumpy Old Men, as Moving Man, The Fan, as Shopkeeper, Volcano, as Stan Olber, Face/Off, as Walton, Prison Guard, Mercury Rising, as Martin Lynch, Gone in Sixty Seconds, as Impound Manager, Bubble Boy, as Mr. Livingston, The Good Girl, as Jack Field, Store Manager, Confidence, as Grant Ashby, Gothika, as Sheriff Ryan, Things We Lost in the Fire, as Howard Glassman, Love Happens, as Walter, Shutter Island, as Deputy Warden McPherson, Paul, as Moses Buggs, Crazy, Stupid, Love., as Bernie.
Anthony Mackie
Where you know him from:
The Hurt Locker, as Sergeant JT Sanborn
8 Mile, as Papa Doc
Million Dollar Baby, as Shawrelle Berry
Also look for him in: Hollywood Homicide, as Killer ‘Joker’, The Manchurian Candidate, as Robert Baker, She Hate Me, as John Henry “Jack” Armstrong, The Man, as Booty, Half Nelson, as Frank, Freedomland, as Billy Williams, We Are Marshall, as Nate Ruffian, Eagle Eye, as Major William Bowman, Notorious, as Tupac Shakur, The Adjustment Bureau, as Harry Mitchell, Real Steel, as Finn, What’s Your Number?, as Tom Piper, Man on a Ledge, as Mike Ackerman, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, as William Johnson, Gangster Squad, as Coleman Harris.
Aline MacMahon
Where you know her from:
The Search, as Mrs. Murray
Dragon Seed, as Ling Tan’s Wife
Gold Diggers of 1933, as Trixie
Also look for her in: Five Star Final, as Miss Taylor, The Life of Jimmy Dolan, as Auntie – Mrs. Moore, The Man from Laramie, as Kate Canady, Cimarron, as Mrs. Mavis Pegler,
Fred MacMurry
Where you know him from:
The Apartment, as Mr. Sheldrake
Double Indemnity, as Walter Neff
My Three Sons, as Steve Douglas
Also look for him in: Alice Adams, as Arthur Russell, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, as Jack Hale, The Egg and I, as Bob MacDonald, The Caine Mutiny, as Lt. Tom Keefer, The Shaggy Dog, as Wilson Daniels, The AbsentMinded Professor, as Prof. Ned Brainard.
William H. Macy
Here’s a guy I’m pretty sure everybody knows, but you can’t be too sure. So we’re gonna put him on, because, he’s awesome.
Where you know him from:
Fargo, as Jerry Lundergaard
Boogie Nights, as Little Bill
Mystery Men, as The Shoveler
Also look for him in: WarGames, as NORAD officer, The Last Dragon, as J.J., Radio Days, as Radio Actor, House of Games, as Sgt. Moran, Shadows and Fog, as Cop with Spiro, Benny & Joon, as Randy Birch, Searching for Bobby Fischer, as Tunafish Father, The Client, as Dr. Greenway, Murder in the First, as D.A. William McNeil, Mr. Holland’s Opus, as Vice Principal Wolters, Down Periscope, as Cmdr. Carl Knox, Ghosts of Mississippi, as Charlie Crisco, Air Force One, as MAjor Caldwell, Wag the Dog, as CIA Agent Charles Young, Pleasantville, as George Parker, Psycho, as Milton Arbogast, A Civil ACtion, as James Gordon, Happy, Texas, as Sheriff Chappy Dent, Magnolia, as Donnie Smith, Jurassic Park III, as Paul Kirby, Welcome to Collinwood, as Riley, The Cooler, as Bernie Lootz, Seabiscuit, as Tick Tock McGlaughlin, Spartan, as Stoddard, Cellular, as Sgt. Bob Mooney, Sahara, as Adm. Jim Sandecker, Thank You for Smoking, as Senator Ortolan Finistirre, Bobby, as Paul, Inland Empire, as Announcer, Wild Hogs, as Dudley Frank, ER, as Dr. David Morgenstern, Marmaduke, as Don Twombly, The Lincoln Lawyer, as Frank Levin, Shameless, as Frank Gallagher.
Michael Madsen
Where you know him from:
Reservoir Dogs, as Mr. Blonde – Vic Vega
Kill Bill, as Budd
Also look for him in: WarGames, as Steve, The Natural, as Bump Bailey, The Doors, as tom Baker, Thelma & Louise, as Jimmy, Free Willy, as Glen Greenwood, Money for Nothing, as Detective Laurenzi, The Getaway, as Rudy Travis, Wyatt Earp, as Virgil Earp, Species, as Preston Lennox, Mulholland Falls, as eddie Hall, Donnie Brasco, as Sonny Black, Grand Theft Auto 3, as Toni Cipriani, Die Another Day, as Damian Falco, My Boss’s Daughter, as T.J., Tilt, as Don “The Matador” Everest, Sin City, as Bob (He has by favorite line in the film: “You’re pushing sixty, and you got a bum ticker.”), BloodRayne, as Vladimir, Scary Movie 4, as Oliver, Hell Ride, as The Gent.
John Mahoney
Where you know him from:
Barton Fink, as W.P. Mayhew
Say Anything…, as James Court
Frasier, as Martin Crane
Also look for him in: Tin Men, as Moe Adams, Moonstruc, as Perry, Eight Men Out, as William “Kid” Gleason, In the Line of Fire, as Sam Campagna, Striking Distance, as Lt. Vince Hardy, Reality Bites, as Grant Gubler, The Hudsucker Proxy, as Chief, The American President, as Leo Solomon, Primal Fear, as Shaughnessy, Antz, as Grebs, The Iron Giant, as General Rogard, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, as Preston B. Whitmore, Dan in Real Life, as Poppy.
Marjorie Main
Where you know her from:
Meet Me in St. Louis, as Katie – Maid
Heaven Can Wait, as Mrs. Strable
Another Thin Man, as Mrs. Dolley, Landlord Chesterfield Apartments
Also look for her in: Stella Dallas, as Mrs. Martin, Dead End, as Mrs. Martin, Test Pilot, as Landlady, Too Hot to Handle, as Miss Kitty Wayne, The Women, as Lucy, Dark Command, as Mrs. Cantrell aka Mrs. Adams, The Harvey Girls, as Sonora Cassidy, The Egg and I, as Phoebe “Ma” Kettle (as well as a bunch of “Ma and Pa Kettle” movies), Summer Stock, as Esme, The Long, Long Trailer, as Mrs. Hittaway, Friendly Persuasion, as The Widow Hudspeth.
Mako
Where you know him from:
The Sand Pebbles, as Po-han
Conan the Barbarian & Conan the Destroyer, as The Wizard/Narrator
Also look for him in: Tucker: The Man and His Dream, as Jimmy, RoboCop 3 (Didn’t know there were three of them, did ya?), as Kanemitsu, Highlander: The Final Dimension (I thought there could be only one?), as Nakano, Pearl Harbor, as Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto, Bulletproof Monk, as Mr. Kojima, Samurai Jack, as Aku, Memoirs of a Geisha, as Sakamoto, TMNT, as Splinter, Avatar: The Last Airbender, as Uncle Iroh.
John Malkovich
Where you know him from:
Being John Malkovich, as John Horatio Malkovich
Rounders, as Teddy KGB
Shadow of the Vampire, as F.W. Murnau
Con Air, as Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom
Red, as Marvin Boggs
Also look for him in:Places in the Heart, as Mr. Will, The Killing Fields, as Al Rockoff, Death of a Salesman, as Biff Loman, The Glass Menagerie, as Tom Wingfield, Empire of the Sun, as Basie, Dangerous Liaisons, as Vicomte Sébatsien de Valmont, Shadows and Fog, as Clown, Of Mice and Men, as Lenny Small, In the Line of Fire, as Mitch Leary, Mulholland Falls, as General Thomas Timms, Mary Reilly, as Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, The Portrait of a Lady, as Gilbert Osmond, The Man in the Iron Mask, as Athos, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, as Charles VII, Knockaround Guys, as Teddy Deserve, Ripley’s Game, as Tom Ripley, Johnny English, as Pascal Sauvage, the Greedy Frenchman, The Libertine, as Charles II, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, as Humma Kavula, Color Me Kubrick, as Alan Conway, Art School Confidential, as Professor Sandiford, Eragon, as Galbatorix, Beowulf, as Unferth, The Great Buck Howard, as Buck Howard, Changeling, as Rev. Gustav Briegleb, Burn After Reading, as Osborne Cox, Jonah Hex, as Quentin Turnbell, Secretariat, as Lucien Laurin, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as Bruce Brazos.
Joe Mantegna
Where you know him from:
The Godfather Part III, as Joey Zasa
The Simpsons + The Simpsons Movie, as Fat Tony
¡Three Amigos!, as Harry Flugleman
Airheads, as Ian
Also look for him in: Bleacher Bums, as Decker, Compromising Positions, as Bruce Fleckstein, The Money Pit, as Art Shirk, Critical Condition, as Arthur Chambers, House of Games, as Mike, Alice, as Joe, Bugsy, as George, Searching for Bobby Fischer, as Fred Waitzkin, Baby’s Day Out, as Eddie, Albino Alligator, as A.T.F. Agent G.D. Browning, Celebrity, as Tony Gardella, Cars 2, as Grem.
Mark Margolis
Where you know him from:
Scarface, as Alberto The Shadow
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, as Mr. Shickadance
The Fountain, as Father Avila
Also look for him in: The Cotton Club, as Charlie Workman, Glory, as 10th Connecticut Soldier, 1492: Conquest of Paradise, as Francisco de Bobadilla, Absolute Power, as Red Brandsford, Pi, as Sol Robeson, The Thomas Crown Affair, as Heinrich Knutzhorn, Mickey Blue Eyes, as Gene Morgansen, Reqiuem for a Dream, as Mr. Rabinowitz, Dinner Rush, as Fitzgerald, Hannibal, as Perfume Expert, Daredevil, as Fallon, Manhunt, as The Tramp (anyone who played the game will remember this character. You have to bring him with you for one level), The Girl Next Door, as Homeless Man Hit By Car, Gone Baby Gone, as Leon Trett, The Wrestler, as Lenny, Black Swan, as Mr. Fithian.
Hugh Marlowe
Where you know him from:
The Day the Earth Stood Still, as Tom Stevens
All About Eve, as Lloyd Richards
Twelve O’Clock High, as Lt. Col. Ben Gately
Also look for him in: Mrs. Parkington, as John Marbey, Meet Me in St. Louis, as Colonel Darly, Come to the Stable, as Robert Masen, Night and the City, as Adam Dunn, Monkey Business, as Hank Entwhistle, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, as Dr. Russell A. Marvin, Birdman of Alcatraz, as Albert Comstock, 13 Frightened Girls!, as John Hull, Seven Days in May, as Harold McPherson.
Kenneth Mars
Where you know him from:
The Producers, as Franz Liebkind
Young Frankenstein, as Inspector Kemp
The Little Mermaid, as King Triton
Also look for him in: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, as Marshal, What’s Up, Doc?, as Hugh Simon, The Parallax View, as Former FBI Agent Will, Night Moves, as Nick, Fletch, as Stanton Boyd, Radio Days, as Rabbi Baumel, Shadows and Fog, as Magician, Citizen Ruth, as Dr. Charlie Rollins.
Eddie Marsan
Where you know him from:
Sherlock Holmes, as Inspector Lestrade
The Illusionist, as Josef Fischer
Hancock, as Red
Also look for him in: Gangs of New York, as Killoran, 21 Grams, as Reverend John, Vera Drake, as Reg, The New World, as Eddie, V for Vendetta, as Etheridge, Mission: Impossible III, as Brownway, Miami Vice, as Nicholas, Happy-Go-Lucky, as Scott, Me and Orson Welles, as John Houseman, London Boulevard, as DI Bailey.
Brian Markinson
Where you know him from:
Charlie Wilson’s War, as Paul Brown
Small Time Crooks, as Cop
Sweet and Lowdown, as Bill Shields
Also look for him in: The George Carlin Show, “George Sees an Airplane,” as Harvey, Wolf, as Detective Wade, Apollo 13, as Pad Rat, Volcano, as O.E.M. Staffer #1, Primary Colors, as Randy Culligan, City of Angels, as Tom, Surgical Fellow, Enemy of the State, as Attorney Brian Blake, What Planet Are You From?, as Co-Pilot, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, as Al, Liberty Stands Still, as Rex Perry, RV, as Garry Moiphine, Shooter, as Attorney General Russert.
Garry Marshall
Where you know him from:
A League of Their Own, as Walter Harvey
Hocus Pocus, as The Master
Also look for him in: Goldfinger, as Hoodlum, Grand Theft Auto, as Underworld Boss, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, as Police Detective, Beaches, as Audition Director, Pretty Woman, as Bum Tour Guide, Soapdish, as Edmund Edwards, Never Been Kissed, as Rigfort, Runaway Bride, as First Baseman in Softball, Tomcats, as Uncle Murray, The Majestic, as Studio Executive, Orange County, as Arthur Gantner, Chicken Little, as Buck Cluck, Keeping Up with the Steins, as Irwin Fiedler, Race to Witch Mountain, as Dr. Donald Harlan, Valentine’s Day, as Musician.
Strother Martin
Where you know him from:
Cool Hand Luke, as Captain (He speaks one of the most famous lines in cinema. Something about communicating or what not.)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, as Percy Garris (“That’s what happens when you spend ten years alone in Bolivia. You get colorful.”)
Slap Shot, as Joe McGrath
Also look for him in: The Asphalt Jungle, as William Doldy, Kiss Me Deadly, as Harvey Wallace, Attack, as Sgt. Ingersol, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, as Floyd, Shenandoah, as Train Engineer, The Sons of Katie Elder, as Jeb Ross, The Wild Bunch, as Coffer, Rooster Cogburn, as McCoy, The Champ, as Riley, The Villain, as Parody Jones.
Margo Martindale
Where you know her from:
Million Dollar Baby, as Earline Fitzgerald (this is where I first took notice of her. I was like, “Holy shit, this woman is amazing.” Because she really nailed that character)
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, as Ma Cox
And, most recently…
Justified, as Mags Bennett
Now check out all the major films she’s had parts in that you probably didn’t notice:
Also look for her in: Days of Thunder, as Donna, The Rocketeer, as Millie, Lorenzo’s Oil, as Wendy Gimble, The Firm, as Nina Huff, Nobody’s Fool, as Birdy, Dead Man Walking, as Sister Colleen, Marvin’s Room, as Dr. Charlotte, Ghosts of Mississippi, as Clara Mayfield, Critical Care, as Connie Porter, 28 Days, as Betty, The Hours, as Mrs. Latch, Rocket Science, as Coach Lumbly, The Savages, as Roz, The Riches, as Nina Burns, Orphan, as Dr. Browning, Secretariat, as Miss Ham.
Raymond Massey
Where you know him from:
Arsenic and Old Lace, as Jonathan Brewster
East of Eden, as Adam Trask
A Matter of Life and Death (aka Stairway to Heaven), as Abraham Farlan
Abe Lincoln in Illinois, as Abe Lincoln
Also look for him in: Fire Over England, as King Philip II of Spain, The Prisoner of Zenda, as Black Michael, The Hurricane, as DeLaage, Santa Fe Trail, as John Brown, 49th Parallel, as Andy Brock, The Woman in the Window, as Dist. Atty. Frank Lalor, Possessed, as Dean Graham, Mourning Becomes Electra, as Brig. Gen. Ezra Mannon, The Fountainhead, as Gail Wynand, Come Fill the Cup, as John Ives, The Great Impostor, as Abbott Donner, How the West Was Won, as Abraham Lincoln, Mackenna’s Gold, as The Preacher.
Victor Mature
Where you know him from:
My Darling Clementine, as Dr. John Holliday
Kiss of Death, as Nick Bianco
The Robe, as Demetrius (+ Demetrius and the Gladiators)
Also look for him in: One Million B.C., as Tumak, My Gal Sal, as Paul Dresser, Samson and Delilah, as Samson, Million Dollar Mermaid, as James Sullivan.
Mike Mazurki
Where you know him from:
Night and the City, as The Strangler
Dark City, as Sidney Winant
Murder, My Sweet, as Moose Malloy
Some Like It Hot, as Spats’ Henchman
Also look for him in: Black Fury, as Security Force Applicant, The Shanghai Gesture, as The Coolie, Gentleman Jim, as Jake Kilrain, The Canterville Ghost, as Metropolus, The Thin Man Goes Home, as First Man Outside Barbershop, Dick Tracy, ‘as Splitface’, Sinbad the Sailor, as Yusuf, Nightmare Alley, as Bruno, I Walk Alone, as Dan, The Noose Hangs High, as Chuck, Rope of Sand, as Pierson (guard), Samson and Delilah, as Leader of Philistine Soldiers, The Egyptian, as Foreman, House of Death, Blood Alley, as Big Han, Kismet, as Chief Policeman, Around the World in 80 Days, as Drunk in Hong Kong Dive, Alias Jesse James, as Tough in Dirty Dog Saloon, Pocketful of Miracles, as Big Mike, Zotz!, as Igor, Donovan’s Reef, as Sgt. Monk Menkowicz, It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, as Miner, Cheyenne Autumn, as Sr. First Sergeant, Requiem for a Gunfighter, as Ivy Bliss.
Chi McBride
Where you know him from:
Gone in 60 Seconds, as Donny Astricky
I, Robot, as Lt. John Bergin
House, M.D., as Edward Vogler
Also look for him in: The Distinguished Gentleman, as Homer, What’s Love Got to Do with It, as Fross, Mercury Rising, as Tommy B. Jordan, The Kid, as Kenny, Narc, as Captain Cheevers, Undercover Brother, as The Chief, Cradle 2 the Grave, as Jump Chambers, Boston Public, as Steven Harper, The Terminal, as Mulroy, Waiting…, as Bishop, Annapolis, as McNally, The Brothers Solomon, as James, Pushing Daisies, as Emerson Cod.
Danny McBride
Where you know him from:
Tropic Thunder, as Cody – Vietnam Crew
Pineapple Express, as Red
Eastbound & Down, as Kenny Powers
Also look for him in: All the Real Girls, as Bust-Ass, The Foot First Way, as Fred Simmons, Hot Rod, as Rico, Superbad, as Buddy at Party, The Heartbreak Kid, as Martin, Fanboys, as Director of Security, Drillbit Taylor, as Don, Observe and Report, as Caucasian Crackhead, Land of the Lost, as Will Stanton, Up in the Air, as Jim Miller, Due Date, as Lonnie, Your Highness, as Thadeous, Kung Fu Panda 2, as Wolf Boss, 30 Minutes or Less, as Dwayne.
Simon McBurney
Where you know him from:
The Golden Compass, as Dra Pavel
The Duchess, as Charles Fox
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, as Oliver Lacon
Also look for him in: Kafka, as Assistant Oscar, Tom & Viv, as Dr. Reginald Miller, The Manchurian Candidate, as Atticus Noyle, Friends with Money, as Aaron, The Last King of Scotland, as Stone, Body of Lies, as Garland, Robin Hood, as Father Tancred, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, as Kreacher, Jane Eyre, as Mr. Brocklehurst.
Mercedes McCambridge
Where you know her from:
All the King’s Men, as Sadie Burke
Johnny Guitar, as Emma Small
Giant, as Luz Benedict
The Exorcist, as the voice of the Demon
Also look for her in: A Farewell to Arms (1957), as Miss Van Campen, Touch of Evil, as Gang Leader, Suddenly, Last Summer, as Grace Holly, Cimarron (1961), as Sarah Wyatt.
Kevin McCarthy
Where you know him from:
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956 & 1978), as Dr. Miles J. Bennell
Death of a Salesman, as Biff Loman
A Big Hand for the Little Lady, as Otto Habershaw
Also look for him in: The Misfits, as Raymond Taber, The Best Man, as Dick Jensen, Mirage, as Josephson, Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson, as The Publicist, Piranha, as Dr. Robert Hoak, The Howling, as Fred Francis, Twilight Zone: The Movie, as Uncle Walt (Segment #3), Innerspace, as Victor Eugene Scrimshaw, UHF, as R.J. Fletcher, The Distinguished Gentleman, as Terry Corrigan, Just Cause, as Phi Prentiss, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, as Dr. Bennell, Slipstream, as Father McCarthy.
Edie McClurg
Where you know her from:
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, as Grace
Back to School, as Marge Sweetwater
Natural Born Killers, as Mallory’s Mom (the fact that this is the third film on this list proves she deserves to be here)
Also look for her in: Carrie, as Helen Shyres, The Secret of NIMH, as Miss Right, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, as Car Rental Agent, She’s Having a Baby, as Lynn, The Little Mermaid, as Carlotta the maid, A River Runs Through It, as Mrs. Burns, Airborne, as Aunt Irene, Flubber, as Martha George, A Bug’s Life, as Dr. Flora, Cars & Cars 2, as Minny.
Helen McCrory
Where you know her from:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince & Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as Narcissa Malfoy
Hugo, as Mama Jeanne
Also look for her in: Interview with the Vampire, as 2nd Whote, The Count of Monte Cristo, as Valentina Villefort, Enduring Love, as Mrs. Logan, Casanova, as Casanova’s Mother, The Queen, as Cherie Blair, Becoming Jane, as Mrs. Radcliffe, Fantastic Mrs. Fox, as Mrs. Bean, Skyfall, as Clair Dowar.
Hattie McDaniel
Where you know her from:
Gone With the Wind, as Mammy
Since You Went Away, as Fidelia
Song of the South, as Aunt Tempy
Also look for her in: Alice Adams, as Malena Burns, Maid Serving Dinner, Show Boat, as Queenie, Valiant is the Word for Carrie, as Ellen Belle, Libeled Lady, as Maid in Grand Plaza Hall, Stella Dallas, as Edna, Maid #2, The Great Lie, as Violet, They Died With Their Boots On, as Callie.
This is mostly because she’s very memorable, and to point out just how racist Hollywood was in the 30s and 40s. It was really, really bad. It’s a testament to her that she was so memorable despite the role she had to take.
Christopher McDonald
Where you know him from:
Happy Gilmore, as Shooter McGavin
Requiem for a Dream, as Tappy Tibbons
Thelma & Louise, as Darryl
Also look for him in: Grease 2, as Goose McKenzie, Breakin’, as James, Grumpy Old Men, as Mike, Quiz Show, as Jack Barry, House Arrest, as Donald Krupp, Dirty Work, as Travis Cole, The Faculty, as Mr. Connor, The Iron Giant, as Kent Mansley, The Perfect Storm, as Todd Gross, The Man Who Wasn’t There, as Macadam Salesman, Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams, as President of the USA, Broken Flowers, as Ron, Fanboys, as Big Chuck, Mad Money, as Bryce Arbogast, Superhero Movie, as Lou Landers.
Neal McDonough
Where you know him from:
Band of Brothers, as Buck Compton
Angels in the Outfield, as Whitt Bass (the pitcher that isn’t Tony Danza) (or is that just me?)
And, I guess, most recently…
Captain America: The First Avenger, as Dum Dum Dugan
Also look for him in: Star Trek: First Contact, as Lt. Hawk, Minority Report, as Fletcher, Walking Tall, as Jay Hamilton, The Guardian, as Jack Skinner, Flags of our Fathers, as Captain Severance, The Hitcher, as Lt. Esteridge, 88 Minutes, as Jon Forster, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, as Bison, Desperate Housewives, as Dave Williams.
Frances McDormand
Where you know her from:
Fargo, as Marge Gunderson
Almost Famous, as Elaine Miller
Burn After Reading, as Linda Litzke
Raising Arizona, as Dot
Also look for her in: Blood Simple, as Abby, Mississippi Burning, as Mrs. Pell, Chattahoochee, as Mae Foley, Miller’s Crossing, as Mayor’s Secretary, Barton Fink, as Stage Actress, Short Cuts, as Betty Weathers, Primal Fear, as Molly, Lone Star, as Bunny, Wonder Boys, as Dea Sara Gaskell, The Man Who Wasn’t There, as Doris Crane, Laurel Canyon, as Jane, City by the Sea, as Michelle, Something’s Gotta Give, as Zoe, North Country, as Glory, Æon Flux, as Handler, Friends with Money, as Jane, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, as Miss Pettigrew, This Must Be the Place, as Jane, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as Mearing.
Roddy McDowall
Where you know him from:
Planet of the Apes & Escape from the Planet of the Apes as Cornelius
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes & Beneath of the Planet of the Apes, as Cesar
How Green Was My Valley, as Huw Morgan
Fright Night (1985), as Peter Vincent
Also look for him in: The Pied Piper, as Ronnie Cavanaugh, Lassie Come Home, as Joe Carraclough, The Keys of the Kingdom, as Francis Chisholm, Macbeth, as Malcolm, The Longest Day, as Pvt. Morris, Cleopatra, as Octavian, Shock Treatment, as Martin Ashley, The Greatest Story Ever Told, as Matthew, Inside Daisy Clover, as Walter Baines, , Bedknobs and Broomsticks, as Mr. Jelk, The Poseidon Adventure, as Acres, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, as Frank Gass, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, as George Stanton, Funny Lady, as Bobby Moore, A Bug’s Life, as Mr. Soil.
Malcolm McDowell
Where you know him from:
A Clockwork Orange, as Alex
Entourage, as Terrance McQuewick
Also look for him in: If…, as Mick Tracis, O Lucky Man!, as Michael Arnold Travis, Aces High, as Maj. John Gresham, Voyage of the Damned, as Max Gunter, Caligula, as Caligula, Time After Time, as H.G. Wells, Cat People, as Paul Gallier, Cross Creek, as Max Perkins, Tank Girl, as Kesslee, Mr. Magoo, as Austin Cloquet, Just Visiting, as Wizard, I Spy, as Gundars, I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead, as Boad, The Company, as Alberto Antnelli, Hidalgo, as Major Davenport, In Good Company, as Teddy K, Globecom CEO, Halloween & Halloween II, as Dr. Loomis, Heroes, as Daniel Linderman, Bolt, as Dr. Calico, The Book of Eli, as Lombardi, Barry Munday, as Mr. Fairley, Easy A, as Principal Gibbons.
Darren McGavin
Where you know him from:
A Christmas Story, as The Old Man
Also look for him in: The Man with the Golden Arm, as Louie, Airport ’77, as Stan Buchek, The Natural, as Gus Sands, Raw Deal, as Harry Shannon, Billy Madison, as Brian Madison.
Jack McGee
Where you know him from:
The Fighter, as George Ward
Rescue Me, as Chief Jerry Reilly
Crash, as Gun Store Owner
Also look for him in: Scrooged, as Carpenter, Lethal Weapon 2, as Carpenter, Born on the Fourth of July, as Democratic Delegate – Convention, The Doors, as Miami Cop, Backdraft, as Schmidt, Cool as Ice, as Clarke, Basic Instint, as Sheriff, The Paper, as Wilder, Miracle on 34th Street, as Tony Falacchi, Jury Duty, as Murphy, Showgirls, as Jack, Stagehand, Chairman of the Board, as Harlan Granger, Coyote Ugly, as Pitcher, Thirteen Days, as Richard J. Daley, The Man Who Wasn’t There, as P.I. Burns, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde, as Detective Finchley, 21, as Terry, The International, as Detective Bernie Ward, Tron: Legacy, as Police Photographer, Drive Angry, as Fat Lou, Moneyball, as Jon Poloni.
Bruce McGill
Where you know him from:
Animal House, as D-Day (Daniel Simpson Day)
My Cousin Vinny, as Sheriff Farley
Collateral, as Pedrosa
Also look for him in: Silkwood, as Mace Hurley, Cliffhanger, as Treasury Agent, A Perfect World, as Paul Saunders, Black Sheep, as Neuschwander, as Courage Under Fire, as McQuillan, The Insider, as Ron Motley, The Legend of Bagger Vance, as Walter Hagen, Exit Wounds, as Frank Daniels, Shallow Hal, as Reverend Larson, Ali, as Bradley, The Sun of All Fears, as National Security Advisor Revell, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde, as Stanford Marks, Matchstick Men, as Chuck Frechette, Runaway Jury, as Judge Harkin, Cinderella Man, as Jimmy Johnston, Elizabethtown, as Bill Banyon, The Lookout, as Robert Pratt, Vantage Point, as Phil McCullough, W., as George Tenet, Fair Game, as Jim Pavitt.
John C. McGinley
Where you know him from:
Office Space, as Bob Slydell
The Rock, as Marine Captain Henrdix
Platoon, as Sgt. O’Neill
Scrubs, as Dr. Perry Cox
Also look for him in: Wall Street, as Marvin, Talk Radio, as Stu, Born on the Fourth of July, as Official #1, Highlander II, as David Blake, Point Break, as Ben Harp, Se7en, as California, Nixon, as Earl in Training Film, Set It Off, as Detective Strode, Any Given Sunday, as Jack Rose, Get Carter, as Con McCarty, The Animal, as Sgt. Sisk, Stealing Harvard, as Detective Charles, Identity, as George York, Wild Hogs, as Highway Patrolman, Are We Done Yet?, as Chuck Mitchell Jr.
Frank McHugh
Where you know him from:
I Love You Again, as ‘Doc’ Ryan
Going My Way, as Father Timothy O’Dowd
Dodge City, as Joe Clemens
Also look for him in: The Dawn Patrol, as Flaherty, The Front Page, as “Mac” McCue,
Mystery of the Wax Museum, as Jim, Footlight Parade, as Francis, dance director, Here Comes the Navy, as Droopy Mullins, Gold Diggers of 1935, as Humbolt Prentiss, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as Quince, the Carpenter, Four Daughters, as Ben Crowley, The Roaring Twenties, as Danny Green, Virginia City, as Mr. Upjohn, City for Conquest, as ‘Mutt’, All Through the Night, as Barney, A Medal for Benny, as Edgar Lovekin, State Fair, as McGee, The Hoodlum Saint, as Three Finger, Mighty Joe Young, as Windy, The Last Hurrah, as Festus Garvey, Career, as Charlie Gallagher.
Michael McKean
Where you know him from:
This Is Spinal Tap, as David St. Hubbins
Clue, as Mr. Green
Best in Show, as Stefan Vanderhoof
A Mighty Wind, as Jerry Palter
Laverne and Shirley, as Lenny
Also look for him in: 1941, as Willy, Used Cars, as Eddie Winslow, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, as State Trooper, Short Circuit 2, as Fred Ritter, Earth Girls are Easy,a s Woody, Coneheads, as Gorman Seedling, INS Deputy Commissioner, Airheads, as Milo Jackson, Radioland Murders, as Rick Rochester, The Brady Bunch Movie, as Mr. Larry Dittmeyer, Jack, as Paulie, Small Soldiers, as Insaniac/Freakenstein, Teaching Mrs. Tingle, as Principal Potter, Mystery, Alaska, as Mr. Walsh, , Little Nicky, as Chief of Police, Auto Focus, as Video Executive, The Producers, as Prison Trustee, For Your Consideration, as Lane Iverson, Whatever Works, as Boris’s Friend, Curb Your Enthusiasm, as Matt Tessler.
Ray McKinnon
Where you know him from:
O Brother, Where Art Thou?, as Vernon T. Waldrip
The Blind Side, as Coach Cotton
Also look for him in: Bugsy, as David Hinton, The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag, as Detective Frank, A Perfect World, as Bradley, Apollo 13, as Jerry Bistick – FIDO White, The Net, as Dale Hessman, The Missing, as Russell J. Wittick, Deadwood, as Reverend H.W. Smith, That Evening Sun, as Lonzo Choat, Take Shelter, as Kyle, Hick, as Lloyd, Dolphin Tale, as Mr. Doyle, Footloose, as Wes Warnicker, Sons of Anarchy, as Lincoln ‘Linc’ Potter.
Butterfly McQueen
Where you know her from:
Gone With the Wind, as Prissy (She don’t know nothin’ bout birthin’ babies.)
Also look for her in: Mildred Pierce, as Lottie, Duel in the Sun, as Vashti, The Mosquito Coast, as Ma Kennywick.
Her voice is what puts her on this list. You remember her when you see her.
Ian McShane
Where you know him from:
Deadwood, as Al Swearengen
Pirates of the Caibbean: On Stranger Tides, as Blackbeard
Sexy Beast, as Teddy Bass
Also look for him in: Agent Cody Banks, as Brinkman, Scoop, as Joe Strombel, We Are Marshall, as Paul Griffen, Shrek the Third, as Captain Hook, Hot Rod, as Frank Powell, The Golden Compass, as Ragnar Sturlusson, Kung Fu Panda, as Tai Lung, Death Race, as Coach, Coraline, as Mr. Sergei Alexander Bobinsky, 44 Inch Chest, as Meredith.
Donald Meek
Where you know him from:
Stagecoach, as Samuel Peacock
You Can’t Take It With You, as Poppins
Also look for him in: The Informer, as Peter Mulligan, Captain Blood, as Dr. Whacker (oh I’m stealing that name for a script), Double Wedding, as Judge Blynn, Jesse James & The Return of Frank James, as McCoy, Young Mr. Lincoln, as Prosecutor John Felder, Tortilla Flat, as Paul D. Cummings, The Thin Man Goes Home, as Willie Crump.
Adolph Menjou
Where you know him from:
Paths of Glory, as Gen. Broulard
A Star is Born, as Oliver Niles
The Front Page, as Walter Burns
A Farewell to Arms(1932), Maj. Rinaldi
Also look for him in: Morning Glory, as Louis Easton, Little Miss Marker, as Sorrowful Jones, Gold Diggers of 1935, as Nicoleff, One Hundred Men and a Girl, as John Cardwell, Stage Door, as Anthony Powell, Roxie Hart, as Billy Flynn, Pollyanna, as Mr. Pendergast.
Burgess Meredith
Where you know him from:
Rocky, Rocky II & Rocky III, as Mickey
Batman (1966), as The Penguin
Grumpy Old Men & Grumpier Old Men, as Grandpa Gustafson
Also look for him in: Of Mice and Men (1939) as George, Story of G.I. Joe, as Ernie Pyle, Advise and Consent, as Herbert Gelman, The Cardinal, as Father Ned Halley, In Harm’s Way, as Cmdr. Egan Powell, Mackenna’s Gold, as The Storekeeper, The Reivers, as Lucius/Narrator, There Was a Crooked Man…, as The Missouri Kid, The Day of the Locust, as Harry Greener, Foul Play, as Mr. Hennessey, Magic, as Ben Greene, Clash of the Titans, as Ammon.
Joel McKinnon Miller
Where you know him from:
Curb Your Enthusiasm, as Dr. Wiggins (Shaq’s doctor, who cheats at Scattegories)
Big Love, as Don Embry
Also look for him in: The Family Man, as tommy, Rush Hour 2, as Tex, Men in Black II, as Agent, Friday After Next, as Officer Hole, After the Sunset, as Wendell, Super 8, as Mr. Kaznyk.
Larry Miller
Where you know him from:
His stand-up comedy
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as Dabney Shaw
Necessary Roughness, as Dean Phillip Elias
10 Things I Hate About You, as Walter Stratford
Best in Show, as Max Berman
Also look for him in: Pretty Woman, as Mr. Hollister, L.A. Story, as Tom, Radioland Murders, as Herman Katzenback, Seinfeld, as The Doorman, The Nutty Professor & The Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps, as Dean Richmond, Chairman of the Board, Bradford McMillan, Runaway Bride, as N.Y.C. Bartender Kevin, What’s the Worst That Could Happen?, as Earl Radburn, A Mighty Wind, as Wally Fenton, The Princess Diaries (and the seuquel, Royal Engagement, as Paolo), Keeping Up with the Steins, as Arnie Stein, For Your Consideration, as Syd Finkleman, Bee Movie, as Buzzwell, Get Smart, as CIA Agent, Valentine’s Day, as Oversized Baggage Agent, Curb Your Enthusiasm, as Eddie Kravitz.
Thomas Mitchell
Where you know him from:
Stagecoach, as Doc Boone
Gone With the Wind, as Gerald O’Hara
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, as Diz Moore
It’s a Wonderful Life, as Uncle Bill Bailey
Also look for him in: Theodora Goes Wild, as Jed Waterbury, Lost Horizon, as Barnard, Make Way for Tomorrow, as George Cooper, The Hurricane, as Dr. Kersaint, Only Angels Have Wings, as Kid Dabb, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1940) as Clopin, Our Town, as Dr. Gibbs, The Long Voyage Home, as Driscoll, The Outlaw, as Pat Garrett, The Keys of the Kingdom, as Willie Tulloch, High Noon, as Mayor Jonas Henderson, Pocketful of Miracles, as Judge Henry G. Blake.
Jay Mohr
Where you know him from:
Jerry Maguire, as Bob Sugar
Suicide Kings, as Brett Cambell
Also look for him in: Picture Perfect, as Nick, Small Soldiers, as Larry Benson, Jane Austen’s Mafia!, as Tony Cortino, Go, as Zack, Pay it Forward, as Chris Chandler, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, as Tony Francis, S1m0ne, as Hal Sinclair, Are We There Yet?, as Marty, Even Money, as Augie, The Groomsmen, as Cousin Mike, Street Kings, as Mike Clady, Ghost Whisperer, as Professor Rick Payne, Hereafter, as Billy.
Gretchen Mol
Where you know her from:
Rounders, as Jo
The Notorious Bettie Page, as Bettie Page
The Thirteenth Floor, as Jane Fuller/Natasha Molinaro
Boardwalk Empire, as Gillian Darmody
Also look for her in: The Funeral, as Helen, Donnie Brasco, as Sonny’s Girlfriend, Music from Another Room, as Anna, New Rose Hotel, as Hiroshi’s Wife, Celebrity, as Becky, Cradle Will Rock, as Marion Davies, Sweet and Lowdown, as Ellie, Just Looking, as Hedy Coletti, The Shape of Things, as Jenny, Puccini for Beginners, as Grace, The Ten, as Gloria Jennings, 3:10 to Yuma, as Alice Evans, An American Affair, as Catherine Caswell.
Alfred Molina
Where you know him from:
Boogie Nights, as Rahad Jackson
Spider-Man, as Dr. Otto Octavius/Doc Ock
The Da Vinci Code, as Bishop Aringarosa
Also look for him in: Raiders of the Lost Ark, as Satipo, Enchanted April, as Mellersh Wilkins, Dead Man, as Trading Post Missionary, Species, as Dr. Stephen Arden, Dudley Do-Right, as Snidely Whiplash, Magnolia, as Solomon Solomon, Chocolat, as Comt de Reynaud, Frida, as Diego Rivera, Identity, as Dr. Malick, The Hoax, as Dick Suskind, An Education, as Jack Mellor, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, as Sheik Amar, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, as Maxim Horvath, The Tempest, as Stephano.
Victor Moore
Where you know him from:
Swing Time, as Pop Cardetti
Make Way for Tomorrow, as Barkley Cooper
We’re Not Married!, as Justice of the Peace Melvin Bush
Also look for him in: Gold Diggers of 1937, as J.J. Hobart, Louisiana Purchase, as Sen. Oliver P. Loganberry, Star Spangled Rhythm, as William “Bronco Billy” Webster, Ziegfeld Follies, as Lawyer’s Client in “Pay the Two Dollars,” On Our Merry Way, as Ashton Carrington, The Seven Year Itch, as Plumber.
Agnes Moorehead
She’s legit one of my favorite actors or actresses of all time. Not character actor, just actor in general.
Where you know her from:
Most people would know her as Endora on “Bewitched.” But she’s done so much more than that on film. She’s one of those actresses who could play just about any race or ethnicity and pull it off convincingly.
Citizen Kane, as Mary Kane, Charles’s mother. (Remember her sitting there at the table, stone-faced, as she gives her son away to Mr. Thatcher?)
The Magnificent Ambersons, as Aunt Fanny.
Dragon Seed, as Third Cousin’s Wife. (Convincingly playing Asian. Better than Katharine Hepburn did, anyway.)
The Seventh Cross, as Madame Marelli. (Italian owner of a dress shop. The same year as Dragon Seed.)
Mrs. Parkington, as Baroness Aspasia Conti. (French baroness. Same year as those other two. Awesome, right?)
Dark Passage, as Madge. (This is the film that’s shot almost entirely from Bogart’s POV. Also, spoiler alert, she plays the woman who did it.)
Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte, as Velma. (She’s Bette Davis’s caretaker.)
Also look for her in: Johnny Belinda, as Aunt Aggie. All That Heaven Allows and Magnificent Obsession, as one of the society friends of Jane Wyman. Jane Eyre (1943, the Orson Welles version), as Mrs. Reed, Jane’s caretaker.
Just watching her in these performances, you see just how versatile an actress she was, and how (rightfully so) she didn’t like being marginalized by Bewitched. She also, and this is some nice trivia, was one of the few actresses who had it in her contract that she had total rights to do whatever form of radio play that she wished (she was so good at them and respected for doing them, studios allowed her to do whatever she wanted), which was practically unheard of at the time.
Frank Morgan
Where you know him from:
The Wizard of Oz, as The Wizard of Oz/Professor Marvel/The Gatekeeper/The Carriage Driver/The Guard
You don’t know him from anywhere else. You know him from there and then saw him in all these other things:
Also look for him in: The Affairs of Cellini, as Alessandro, Duke of Florence (he’s awesome in this), Naughty Marietta, as Gov. Gaspar d’Annard, The Great Ziegfeld, as Billings, The Shop Around the Corner, as Hugo Matuschek, Broadway Melody of 1940, as Bob Casey, Tortilla Flat, as The Pirate, The Human Comedy, as Willy Grogan.
Harry Morgan
Where you know him from:
M*A*S*H, as Colonel Sherman T. Potter
The Ox-Bow Incident, as Art Croft
High Noon, as Sam Fuller
Inherit the Wind, as Judge Mel Coffey
The Glenn Miller Story, as Chummy MacGregor
Also look for him in: The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe, as Ebeneezer Burling, Wing and a Prayer, as Ens. Malcolm Brainard, State Fair, as Barker, Dragonwyck, as Klaas Bleecker, The Big Clock, as Bill Womack, Yellow Sky, as Half Pint, The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend, as Hoodlum, Holiday Affair, as Police Lieutenant, Dark City, as Soldier, The Blue Veil, as Charles Hall, Boots Malone, as Quarter Horse Henry, Bend of the River, as Shorty, What Price Glory, as Sgt. Moran, Big Jim McLain, as Narrator, Torch Song, as Joe Denner, The Far Country, as Ketchum, Strategic Air Command, as Sgt. Bible (flight engineer), Not as a Stranger, as Oley, The Teahouse of the August Moon, as Sgt. Gregovich, Cimarron, as Jessie Rickey (printer), How the West Was Won, as Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?, as Major Pott, Support Your Local Sheriff!, as Olly Perkins, Support Your Local Gunfighter, as Taylor, The Apple Dumpling Gang, as Homer McCoy, The Shootist, as Marshall Thibido, Dragnet (& Dragnet 1967), as Captain Bill Gannon.
Cathy Moriarty
Where you know her from:
Raging Bull, as Vickie La Motta
Analyze That, as Patti LoPresti
Casper, as Carrigan Crittenden
Also look for her in: Neighbors, as Ramona, Kindergarten Cop, as Sylvester’s Mother, Soapdish, as Montana Moorehead/Nurse Nan, The Mambo Kings, as Lanna Lake, The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag, as Reba Bush, Another Stakeout, as Lu Delano, Forget Paris, as Lois, Cop Land, as Rose Donlan, Crazy in Alabama, as Earlene Bullis, The Bounty Hunter, as Irene.
David Morse
Where you know him from:
The Rock, as Major John Baxter
The Green Mile, as Brutus Howell
House, M.D., as Michael Tritter
Disturbia, as Mr. Turner
John Adams, as George Washington
Also look for him in: Inside Moves, as Jerry Maxwell, The Indian Runner, as Joe Roberts, The Crossing Guard, as John Booth, Twelve Monkeys, as Dr. Peters, The Long Kiss Goodnight, as Luke/Daedalus, Contact, as Ted Arroway, The Negotiator, as Adam Beck, Dancer in the Dark, as Bill Houston, Bait, as Edgar Clenteen, Proof of Life, as Peter Bowman, Hearts in Atlantis, as Adult Bobby Garfield, Hack, as Mike Olshansky, 16 Blocks, as Det. Frank Nugent, The Hurt Locker, as Colonel Reed, Passengers, as Arkin, Drive Angry, as Webster.
Glenn Morshower
The go-to military officer of the 21st century
Where you know him from:
Transformers, as Colonel Sharp (& Revenge of the Fallen & Dark of the Moon)
Black Hawk Down, as Matthews
X-Men: First Class, as Colonel Hendry
Also look for him in: Under Siege, as Ens. Taylor, In the Army Now, as Richard Day, Recruiting Sergeant, Star Trek: Generations, as Enterprise-B Conn Officer, Air Force One, as Agent Walters, Godzilla, as Kyle Terrington, Pearl Harbor, as RAdm. “Bull” Halsey Jr., Blood Work, as Captain, Hostage, as Lt. Leifitz, The Island, as Medical Courier, Good Night, and Good Luck, as Colonel Anderson, All the King’s Men, as Commissioner, Delta Farce, as General, The Men Who Stare at Goats, as Major General Holtz, Moneyball, as Ron Hopkins.
Emily Mortimer
Where you know her from:
Match Point, as Chloe Hewitt Wilson
Shutter Island, as Rachel 1
Formula 51, as Dakota Parker
Also look for her in: Elizabeth, as Kat Ashley, Scream 3, as Angelina Tyler, Bright Young Things, as Nina Blount, Dear Frankie, as Lizzy, The Pink Panther (2006), as Nicole Durant, Lars and the Real Girl, as Karin, Chaos Theory, as Susan, Transsiberian, as Jessie, Harry Brown, as D.I. Alice Frampton, Our Idiot Brother, as Liz, Cars 2, as Holly Shiftwell, Hugo, as Lisette.
Amy Morton
Where you know her from:
Rookie of the Year, as Mary Rowengartner
Up in the Air, as Kara Bingham
Also look for her in: Falling Down, as Mom at Back Yard, 8MM, as Janet Matthews, The Greatest, as Lydia, The Dilemma, as Diane Popovich.
Samantha Morton
Where you know her from:
In America, as Sarah
Minority Report, as Agatha
Sweet and Lowdown, as Hattie
Also look for her in: The Libertine, as Elizabeth Barry, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, as Mary Stuart, Synecdoche, New York, as Hazel, The Messenger, as Olivia Pitterson, Cosmopolis, as Vija Kinsky, John Carter (formerly of Mars), as Sola.
Josh Mostel
Where you know him from:
Billy Madison, as Principal Max Anderson
Big Daddy, as Arthur Brooks
Rounders, as Zagosh
City Slickers & City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold, as Barry Shalowitz
Wall Street, as Ollie
Also look for him in: The King of Marvin Gardens, as Frank, Jesus Christ Superstar, as King Herod, Harry and Tonto, as Norman Coombes, Sophie’s Choice, as Morris Fink, Star 80, as Private Detective, Compromising Positions, as Dicky Dunck, The Money Pit, as Jack Schnittman, Matewan, as Cabell Testerman, Radio Days, as Abe, Little Man Tate, as Physics Professor, City of Hope, as Mad Anthony, The Chase, as Officer Figus, The Basketball Diaries, as Counterman, Great Expectations, as Jerry Ragno, The Out-of-Towners, as Dr. Faber, Knockaround Guys, as Mac McCreadle, State of Play, as Pete.
Alan Mowbray
Where you know him from:
My Darling Clementine, as Granville Thorndyke
My Man Godfrey, as Tommy Gray (Godfrey’s old friend)
Also look for him in: The House of Rothschild, as Prince Metternich, Becky Sharp, as Rawdon Crawley, Merrily We Live, as Grosvenor, the butler, That Hamilton Woman, as Sir William Hamilton, The Man Who Knew Too Much, as Val Parnell, The King and I, as Sir John Hay, Around the World in 80 Days, as Consul.
Armin Mueller-Stahl
Where you know him from:
Eastern Promises, as Semyon
Shine, as Peter
Angels & Demons, as Cardinal Strauss
Also look for him in: Music Box, as Mike Laszlo, Avalon, as Sam Krichinsky, Kafka, as Grubach, The Game, as Anson Baer, The X Files, as Conrad Strughold, The Thirteenth Floor, as Hannon Fuller/Grierson, Mission to Mars, as Ramier Beck, The International, as Wilhelm Wexler.
Peter Mullan
Where you know him from:
Children of Men, as Syd
War Horse, as Ted Narracott
Trainspotting, as Swanney
Also look for him in: Braveheart, as Veteran, Session 9, as Gordon Gleming, Young Adam, as Les Gault, Criminal, as William Hannigan, The Last Legion, as Odoacer, Boy A, as Terry, Red Riding Trilogy, as Martin Laws, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, as Death Eater Yaxley, Tyrannosaur, as Joseph.
Richard Mulligan
Where you know him from:
Little Big Man, as General George Armstrong Custer
S.O.B., as Felix Farmer
Micki + Maude, as Leo Brody
Also look for him in: Love with the Proper Stranger, as Louie, The Group, as Dick Brown, The Undefeated, as Dan Morse, Scavenger Hunt, as Marvin Dummitz, Soap, as Burt Campbell, Trail of the Pink Panther, as Clouseau’s Father, Meatballs Part II, as Coach Giddy, Teachers, as Herbert Gower, Oliver & Company, as Einstein, Empty Nest, as Dr. Harry Weston.
Cillian Murphy
Where you know him from:
28 Days Later…, as Jim
Batman Begins + The Dark Knight, as Dr. Jonathan Crane/The Scarecrow
Inception, as Robert Fischer
Sunshine, as Robert Capa
Also look for him in: Intermission, as John, Girl with a Pearl Earring, as Pieter, Cold Mountain, as Bardolph, Red Eye, as Jackson Rippner (least subtle name ever), Breakfast on Pluto, as Patrick “Kitten” Braden, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, as Damien O’Sullivan, The Edge of Love, as William Killick, Peacock, as John/Emma Skillpa, Tron: Legacy, as Edward Dillinger, In Time, as Raymond Leon.
Brian Doyle-Murray
Where you know him from:
Wayne’s World, as Noah Vanderhoff (“Come bust a move where the games are played, it’s chill, it’s fresh, it’s Noah’s Arcade.”)
Caddyshack, as Lou Loomis
Groundhog Day, as Buster
Scrooged, as Earl Cross
SpongeBob SquarePants, as Flying Dutchman
Also look for him in: Vacation, as Kamp Komfort Clerk, Sixteen Candles, as Reverend, The Razor’s Edge, as Piedmont, Legal Eagles, as Shaw, Ghostbusters II, as Psychiatrist, Christmas Vacation, as Mr. Frank Shirley, JFK, as Jack Ruby, Jury Duty, as Harry, Multiplicity, as Walt, Waiting for Guffman, as Red Savage, As Good as It Gets, as Handyman John, Doctor Dolittle, as Old Beagle, Stuart Little, as Cousin Edgar Little, Snow Dogs, as Ernie, Yes, Dear, as Mr. Savitsky, 17 Again, as Janitor, Passion Play, as Billy Berg.
Charles Napier
Where you know him from:
The Silence of the Lambs, as Lt. Bill Boyle
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, as Dick Lewiston
Philadelphia, as Judge Garnett
Also look for him in: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, as Baxter Wolfe, The Blues Brothers, as Tucker McElroy, Melvin and Howard, as Ventura, Swing Shift, as Moon Willis, Rambo: First Blood Part II, as Murdock, Married to the Mob, as Angela’s Hairdresser, Ernest Goes to Jail, as Warden, The Grifters, as Gloucester Hebbing, National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1, as Interrogator, The Cable Guy, as Aresting Officer, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, as Commander Gilmour, The Manhurian Candidate (2004) , as General Sloan, and Archer, as Dr. Spelts.
Taylor Negron
Where you know him from:
Easy Money, as Julio
Angels in the Outfield, as David Montagne
Bio-Dome, as Russell
Also look for him in: Fast Times at Ridgemont High, as Pizza Guy, Better of Dead.., as Mailman, River’s Edge, as Checker, Punchline, as Albert Emperato, The Last Boy Scout, as Milo, Spy Hard, as Painter, Stuart Little, as Salesman in Mall, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, as Gazaam & Gazing, Three Days to Vegas, as Antoine, Curb Your Enthusiasm, “The Lefty Call,” as Daviday Waiter.
Sam Neill
Where you know him from:
Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park & Jurassic Park III, as Dr. Alan Grant
The Hunt for Red October, as Captain Vasili Borodin (He’d have liked to have seen Montana.)
Also look for him in: A Cry in the Dark, as Michael Chamberlain, The Piano, as Alisdair Stewart, Event Horizon, as Dr. William Weir, The Horse Whisperer, as Robert MacLean, Bicentennial Man, as ‘Sir’ Richard Martin, The Tudors, as Cardinal Wolsey.
Craig T. Nelson
Where you know him from:
Coach, as Coach Hayden Fox
The Incredibles, as Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible
Poltergeist, as Steve Freeling
Also look for him in: …And Justice for All, as Frank Bowers, Where the Buffalo Roam, as Cop on Stand, Private Benjamin, as Capt. William Woodbridge, All the Right Moves, as Nickerson, Silkwood, as Winston, The Killing Fields, as Major Reeves, Action Jackson, as Peter Dellaplane, Turner & Hooch, as Chief Howard Hyde, Ghosts of Mississippi, as Ed Peters, The Devil’s Advocate, as Alexander Cullen, The Skulls, as Litten Mandrake, The Family Stone, as Kelly Stone, Blades of Glory, as Coach, The Proposal, as Joe Paxton, The Company Men, as James Sallinger, Parenthood, as Zeek Braverman.
Tim Blake Nelson
Where you know him from:
O Brother, Where Art Thou?, as Delmar
Also look for him in: Donnie Brasco, as FBI Technician, The Thin Red Line, as Pvt. Tills, Minority Report, as Gideon, Holes, as Dr. Pendanski, Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, as Jacobo, Meet the Fockers, as Officer LeFlore, The Amateurs, as Barney Macklehatton, The Big White, as Gary, Syriana, as Danny Dalton, Fido, as Mr. Theopolis, The Astronaut Farmer, as Kevin Munchak, The Incredible Hulk, as Samuel Sterns, Leaves of Grass (which he also directed), as Bolger.
Bill Nighy
Where you know him from:
Love Actually, as Billy Mack
Pirates of the Caribbean, as Davy Jones
Shaun of the Dead, as Philip
Also look for him in: Still Crazy, as Ray Simms, Underworld (and all its sequels), as Viktor, Pokémon, as Shiftry (I shit you not. He did this), The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, as Slartibartfast, The Constant Gardner, as Sir Bernard Pellegrin, Notes on a Scandal, as Richard Hart, Hot Fuzz, as Met Chief Inspector, Valkyrie, as General Olbricht, G-Force, as Saber, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, as Rufus Scrimgeour, Rango, as Rattlesnake Jake. He’s also gonna be playing Kuato in the Total Recallremake. How awesome is that?
Alessandro Nivola
Where you know him from:
Face/Off, as Pollux Troy
Junebug, as George
Also look for him in: Inventing the Abbotts, as Peter Vanlaningham, Jurassic Park III, as Billy Brennan, Laurel Canyon, as Ian McKnight, Grace is Gone, as John Phillips, The Eye, as Dr. Paul Faulkner, $5 a Day, as Ritchie Flynn Parker, Coco Before Chanel, as Arthur “Boy” Capel, Howl, as Luther Nichols.
Tom Noonan
Where you know him from:
Manhunter, as Francis Dollarhyde (aka the role Ralph Fiennes played in Red Dragon)
Heat, as Kelso
Knockaround Guys, as Sheriff Decker (This is where I first noticed him.)
Synecdoche, New York, as Sammmy Barnathan
Also look for him in: Heaven’s Gate, as Jake, Easy Money, as Paddy, The Monster Squad, as Frankenstein, RoboCop 2, as Cain, Last Action Hero, as Ripper/Himself, The Astronaut’s Wife, as Jackson McLaren, The Pledge, as Gary Jackson, Seraphim Falls, as Minister Abraham, Damages, as Detective Victor Huntley.
Bill Nunn
Where you know him from:
Do the Right Thing, as Radio Raheem
Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3, as Joseph “Robbie” Robertson
Runaway Jury, as Lonnie Shaver
Also look for him in: School Daze, as Grady, New Jack City, as Duh Duh Duh Man, Regarding Henry, as Physical Therapist, Sister Act, as Lt. Eddie Souther, National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1, as Police Photographer, The Last Seduction, as Harlan, Canadian Bacon, as Kabral, Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead, as Easy Wind, Bulletproof, as Finch, Mad City, as Cliff Williams, Idlewild, as GW.
Simon Oakland
Where you know him from:
West Side Story, as Schrank
Psycho, as Dr. Fred Richman
Bullitt, as Captain Bennet
Also look for him in: The Brothers Karamazov, as Mavrayek, I Want to Live!, as Ed Mongomery, The Rise of and Fall of Legs Diamond, as Lt. Moody, Who Was That Lady?, as Belka, Murder, Inc., as Tobin, Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man, as Joe Boulton, The Sand Pebbles, as Stawski, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, as Dr. Conrad Fuller, Emperor of the North, as Policeman.
Edmond O’Brien
This is one of my favorite character actors of all time. Oh man, he’s had some great roles.
Where you know him from:
The Girl Can’t Help It, as Fats Murdock (“One rock! Two rock!…”)
The Killers (1946), as Jim Reardon
D.O.A., as Frank Bigelow
The Wild Bunch, as Freddie Sykes
Also look for him in: A Double Life, as Bill Friend, White Heat, as Hank Fallon/Vic Pardo, The Greatest Show on Earth, as Midway Barker at End, Julius Caesar, as Casca, The Barefoot Contessa, as Oscar Muldoon, Pete Kelly’s Blues, as Fran McCarg, 1984 (1956), as Winston Smith, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, as Dutton Peabody, Birdman of Alcatraz, as Tom E. Gaddis, The Longest Yard, as Gen. Raymond D. Barton, Seven Days in May, as Sen. Raymond Clark, Fantastic Voyage, as General Carter.
Arthur O’Connell
Where you know him from:
Anatomy of a Murder, as Parnell Emmett McCarthy
The Poseidon Adventure, as Chaplain.
Picnic, as Howard Bevans
Also look for him in: Citizen Kane, as Reporter, The Naked City, as Sgt. Shaeffer, Force of Evil, as Link Hall, The Solid Gold Cadillac, as Mark Jenkins, Bus Stop, as Virgil Blessing, Gidget, as Russell Lawrence, Operation Petticoat, as Chief Mechinist’s Mate Sam Tostin, Pocketful of Miracles, as Count Alfonso Romero, The Great Race, as Henry Goodbody, Fantastic Voyage, as Col. Donald Reid, There Was a Crooked Man…, as Mr. Lomax.
Kevin J. O’Connor
Where you know him from:
The Mummy, as Beni
There Will Be Blood, as Henry
Peggy Sue Got Married, as Michael Fitzsimmons
Also look for him in: Steel Magnolias, as Sammy Desoto, Hero, as Chucky, Canadian Bacon, as Roy Boy, Virtuosity, as Clyde Reilly, Chill Factor, as Telstar, Van Helsing, as Igor, Seraphim Falls, as Henry, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, as Dr. Mindbender.
Una O’Connor
Where you know her from:
Bride of Frankenstein, as Minnie,
The Adventures of Robin Hood, as Bess
Witness for the Prosecution, as Janet
The Informer, as Mrs. McPhillip
Also look for her in: Cavalcade, as Ellen Bridges, The Invisible Man, as Jenny Hall, The Barretts of Wimpole Street, as Wilson, David Copperfield, as Mrs. Gummidge, The Sea Hawk, as Miss Latham, Random Harvest, as Tobacconist, Forever and a Day, as Mrs. Caroline Ismay, The Bells of St. Mary’s, as Mrs. Breen, Of Human Bondage (1946), as Mrs. Foreman.
Catherine O’Hara
Where you know her from:
Home Alone & Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, as Kate McCallister
Beetle Juice, as Delia Deetz
Waiting for Guffman, as Shelia Albertson
Best in Show, as Cookie Fleck
A Mighty Wind, as Mickey Crabbe
For Your Consideration, as Marilyn Hack
Also look for her in: Heartburn, as Betty, Dick Tracy, as Texie Garcia, The Nightmare Before Christmas, as Sally/Shock, The Paper, as Susan, Wyatt Earp, as Allie Earp, Orange County, as Cindy Beugler, Surviving Christmas, as Christine Valco, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, as Justice Strauss, Game 6, as Lillian Rogan, Penelope, as Jessica Wilhern, Away We Go, as Gloria Farlander, Curb Your Enthusiasm, “Funkhauser’s Crazy Sister,” as Bam Bam, Where the Wild Things Are, as Judith, Killers, as Mrs. Kornfeldt.
David O’Hara
Where you know him from:
The Departed, as Fitzy
Wanted, as Mr. X
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, as Albert Runcorn
Also look for him in: Braveheart, as Stephen, The Devil’s Own, as Martin MacDuff, Made, as The Welshman, Hotel Rwanda, as David, Tristan & Isolde, as Donnchadh, The Tudors, as Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, Cowboys & Aliens, as Pat Dolan.
Michael O’Keefe
Where you know him from:
Caddyshack, as Danny Noonan (“Nnnooonan!”)
The Great Santini, as Ben Meechum
Also look for him in: Ironweed, as Billy Phelan, Ghosts of Mississippi, as Merrida Coxwell, The Pledge, as Duane Larson, The Glass House ,as Dave Baker, The Hot Chick ,as Richie, Michael Clayron, sa Barry Grissom, Frozen River, as Trooper Finnerty.
Mike O’Malley
Where you know him from:
Nickelodeon Guts, as the house (“D-D-Do you have it?”)
Glee, as Burt Hummel
Yes, Dear, as Jimmy Hughes
Also look for him in: Deep Impact, as Mike Perry, Pushing Tin, as Pete, 28 Days, as Oliver, Leatherheads, as Mickey, My Name is Earl, as Stuart, Eat Pray Love, as Andy Shiraz, Cedar Rapids, as Mike Pyle.
Ed O’Neill
Where you know him from:
Married with Children, as Al Bundy
Modern Family, as Jay Pritchett
Little Giants, as Kevin O’Shea (I love this movie so much)
Also look for him in: K-9, as Brannigan, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, as Lt. Amos, Dutch, as Dutch Dooley, Wayne’s World & Wayne’s World 2, as Glen, Mikita’s Manager, Blue Chips, as Ed, Prefontaine, as Bill Dellinger, The Bone Collector, as Detective Paulie Sellitto,Lucky Numbers, as Dick Simmons, Spartan, as Burch.
Terry O’Quinn
Where you know him from:
Lost, as John Locke
The Stepfather, as Jerry Blake
Tombstone, as Mayor John Clum
The Rocketeer, as Howard Hughes
Also look for him in: Heaven’s Gate, as Cap. Minardi, All the Right Moves, as Freeman Smith, Places in the Heart, as Buddy Kelsey, Mrs. Soffel, as Detective Buck McGovern, Silver Bullet, as Sheriff Joe Haller, Young Guns, as Alex McSween, Primal Fear, as Bud Yancy, Ghosts of Mississippi, as Judge Hilburn, Breast Men, as Hersch Lawyer, The X Files, as Darius Michaud, American Outlaws, as Rollin H. Parker – Rains’ Gopher, Old School, as Goldberg, Alias, as F.B.I. Assistant Director Kendall.
Gary Oldman
I feel like by now, especially with the first two films I’m about to put on this list, most people know Gary Oldman. But, maybe the people who mostly know him from the first two things don’t know all the amazing stuff he did in the twenty years prior to those appearances, and, if you do, you probably understand why he needs to go on this list. This man is character acting.
Where you know him from:
Harry Potter, as Sirius Black
Batman Begins, The Dark Knight & The Dark Knight Rises, as Jim Gordon
The Fifth Element, as Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg
Leon: The Professional, as Stansfield
JFK, as Lee Harvey Oswald
Also look for him in: Sid and Nancy, as Sid Vicious, Chattahoochee, as Emmett Foley, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, as Rosencrantz, State of Grace, as Jackie Flannery, Henry & June, as Pop, Dracula, as Dracula, True Romance, as Drexl Spivey, Immortal Beloved, as Ludwig van Beethoven, Murder in the First, as Milton Glenn, The Scarlet Letter, as Arthur Dimmesdale, Basquiat, as Albert Milo, Air Force One, as Ivan Korshunov, Lost in Space, as Dr. Zachary Smith/Spider Smith, The Contender, as Shelly Runyon, Hannibal, as Mason Verger, Interstate 60, as O.W. Grant, A Christmas Carol, as Bob Cratchit, Marley & Tiny Tim, The Book of Eli, as Carnegie, Red Riding Hood, as Solomon, Kung Fu Panda 2, as Shen, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, as George Smiley.
Jerry Orbach
Where you know him from:
Dirty Dancing, as Dr. Jake Houseman
Beauty and the Beast, as Lumiere
Law and Order, as Detective Lennie Briscoe
Also look for him in: Brewster’s Millions, as Charley Pegler, Crimes and Misdemeanors, as Jack Rosenthal, Universal Soldier, as Dr. Christopher Gregor, Mr. Saturday Night, as Phil Gussman,
Leland Orser
I feel like he’s a guy that most people wouldn’t really know, but you’ve probably seen his name in credits a bunch of times. That’s how I first noticed him. He has such a unique name, and then you see it pop up a bunch, and are like, “Oh, I know that guy!” Which, after all, is the point of the list, right?
Where you know him from:
Confidence, as Lionel Dolby
Very Bad Things, as Charles Moore
The Bone Collector, as Richard Thompson
Also look for him in: Se7en, as Crazed MAn in Massage Parlor, Independence Day, as Tech/Medical Assistant #1, Escape from L.A., as Test Tube, Alien: Resurrection, as Larry Purvis, Saving Private Ryan, as Lt. DeWindt, Pearl Harbor, as Major Jackson, Daredevil, as Wesley Owen Welch, Runaway Jury, as Lamb, Twisted, as Edmund Cutler, The Good German, as Bernie, Taken, as Sam, ER, as Dr. Lucien Dubenko.
John Ortiz
Where you know him from:
Miami Vice, as Jose Yero
American Gangster, as Javier J. Rivera
Fast & Furious, as Campos
Also look for him in: Carlito’s Way, as Guajiro, Sgt. Bilko, as Spc. Luis Clemente, Ransom, as Roberto, Amistad, as Montes, Before Night Falls, as Juann Abreau, Narc, as Octavio Ruiz, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, as Morales, Pride and Glory, as Ruben Santiago, Public Enemies, as Phil D’Andrea, Jack Goes Boating, as Clyde.
Eugene Pallette
Where you know him from:
The Adventures of Robin Hood, as Friar Tuck. (That sword fight on the bridge — yeah, that’s him.)
My Man Godfrey, as Alexander Bullock. (The put-upon patriarch of the family.)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, as Chick McGann. (Aide to Senator Paine.)
The Lady Eve, as Charles Pike. (Henry Fonda’s father.)
Heaven Can Wait (1943) as Mr. Strabel (Gene Tierney’s father, who has that great conversation with his wife through their butler in one scene.)
The Gang’s All Here, as Mr. Mason. (Him showing up in the “floating heads” sequence of “A Journey to a Star” is the highlight of an otherwise batshit insane Busby Berkeley number.)
Also look for him in: Shanghai Express, as Sam Salt, Topper, as Casey.
You know this man’s voice. Trust me. (That’s from Heaven Can Wait, by the way.)
Chazz Palminteri
Where you know him from:
A Bronx Tale, as Sonny LoSpecchio
The Usual Suspects, as Dave Kujan, US Customs
Bullets Over Broadway, as Cheech
Also look for him in: The Last Dragon, as Hood #2, Oscar, as Connie, Diabolique, as Guy Baran, Hurlyburly, as Phil, A Night at the Roxbury, as Benny Zadir, Analyze This, as Primo Sidone, Stuart Little, as Smokey, the Chief Alley-Cat, Down to Earth, as King, Poolhall Junkies, as Joe, Hoodwinked!, as Woolworth, In the Mix, as Frank, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, as Monty, Running Scared, as Detective Rydell, Arthur and the Invisibles, as The Travel Agent.
Joe Pantoliano
Where you know him from:
The Matrix, as Cypher
Memento, as Teddy Gammell
Bad Boys & Bad Boys II, as Captain Howard
Midnight Run, as Eddie Moscone
The Sopranos, as Ralph Cifaretto
Also look for him in: The Idolmaker, as Dino Pilato, Risky Business, as Guido, Eddie and the Cruisers, as Doc Robbins, The Goonies, as Francis, La Bamba, as Bob Keane, Empire of the Sun, as Frank Demarest, Used People, as Frank, The Fugitive & U.S. Marshals, as Cosmo Renfro, Baby’s Day Out, as Norby, Congo, as Eddie Ventro, Bound, as Caesar, Ready to Rumble, as Titus Sinclair, Grand Theft Auto 3, as Luigi Goterelli, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, as Mogan, Daredevil, as Ben Urich, The Amateurs, as Some Idiot, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, as Gabe Ugliano.
Michael Parks
Where you know him from:
From Dusk Till Dawn, as Sheriff Earl McGraw (and also in Kill Bill and Grindhouse, both Planet Terror and Death Proof)
Kill Bill, Vol. 2, as Esteben Vihaio (He plays both Earl McGraw and Esteben Vihaio in the film. That’s doubly awesome.)
Twin Peaks, as Jean Renault
Red State, as Abin Cooper
I assume 90% of the world doesn’t know who this man is outside of Earl McGraw. Which is a shame. He’s pretty awesome.
Also look for him in: The Bible: In the Beginning…, as Adam, Then Came Bronson, as Bronson, The Return of Josey Wales, as Josey Wales, Death Wish V: The Face of Death, as Tommy O’Shea, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, as Henry Craig.
Mandy Patinkin
Where you know him from:
The Princess Bride, as Inigo Montoya
Also look for him in: Ragtime, as Tateh, Yentl, as Avigdor, Castle in the Sky, as Louis, Dick Tracy, as 88 Keys, True Colors, as John Palmeri, Life with Mikey, as Irate Man, Chicago Hope, as Dr. Jeffrey Geiger, Crminal Minds, as Jason Gideon, Homeland, as Saul Berenson.
Will Patton
Where you know him from:
Remember the Titans, as Coach Bill Yoast
Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), as Atlee Jackson
Armageddon, as Chick
Also look for him in: Silkwood, as Joe, Desperately Seeking Susan, as Wayne Nolan, After Hours, as Horst, No Way Out, as Scott Pritchard, The Client, as Sergeant Hardy, Inventing the Abbotts, as Lloyd Abbott, The Postman, as General Bethlehem, Entrapment, as Hector Cruz, The Mothman Prophecies, as Gordon Smallwood, The Punisher, as Quentin Glass, A Mighty Heart, as Randall Bennett, Wendy and Lucy, as Mechanic, Brooklyn’s Finest, as Lt. Bill Hobarts, Meek’s Cutoff ,as Soloman Tetherow.
Robert Patrick
Where you know him from:
Terminator 2: Judgment Day, as T-1000 (also, he has a cameo in Wayne’s World and Last Action Hero, playing the same part)
Also look for him in: Die Hard 2, as O’Reilly, Double Dragon, as KogoShuko/Guisman, Striptease, as Darrell Grant, Cop Land, as Jack Rucker, The Faculty, as Coach Willis, Spy Kids, as Mr. Lisp, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, as Ray Carter, Ladder 49, as Lenny Richter, Walk the Line, as Ray Cash, Firewall, as Gary Mitchell, The Marine, as Rome, Flags of Our Fathers, as Colonel Chandler Johnson, We Are Marshall, as Coach Rick Tolley, Bridge to Terabithia, as Jack Aarons, Balls of Fury, as Sgt. Pete Daytona.
Bill Paxton
Where you know him from:
Aliens, as Hudson
Apollo 13, as Fred Haise
Twister, as Bill Harding
Tombstone, as Morgan Earp
Big Love, as Bill Henrickson
Also look for him in: Stripes, as Soldier, Streets of Fire, as Clyde the Bartender, The Terminator, as Punk Leader, Weird Science, as Chet Donnelly, Commando, as Inept Officer, Predator 2, as Jerry Lambert, True Lies, as Simon, Titanic, as Brock Lovett, A Simple Plan, as Hank, Mighty Joe Young, as Professor Gregg O’Hara, U-571, as Lr. Cmdr. Mike Dahlgren, Vertical Limit, as Elliot Vaughn (fucking love this movie), Frailty, as Dad Melks, Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams & Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, as Dinky Winks, Club Dread, as Coconut Pete, Thunderbirds, as Jeff Tracy.
David Paymer
Where you know him from:
Payback, as Arthur Stegman
Get Shorty, as Leo Devoe
Quiz Show, as Dan Enright
Also look for him in: The In-Laws, as Cab Driver, Airplane II: The Sequel, as Court Photographer, Howard the Duck, as Larry, Scientist, No Holds Barred, as Unger, City Slickers & City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold, as Ira Shalowitz, Mr. Saturday Night, as Stan, Searching for Bobby Fischer, as Kalev, The American President, as Leon Kodak, Nixon, as Ron Zeigler, City Hall, as Abe Goodman, Carpool, as Daniel Miller, Amistad, as Secretary John Forsyth, Mighty Joe Young, as Harry Ruben, Chill Factor, as Dr. Richard Long, The Hurricane, as Myron Bedlock, State and Main, as Marty Rossen, Bait, as Agent Wolly, In Good Company, as Morty, Ocean’s Thirteen, as The V.U.P., Drag Me to Hell, as Mr. Jacks, Bad Teacher, as Dr. Vogel.
Guy Pearce
Where you know him from:
L.A. Confidential, as Edmund J. Exley
Memento, as Leonard Shelby
Also look for him in: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, as Adam/Felicia, Rules of Engagement, as Maj. Mark Biggs, The Count of Monte Cristo, as Fernand Mondego, The Time Machine, as Alexander Hartdegen, The Proposition, as Charlie Burns, Factory Girl, as Andy Warhol, Death Defying Acts, as Harry Houdini, Traitor, as Roy Clayton, The Hurt Locker, as Staff Sergeant Matt Thompson, Bedtime Stories, as Kendall, The Road, as Veteran, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, as Alex, Animal Kingdom, as Sgt. Nathan Leckie, The King’s Speech, as King Edward VIII, Mildred Pierce, as Monty Beragon.
Michael Peña
Where you know him from:
Crash, as Daniel
Million Dollar Baby, as Omar,
World Trade Center, as Will Jimeno
Also look for him in: Gone in 60 Seconds, as Ignacio, Buffalo Soldiers, as Garcia, The United States of Leland, as Guillermo, The Shield, as Det. Armando Renta, Babel, as John – Border Patrol, Shooter, as Nick Memphis, Lions for Lambs, as Ernest Rodriguez, The Lucky Ones, as TK, Observe and Report, as Dennia, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done, as Detective Vargas, Everything Must Go, as Frank Garcia, Battle Los Angeles, as Joe Rincon, The Lincoln Lawyer, as Jesus Martinez, 30 Minutes or Less, as Chango, Tower Heist, as Rick Malloy.
Austin Pendleton
Where you know him from:
My Cousin Vinny, as John Gibbons (the stuttering court-appointed lawyer)
Short Circuit, as Howard Marner
A Beautiful Mind, as Thomas King
Also look for him in: Catch-22, as Lt. Col. Moodus, What’s Up, Doc?, as Frederick Larrabee, The Front Page (1974), as Earl Williams, The Muppet Movie, as Max, Starting Over, as Paul, Mr. Nanny, as Alex Mason Sr., Searching for Bobby Fischer, as Asa Hoffman, Guarding Tess, as Earl Fowler, Home for the Holidays, as Peter Arnold, Sgt. Bilko, as Maj. Ebersole, The Mirror Has Two Faces, as Barry, Amistad, as Professor Gibbs, Finding Nemo, as Gurgle, Uptown Girls, as Mr. McConkey, Christmas with the Cranks (because haven’t we seen all this masterpiece?), as Umbrella Santa/Marty, The Notorious Betty Page, as Teacher, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, as Dr. Masters.
Nat Pendleton
Where you know him from:
The Thin Man & Another Thin Man as Inpsector Guild
The Great Ziegfeld, as Sandow the Strong Man
Buck Privates, as Sgt. Collins
Also look for him in: The Big Pond, as Pat O’Day, The Sign of the Cross, as Strabo, Lady for a Day, as Shakespeare, Penthouse, as Tony Gazotti, Manhattan Melodrama, as Spud, and he was also in a bunch of Dr. Kildare films from the 30s and 40s (and even the Dr. Gillespie films, after Lew Ayres left and it was just Lionel Barrymore), as Joe Wayman (ambulance driver).
Chris Penn
Where you know him from:
Reservoir Dogs, as Nice Guy Eddie Cabot
True Romance, as Nicky Dimes
Rush Hour, as Clive
Corky Romano, as Peter Romano
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, as Officer Eddie Pulaski
Also look for him in: Rumble Fish, as B.J. Jackson, All the Right Moves, as Brian, Footloose, as Willard Hewitt, Pale Rider, as Josh LaHood, At Close Range, as Tommy Whitewood, Mobsters, as Tommy Reina, Short Cuts, as Jerry Kaiser, Beethoven’s 2nd, as Floyd, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, as Sheriff Dollard, Mulholland Falls, as Arthur Relyea, The Funeral, as Chaz, Murder by Numbers, as Roy Feathers, Masked and Anonymous, as Crew Guy #2, Starsky & Hutch, as Manetti, After the Sunset, as Rowdy Fan, The Darwin Awards, as Tom.
Barry Pepper
Where you know him from:
Saving Private Ryan, as Pvt. Daniel Jackson (the sniper)
25th Hour, as Frank Slaughtery
True Grit (2010), as Lucky Ned Pepper
The Green Mile, as Dean Stanton
Also look for him in: Enemy of the State, as David Pratt, Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000, as Jonnie Goodboy Tyler, Knockaround Guys, as Matty Demaret, We Were Soldiers, as Joe Galloway, The Snow Walker, as Charlie Halliday, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, as Mike Norton, Ripley Under Ground, as Tom Ripley, Flags of Our Fathers, as Mike Strank, Seven Pounds, as Dan, Casino Jack, as Michael Scanlon.
Rosie Perez
Where you know her from:
Do the Right Thing, as Tina
White Men Can’t Jump, as Gloria Clemente
Fearless, as Carla Rodrigo
Pineapple Express, as Carol/Female Cop
Also look for her in: Untamed Heart, as Cindy, It Could Happen to You, as Muriel Lang, Somebody to Love, as Mercedes, The Road to El Dorado, as Chel, Human Nature, as Louise, Riding in Cars with Boys, as Shirley Perro, The Take, as Marina De La Pena, Go Diego Go, as Click, the Camera, Small Apartments, as Ms. Baker, Gods Behaving Badly, as Persephone.
Ron Perlman
Where you know him from:
Hellboy & Hellboy II: The Golden Army, as Hellboy
Sons of Anarchy, as Clay Morrow
I’d have to say that’s where about 90% of everyone who knows him knows him from.
Also look for him in: Quest for Fire, as Amoukar, The Name of the Rose, as Salvatore, Cronos, as Angel de la Guardia, Police Academy: Mission to Moscow, as Konstantine Konali, The Island of Dr. Moreau, as Sayer of the Law, Alien: Resurrection, as Johner, Hey Arnold!, as Mickey Kaline (I must be one of like three people who will ever remember that specific character), Titan A.E., as Professor Sam Tucker, Enemy at the Gates, as Koulikov, Blade II, as Reinhardt, Star Trek: Nemesis, as Reman Viceroy Vkruk, Season of the Witch, as Felson, Drive, as Nino, Archer, as Ramon Limon.
Joe Pesci
Where you know him from:
Goodfellas, as Tommy DeVito
Raging Bull, as Joey LaMotta
Casino, as Nicky Santoro
Home Alone & Home Alone II: Lost in New York, as Harry
My Cousin Vinny, as Vincent Gambini
Moonwalker, as Mr. Big
Lethal Weapon 2, 3 & 4, as Leo Getz
Also look for him in: Eureka, as Mayakofsky, Easy Money, as Nickey Cerone, Once Upon a Time in America, as Fankie Manoldi, Man on Fire (1987), as David, The Super, as Louie Kritski, JFK, as David Ferrie, A Bronx Tale, as Carmine, With Honors, as Simon Wilder, Eight Heads in a Duffel Bag, as Tommy, Gone Fishin’, as Joe Waters, The Good Shepherd, as Joseph Palmi, Love Ranch, as Charlie Bontempo.
Brock Peters
Where You Know Him From:
To Kill a Mockingbird, as Tom Robinson,
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, as Admiral Cartwright
Also look for him in: Porgy and Bess, as Crown, The L-Shaped Room, as Johnny, The Pawnbroker, as Rodriguez, Soylent Green, as Chief Hatcher
Slim Pickens
Where you know him from:
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, as Major T.J. “King” Kong
Blazing Saddles, as Tagart
Also look for him in: One-Eyed Jacks, as Deputy Lon Dedrick Major Dundee, as Wiley, Im Harm’s Way, as C.P.O. Culpepper, The Ballad of Cable Hogue, as Ben Fairchild, The Getaway, as Cowboy, Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, as Sheriff Baker, Beyond the Poseidon Adventure, as Dewey “Tex” Hopkins, 1941, as Hollis P. Wood.
This dude has the honor of playing characters named after him more so than just about anyone I’ve ever seen. I counted 16 separate instances where he plays a character named “Slim” or “Slim Pickens.”
Alison Pill
Where you know her from:
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, as Kim Pine
Milk, as Anne Kronenberg
Midnight in Paris, as Zelda Fitzgerald
Also look for her in: Pieces of April, as Beth Burns, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, as Ella, Dan in Real Life, as Jane, Goon, as Eva, The Newsroom, as Maggie Jordan.
Mary Kay Place
Where you know her from:
The Big Chill, as Meg Jones
Being John Malkovich, as Floris
Big Love, as Adaleen Grant
Also look for her in: Bound for Glory, as Sue Ann, Girl in Bar, New York, New York, as Bernice Bennett, Starting Over, as Marie, Private Benjamin, as Pvt. Mary Lou Glass, Terms of Endearment, as Doris (voice), Captain Ron, as Katherine Harvey, Citizen Ruth, as Gail Stoney, The Rainmaker, as Dot Black, Girl, Interrupted, as Barbara Gilcrest, Sweet Home Alabama, as Pearl Smooter, City of Ember, as Mrs. Murdo, Julie & Julia, as Julie’s Mom (voice), Youth in Revolt, as Mrs. Saunders, It’s Complicated, as Joanne.
Oliver Platt
Where you know him from:
2012, as Carl Anheuser
X-Men: First Class, as The Man in Black
Ready to Rumble, as Jimmy King (had to put this on here)
The Ice Harvest, as Pete Van Heuten
Also look for him in: Married to the Mob, as Ed Benitez, Working Girl, as Lutz, Flatliners, as Randy Steckle, Postcards from the Edge, as Neil Bleene, Beethoven, as Harvey, Diggstown, as Fitz, Indecent Proposal, as Jeremy, Benny & Joon, as Eric, A Time to Kill, as Harry Rex Vonner, Bulworth, as Dennis Murphy, Doctor Dolittle, as Dr. Mark Weller, Simon Birch, as Ben Goodrich, Three to Tango, as Peter Steinberg, Pieces of April, as Jim Burns, Kinsey, as Herman Wells, Frost/Nixon, as Bob Zelnick, Year One, as High Priest, Please Give, as Alex, Love and Other Drugs, as Bruce Winston.
Donald Pleasance
Now, this, this is a fucking actor.
Where you know him from:
Halloween, Halloween II, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, Halloween 5 & Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, as Dr. Sam Loomis
You Only Live Twice, as Ernst Stavro Blofeld
The Great Escape, as Flight Lt. Colin Blythe, “The Forger” (Poor son of a bitch went blind…)
Also look for him in: 1984 (1956), as R. Parsons, Sons and Lovers, as Pappleworth, The Greatest Story Ever Told, as The Dark Hermit – Satan, The Hallelujah Trail, as “Oracle” Jones, Fantastic Voyage, as Dr. Michaels, THX 1138, as SEN, Escape to Witch Mountain, as Lucas Deranian, The Last Tycoon, as Boxley, Oh, God!, as Doctor Harmon, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, as B.D. Hoffler, Escape from New York, as President, Shadows and Fog, as Doctor.
Christopher Plummer
Where you know him from:
The Sound of Music, as Captain Von Trapp
The Man Who Would Be King, as Rudyard Kipling
An American Tail, as Henri
The Insider, as Mike Wallace
Inside Man, as Arthur Case
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, as Doctor Parnassus
Up, as Charles Muntz
Also look for him in: Stage Struck, as Joe Sheridan, The Fall of the Roman Empire, as Commodus, Inside Daisy Clover, as Raymond Swan, Waterloo, as Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, The Spiral Staircase, as Dr. Joe Sherman, The Return of the Pink Panther, as Sir Charles Litton, International Velvet, as John Seaton, The Silent Partner, as Harry Reikle, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, as General Chang, Malcolm X, as Chaplain Gill, Dolores Claiborne, as Det. John Mackey, Twelve Monkeys, as Dr. Goines, Dracula 2000, as Abraham Van Helsing, A Beautiful Mind, as Dr. Rosen, Nicholas Nickelby, as Ralph Nickleby, National Treasure, as John Adams Gates, Alexander, as Aristotle, Must Love Dogs, as Bill, Syriana ,as Dean Whiting, The New World, as Captain Newport, The Lake House, as Simon Wyler, Closing the Ring, as Jack, 9, as 1, The Last Station, as Tolstoy, Beginners, as Hal Fields, Priest, as Monsignor Orelas, Barrymore, as John Barrymore, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as Henrik Vanger.
Jon Polito
Where you know him from:
Barton Fink, as Lou Breeze
Miller’s Crossing, as Johnny Caspar
The Big Lebowski, as Da Fino
Seinfeld, “The Reverse Peephole,” as Silvio (the dude who is suspicious of his wife having an affair because of Kramer’s mink coat)
Also look for him in: Highlander, as Det. Walter Bedsoe, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, as Zack, The Rocketeer, as Bigelow, The Hudsucker Proxy, as Mr. Bumstead, The Crow, as Gideon, Blankman, as Michael “The Suit” Minnelli, Bushwhacked, as Agent Palmer, Stuart Little, as Detective Sherman, The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle, as Schoentell, The Man Who Wasn’t There, as Creighton Tolliver, The Box, as Michael Dickerson, Flags of Our Fathers, as Borough President, American Gangster, as Rossi.
Kevin Pollak
Oh man, Kevin Pollak. This dude can do it all. Any time he’s in a movie, the movie is better. Always.
Where you know him from:
The Usual Suspects, as Todd Hockney
A Few Good Men, as Lt. Sam Weinberg
Casino, as Phillip Green
The Whole Nine Yards, as Janni Gogolak
Also from his stand up. Dude does great Christopher Walken and Peter Falk impressions, among many others. (Seriously though, check out those two, especially the Falk. It’s insane how good it is.)
Also look for him in: Willow, as Rool, Avalon, as Izzy Kirk, L.A. Story, as Frank, Wayne’s World II, as Jerry Segel, Grumpy Old Men & Grumpier Old Men, as Jacob Goldman, Miami Rhapsody, as Jordan Marcus, Canadian Bacon, as Stu Smiley, That Thing You Do!, as Boss Vic Koss, She’s All That, as Wayne Boggs, The Wedding Planner, as Dr. John Dojny, 3000 Miles to Graceland, as Damitry, Juwanna Mann, as Lorne Daniels, The Whole Ten Yards, as Lazlo, Hostage, as Walter Smith, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, as Cupid, Middle Men, as Curt Allmans, Cop Out, as Hunsaker, Red State, as ASAC Brooks (the epitome of the character actor role. He shows up, we all cheer, and he gets some of the biggest laughs in the film).
Parker Posey
Where you know her from:
Josey and the Pussycats, as Fiona (or is that just me?)
Best in Show, as Meg Swan
Blade: Trinity, as Danica Talos
Superman Returns, as Kitty Kowalski
Also look for her in: Coneheads, as Stephanie, Dazed and Confused, as Darla Marks, Party Girl, as Mary, Kicking and Screaming (Noah Baumbach, not the shitty Will Ferrell movie), Basquiat, as Mary Boone, Waiting for Guffman, as Libby Mae Brown, You’ve Got Mail, as Patricia Eden, Scream 3, as Jennifer Jolie, The Anniversary Party, as Judy Adams, The Sweetest Thing, as Judy Webb, A Mighty Wind, as Sissy Knox, Laws of Attraction, as Serena, The Oh in Ohio, as Priscilla Chase, For Your Consideration, as Callie Webb, Fay Grim, as Fay Grim, Broken English, as Nora Wilder.
Pete Postlethwaite
Where you know him from:
Where don’t you know him from?
The Usual Suspects, as Kobayashi
In the Name of the Father, as Giuseppe Conlon
The Town, as Fergie Colm
Inception, as Maurice Fisher
Also look for him in: Distant Voices, Still Lives, as Father, Hamlet (Zeffirelli), as Player King, Alien³, as David, The Last of the Mohicans, as Capt. Beams, James and the Giant Peach, as Old Man, DragonHeart, as Gilbert of Glockenspur, Romeo + Juliet, as Father Laurence, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, as Roland Tembo, Amistad, as Holabird, The Shipping News, as Tert Card, Dark Water, as Veeck Æon Flux, as Keeper, The Omen (2006), as Father Brennan, Closing the Ring, as Quinlan, Clash of the Titans, as Spyros.
CCH Pounder
Where you know her from:
The Shield, as Captain Claudette Wyms
Face/Off, as Dr. Hollis Miller
Avatar, as Moat
Also look for her in: All That Jazz, as Nurse Blake, Prizzi’s Honor, as Peaches Altamont, Postcards from the Edge, as Julie Marsden, Benny & Joon, as Dr. Garvey, RoboCop 3, as Bertha, ER, as Dr. Angela Hicks, End of Days, as Detective Margie Francis, Orphan, as Sister Abigail.
Clifton Powell
Where you know him from:
Next Friday & Friday After Next, as Pinky
Ray, as Jeff Brown
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, as Big Smoke
Also look for him in: 3 Ninjas, as FBI Agent Kurl, Menace II Society, as Chancy, Dead Presidents, as Cutty, Phantoms, as Gen. Leland Copperfield, Deep Rising, as Mason, Rush Hour, as Luke, Bones, as Jeremiah Peet, Never Die Alone, as Moon, Norbit, as Earl Latimore, Street Kings, as Sergeant Green, Black Dynamite: The Animated Series, as Crenshaw the Slime/Black Dynamite’s Daddy.
Harve Presnell
Where you know him from:
Fargo, as Wade Gustafson
The Unsinkable Molly Brown, as “Leadville” Johnny J. Brown
Also look for him in: Paint Your Wagon, as Rotton Luck Willie, Face/Off, as Victor Lazarro, Saving Private Ryan, as Gen. George C. Marshall, Patch Adams, as Dean Anderson, The Legend of Bagger Vance, as John Invergordon, The Family Man, as Big Ed, Mr. Deeds, as Preston Blake, Old School, as Mr. Springbrook, Flags of Our Fathers, as Dave Severance, Evan Almighty, as Congressman Burows.
Robert Prosky
Where you know him from:
Mrs. Doubtfire, as Jonathan Lundy
The Natural, as The Judge
Dead Man Walking, as Hilton Barber
Also look for him in: Thief, as Leo, Christine, as Will Darnell, Broadcast News, as Ernie Merriman, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, as Grandpa Fred, Far and Away, as Daniel Christie, Hoffa, as Billy Flynn, Last Action Hero, as Nick, Rudy, as Father Cavanaugh, Miracle on 34th Street, as Judge Henry Harper, The Scarlet Letter, as Horace Stonehall, The Chamber, as E. Garner Goodman, Mad City, as Lou Potts, Dudley Do-Right, as Inspector Fenwick, Death to Smoochy, as Network Chairman.
Jonathan Pryce
Where you know him from:
Brazil, as Sam Lowry
Pirates of the Caribbean (Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man’s Chest & At World’s End), as Governor Weatherby Swann
Tomorrow Never Dies, as Elliott Carver
Also look for him in: Voyage of the Damned, as Joseph Manasse, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, as The Right Ordinary Horatio Jackson, Glengarry Glen Ross, as James Lingk, The Age of Innocence, as Rivière, Evita, as Juan Perón, Ronin, as Seamus O’Rourke, What A Girl Wants, as Alistair Payne, De-Lovely, as Gabe, The Brothers Grimm, as Delatombe, The New World, as King James, Leatherheads, as CC Frazier, Bedtime Stories, as Marty Bronson, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, as U.S. President.
Bill Pullman
Where you know him from:
Independence Day, as President Thomas J. Whitmore (“Good evening…”)
Spaceballs, as Lone Starr
Casper, as Dr. James Harvey (Oh yeah, I went there)
Also look for him in: Ruthless People, as Ear Mott, The Accidental Tourist, as Julian, Newsies, as Bryan Denton, A League of Their Own, as Bob Hinson, Singles, as Dr. Jeffrey Jamison, Sleepless in Seattle, as Walter, Wyatt Earp, as Ed Masterson, While You Were Sleeping, as Jack Callaghan, Lost Highway, as Fred Madison, Lake Placid, as Daryl Zero, Brokedown Palace, as Hank Greene, Lucky Numbers, as Det. Pat Lakewood, Igby Goes Down, as Jason, The Grudge, as Peter, Scary Movie 4, as Henry Hale (which is funny, because it directly spoofs his scene from The Grudge), You Kill Me, as Dave, Surveillance, as Sam Hallaway, The Killer Inside Me, as Billy Boy Walter.
Randy Quaid
Where you know him from:
Independence Day, as Russell Casse
Kingpin, as Ishmael
Christmas Vacation & Vegas Vacation, as Cousin Eddie
The Last Detail, as Meadows
Also look for him in: The Last Picture Show, as Lester Marlow, Paper Moon, as Leroy, The Missouri Breaks, as Little Tod, Bound for Glory, as Luther Johnson, Migrant Worker, Midnight Express, as Jimmy Booth, Days of Thunder, as Tim Daland, Quick Change, as Loomis, The Paper, as Michael McDougal, Major League II, as Johnny (the dude who heckles them from the bleachers), Hard Rain, as Sheriff Mike Collins, The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle, as Cappy von Trapment, Not Another Teen Movie, as Mr. Briggs, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, as Bruno, Brokeback Mountain, as Joe Aguirre, The Ice Harvest, as Bill Guerrard, Goya’s Ghosts, as King Carlos IV.
John Qualen
Where you know him from:
His Girl Friday, as Earl Williams. (Convicted murderer in the rolltop desk. Yup. That’s him.)
The Grapes of Wrath, as Muley.
Casablanca, as Berger. (Laszlo’s contact.)
The Searchers, as Lars Jorgenson. (Vera Miles’s father.)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, as Peter Ericson. (Dude who owns the restaurant.)
Anatomy of a Murder, as Deputy Sheriff Sulo.
A Patch of Blue, as Mr. Faber. (The man for whom Elizabeth Hartman sells the beads.)
Arrowsmith, as Henry Novak — This is the cameo that made me want to write this article. He pops up once, for one short scene, and I was like, “Where do I know that guy’s voice from?” And then I realized, “Oh shit, Earl Williams!”
Also look for him in: Black Fury, as Mike Shemanskit, Wife vs. Secretary, as Mr. Jenkins. Knute Rockne All American, as Rockne’s father, The Devil and Daniel Webster, as Miser Stevens, Tortilla Flat, as Jose Maria Corcoran, The High and the Mighty, as Jose Locota, Elmer Gantry, as the shop owner.
Aidan Quinn
Where you know him from:
Benny & Joon, as Benjamin “Benny” Pearl
Legends of the Fall, as Alfred
Unknown, as Martin B
Also look for him in: Desperately Seeking Susan, as Dez, The Mission, as Felipe Mendoza, Stakeout, as Richard “Stick” Montgomery, Frankenstein, as Captain Robert Walton, Michael Collins, as Harry Boland, Practical Magic, as Officer Gary Hallet, Music of the Heart, as Brian Turner, Nine Lives, as Henry, Jonah Hex, as President Grant, Flipped, as Richard Baker, Weeds, as CEO.
Anthony Quinn
Where you know him from:
Lawrence of Arabia, as Auda Abu Tayi
La Strada, as Zampano
Zorba the Greek, as Alexis Zorba
The Ox-Bow Incident, as Juan Martinez
The Guns of Navarone, as Andrea
Requiem for a Heavyweight, as Louis “Mountain” Rivera
Lust for Life, as Paul Gauguin
Viva Zapata!, as Eufemio Zapata
Also look for him in: Parole!, as Zingo Browning, The Plainsman, as Cheyenne Indian, Waikiki Wedding, as Kimo, Union Pacific, as Jack Cordray, Road to Singapore, as Caesar, City for Conquest, as Murray Burns, Blood and Sand, as Manolo de Palma, They Died with Their Boots On, as Crazy Horse, Larceny Inc., as Leo Dexter, Road to Morocco, as Mullay Kasim, The Black Swan, as Wogan – Leech’s First Mate, Guadalcanal Diary, as Jesus “Soose” Alvaraz, Buffalo Bill, as Chief Yellow Hand, Back to Bataan, as Capt. Andres Bonifacio, Tycoon, as Ricky, City Beneath the Sea, as Tony Bartlett, Atilla, as Atilla, The Naked Street, as Phil Regal, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, as Quasimodo, The River’s Edge, as Ben Cameron, Wild Is the Wind, as Gino, Warlock, as Tom Morgan, Last Train from Gun Hill, as Craig Belden, Barabbas, as Barabbas, The Visit, as Serge Miller, Behold a Pale Horse, as Viñolas, A High Wind in Jamaica, as Chavez, The Shoes of the Fisherman, as Kiril Lakota, The Secret of Santa Vittoria, as Italo Bombolini, R.P.M., as Prof. F.W.J. ‘Paco’ Perez, Across 110th Street, as Capt. Mattelli, Ghosts Can’t Do It, as Scott, Jungle Fever, as Lou Carbone, Mobsters, as Don Giuseppe ‘Joe the Boss’ Masseria, Last Action Hero, as Tony Vivaldi, A Walk in the Clouds, as Don Pedro Aragon, Gotti, as Neil Dellacroce, Avenging Angelo, as Angelo Allieghieri.
Claude Rains
The father of all character actors. Walter Brennan is like the cooky grandfather, and Claude Rains is the father. This dude could do it all. I’m pretty sure there’s nobody who’s seen him in at least three of these roles that doesn’t love this man. He’s so awesome.
Where you know him from:
Casablanca, as Captain Louis Renault (who is shocked (shocked!) to find that gambling is going on here)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, as Senator Paine
The Adventures of Robin Hood, as Prince John
Here Comes Mr. Jordan, as Mr. Jordan
Also look for him in: The Invisible Man, as The Invisible Man, Anthony Adverse, as Marquis Don Luis, White Banners, as Paul Ward, Four Daughters, as Adam Lemp, Juarez, as Emperor Louis Napoleon III, The Wolf Man, as Sir John Talbot, Kings Row, as Dr. Alexander Tower, Now, Voyager, as Dr. Jaquith, Phantom of the Opera (1943), as the Phantom, Mr. Skeffington, as Mr. Skeffington, Caesar ad Cleopatra, as Caesar, Notorious, as Alexander Sebastian, The Lost World, as Prof. George Edward Challenger, Lawrence of Arabia, as Mr. Dryden, Twilight of Honor, as Art Harper, The Greatest Show on Earth, as King Herod.
Anne Ramsey
Where you know her from:
Throw Momma from the Train, as Momma (“Owen!!”)
The Goonies, as Mama Fratelli
I think those two is all you need.
Also look for her in: Any Which Way You Can, as Loretta Quince, Scrooged, as Woman in Shelter.
Michael Rappaport
Where you know him from:
True Romance, as Dick Ritchie
Planet of the Apes, as Cornelius
Deep Blue Sea, as Tom Scoggins
Also look for him in: The Basketball Diaries, as Skinhead, Kiss of Death, as Ronnie Gannon, Mighty Aphrodite, as Kevin, Cop Land, as Murray Babitch, Next Friday, as Mailman with Tax Notice, Small Time Crooks, as Denny, Men of Honor, as GM1 Snowhill, Bamboozled, as Thomas Dunwitty, Lucky Numbers, as Dale, Grand Theft Auto 3, as Joey Leone, Chappelle’s Show, as Popcopy Employee (from Episode 1, too), Hitch, as Ben, Big Fan, as Philadelphia Phil.
Basil Rathbone
Where you know him from:
The Adventures of Robin Hood, as Sir Guy
If I Were King, as King Louis XI
The Hound of the Baskervilles (and a bunch of other Holmes films), as Sherlock Holmes
Romeo and Juliet (1936), as Tybalt
Also look for him in: David Copperfield, as Mr. Murdstone, Anna Karenina, as Karenin, The Last Days of Pompeii, as Pontius Pilate, A Tale of Two Cities, as Marquis St. Eremonde, Captain Blood, as Levasseur, The Garden of Allah, as Count Ferdinand Anteon, Son of Frankenstein, as Baron Wolf von Frankenstein, The Black Cat, as Montague Hartley, We’re No Angels, as Andre Trochard.
This dude is the epitome of “scheming.” He’s awesome.
James Rebhorn
Where you know him from:
Scent of a Woman, as Mr. Trask
Independence Day, as Albert Nimzicki
The Game, as Jim Feingold
My Cousin Vinny, as George Wilbur
Seinfeld, “The Finale,” as D.A. Hoyt
Also look for him in: Silkwood, as Los Alamos Doctor, Basic Instinct, as Dr. McElwaine, White Sands, as FBI Agent Flynn, Lorenzo’s Oil, as Ellard Muscatine, Carlito’s Way, as Dist. Atty. Norwalk, Blank Check, as Fred Waters, The Talented Mr. Ripley, as Herbert Greenleaf, Meet the Parents, as Dr. Larry Banks, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, as Belcher, Far from Heaven, as Dr. Bowman, Head of State, as Sen. Bill Arnot, Cold Mountain, as Doctor, The Box, as Norm Cahill.
Vanessa Redgrave
Where you know him from:
Mission: Impossible, as Max
Atonement, as Older Briony
Blow-Up, as Jane
Julia, as Julia
Isadora, as Isadora Duncan
Also look for him in: A Man for All Seasons, as Anne Boleyn, Camelot, as Guenevere, Mary, Queen of Scots, as Mary, Queen of Scots, Murder on the Orient Express, as Mary Debenham, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, as Lola Deveraux, Agatha, as Agatha Christie, The Bostonians, as Olive Chancellor, Howards End, as Ruth Wilcox, Wilde, as Lady Speranza Wilde, Deep Impact, as Robin Lerner, Cradle Will Rock, as Countess Constance LaGrange, Girl, Interrupted, as Dr. Sonia Wick, The Pledge, as Annalise Hansen, Venus, as Valerie, Evening, as Ann Lord, Nip/Tuck, as Dr. Erica Noughton, Letters to Juliet, as Claire, The Whistleblower, as Madeleine Rees, Coriolanus, as Volumnia, Cars 2, as The Queen/Mama Topolino, Anonymous, as Queen Elizabeh I.
Peter Reigert
Where you know him from:
Animal House, as Donald Schoenstein
The Mask, as Lt. Mitch Kellaway
Bleacher Bums, as Decker (I fucking love this movie)
The Sopranos, as Ronald Zellman
Also look for him in: Local Hero, as MacIntyre, Oscar, as Aldo, Seinfeld, “The Finale” as James Kimbrough, Family Guy, “When You Wish Upon a Weinstein,” as Max Weinstein (this is the episode that got them cancelled the first time).
James Remar
Where you know him from:
48 Hrs., as Albert Ganz
Dexter, as Harry Morgan
The Girl Next Door, as Hugo Posh
Also look for him in: The Warriors, as Ajax, Cruising, as Gregory, The Cotton Club, as Dutch Schultz, The Dream Team, as Gianelli, Drugstore Cowboy, as Gentry, Renaissance Man, as Captain Tom Murdoch, Miracle on 34th Street, as Jack Duff, Psycho (Gus Van Sant remake), as Patrolman, What Lies Beneath, as Warren Feur, 2 Fast 2 Furious, as Agent Markham, Duplex, as Chick, Blade: Trinity, as Ray Cumberland, Pineapple Express, as General Bratt, Red, as Gabriel Singer, X-Men: First Class, as US General, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as Sideswipe.
Jean Reno
Where you know him from:
Leon: The Professional, as Léon
Mission: Impossible, as Franz Krieger
The Da Vinci Code, as Captain Bezu Fache
Also look for him in: La Femme Nikita, as Victor Nettoyeur, Godzilla, as Philippe Roaché, Ronin, as Vincent, Just Visiting, as Thibault, Rollerball, as Alexis Petrovich, The Pink Panther & The Pink Panther 2, as Gilbert Ponton, Flyboys, as Capt. Thenault, Couples Retreat, as Marcel, Armored, as Quinn, Margaret, as Ramon.
Anne Revere
Where you know her from:
National Velvet, as Mrs. Brown
Gentleman’s Agreement, as Mrs. Green
The Song of Bernadette, as Louise Soubirous
Also look for her in: The Keys of the Kingdom, as Agnes Fiske, The Thin Man Goes Home, as Crazy Mary, Fallen Angel, as Clara Mills, Dragonwyck, as Abigail Wells, Body and Soul, as Anna Davis, Forever Amber, as Mother Red Cap, A Place in the Sun, as Hanna Eastman, Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon, as Miss Farber.
Ving Rhames
Where you know him from:
You better know who Ving Rhames is. Or else, what are you? A Canadian?
Pulp Fiction, as Marcellus Wallace
Mission: Impossible, Mission: Impossible II, Mission: Impossible III & Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, as Luther Stickell
Bringing Out the Dead, as Marcus
Also look for him in: Casualties of War, as Lt. Reilly, Jacob’s Ladder, as George, The People Under the Stairs, as Leroy, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, as Mr. Stereo, Dave, as Duane Stevenson, Kiss of Death, as Omar, Striptease, as Shad, Con Air ,as Diamond Dog, Don King: Only in America, as Don King, Out of Sight ,as Budy Bragg, Entrapment, as Aaron Thibadeaux, Undisputed, as George “Iceman” Chambers, Dawn of the Dead, as Kenneth, Idlewild, as Spats, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, as Fred G. Duncan, The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, as Jibby Newsome, Surrogates, as The Prophet (have you seen him in this? He looks like Whoopi Goldberg. I call his character Vhoopi.), Piranha 3D & Piranha 3DD, as Deputy Fallon.
John Rhys-Davies
Where you know him from:
The Lord of the Rings, as Gimli/Treebeard
Raiders of the Lost Ark & Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, as Sallah
Also look for him in: Victor Victoria, as Andre Cassell, The Living Daylights, as General Leonid Pushin, The Great White Hype, as Johnny Windsor, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, as Viscount Mabrey, One Night with the King, as Mordechai.
Giovanni Ribisi
Where you know him from:
Saving Private Ryan, as Wade, Medic
G0ne in 60 Seconds, as Kip Raines
Boiler Room, as Seth Davis
Lost in Translation, as John
Also look for him in: That Thing You Do!, as Chad, The Other Sister, as Daniel McMann, The Gift, as Buddy Cole, Basic, as Kendall, Cold Mountain, as Junior, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, as Dex, The Flight of the Phoenix, as Elliott, The Big White, as Ted Waters, Middle Men ,as Wayne Beering, Public Enemies, as Alvin Karpis, Avatar, as Parker Selfridge, The Rum Diary, as Moberg.
Miranda Richardson
Where you know her from:
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (and also briefly in Deathly Hallows Part 1), as Rita Skeeter
The Crying Game, as Jude
Sleepy Hollow, as Lady Van Tassel/Crone
Also look for her in: Empire of the Sun, as Mrs. Victor, Enchanted April, as Rose Arbuthnot, Damage, as Ingrid Fleming, Tom & Viv, as Vivienne Haigh-Wood, The Apostle, as Toosie, Chicken Run, as Mrs. Tweedy, Get Carter, as Gloria, Spider, as Yvonne/Mrs. Cleg, The Hours, as Vanessa Bell, The Phantom of the Opera, as Madame Giry, Paris, Je T’Aime, as La femme au trench rouge (“Bastille” segment), Southland Tales, as Nana Mae Frost, Fred Claus, as Annette Claus, The Young Victoria, as Duchess of Kent, Made in Dagenham, as Barbara Castle.
Don Rickles
Where you know him from:
His amazing stand-up act that he’s been doing for over 50 years. You can check it out in the fantastic documentary Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project. You can Watch it Instantly on Netflix. Seriously. Take 90 Minutes. You won’t be disappointed. This dude is one of my top five favorite comedians (Carlin is #1. Obviously).
Toy Story, Toy Story 2 & Toy Story 3, as Mr. Potato Head
Casino, as Billy Sherbert
Also look for him in: Run Silent Run Deep, as Quartermaster 1st Class Ruby, X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes, as Crane, Muscle Beach Party, as Jack Fanny, Bikini Beach, as Big Drag, Pajama Party, as Big Bang The Martian, Beach Blanket Bingo, as Big Drop (had to include all three. The subtleties are key), Kelly’s Heroes, as SSgt. Crapgame, Dirty Work, as Mr. Hamilton.
Alan Rickman
Where you know him from:
Die Hard, as Hans Gruber
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, Deathly Hallows Part 1 & Deathly Hallows Part 2, as Severus Snape
Love Actually, as Harry
Also look for him in: The January Man, as Ed, Quigley Down Under, as Elliott Marston, Truly Madly Deeply, as Jamie, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, as Sheriff George of Nottingham, Bob Roberts, as Lukas Hart III, Sense and Sensibility, as Col. Christopher Brandon, Michael Collins, as Eamon de Valera, Judas Kiss, as Detective David Friedman, Dogma, as Metatron, Galaxy Quest, as Alexander Dane, Blow Dry, as Phil Allen, Something the Lord Made, as Dr. Alfred Blalock, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, as Marvin, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, as Antoine Richis, Nobel Son, as Eli Michaelson, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, as Judge Turpin, Alice in Wonderland, as Blue Caterpillar, Gambit, as Lionel Shahbandar.
Richard Riehle
Where you know him from:
Office Space, as Tom Smykowski
Also look for him in: Black Rain, as Crown, Glory, as Quartermaster, Fried Green Tomatoes, as Reverend Scroggins, Of Mice and Men, Carlson, Hero, as Robinson, Free Willy, as Wade, The Fugitive, as Old Guard, Jury Duty, as Principal Beasely, Casino, as Charlie Clark, Executive Decision, as Airline Marshal George Edwards, The Fan, as Shopkeeper, Ghosts of Mississippi, as Tommy Mayfield, One Eight Seven, as Walter, Mercury Rising, as Edgar Halstrom, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, as Dune Buggy Driver, Lethal Weapon 4, as INS Agent, Mighty Joe Young, as Commander Gorman, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, as Bob Bigalow, Joe Dirt, as Car Dealer, Bandits, as Larry Fife, The Hebrew Hammer, as Santa, Mysterious Skin, as Charlie, Wedding Crashers, as Funeral Guest, Halloween II, as Buddy the Night Watchman, Bridesmaids, as Bill Cozbi, Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer, as Ringmaster.
Ron Rifkin
Where you know him from:
L.A. Confidential, as D.A. Ellis Loew
The Negotiator, as Grant Frost
Alias, as Arvin Sloane
Also look for him in: The Sunshine Boys, as T.V. Floor Manager, JFK, as Mr. Goldberg/Spiesel, Husbands and Wives, as Richard, Rain’s Analyst, Manhattan Murder Mystery, as Sy, Boiler Room, as Judge Marty Davis, Keeping the Faith, as Larry Friedman, The Majestic, as Kevin Bannermann The Sum of All Fears, as Secretary of State Sidney Owens.
Rob Riggle
Where you know him from:
The Hangover, as Officer Franklin
Step Brothers, as Randy
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, as Peter Selleck
Also look for him in: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, as Jack Telmont, Unaccompanied Minors, as Head Guard Hoffman, Killers, as Henry, The Other Guys, as Martin, Going the Distance, as Ron, Larry Crowne, as Jack Strang, Big Miracle, as Dean Glowacki, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, as O’Hare, 21 Jump Street, as Mr. Walters.
Michael Rispoli
Where you know him from:
Rounders, as Grama
Death to Smoochy, as Spinner Dunn
Kick-Ass, as Big Joe
Also look for him in: While You Were Sleeping, as Joey Fusco Jr., To Die For, as Ben DeLuca, Homeward Bound 2: Lost in San Francisco, as Jack, Volcano, as Gator Harris, Snake Eyes, as Jimmy George, Summer of Sam, as Joey T, The Sopranos, as Jackie Aprile, Mr. 3000, as Boca, The Weather Man, as Russ, Invincible, as Max Cantrell, The Taking of Pelham 123, as John Johnson, The Rum Diary, as Bob Sala.
Thelma Ritter
Where you know her from:
Rear Window, as Stella
All About Eve, as Birdy
Pickup on South Street, as Moe Williams
Also look for her in: Miracle on 34th Street, as Peter’s Mother, A Letter to Three Wives,as Sadie Dugan, The Mating Season, as Ellen McNulty, With a Song in My Heart, as Clancy, Titanic (1953), as Maude Young, Daddy Long Legs, as Alicia Pritchard, Pillow Talk, as Alma, The Misfits, as Isabelle Steers, Birdman of Alcatraz, as Elizabeth Stroud, How the West Was Won, as Agatha Clegg.
Linus Roache
Where you know him from:
Batman Begins, as Thomas Wayne
Find Me Guilty, as Sean Kierney
The Wings of the Dove, as Merton Densher
Also look for him in: Hart’s War, as Capt. Peter A. Ross, The Chronicles of Riddick, as Purifier, The Forgotten, as A Friendly Man, The Namesake, as Mr. Lawson, Law & Order, as Executive A.D.A. Michael Cutter.
Jason Robards
One of the great character actors for all time. Love this man.
Where you know him from:
Once Upon a Time in the West, as Cheyenne
All the President’s Men, as Ben Bradlee
Magnolia, as Earl Partridge.
Also look for him in: Long Day’s Journey Into Night, as Jamie Tyrone, A Thousand Clowns, as Murray (great movie), A Big Hand for the Little Lady, as Henry Drummond, Any Wednesday, as John Cleves, Divorce American Style, as Nelson Downes, The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, as Al Capone, Hour of the Gun, as Doc Holliday, Isadora, as Singer, The Ballad of Cable Hogue, as Cable Hogue, Tora! Tora! Tora!, as Lt. Gen. Walter C. Short, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, as Governor Wallace, Julia, as Dashiell Hammett, Comes a Horseman, as J.W. Ewing, Melvin and Howard, as Howard Hughes, Something Wicked This Way Comes, as Charles Halloway, Parenthood, as Frank Buckman, Quick Change, as Chief Rotzinger, Philadelphia, as Charles Wheeler, The Paper, as Graham Keighley, Little Big League, as Thomas Heywood, Crimson Tide, as Rear Admiral Anderson, Board of Inquiry President, Enemy of the State, as Congressman Phillip Hammersley.
Doris Roberts
Where you know her from:
Everybody Loves Raymond, as Marie Barone
Christmas Vacation, as Frances Smith
The Heartbreak Kid, as Mrs. Cantrow
Also look for her in: Something Wild, as Mary Ann’s Co-Worker, Dear Heart, as Desk Clerk at Train Station, Barefoot in the Park, as Hotel Maid, Little Murders, as Mrs. Chamberlain, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, as Jessie – The Mayor’s Wife, Hester Street, as Mrs. Kavarsky, The Rose, as Mrs. Foster, Remington Steele, as Mildred Krebs, Used People, as Aunt Lonnie, My Giant, as Rose Kaminski, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, as Peggy Roberts, Grandma’s Boy, as Grandma Lilly, Keeping Up with the Steins, as Rose Fiedler, Madea’s Witness Protection, as Barbara.
Eric Roberts
Where you know him from:
The Dark Knight, as Maroni
The Pope of Greenwich Village, as Paulie
Runaway Train, as Buck McGeehy
Star 80, as Paul Snider
Also look for him in: Final Analysis, as Jimmy Evans, It’s My Party, as Nick Stark, The Cable Guy, as Eric Roberts, Cecil B. DeMented, as Honey’s Ex, Spun, as The Man, National Security, as Nash, A Guise to Recognizing Your Saints, as Antonio, Hollywood Dreams, as Thomas Kurt, DOA: Dead or Alive, as Donovan, Witless Protection, as Wilford Duvall, Entourage, “Tree Trippers,” as Eric Roberts, The Expendables, as James Munroe, Sharktopus, as Nathan Sands.
May Robson
Where you know her from:
Bringing Up Baby, as Aunt Elizabeth
A Star is Born, as Grandmother Lettie Blodgett
Lady for a Day, as Apple Annie
Also look for her in: Chicago, as Mrs. Morton – Matron, Red-Headed Woman, as Aunt Jane, Dinner at Eight, as Mrs. Wendel, Alice in Wonderland, as Queen of Hearts, Anna Karenina, as Countess Bronsky, Wife vs. Secretary, as Mimi, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, as Aunt Polly, Four Daughters, as Aunt Etta, They Made Me a Criminal, as Grandma Rafferty.
Alex Rocco
Where you know him from:
The Godfather, as Moe Green (He made his bones while you were still going out with cheerleaders.)
Also look for him in: The Friends of Eddie Coyle, as Jimmy Scalise, The Stunt Man, as Police Chief Jake, Canonball Run II, as Tny, The George Carlin Show, as Harry Rossetti (actually pretty good for the relatively short run it had), Get Shorty, as Jimmy Capp, That Thing You Do!, as Sol Siler, A Bug’s Life, as Thorny, The Wedding Planner, as Salvatore, The Country Bears, as Rip Holland, Find Me Guilty, as Nick Calabrese, Smokin’ Aces, as Serna.
Sam Rockwell
Where you know him from:
Moon, as Sam Bell
The Green Mile, as “Wild Bill” Wharton
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, as Charley Ford
Matchstick Men, as Frank Mercer
Charlie’s Angels, as Eric Knox
Also look for him in: Last Exit to Brooklyn, as Al, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as Head Thug, In the Soup, as Pauli, Basquiat, as Thug, Safe Men, as Sam, Celebrity, as Darrow Entourage, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as Francis Flute, Galaxy Quest, as Guy Fleegman, Heist, as Jimmy Silk, Welcome to Collinwood, as Pero, Confessions of a Dangerous Minds, as Chuck Barris, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, as Zaphod Beeblebrox, Snow Angels, as Glenn Marchand, Choke, as Victor Mancini, Frost/Nixon, as James Reston, Jr., The Winning Season, as Bill, G-Force, as Darwin, Gentleman Broncos, as Bronco/Brutus, Everybody’s Fine, as Robert, Iron Man 2, as Justin Hammer, Conviction, as Kenny Waters, Cowboys & Aliens, as Doc.
Mark Rolston
Where you know him from:
The Shawshank Redemption, as Bogs
The Departed, as Delahunt
Aliens, as Pvt. Drake
Also look for him in: Lethal Weapon 2, as Hans, RoboCop 2, as Stef, Eraser, as J. Scar, Daylight, as Chief Dennis Wilson, Hard Rain, as Wayne Bryce, Rush Hour, as Agent Warren Russ, Saw V & Saw VI, as Dan Erickson.
Cesar Romero
Where you know him from:
The Thin Man, as Chris Jorgenson
Batman (1966, and the show), as The Joker
Also look for him in: The Little Princess, as Ram Dass, Frontier Marshal, as Doc Holliday, Vera Cruz, as Marquis Henri de Labordere, Around the World in 80 Days, as Achmed Abdullah’s Henchman, Ocean’s Eleven (1960), as Duke Santos.
Michael Rooker
Where you know him from:
Mallrats, as Svenning
Cliffhanger, as Hal Tucker
Tombstone, as Sherman McMasters
Also look for her in: Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, as Henry, Eight Men Out, as Chick Gandil, Mississippi Burning, as Frank Bailey, Sea of Love, as Terry, Music Box, as Karchy Laszlo, Days of Thunder, as Rowdy Burns, JFK, as Bill Broussard, The Bone Collector, as Captain Howard Cheney, The 6th Day, as Robert Marshall, Undisputed, as A.J. Mercker, Slither, as Grant Grant, Jumper, as William Rice, Super, as Abe.
Stephen Root
This man has been in almost everything.
Where you know him from:
Office Space, as Milton
O Brother, Where Art Thou?, as Radio Station Man
King of the Hill, as Bill Dauterive
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, as Gordon
Also look for him in: Crocodile Dundee II, as DEA Agent, Black Rain, as Berg, Ghost, as Police Sgt., Dave, as Don Durenberger, NewsRadio, as Jimmy James, Finding Nemo, as Bubbles, The Ladykillers, as Fernand Gudge, Jersey Girl, as Greenie, Surviving Christmas, as Dr. Freeman, Just Friends, as KC, Idiocracy, as Judge Hank “The Hangman” BMW, No Country for Old Men, as Man who hires Wells, Mad Money, as Glover, Drillbit Taylor, as Principal Doppler, Leatherheads, as Suds, The Soloist, as Curt Reynolds, Imagine That, as Fred Franklin, The Men Who Stare at Goats, as Gus Lacey, The Conspirator, as John Lloyd, Cedar Rapids, as Bill Krogstad, Red State, as Sheriff Wynan, Rango, as Doc/Merrmiack/Mr. Snuggles, J. Edgar, as Arthur Koehler.
Chelcie Ross
Where you know him from:
Major League, as Eddie Harris
Ri¢hie Ri¢h, as Ferguson
A Simple Plan, as Carl
Also look for him in: Hoosiers, as George, The Untouchables, as Reporter, The Package, as Gen. Hopkins, Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, as Colonel Oats, Basic Instinct, as Captain Talcott, Amos & Andrew, as Earl, Rudy, as Dan Devine, My Best Friend’s Wedding, as Priest, The Majestic, as Avery Wyatt, Drag Me to Hell, as Leonard Dalton, The Dilemma, as Thomas Fern.
Matt Ross
Where you know him from:
The Aviator, as Glenn Odekirk
Big Love, as Alby Grant
Good Night, and Good Luck, as Eddie Scott
Also look for him in: PCU, as Raji, Twelve Monkeys, as Bee, Face/Off, as Loomis, Pushing Tin, as Ron Hewitt, American Psycho, as Luis Carruthers, Just Visiting, as Hunter, Down with Love, as J.B., Last Holiday, as Adamian, American Horror Story, as Charles Montgomery.
Tim Roth
Where you know him from:
Pulp Fiction, as Pumpkin/Ringo
Reservoir Dogs, as Mr. Orange – Freddy Newandyke
Also look for him in: The Hit, as Myron, The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover, as Mitchel, Vincent & Theo, as Vincent Van Gogh, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, as Guildenstern, Heart of Darkness, as Marlow, Rob Roy, as Archibald Cunningham, Four Rooms, as Ted the Bellhop, Everyone Says I Love You, as Charles Ferry, Lucky Numbers, as Gig, Planet of the Apes, as Thade, Silver City, as Mitch Payne, Don’t Come Knocking, as Sutter, Even Money, as Victor, Funny Games, as George, The Incredible Hulk, as Emil Blonsky, Lie to Me, as Dr. Cal Lightman.
Saul Rubinek
Where you know him from:
True Romance, as Lee Donowitz
Unforgiven, as W.W. Beauchamp
Also look for him in: Against All Odds, as Steve Kirsch, Wall Street, as Harold Salt, The Bonfire of the Vanities, as Jed Kramer, Nixon, as Herb Klein, Dick, as Henry Kissinger, The Contender, as Jerry Tolliver, The Family Man, as Alan Mintz, Rush Hour 2, as Red Dragon Box Man, Bleacher Bums, as Reid (he also directed the film), The Singing Detective, as Skin Specialist, Curb Your Enthusiasm, as Dr. Saul Funkhauser, Santa’s Slay, as Mr. Green.
Alan Ruck
Where you know him from:
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, as Cameron Frye
He’s one of those people who you know from one thing but then realize (or have to be told) that he’s actually in a bunch of other stuff you’ve seen.
Also look for him in: Bad Boys (1983), as Carl Brennan, Young Guns II, as Hendry William French, Speed, as Stephens, Star Trek: Generations, as Capt. John Harriman, Twister, a Robert “Rabbit” Nurick, Spin City, as Stuart Bondek, Cheaper by the Dozen, as Bill Shenk, Kickin It Old Skool, as Dr. Fry, The Bronx is Burning, as Reporter, The Happening, as Principal, Ghost Town, as Ghost Dad, I Love You, Beth Cooper, as Mr. C, Exraordinary Measures, as Pete Sutphen, Greek, as Dean Bowman.
Mark Ruffalo
Where you know him from:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, as Stan
Zodiac, as Inspector David Toschi
Shutter Island, as Chuck Aule
The Avengers, as Bruce Banner/The Hulk
Also look for him in: Safe Men, as Frank, 54, as Ricko, You Can Count on Me, as Terry Prescott, The Last Castle, as Yates, Windtalkers, as Private Pappas, My Life Without Me, as Lee, View from the Top, as Ted Stewart, In the Cut, as Detective Giovanni A. Malloy, We Don’t Live Here Anymore, as Jack Linden, 13 Going on 30, as Matt Flamhaff, Collateral, as Fanning, Just Like Heaven, as David, Rumor Has It…, as Jeff Daly, All the King’s Men, as Adam Stanton, Reservation Road, as Dwight Arno, Blindness, as Doctor, The Brothers Bloom, as Stephen, What Doesn’t Kill You, as Brian Reilly, Where the Wild Things Are, as The Boyfriend, The Kids Are All Right, as Paul, Date Night, as Brad Sullivan, Margaret, as Maretti, Thanks for Sharing, as Adam, Now You See Me, as Dylan.
William Sadler
Where you know him from:
The Shawshank Redemption, as Heywood
Die Hard 2, as Col. Stuart
The Green Mile, as Klaus Detterick
Also look for him in: Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, as Grim Reaper, RocketMan, as “Wild Bill” Overbeck, Kinsey, as Kenneth Braun, The Mist, as Jim, Eagle Eye, as Jerry’s Dad, The Pacific, as Lt. Col. Lewis “Chesty” Puller.
Jay O. Sanders
Where you know him from:
Angels in the Outfield, as Ranch Wilder
The Day After Tomorrow, as Frank Harris
JFK, as Lou Ivon
The Big Green, as Coach Jay Huffer (Fuck yeah, childhood!)
Also look for him in: Cross Creek, as Charles Rawlings, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, as Kirby, Glory, as Gen. George Crockett Strong, Kiss of Death, as Federal Agent, Daylight, as Steven Crighton, Kiss the Girls & Along Came a Spider, as FBI Agent Kyle Craig, Tumbleweeds, as Dan Miller, Half Nelson, as Russ Dunne, Wedding Days, as Sheriff, Cadillac Records, as Mr. Feder, Revolutionary Road, as Bart Pollock, I Hate Valentine’s Day, as Tim the Delivery Day, Edge of Darkness, as Whitehouse, Green Lantern, as Carl Ferris.
Miguel Sandoval
Where you know him from:
Get Shorty, as Mr. Escobar
Clear and Present Danger, as Ernestro Escobedo
Medium, as D.A. Manuel Devalos
Entourage, as Carlos
Seinfeld, as Marcelino (the dude who posts Jerry’s bounced check)
Also look for him in: Repo Man, as Archie, Sid and Nancy, as Record Company Executive, Howard the Duck, as Bar Entertainment Supervisor, Do the Right Thing, as Officer Ponte (“They’re brothers?”), Jungle Fever, (also) as Officer Ponte, White Sands, as FBI Agent Ruiz, Jurassic Park, as Juanito Rostagno, Blow, as Augusto Oliveras, Human Nature, as Wendell the Therapist, Collateral Damage, as Joe Phipps, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, as Julio Martin, Nine Lives, as Deputy Sheriff Ron.
John Savage
Where you know him from:
The Deer Hunter, as Steven
Beauty and the Beast, as Beast/Prince
The Godfather: Part III, as Father Andrew Hagen
Also look for him in: Hair, as Claude Hooper Bukowski, The Onion Field, as Det. Karl Francis Hettinger, Inside Moves, as Roary, Salvador, as John Cassady, Do the Right Thing, as Clifton, The Crossing Guard, as Bobby, The Thin Red Line, as Sgt. McCron, Message in a Bottle, as Johnny Land, Summer of Sam, as Simon, The New World, as Savage.
Telly Savalas
Where you know him from:
The Dirty Dozen, as Archer Maggott
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, as Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Birdman of Alcatraz, as Feto Gomez
Cape Fear, as Private Detective Charles Sievers
Also look for him in: The Greatest Story Ever Told, as Pontius Pilate, Battle of the Bulge, as Sgt. Guffy, The Scalphunters, as Jim Howie, Mackenna’s Gold, as Sgt. Tibbs, Kelly’s Heroes, as MSgt. Big Joe, Beyond the Poseidon Adventure, as Captain Stefan Svevo, The Muppet Movie, as El Sleezo Tough, Cannonball Run II, as Hymie Kaplan.
John Saxon
Where you know him from:
The Appaloosa, as Chuy
Enter the Dragon, as Roper
A Nightmare on Elm Street, as Lt. Donald Thompson
Also look for him in: The Unforgiven, as Johnny Portugal, Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation, as Byron, The Cardinal, as Benny Rampell, Joe Kidd, as Luis Chama, Black Christmas, as Lt. Fuller, Beverly Hills Cop III, as Orrin Sanderson, From Dusk Till Dawn, as FBI Agent Stanley Chase, Old Dogs, as Paul. Also, The CSIepisode Quentin Tarantino directed, “Grave Danger,” he’s the dude behind the whole thing.
Vincent Schiavelli
Where you know him from:
Ghost, as Subway Ghost
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, as Frederickson
Tomorrow Never Dies, as Dr. Kaufman
Death to Smoochy, as Buggy Ding Dong
Also look for him in: An Unmarried Woman, as Man at Party, Night Shift, as Carl, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, as Mr. Vargas, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, as John O’Connor, Amadeus, as Salieri’s Valet, Better Off Dead…, as Mr. Kerber, Batman Returns, as Organ Grinder, The People vs. Larry Flynt, as Chester.
Richard Schiff
Where you know him from:
The West Wing, as Toby Ziegler
The Lost World: Jurassic Park, as Eddie Carr
Ray, as Jerry Wexler
I Am Sam, as Mr. Turner
Also look for him in: Young Guns II, as Rat Bag, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, as Gun Clerk, Malcolm X, as JFK Reporter, The Bodyguard, as Skip Thomas, Hoffa, as Government Attorney, My Life, as Young Bill Ivanovich, The Hudsucker Proxy, as Mailroom Screamer, Major League II, as Director, Speed, as Train Driver, Se7en, as Mark Swarr (John Doe’s Lawyer), City Hall, as Larry Schwartz, Volcano, as Haskins, Deep Impact, as Don Biederman, Doctor Dolittle, as Dr. Gene Reiss, Lucky Numbers, as Jerry Green, What’s the Worst That Could Happen?, as Walter Greenbaum, Last Chance Harvey, as Marvin, Solitary Man, as Steve Heller.
Paul Schneider
Where you know him from:
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, as Dick Liddil
Lars and the Real Girl, as Gus
Also look for him in: George Washington, as Rico Rice, All the Real Girls, as Paul, Elizabethtown, as Jessie Baylor, The Family Stone, as Brad Stevenson, Drunk History, as William Henry Harrison, Away We Go, as Courtney Farlander, Parks and Recreation, as Mark Brenanawicz, Water for Elephants, as Charlie.
Liev Schreiber
Where you know him from:
Scream, Scream 2 and Scream 3, as Cotton Weary
X-Men Origins: Wolverine, as Victor Creed/Sabertooth
The Manchurian Candidate, as Raymond Shaw
Also look for in in: Big Night, as Leo, Ransom, as Clark Barnes, Phantoms, as Deputy Stuart Wargle, Sphere, as Dr. Ted Fielding, Jakob the Liar, as Mischa, The Hurricane, as Sam Chaiton, Hamlet, as Laertes, RKO 281, as Orson Welles, Kate & Leopold, as Stuart Besser, The Sum of All Fears, as John Clark, The Omen, as Robert Thorn, The Painted Veil, as Charlie Townsend The Ten, as Ray Johnson, Love in the Time of Cholera, as Lotario Thugut, Defiance, as Zus Bielski, Taking Woodstock, as Vilma, Repo Men, as Frank, Salt, as Ted Winter, Goon, as Ross Rhea.
Jason Schwartzman
Where you know him from:
Rushmore, as Max Fischer
I Heart Huckabees, as Albert Markovski
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, as Gideon Graves
Bored to Death, as Jonathan Ames
Also look for him in: Spun, as Ross, S1m0ne, as Milton, Bewitched, as Ritchie, Shopgirl, as Jeremy, Marie Antoinette, as Louis XVI, The Darjeeling Limited (and Hotel Chevalier), as Jack, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, as Ringo Starr, Funny People, as Mark Taylor Jackson, Fantastic Mr. Fox, as Ash.
Adam Scott
Where you know him from:
Step Brothers, as Derek
The Aviator, as Johnny Meyer
Knocked Up, as Samuel – Male Nurse
Parks and Recreation, as Ben Wyatt
Also look for him in: Star Trek: First Contact, as Defiant Conn Officer, High Crimes, as Lt. Terrence Embry, The Matador, as Phil Garrison, Monster-in-Law, as Remy, Art School Confidential, as Marvin Bushmiller, First Snow, as Tom Morelane, The Return ,as Kurt, The Great Buck Howard, as Alan Berkman, August, as Joshua Sterling, Leap Year, as Jeremy, Party Down, as Henry Pollard, Piranha 3D, as Novak, Our Idiot Brother, as Jeremy, Friends with Kids, as Jason Fryman, Bachelorette, as Clyde, My Mother’s Curse, as Andrew Margolis Jr.
George Segal
Where you know him from:
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, as Nick
The Cable Guy, as Steven’s Father
Just Shoot Me!, as Jack Gallo
Also look for him in: The Longest Day, as U.S. Army Ranger, Ship of Fools, as Davis, Bye Bye Braverman, as Morroe Rieff, The Owl and the Pussycat, as Felix, The Hot Rock, as Kelp, A Touch of Class, as Steve Blackburn, The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox, as Charlie “Dirtwater Fox” Malloy, Fun with Dick and Jane, as Dick Malloy, Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?, as Robby Ross, Carbon Copy, as Walter Whitney, Look Who’s Talking & Look Who’s Talking Now, as Albert, To Die For, as Conference Speaker, The Babysitter, as Bill Holsten, It’s My Party, as Paul Stark, Flirting with Disaster, as Ed Coplin, The Mirror Has Two Faces, as Henry Fine, Three Days to Vegas, as Dominic Spinuzzi, 2012, as Tony Delgatto, Love and Other Drugs, as Dr. James Randall.
Rade Serbedzija
Where you know him from:
Snatch., as Boris the Blade (aka Boris the Bullet Dodger)
EuroTrip, as Tibor (He loves Miami Wice.)
You don’t need any more than this. You know who he is.
Also know him from: The Saint, as Ivan Tretiak, Mighty Joe Young, as Andrei Strasser, Eyes Wide Shut, as Mr. Milich, Mission: Impossible II, as Dr. Nekhorvich, Space Cowboys, as General Vostov, The Quiet American, as Inspector Vigot, Batman Begins, as Homeless Man, Shooter, as Michael Sandor, 24, as Dmitri Gredenko (Season 6), Quarantine, as Yuri Ivanov, Middle Man, as Nikita Sokoloff, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, as Gregorovitch, X-Men: First Class, as Russian General.
Matt Servitto
Where you know him from:
Enchanted, as Arty
The Sopranos, as Agent Dwight Harris
Big Fan, as Detective Velardi
Also look for him in: Mad Dog Coll, as Lucky Luciano, The Siege, as Journalist #1, Cherry, as Customer, Melinda and Melinda, as Jack Oliver, Hitch, as Eddie, Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, as Handsome Client, No Reservations, as Doctor, Brotherhood, as Representative Donatello, Confessions of a Shopaholic, as Head Waiter, Going the Distance, as Hugh.
Glenn Shadix
Where you know him from:
Beetlejuice, as Otho
The Nightmare Before Christmas, as Mayor
Also look for him in: Heathers, as Father Ripper, Sunset, as Rocoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, Seinfeld, “The Apartment,” as Harold, Demolition Man, as Associate Bob, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, “Hex and the Single Guy,” as Scorpius, Dunston Checks In, as Lionel Spalding, Multiplicity, as Building Inspector, Chairman of the Board, as Larry, Planet of the Apes, as Senator Nado.
Tony Shalhoub
Where you know him from:
Barton Fink, as Ben Geisler
Men in Black I & II, a Jack Jeebs
Monk, as Adrian Monk
Also look for him in: Quick Change, as Cab Driver, Honeymoon in Vegas, as Buddy Walker, Searching for Bobby Fischer, as Chess Club Member, Addams Family Values, as Jorge, Big Night, as Primo, Wings, as Antonio Scarpacci, Gattaca, as German, Primary Colors, as Eddie Reyes, The Siege, as Agent Frank Haddad, A Civil Action, as Kevin Conway, Galaxy Quest, as Fred Kwan, Spy Kids & Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams & Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, as Alexander Minion, The Man Who Wasn’t There, as Freddy Reidenschneider, Thir13en Ghosts, as Arthur Kriticos, Cars & Cars 2, as Luigi, 1408, as Sam Farrell, How Do You Know, as Psychiatrist.
Michael Shannon
Where you know him from:
Revolutionary Road, as John Givings
Boardwalk Empire, as Agent Nelson Van Alden
Bad Boys II, as Floyd Poteet
Also look for him in: Groundhog Day, as Fred, Tigerland, as Sgt. Filmore, Pearl Harbor, as Lt. Gooz Wood, Vanilla Sky, as Aaron, 8 Mile, as Greg Buehl, Kangaroo Jack, as Frankie Lombardo, The Woodsman, as Rosen, Criminal, as Gene, Bug, as Peter Evans, World Trade Center, as Dave Karnes, Lucky You, as Ray Zumbro, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, as Dex, The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, as Mundt, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done, as Brad McCullum, The Runaways, as Kim Fowley, Jonah Hex, as Doc Cross Williams.
Fiona Shaw
Where you know her from:
Harry Potter, as Aunt Petunia Dursley
Super Mario Bros., as Lena
Also look for her in: My Left Foot, as Dr. Eileen Cole, The Avengers, as Father, The Black Dahlia, as Ramona Linscott, Catch and Release, as Mrs. Douglas, The Tree of Life, as Grandmother, True Blood, as Marnie Stonebrook.
Robert Shaw
This is the definition of character actor. What a boss.
Where you know him from:
Jaws, as Quint
The Sting, as Doyle Lonnegan
From Russia with Love, as Red Grant
A Man for All Seasons, as Henry VIII
Also look for him in: The Dam Busters, as Flt/Sgt. J. Pulford, Battle of the Bulge, as Col. Hessler, Battle of Britain, as Squadron Leader Skipper, The Taking of Pelham 123, as Blue, Robin and Marian, as Sheriff of Nottingham, Black Sunday, as Ma. David Kabakov, Force 10 from Navarone, as Mallory.
Stan Shaw
Where you know him from:
Snake Eyes, as Lincoln Tyler
Fried Green Tomatoes, as Big George
Also look for him in: Rocky, as Dipper, The Great Santini, as Toomer Smalls, The Monster Squad, as Detctive Sapir, Cutthroat Island, as Glasspoole, Daylight, as George Tyrell.
Dick Shawn
Where you know him from:
The Producers, as ‘L.S.D.’ – Lorenzo St. DuBois
The Year Without a Santa Claus, as Snow Miser
Also look for him in: It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, as Sylvester Marcus, Penelope, as Dr. Gregory Mannix (great film, great performance), The Happy Ending, as Harry Bricker, Captain EO, as Commander Borg.
Wallace Shawn
Where you know him from:
The Princess Bride, as Vizzini
Toy Story, Toy Story 2 & Toy Story 3, as Rex
Clueless, as Mr. Hall
Also look for him in: Manhattan, as Jeremiah, All That Jazz, as Assistant Insurance Man, My Dinner with Andre, as Wally Shawn, Micki + Maude, as Dr. Elliot Fibel, Radio Days, as Masked Avenger, Shadows and Fog, as Simon Carr, A Goofy Movie, as Principal Mazur, Vegas Vacation, as Marty, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, as George Bond, Duplex, as Herman, The Incredibles, as Gilbert Huph, Southland Tales, as Baron Von Westphalen.
Lin Shaye
Where you know her from:
There’s Something About Mary, as Magda
Kingpin, as Landlady
Also look for her in: The Running Man, as Propaganda Officer, National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1, as Witness, Dumb & Dumber, as Mrs. Neugeboren, Last Man Standing, as The Madame, Detroit Rock City, as Mrs. Bruce, Say It Isn’t So, as Nurse Bautista, Boat Trip, as Sonya the Coach, Snakes on a Plane, as Grace, My Sister’s Keeper, as Nurse Adele.
Sam Shepard
Where you know him from:
The Right Stuff, as Chuck Yeager
Days of Heaven, as The Farmer
Black Hawk Down, as Garrison
The Notebook, as Frank Calhoun
Also look for him in: Resurrection, as Cal, Frances, as Harry York, Crimes of the Heart, as Doc Porter, Steel Magnolias, as Spud Jones, The Pelican Brief, as Thomas Callahan, Hamlet, as Ghost, The Pledge, as Eric Pollack, Swordfish, as Senator James Reisman, Stealth, as Capt. George Cummings, Don’t Come Knocking, as Howard Spence, Bandidas, as Bill Buck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, as Frank James, Brothers, as Hank Cahill, Fair Game, as Sam Plame.
Sylvia Sidney
Where you know her from:
Mars Attacks!, as Grandma Florence Norris
Sabotage, as Mrs. Sylvia Verloc
You Only Live Once, as Joan Graham
Also look for her in: City Streets, as Nan Cooley, Street Scene, as Rose Maurrant, Merrily we Go to Hell, as Joan Prentice, Pick-Up, as Mary Richards, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, as June Tolliver, Fury, as Katherine Grant, Dead End, as Drina, Blood on the Sun, as Iris Hilliard, Les Misérables (1952), as Fantine, Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams, as Mrs. Pritchett, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, as Miss Coral, Damien: Omen II, as Aunt Marion, Beetlejuice, as Juno, Used People, as Becky.
Ron Silver
Where you know him from:
Reversal of Fortune, as Professor Alan Dershowitz
Find Me Guilty, as Judge Finestein
Ali, as Angelo Dundee
Also look for him in: Best Friends, as Larry Weisman, Silkwood, as Paul Stone, Romancing the Stone, as Vendor, Enemies: a Love Story, as Herman Broder, Mr. Saturday Night, as Larry Meyerson.
J.K. Simmons
Where you know him from:
Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2 & Spider-Man 3, as J. Jonah Jameson
Thank You for Smoking, as BR
Juno, as Mac MacGuff
Also look for him in: The Ref, as Siskel, The Jackal, as FBI Agent T.I. Witherspoon, The Cider House Rules, as Ray Kendell, The Mexican, as Ted Slocum, Oz, as Vern Schillinger, Hidalgo, as Buffalo Bill Cody, The Ladykillers, as Garth Pancake, Harsh Times, as Agent Richards, The Astronaut Farmer, as Jacobson, Rendition, as Lee Mayer, Burn After Reading, as CIA Superior, I Love You, Man, as Oswald Klaven, Extract, as Brian, Up in the Air, as Bob, Jennifer’s Body, as Mr. Wroblewski, Law and Order, as Dr. Emil Skoda, The Closer, as Asst. Chief Will Pope, Megamind, as Warden, True Grit, as the voice of J. Noble Daggett
Gary Sinise
Where you know him from:
Forrest Gump, as Lieutenant Dan
Apollo 13, as Ken Mattingly
Snake Eyes, as Kevin Dunne
CSI: NY, as Det. Mac Taylor
Also look for him in: Of Mice and Men, as George, The Quick and the Dead, as Marshall, Albino Alligator, as Milo, Ransom, as Det. Jimmy Shaker, The Green Mile, as Burt Hammersmith, Reindeer Games, as Gabriel, Mission to Mars, as Jim McConnell, The Human Stain, as Nathan Zuckerman, The Big Bounce, as Ray Ritchie, The Forgotten, as Dr. Jack Munce, Open Season, as Shaw.
Tom Sizemore
Where you know him from:
Saving Private Ryan, as Sgt. Mike Horvath
Natural Born Killers, as Det. Jack Scagnetti
True Romance, as Cody Nicholson
Heat, as Michael Cheritto
Bringing Out the Dead, as Tom Wolls
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, as Sonny Forelli
Also look for him in: Blue Steel, as Wool Cap, Lock Up, as Dallas, Penn & Teller Get Killed, as 2nd Mugger, Born on the Fourth of July, as Vet – Villa Dulce, Point Break, as DEA Agent Deets, Passenger 57, as Sly Delvecchio, Striking Distance, as Det. Danny Detillo, Wyatt Earp, as Bat Masterson, Devil in a Blue Dress, as DeWitt Albright, The Relic, as Lt. Vincent D’Agosta, Enemy of the State, as Boss Paulie Pintero, Play It to the Bone, as Joe Domino, Red Planet, as Dr. Quinn Burchenal, Pearl Harbor, as Sgt. Earl Sistern, Black Hawk Down, as McKnight, Big Trouble, as Snake Dupree, Dreamcatcher, as Owen, Paparazzi, as Rex Harper, Red (2008), as Mr. McCormack.
John Slattery
Where you know him from:
Charlie Wilson’s War, as Cravely
Iron Man 2, as Howard Stark
Mad Men, as Roger Sterling
Also look for him in: City Hall, as Det. George, Intel, Eraser, as FBI Agent Corman, Sleepers, as Fred Carlson, Traffic, as ADA Dan Collier, Bad Company, as Roland Yates, Mona Lisa Smile, as Paul Moore, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, as Bert Miller, Flags of Our Fathers, as Bud Gerber, Reservation Road, as Steve Cutter, The Adjustment Bureau, as Richardson.
Walter Slezak
Where you know him from:
Lifeboat, as Willy
The Pirate, as Don Pedro Vargas
People Will Talk, as Prof. Baker
Also look for him in: Once Upon a Honeymoon, as Baron Franz Von Luber, Born to Kill, as Mathew Albert Arnett, Sinbad the Sailor, as Melik, The Inspector General, as Yakov, Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion, as Sgt. Axmann, Call Me Madam, as August Tantinnin, The Miracle, as Flaco, Come September, as Maurice Clavell, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, as Stossel, Treasure Island, as Squire Trelawney.
Everett Sloane
Where you know him from:
Citizen Kane, as Mr. Bernstein
The Lady from Shanghai, as Arthur Bannister
Also look for him in: The Men, as Dr. Brock, The Enforcer, as Albert Mendoza, The Blue Veil, as District Attorney, The Big Knife, as Nat Danzinger, Somebody Up There Likes Me, as Irving Cohen, Lust for Life, as Dr. Gachet, Marjorie Morningstar, as Arnold Morgenstern, The Gun Runners, as Harvey, Home from the Hill, as Albert Halstead.
C. Aubrey Smith
Where you know him from:
Another Thin Man, as Colonel Buff MacFay
Rebecca, as Colonel Julyan
The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), as Colonel Zapt
Also look for him in: Love Me Tonight, as Duke d’Artelines, Morning Glory (1933), as Robert Harley “Bob” Hedges, The House of Rothschild, as Duke of Wellington, Cleopatra (1934), as Enobarbus, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, as Maj. Hamilton, Romeo and Juliet (1936), as Lord Capulet, The Garden of Allah, as Father J. Roubier, The Hurricane, as Father Paul, Waterloo Bridge, as The Duke, Madame Curie, as Lord Kelvin, And Then There Were None, as Gen. Sir John Mandrake.
Charles Martin Smith
Where you know him from:
The Untouchables, as Agent Oscar Wallace
American Graffiti, as Terry the Toad
Never Cry Wolf, as Farley Mowat/Tyler
Also look for him in: Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, as Bowdre, The Buddy Holly Story, as Ray Bob, Starman, as Mark Shermin, Speechless, as Kratz, Lucky You, as Roy Durocher.
Kurtwood Smith
Where you know him from:
That 70s Show, as Red Forman
RoboCop, as Clarence J. Boddicker
Quick Change, as Russ Crane/Lombino
Also look for him in: Staying Alive, as Choreographer, Rambo III, as Griggs, Dead Poets Society, as Mr. Perry, Oscar, as Lt. Toomey, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, as Federation President, Shadows and Fog, as Prison Director Poe, To Die For, as Earl Stone, Citizen Ruth, as Norm Stoney, Broken Arrow, as Secretary of Defense Baird, A Time to Kill, as Stump Sisson, Deep Impact, as Otis Hefter, Girl, Interrupted, as Dr. Crumble, Cedar Rapids, as Orin Helgesson.
Lane Smith
Where you know him from:
My Cousin Vinny, as Jim Trotter III
The Mighty Ducks, as Coach Jack Reilly
The Distinguished Gentleman, as Dick Dodge
Also look for him in: Rooster Cogburn, as Leroy, Network, as robert McDonough, Resurrection, as Don, Prince of the City, as Tug Barnes, Frances, as Dr. Symington, Red Dawn, as Mayor Bates, Places in the Heart, as Albert Denby, The Legend of Bagger Vance, as Grantland Rice.
Maggie Smith
I feel like a lot of people know Maggie Smith. But I have a feeling a fair amount of people that know her don’t know her from her early work, but rather from the stuff she’s done recently. Which is kind of a shame. Either way, she counts as a character actor.
Where you know her from:
Harry Potter, as Minerva McGonagall
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, as Jean Brodie
Hook, as Granny Wendy
Also look for her in: The V.I.P.s, as Miss Mead, The Pumpkin Eater, as Philpot, Othello, as Desdemona, Travels with My Aunt, as Aunt Augusta, Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing, as Lila Fisher, Murder by Death, as Dora Charleston, California Suite, as Diana Barrie, Clash of the Titans, as Thetis, A Room with a View, as Charlotte Bartlett, Sister Act & Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, as Mother Superior,Gosford Park, as Constance Trentham, Becoming Jane, as Lady Gresham.
Gale Sondergaard
Where you know her from:
The Letter, as Mrs. Hammond. (The Chinese woman who shanks Bette Davis. She’s an icon on this blog.)
Anthony Adverse, as Faith Paleologus
Anna and the King of Siam, as Lady Thiang
Also look for her in: Seventh Heaven (1937), as Nana, Diane’s Sister, The Life of Emile Zola, as Lucie Dreyfus, Juarez, as Empress Eugenie, The Mark of Zorro, as Inez Quintero, The Black Cat, as Abigail Doone, The Invisible Man’s Revenge, as Irene – Lady Herrick, The Climax, as Luise, Road to Rio, as Catherine Vail.
Timothy Spall
Where you know him from:
Harry Potter, as Peter Pettigrew
The Last Samurai, as Simon Graham
Enchanted, as Nathaniel
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, as Beadle Bumford
Also look for him in: Quadrophenia, as Projectionis, White Hunter Black Heart, as Hodkins, Bush Pilot, Secrets & Lies, as Maurice Purley, Hamlet (1996), as Rosencrantz, Still Crazy, as Beano Baggot, Topsy-Turvy, as Richard Temple, Vanilla Sky, as Thomas Tipp, Nicholas Nickleby, as Charles Cheeryble, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, as Poe, Death Defying Acts, as Sugarman, Appaloosa, as Phil Olson, Alice in Wonderland, as Bayard, The King’s Speech, as Winston Churchill.
John Spencer
Where you know him from:
The Rock, as FBI Director Womack
The West Wing, as Leo McGarry
Also look for him in: WarGames, as Jerry, Sea of Love, as Lieutenant, Black Rain, as Oliver, Green Card, as Harry, L.A. Law, as Tommy Mullaney, Albino Alligator, as Jack, Cop Land, as Leo Crasky, The Negotiator, as Chief Al Travis.
Joe Spinell
Where you know him from:
The Godfather & The Godfather Part II, as Willi Cicci
Rocky & Rocky II, as Tony Gazzo
Also look for him in: The Seven-Ups, as Toredano, Rancho Deluxe, as Mr. Colson, Farewell, My Lovely, as Nick, Taxi Driver, as Personnel Officer, Brubaker, as Floyd Birdwell, Melvin and Howard, as Go-Go Club Owner #2, Night Shift, as Manetti, Married to the Mob, as Leonard “Tiptoes” Mazzilli.
G.D. Spradlin
Where you know him from:
The Godfather Part II, as Senator Pat Geary
Apocalypse Now, as General Corman
Also look for him in: Tora! Tora! Tora!, as Cmdr. Maurice E. Curtis (Kimmel’s Communications Officer), MacArthur, as Maj. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger, North Dallas Forty, as B.A. Strothers, The Formula, as Arthur Clements, The War of the Roses, as Harry Thurmont, Ed Wood, as Reverend Lemon, Canadian Bacon, as R.J. Hacker, Nick of Time, as Mystery Man, The Long Kiss Goodnight, as President, Dick, as Ben Bradlee.
Robert Stack
Where you know him from:
Airplane!, as Rex Kramer
Written on the Wind, as Kyle Hadley
To Be or Not to Be, as Lieut. Stanislav Sobinski
The Untouchables, as Elliot Ness
Unsolved Mysteries, as Himself/Host (this was spoofed in BASEketball)
Also look for him in: Bwana Devil, as Bob Hayward, The High and the Mighty, as John Sullivan, Is Paris Burning?, as Brig. General William L. Sibert, 1941, as Maj. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell, Uncommon Valor, as MacGregor, Caddyshack II, as Chandler Young, Joe Versus the Volcano, as Dr. Ellison, Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, as ATF Agent Fleming.
June Squibb
Where you know her from:
About Schmidt, as Helen Schmidt
In & Out, as Cousin Gretchen
Scent of a Woman, as Mrs. Hunsaker
Also look for her in: Alice, as Hilda, The Age of Innocence, as Mingott Maid, Meet Joe Black, as Helen, Far from Heaven, as Elderly Woman, Welcome to Mooseport, as Irma, House M.D., “Love Hurts,” as Ramona, The Big Year, as Old Lady.
Terence Stamp
Where you know him from:
Superman & Superman II, as General Zod
Billy Budd, as Billy Budd
The Collector, as Freddie Clegg
The Limey, as Wilson
Also look for him in: Modesty Blaise, as Willie Garvin, Far from the Madding Crowd, as Sergeant Troy, The Hit, as Willie Parker, Wall Street, as Sir Larry Wildman, Young Guns, as John Tunstall, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, as Bernadette, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, as Chancellor Valorum, Bowfinger, as Terry Stricter, Red Planet, as Dr. Bud Chantilas, My Boss’s Daughter, as Jack Taylor, The Haunted Mansion, as Ramsley, Elektra, as Stick, Wanted, as Pekwarsky, Get Smart, as Siegfried, Yes Man, as Terrence, Valkyrie, as Ludwig Beck, The Adjustment Bureau, as Thompson.
Arnold Stang
Where you know him from:
The Man with the Golden Arm, as Sparrow
Top Cat, as Top Cat
Also look for him in: The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, as Rumpelstiltskin, It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, as Ray, Hercules in New York, as Pertzle, Dennis the Menace, as Photographer.
Harry Dean Stanton
Where you know him from:
Alien, as Brett
Escape from New York, as Brain
Pretty in Pink, as Jack Walsh
Big Love, as Roman Grant
Also look for him in: The Wrong Man, as Department of Corrections Employee, How the West Was Won, as Gant Henchman, A Fistful of Dollars, as Prison Warden, Cool Hand Luke, as Tramp, Kelly’s Heroes, as Pvt. Willard, Two-Lane Blacktop, as Oklahoma Hitchhiker, Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, as Luke, Dillinger, as Homer Van Meter, The Godfather Part II, as F.B.I. Man #1, Farewell, My Lovely, as Det. Billy Rolfe, The Missouri Breaks, as Calvin, Straight Time, as Jerry Schue, The Rose, as Billy Ray, Private Benjamin, as 1st Sgt. Jim Ballard, One from the Heart, as Moe, Christine, as Detective Rudolph Junkins, Repo Man, as Bud, Paris, Texas, as Travis Henderson, Red Dawn, as Mr. Eckert, The Last Temptation of Christ, as Saul/Paul, Wild at Heart, as Johnnie Farragut, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, as Carl Rodd, Down Periscope, as CPO Howard, Chief Engineer, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, as Judge, The Straight Story, as Lyle, The Green Mile, as Toot-toot, The Pledge, as Lloyd Cage, Anger Management, as Blind Man, Alpha Dog, as Cosmo Badabeeti, Inland Empire, as Freddie Howard.
Mike Starr
Where you know him from:
Goodfellas, as Frenchie
Dumb and Dumber, as Joe Mentalino
Ed Wood, as George Weiss
Also look for him in: Cruising, as Patrolman Desher, The Natural, as Boone, The Last Dragon, as Rock, The Money Pit, as Lenny, Radio Days, as Burglar, Funny Farm, as Crocker, Punchline, as Man with Bullhorn, New York Stories, as Hardhat (in Woody Allen’s segment), Lean on Me, as Mr. Zirella, Born in the Fourth of July, as Man #1, Arthur’s Bar, Miller’s Crossing, as Frankie, Billy Bathgate, as Judge Martin, The Bodyguard, as Tony, Mad Dog and Glory, as Harold, On Deadly Ground, as Big Mike (loser of the deadliest slap game in motion picture history, but recipient of greatest Steven Seagal motivational speech in motion picture history…”What makes a man”), The Hudsucker Proxy, as Newsroom Reporter, Clockers, as Thumper, James and the Giant Peach, as Beat Cop, Snake Eyes, as Walt McGahn, Summer of Sam, as Eddie, Knockaround Guys, as Bobby Boulevard, Jersey Girl, as Block, The Ice Harvest, as Roy Gelles, The Black Dahlia, as Det. Russ Milliard, Black Dynamite, as Rafelli, Kill the Irishman, as Leo “Lips” Morceri.
Mary Steenburgen
Where you know her from:
Elf, as Emily
Step Brothers, as Nancy Huff
Back to the Future Part III, as Clara Clayton
Also look for her in: Melvin and Howard, as Lynda Dummar, A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy, as Adrian, Cross Creek, as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, The Whales of August, as Young Sarah,Parenthood, as Karen Buckman, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, as Betty Carver, Philadelphia, as Belinda Conine, Nixon, as Hannah Nixon, Life as a House, as Coleen Beck, I Am Sam, as Dr. Blake,The Brave One, as Carol, Four Christmases, as Marilyn, In the Electric Mist, as Bootsie Robicheaux,The Proposal, as Grace Paxton, Curb Your Enthusiasm, as, essentially herself (you know, in that Curb way), The Help, as Elain Stein.
Daniel Stern
Where you know him from:
Home Alone & Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, as Marv
City Slickers & City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold, as Phil Berquist
The Wonder Years, as Narrator
Also look for him in: Breaking Away, as Cyril, Starting Over, as Student 2, Stardust Memories, as Actor, Diner, as Shrevie, Hannah and Her Sisters, as Dusty, The Milagro Beanfield War, as Herbie Platt, My Blue Heaven, as Will Stubbs, Rookie of the Year, as Brickma, Bushwhacked, as Max Grabelski, Celtic Pride, as Mike O’Hara, Very Bad Things, as Adam Berkow, Dilbert, as Dilbert, Whip It, as Earl Cavendar, The Next Three Days, as Mayor Fisk.
Ray Stevenson
Where you know him from:
Kill the Irishman, as Danny Greene
The Three Musketeers, as Porthos
The Book of Eli, as Redridge
Also look for him in: King Arthur, as Dagonet, Punisher: War Zone, as Frank Castle, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, as Murlaugh, The Other Guys, as Roger Wesley, Thor, as Volstagg, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, as Firefly.
David Ogden Stiers
Where you know him from:
Beauty and the Beast, as Cogsworth
Pocahontas, as Governor Ratcliffe/Wiggins
Better Off Dead…, as Al Meyer
M*A*S*H, as Major Charles Winchester
Also look for him in: Oh, God!, as Mr. McCarthy, District Produce Manager, The Cheap Detective, as Captain, Magic, as Todson, Perry Mason, as D.A. Michael Reston, The Accidental Tourist, as Porter Leary, Doc Hollywood, as Mayor Nick Nicholson, Shadows and Fog, as Hacker, Porco Rosso, as Grandpa Piccolo, Mighty Aphrodite, as Laius, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, as Archdeacon, Meet Wally Sparks, as Gov. Floyd Preston, Jungle 2 Jungle, as Alexei Jovanovic, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, as Fenton Q. Harcourt, Spirited Away, as Kamajii, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, as Zoltan, The Majestic, as Doc Stanton, Lilo & Stitch, as Jumba, Hoodwinked! & Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil, as Nicky Flippers, Lady in the Water, as Narrator.
Peter Stormare
Where you know him from:
Fargo, as Gaear Grimsrud (“Where’s pancakes house?”)
The Big Lebowski, as Nihilist #1, Uli Kunkel
…and, I guess, also, that means, Logjammin’, as Karl Hungus (He fixes the cable.)
Armageddon, as Lev Andropov
Also look for him in: Damage, as Peter Wetzler, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, as Dieter Stark, Mercury Rising, as Shayes, Seinfeld, “The Frogger”, as Slippery Pete, 8MM, as Dino Velvet, Dancer in the Dark, as Jeff, Chocolat, as Derge Muscat, Bad Company, as Adrik Vas, Windtalkers, as Gunnery Sergeant Hjelmstad, Minority Report, as Dr. Solomon Eddie, The Tuxedo, as Dr. Simms, Bad Boys II, as Alexei, Constantine, as Satan, The Brothers Grimm, as Cavaldi, Nacho Libre, as Emperor, Prison Break, as John Abruzzi, Mercenaries (fucking love this game), as Mattias Nilsson, Entourage, as Aaron Cohen, the ex-Mossad security expert, Weeds, as the Chef at the hotel Andy works at who hates him.
David Strathairn
This dude is one of my favorite actors of all time. I fucking love Strathairn.
Where you know him from:
Good Night, and Good Luck, as Edward R. Murrow
A League of Their Own, as Ira Lowenstein
L.A. Confidential, as Pierce Patchett
The Bourne Ultimatum, as Noah Vosen
Also look for him in: Silkwood, as Wesley, At Close Range, as Tony Pine, Matewan, as Sid Hatfield, Eight Men Out, as Eddie Cicotte, Bob Roberts, as Mack Laflin, Sneakers, as Whistler, Passion Fish, as Rennie, The Firm, as Ray McDeere, The River Wild, as Tom Hartman, Dolores Claiborne, as Joe St. George, Home for the Holidays, as Russell Terziak, Simon Birch, as Rev. Russell, A Misdummer Night’s Dream, as Theseus, The Notorious Bettie Page, as Estes Kefauver, We Are Marshall, as President Dedmon, Fracture, as DA Joe Lobruto, My Blueberry Nights, as Arnie, The Spiderwick Chronicles, as Arthur Spiderwick, Cold Souls, as Dr. Flintstein, Howl, as Ralph McIntosh, The Whistleblower, as Peter Ward, and currently, on Alphas, as Dr. Lee Rosen.
Robert Strauss
Where you know him from:
Stalag 17, as Sgt. Animal
The Man with the Golden Arm, as Schwiefka
Also look for him in: The Bridges at Tokyo-Ri, as Beer Barrel, The Seven Year Itch, as Mr. Kruhulik, Attack, as Pfc. Bernstein.
Woody Strode
Where you know him from:
Once Upon a Time in the West, as Stony – Member of Frank’s gang
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, as Pompey
Spartacus, as Draba
The Professionals, as Jake Sharp
Also look for him in: City Beneath the Sea, as Dijon, Demetrius and the Gladiators, as Gladiator, The Silver Chalice, as Moor, The Ten Commandments, as King of Ethiopia, Pork Chop Hill, as Pvt. Franklin, The Last Voyage, as Hank Lawson, Sergeant Rutledge, as 1st Sgt. Braxton Rutledge, Genghis Khan, as Sengal, 7 Women, as Lean Warrior, Che!, as Guillermo, The Cotton Club, as Holmes, The Quick and the Dead, as Charlie Moonlight.
Mark Strong
Where you know him from:
Sherlock Holmes, as Lord Blackwood
Sunshine, as Pinbacker
Stardust, as Septimus
Also look for him in: Revolver, as Sorter, Oliver Twist, as Toby Crackit, Syriana, as Mussawi, Tristan & Isolde, as Wictred, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, as Nick, RocknRolla, as Archy, Good, as Bouhler, Body of Lies ,as Hani, The Young Victoria, as Sir John Conroy, Kick-Ass, as Frank D’aMico, Robin Hood, as Godfrey, The Way Back, as Khabarov, The Guard, as Clive Cornell, The Eagle, as Guern, Green Lantern, as Sinestro, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, as Jim Prideaux.
Michael Stuhlbarg
Where you know him from:
A Serious Man, as Larry Gopnik
Boardwalk Empire, as Arnold Rothstein
Hugo, as Rene Tabard
Also look for him in: A Price Above Rubies, as Young Hassid, The Key to Reserva, as Louis Bernard, Body of Lies, as Ferris’ Attorney, Cold Souls, as Hedge Fund Consultant, Men in Black III, as Griffin.
Donald Sutherland
Where you know him from:
MASH, as Hawkeye Pierce
Klute, as John Klute
Don’t Look Now, as John Baxter
Ordinary People, as Calvin Jarrett
Also look for him in: The Dirty Dozen, as Vernon Pinkley, Kelly’s Heroes, as Sgt. Oddball, Alex in Wonderland, as Alex Morrison, Little Murders, as Rev. Dupas, S*P*Y*S, as Bruland, The Day of the Locust, as Homer Simpson, Animal House, as Dave Jennings, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, as Matthew Bennell, The Great Train Robbery, as Agar, Heaven Help Us, as Brother Thadeus, Lock Up, as Warden Drumgoole, A Dry White Season, as Ben du Toit, Backdraft, as Ronald Bartel, JFK, as X, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as Merrick, Six Degrees of Separation, as Flan, Outbreak, as Maj. Gen. Donald McClintock, A Time to Kill, as Lucien Wilbanks, Fallen, as Lt. Stanton, Without Limits, as Bill Bowerman, Free Money, as Judge Rolf Rausenberger, Space Cowboys, as Jerry O’Neill, The Art of War, as Douglas Thomas, The Italian Job, as John Bridger, Cold Mountain, as Reverend Monroe, Pride & Prejudice, as Mr. Bennet, Lord of War, as Col. Oliver Southern, Ask the Dust, as Hellfrick, Reign Over Me, as Judge Raines, Fool’s Gold, as Nigel Honeycutt, The Mechanic, as Harry McKenna, The Eagle, as Uncle Aquila, Horrible Bosses, as Jack Pellit.
Saïd Taghmaoui
Where you know him from:
Three Kings, as Captain Saïd
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, as Breaker
The Kite Runner, as Farid
Also look for him in: La Haine, as Saïd, The Good Thief, as Paoulo, Spartan, as Tariq Asani, Hidalgo, as Prince Bin Al Reeh, I Heart Huckabees, as Translator, Vantage Point, as Suarez, Traitor, as Omar, Conan the Barbarian, as Ela-Shan.
Faran Tahir
Where you know him from:
Iron Man, as Raza
Also look for him in: The Jungle Book (1994), Nathoo, Picture Perfect, as Sajit, A Price Above Rubies, as Hrundi Kapoor, Anywhere But Here, as Hisham Badir, Charlie Wilson’s War, as Brigadier Rashid, Star Trek, as Captain Robau.
George Takei
Where you know him from:
Star Trek, as Sulu
Star Trek: The Motion Picture & Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan & Star Trek III: The Search for Spock & Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home & Star Trek V: The Final Frontier & Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, as Sulu
Also look for him in: A Majority of One, as Mr. Asano’s Son, Morituri, as Junior Officer, Walk Don’t Run, as Police Captain, The Green Berets, as Captain Nim, Return from the River Kwai, as Lieutenant Tanaka, Oblivion, as Doc Valentine, Mulan, as First Ancestor, Kim Possible, as Sensei, Heroes, as Kaito Nakamura, Larry Crowne, as Dr. Ed Matsutani, Archer, “Drift Problem,” as Mr. Moto.
Jeffrey Tambor
Here’s another one — where don’t you know him from?
Where you know him from:
Arrested Development, as George Bluth Sr.
The Larry Sanders Show, as Hank Kingsley
EuroTrip, as Scotty’s Dad
The Hangover &The Hangover Part II, as Sid Garner
Also look for him in: …And Justice for All, as Jay Porter, Life Stinks, as Vance Crasswell, City Slickers, as Lou, Radioland Murders, as Walt Whalen, Jr., Heavy Weights, as Maury Garner, Doctor Dolittle, as Dr. Fish, There’s Something About Mary, as Sully, Meet Joe Black, as Quince, Teaching Mrs. Tingle, as Coach Wenchell, Girl, Interrupted, as Dr. Potts, Pollock, as Clem Greenberg, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, as Mayor Augustus Maywho, Hellboy & Hellboy II: The Golden Army, as Tom Manning, SpongeBob Squarepants, as King Neptune, Slipstream, as Geek/Jeffrey/Dr.Geekman, Superhero Movie, as Dr. Whitby, Entourage, as himself, The Invention of Lying, as Anthony, Tangled, as Big Nose Thug, Paul, as Adam Shadowchild, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, as Mr. Gremmins, Archer, as Torvald Utne & Len Drexler
Jessica Tandy
Where you know her from:
Driving Miss Daisy, as Miss Daisy
But also, as I said with her husband, Hume Cronyn, the two were married for 52 years and acted together many times. Here’s that list:
The Seventh Cross, as Liesel Roeder Blonde Fever, as Diner at Inn The Green Years, as Kate Leckie The World According to Garp, as Mrs. Fields Cocoon & Cocoon: The Return, as Alma Finley *batteries not included, as Faye Riley Camilla, as Camilla Cara
Also look for her in: The Valley of Decision, as Louise Kane, Forever Amber, as Nan Britton, The Birds, as Lydia Brenner, Best Friends, as Eleanor McCullen, The Bostonians, as Miss Birdseye, Fried Green Tomatoes, as Ninny Theadgoode, Used People, as Frieda, Nobody’s Fool, as Beryl Peoples.
Holland Taylor
Where you know her from:
The Truman Show, as Truman’s Mother
Keeping the Faith, as Bonnie Rose
One Fine Day, as Rita
Two and a Half Men, as Evelyn Harper
Also look for her in: Fame, as Claudia van Doren, Reuben Reuben (I don’t know who she played, it’s not on IMDB, but apparently she is in it), Romancing the Stone & The Jewel of the Nile, as Gloria, She’s Having a Baby, as Sarah Briggs, Alice, as Helen, Cop and ½, as Captain Rubio, To Die For, as Carol Stone, George of the Jungle, as Beatrice Stanhope, Ursula’s Mom, The Sex Monster, as Muriel, Town & Country, as Mistress of Ceremonies, Legally Blonde, as Professor Stromwell, Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams & Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, as Grandmother, D.E.B.S., as Ms. Petrie, Baby Mama, as Rose.
David Thewlis
Where you know him from:
Harry Potter, as Remus Lupin
Also look for him in: Damage, as Detective, Naked, as Johnny, Black Beauty, as Jerry Barker, James and the Giant Peach, as Earthworm, DragonHeart, as King Einon, The Island of Doctor Moreau, as Edward Douglas, Seven Years in Tibet, as Peter Aufschnaiter, The Big Lebowski, as Knox Harrington, Kingdom of Heaven, as Hospitaler, The New World, as Wingfield, Basic Instinct 2, as Det. Roy Washburn, The Omen, as Keith Jennings, London Boulevard, as Jordan, Anonymous, as William Cecil, War Horse, as Lyons.
Fred Dalton Thompson
Where you know him from:
His 2008 Presidential Campaign and being a senator in Tennessee from 1994-2002
Die Hard 2, as Trudeau
The Hunt for Red October, as Admiral Painter
Cape Fear, as Tom Broadbent
Necessary Roughness, as Carver Purcell
Also look for him in: No Way Out, as CIA Director Marshall, Class Action, as Dr. Getchell, In the Line of Fire, as Harry Sargent, Baby’s Day Out, as FBI Agent Dale Grissom, Law and Order (multiple versions), as D.A. Arthur Branch, Secretariat, as Bull Hancock.
Jennifer Tilly
Where you know her from:
Bullets over Broadway, as Olive Neal
Liar Liar, as Samantha Cole
Monsters, Inc., as Celia Family Guy, as Bonnie Swanson
Also look for her in: Johnny Be Good, as Connie Hisler, Let it Ride, as Vicki, The Fabulous Baker Boys, as Monica Moran, The Doors, as Okie Girl, The Getaway (1994), as Fran Carvey, House Arrest, as Cindy Figler, Bound, as Violet, Stuart Little, as Mrs. cAmille Stout, Bride of Chucky, Seed of Chucky & Revenge of Chucky, as Tiffany, The Haunted Mansion, as Madame Leota, Tideland, as Queen Gunhilda.
Stephen Toblowsky
Where you know him from:
Groundhog Day, as Ned Ryerson
Memento, as Sammy Jankis
Glee, as Sandy Ryerson (not even hiding it, were you, Glee?)
Also look for him in: Spaceballs, as Captain of the Guard, Mississippi Burning, as Clayton Townley, Great Balls of Fire!, as Jud Phillips, Bird on a Wire, as Joe Weyburn, The Grifters, as Jeweler, Thelma and Louise, as Max, Basic Instinct, as Dr. Lamott, Single White Female, as Mitch Myerson, Sneakers, as Dr. Werner Brandes, Hero, as Wallace, Radioland Murders, as Max Applewhite, Murder in the First, as Mr. Henkin, The Insider, as Eric Kluster, The Country Bears, as Norbert Barrington, National Security, as Billy Narthax, Freaky Friday (2003), as Mr. Bates (classy, guys), Garfield, as Happy Chapman, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, as Tom Abernathy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, “The Seder,” as Len Dunkel, Failure to Launch, as Bud, Wild Hogs, as Charlie, The Time Traveler’s Wife, as Dr. David Kendrick.
Shaun Toub
Where you know him from:
Iron Man, as Yinsen
Crash, as Farhad
Also look for him in: Bad Boys, as Store Clerk (Michael Bay, racially coating characters? No!), Broken Arrow, as Max, Executive Decision, as Terrorist (Hollywood, racially coating characters?), The Kite Runner, as Rahim Khan, Charlie Wilson’s War, as Hassan, The Last Airbender, as Uncle Iroh.
Rip Torn
Where you know him from:
Men in Black & Men in Black II, as Zed
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, as Patches O’Houlihan
Sweet Bird of Youth, as Tom Finley Jr.
30 Rock, as Don Geiss
Also look for him in: Baby Doll, as The Dentist, A Face in the Crowd, as Baryr Mills, Pork Chop Hill, as Lt. Walter Russel, King of Kings, as Judas, The Cincinnati Kid, as Slade, You’re a Big Boy Now, as I.H. Chanticleer, Beyond the Law, as Popcorn, Tropic of Cancer, as Henry Miller, Crazy Joe, as Richie, The Man Who Fell to Earth, as Nathan Bryce, Coma, as Dr. George, The Seduction of Joe Tynan, as Senator Kitner, Airplane II: The Sequel, as Bud Kruger/President Reagan, Cross Creek, as Marsh Turner, Beyond the Law, as Deputy Butch Prescott, RoboCop 3, as The CEO, Canadian Bacon, as General Dick Panzer, Down Periscope, as Vice Adm. Dean Winslow, Hercules, as Zeus, The Insider, as Joe Scanlon, Wonder Boys, as “Q” Morewood, Freddy Got Fingered, as Jim Brody, Welcome to Mooseport, as Bert Langdon, Eulogy, as Edmund Collins, Forty Shades of Blue, as Alan James, Marie Antoinette, as Louis XV, Three Days to Vegas, as Joe Wallace, Bee Movie, as Lou Lo Duca, August, as David Sterling.
Henry Travers
Where you know him from:
It’s a Wonderful Life, as Clarence
Mrs. Miniver, as Mr. Ballard
High Sierra, as Pa
Random Harvest, as Dr. Sims
Shadow of a Doubt, as Joseph Newton
The Bells of St. Mary’s, as Horace P. Bogardus
The Invisible Man, as Dr. Cranley
Also look for him in: Death Takes a Holiday, as Baron Cesarea, Pursuit, as Thomas ‘Tom’ Reynols, Dodge City, as Dr. Irving, Dark Victory, as Dr. Parsons, The Rains Came, as Rev. Homer Smiley, The Bad Man, as Mr. Jasper Hardy, Ball of Fire, as Prof. Jerome, Madame Curie, as Eugene Curie, The Yearling, as Mr. Boyles.
Danny Trejo
The epitome of the character actor in that, whenever he shows up on screen, you cheer.
Where you know him from:
Desperado, as Navajas
Spy Kids (all of them) as Machete
Once Upon a Time in Mexico, as Cucuy
Machete, as Machete (and Grindhouse, which features the trailer for Machete)
Also look for him in: Runaway Train, as Boxer, Heat, as Trejo, From Dusk Till Dawn, as Razor Charlie, Anaconda, as Poacher, Con Air, as Johnny-23, The Replacement Killers, as Collins, Six Days Seven Nights, as Pierce, Reindeer Games, as Jumpy, The Salton Sea, as Little Bill, xXx, as El Jee, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, as Umberto Robina, Anchorman, as Bartender, The Devil’s Rejects, as Rondo, Halloween, as Ismael Cruz (but not the sequel. Which means he don’t make it), Fanboys, as The Chief, Predators, as Cuchillo.
Stanley Tucci
Where you know him from:
The Devil Wears Prada, as Nigel
Road to Perdition, as Frank Nitti
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, as Stanley Kubrick
Big Trouble, as Arthur Herk (Where I first noticed him)
The Lovely Bones, as George Harvey
Easy A, as Dill
Also look for him in: Prizzi’s Honor, as Soldier, Quick Change, as Johnny, Billy Bathgate, as Lucky Luciano, Beethoven, as Vernon, The Pelican Brief, as Khamel, Jury Duty, as Frank, Kiss of Death, as Frank Zioli, Big Night, as Secondo, Deconstructing Harry, as Paul Epstein/Harry’s Character, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as Puck, Joe Gould’s Secret, as Joe Mitchell, America’s Sweethearts, as Dave Kingman, Maid in Manhattan, as Jerry Siegel, The Core, as Conrad Zimsky, The Terminal, as Frnak Dixon, Robots, as Herb Copperbottom, Lucky Number Slevin, as Brikowski, The Hoax, as Shelton Fisher, What Just Happened, as Scott Solomon, Swing Vote, as Martin Fox, Julie & Julia, as Paul Child, Burlesque, as Sean, Captain America: The First Avenger, as Dr. Abraham Erskine.
Alan Tudyk
Where you know him from:
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, as Steve the Pirate
A Knight’s Tale, as Wat
…and I guess a bunch of people apparently know him from:
Firefly and Serenity, as Hoban “Wash” Washburne
Also look for him in: Patch Adams, as Everton, 28 Days, as Gerhardt, Wonder Boys, as Sam Traxler, Hearts in Atlantis, as Monte Man, Ice Age, as Lenny/Oscar/Dab, I, Robot, as Sonny, Ice Age 2: The Meltdown, as Cholly, Death at a Funeral, as Simon, Knocked Up, as Jack, 3:10 to Yuma, as Do Potter, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as Dutch.
John Turturro
Here’s another one where, I know people know who he is, but, I don’t think he’s quite famous enough where everyone is like, “It’s John Turturro!” Plus, he’s another one who epitomizes the character actor, so we can use him as a measuring stick for what a character actor really does.
Where you know him from:
Barton Fink, as Barton Fink
The Big Lebowski, as Jesus Quintana
Quiz Show, as Herb Stempel
Do the Right Thing, as Pino
O Brother Where Art Thou?, as Pete
Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen & Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as Agent Simmons
Also look for him in: Raging Bull, as Man at Webster Hall Table, Desperately Seeking Susan, as Ray, To Love and Die in L.A., as Carl Cody, Hannah and Her Sisters, as Writer, The Color of Money, as Julian, Mo’ Better Blues, as Moe Flatbush, Miller’s Crossing, as Bernie Bernbaum, State of Grace, as Nick, Jungle Fever, as Paulie Carobne, Fearless, as Dr. Bill Pullman, Clockers, as Det. Larry Mazill, Rounders, as Joey Knish, Summer of Sam, as Harvey the Black Dog, Monkeybone, as Monkeybone, Mr. Deeds, as Emilio Lopez, Anger Management, as Chuck, Secret Window, as John Shooter, The Good Shepherd, as Ray Brocco, Slipstream, as Harvey Brickman, The Bronx is Burning, as Billy Martin, Margot at the Wedding, as Jim, What Just Happened, as Dick Bell, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, as Phantom, Miracle at St. Anna, as Det. Tony Ricci, The Taking of Pelham 123 as Camonetti, Cars 2, as Francesco Bernoulli.
Deborah Kara Unger
Where you know her from:
The Game, as Christine
Payback, as Lynn Porter
Also look for her in: Crash (Cronenberg), as Catherine Ballard, The Hurricane, as Lisa Peters, The Salton Sea, as Katherine, Thirteen, as Brooke LaLaine, A Love Song for Bobby Long, as Georgianna, Silent Hill, as Dahlia Gillespie, 88 Minutes, as Carol Lynn Johnson.
Peter Ustinov
Where you know him from:
Spartacus, as Lentulus Batiatus
The Sundowners, as Rupert Venneker
Topkapi, as Arthur Simon Simpson
Robin Hood (Disney), as Prince John/King Richard
Also look for him in: Quo Vadis, as Nero (he’s awesome here), We’re No Angels, as Jules, Lola Montès, as Circus Master, Billy Budd, as Edwin Fairfax Vere, Post Captain, The Comedians, as Ambassador Pineda, Logan’s Run, as Old Man, Death on the Nile, as Hercule Poirot, Lorenzo’s Oil, as Professor Nikolais.
Lee Van Cleef
Where you know him from:
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, as Angel Eyes/Sentenza
For a Few Dollars More, as Col. Douglas Mortimer
High Noon, as Jack Colby (the first face you see on screen in the film, too)
Also look for him in: Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, as Ed Bailey, The Tin Star, as Ed McGaffey, How the West Was Won, as River Pirate, The Big Gundown, as Jonathan ‘Colorado’ Corbett, Death Rides a Horse, as Ryan, The Magnificent Seven Ride!, as Chris Adams, Grand Duel, as Sheriff Clayton,Take a Hard Ride, as Kiefer, Escape from New York, as Hauk.
Jacob Vargas
Where you know him from:
Traffic, as Manolo Sanchez
Next Friday, as Joker
Get Shorty, as Yayo Portillo
Airborne, as Snake
Also look for him in: Ernest Goes to Camp, as Butch “Bubba” Vargas, Fatal Instinct, as Flower Delivery Man, Crimson Tide, as Sonarman #2, Selena, as Abie Quintanilla, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, Ramon, Dr. Dolittle 2, as Pepito, Dragonfly, as Victor, Flight of the Phoenix, as Sammi, Jarhead, as Juan Corte, Bobby, as Miguel, The Hills Have Eyes II, as Crank, Are We Done Yet?, as Mike the Plumber, The Life and Death of Bobby Z, as Jorge Escobar, Death Race, as Funner, Devil, as Ramirez.
Robert Vaughn
Where you know him from:
Bullitt, as Chalmers
The Magnificent Seven, as Lee
The Man from U.N.C.L.E., as Napoleon Solo
BASEketball,a s Baxter Cain
Also look for him in: The Ten Commandments, as Spearman/Hebrew at Golden Calf, The Young Philadephians, as Chet Gwynn, The Towering Inferno, as Senator Parker, S.O.B., as David Blackman, Superman III, as Ross Webster, The Delta Force, as Gen. Woodbridge, Joe’s Apartment, as Senator Dougherty, Pootie Tang, as Dick Lecter.
Conrad Veidt
Where you know him from:
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, as Cesare
Casablanca, as Major Strasser
The Man Who Laughs, as Gwynplaine (Which, as the photo up there clearly suggests, was the inspiration for the original Joker design. Which is fucking awesome.)
Also look for him in: The Hands of Orlac, as Orlac, The Thief of Bagdad (1940), as Jaffar, and a bunch of German silent films that I know 95% of the people reading this would never see. But, he’s awesome.
John Vernon
Where you know him from:
Animal House, as Dean Wormer
The Outlaw Josey Wales, as Fletcher
I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, as Mr. Big
Also look for him in: 1984 (1956), as Big Brother (with his voice, it’s perfect casting), Topaz, as Rico Parra, Dirty Harry, as The Mayor, Charley Varrick, as Maynard Boyle, Airplane II: The Sequel, as Dr. Stone, Ernest Goes to Camp, as Sherman Krader, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, as Curtis Mooney.
Abe Vigoda
First, always helpful: http://www.abevigoda.com/ (A site dedicated to whether or not Abe Vigoda is still alive.)
Where you know him from:
From the fact that he’s like 276 years old, probably. And also:
The Godfather, as Tessio
Also look for him in: The Cheap Detective, as Detective Rizzuto, Cannonball Run II, as Caesar, Look Who’s Talking, as Grandpa, Joe Versus the Volcano, as Chief of the Waponis, Good Burger (Yes!), as Otis, Farce of the Penguins, as Penguin from Boca.
Does anyone else conflate him with Yogi Berra all the time? Or is that just me?
Pruitt Taylor Vince
Where you know him from:
Natural Born Killers, as Deputy Warden Kavanaugh
Mississippi Burning, as Lester Cowens
Identity, as Malcolm Rivers
Monster, as Gene/Stuttering “John”
Also look for him in: Angel Heart, as Det. Deimos, Barfly, as Joe, Red Heat, as Night Clerk, K-9, as Benny the Mule, Wild at Heart, as Buddy, Jacob’s Ladder, as Paul, JFK, as Lee Bowers, City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold, as Bud, China Moon, as Daryl Jeeters, Nobody’s Fool, as Rub Squeers, Doctor Dolittle, as Patient at Hammersmith, Nurse Betty, as Ballard, The Cell, as Dr. Reid, S1m0ne, as Max Sayer, Constantine, as Father Hennessy, Deadwood, as Mose Manuel, House M.D., “Que Será, Será,” as George, Captivity, as Ben Dexter, In the Electric Mist, as Lou Girard, Leaves of Grass, as Big Joe Sharpe, Drive Angry, as Roy, Butter, as Ned Eaten, Creature, as Grover.
Frank Vincent
Where you know him from:
Goodfellas, as Billy Batts (“Now go home and get your fuckin’ shinebox!”)
The Sopranos, as Phil Leotardo
Raging Bull, as Salvy
Also look for him in: Wise Guys, as Louie Fontucci, Do the Right Thing, as Charlie, Mortal Thoughts, as Dominic, Joyce’s Father, Jungle Fever, as Mike Tucci, Casino, as Frank Marino, Cop Land, as PDA President Lassaro, Grand Theft Auto 3 and a cameo in San Andreas, as Salvatore Leone (his voice is all over the trailers for this game. This is where I first took notice of him), Shark Tale, as Great White #3.
Joe Viterelli
Where you know him from:
Analyze This & Analyze That, as Jelly (“He stabbed himself in the back four times and threw himself off a bridge.”)
Bullets over Broadway, as Nick Valenti
Shallow Hal, as Steve Shanahan
Also look for him in: State of Grace, as Borelli, Mobsters, as Joe Profaci, Ruby, as Joseph Valachi, The Firm, as Joey Morolto, The Crossing Guard, as Joe, Eraser, as Tony Two-Toes, Jane Austen’s Mafia!, as Dominick Clamato, Mickey Blue Eyes, as Vinnie D’Agostino, See Spot Run, as Gino, Serving Sara, as Fat Charlie.
Max von Sydow
Where you know him from:
The Seventh Seal, as Antonius Block
The Exorcist, as Father Merrin (+ Exorcist II: The Heretic)
Three Days of the Condor, as G. Joubert
Minority Report, as Director Lamar Burgess
Also look for him in: Wild Strawberries, as Henrik Akerman,The Magician, as Albert Emanuel Vogler, the Virgin Spring, as Tore, Through a Glass Darkly, as Martin, Winter Light, as Jonas Persson, The Greatest Story Ever Told, as Jesus, Hawaii, as Rev. Abner Hale, Hour of the Wolf, as Johan Borg, The Passion of Anna, as Andreas Winelman, The Kremlin Letter, as Colonel Kosnov, The Emigrants & The New Land, as Karl Oskar, Flash Gordon, as Emperor Ming, Victory, as Major Karl Von Steiner, Conan the Barbarian, as King Osric, Never Say Never Again, as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Dune, as Doctor Kynes, Hannah and Her Sisters, as Frederick, Pelle the Conqueror, as Lassefar, Ghostbusters II, as Vigo, Awakenings, as Dr. Peter Ingham, Judge Dredd, as Chief Justice Fargo, What Dreams May Come, as The Tracker, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, as Papinou, Rush Hour 3, as Reynard, The Tudors, as Cardinal Von Waldburg, Shutter Island, as Dr. Naehring, Robin Hood, as Sir Walter Loxley, Extremely Loud and Incredible Close, as The Renter.
Robert Wagner
Where you know him from:
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery & Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me & Austin Powers in Goldmember, as Number Two
The Pink Panther, as George Lytton (+ Curse of the Pink Panther)
The True Story of Jesse James, as Jesse James
Also look for him in: With a Song in My Heart, as GI Paratrooper, What Price Glory, as Pvt. Lewisohn, Titanic, as Gifford Rogers, Prince Valiant, as Prince Valiant, Broken Lance, as Joe Devereaux, The Mountain, as Chris Teller, The Longest Day, as U.S. Army Ranger, Harper, as Allan Taggert, Winning, as Luther “Lou” Erding, The Towering Inferno, as Bigelow, Midway, as Lieutenant Commander Ernest L. Blake, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, as Bill Krieger, Overdrive, as Freddie, Wild Things, as Tom Baxter, Crazy in Alabama, as Harry Hall, Play It to the Bone, as Hank Goody.
Donnie Wahlberg
Where you know him from:
The Sixth Sense, as Vincent Grey
Ransom, as Cubby Barnes
Band of Brothers, as C. Carwood Lipton
Also look for him in: Diamond Men, as Bobby Walker, Dreamcatcher, as Duddits, Saw II & Saw IV, as Eric Matthews, What Doesn’t Kill You, as Detectiv Moran, Righteous Kill, as Det. Ted Riley, Zookeeper, as Shane, Blue Bloods, as Danny Reagan.
Tom Waits
Where you know him from:
Down by Law, as Zack
Dracula, as R.M. Renfield
Mystery Men, as Doc Heller
The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, as Mr. Nick
Also look for him in: One from the Heart, as Trumpet Player, Rumble Fish, as Benny, The Cotton Club, as Irving Stark, Ironweed, as Rudy, Mystery Train, as Radio DJ (“Lost in Space” segment), The Two Jakes, as Plainclothes Policeman, The Fisher King, as Disabled Veteran, Short Cuts, as Earl Piggot, Coffee and Cigarettes, as Tom, Domino, as Wanderer, Wristcutters: A Love Story, as Kneller, The Book of Eli, as Engineer.
Christopher Walken
Where you know him from:
The Deer Hunter, as Nick
Pulp Fiction, as Captain Koons
Batman Returns, as Max Shreck
Catch Me If You Can, as Frank Abignale, Sr.
A View to a Kill, as Max Zorin
Nick of Time, as Mr. Smith (great fucking movie!)
Also look for him in: Cleopatra, as Boy, The Anderson Tapes, as The Kid, The Sentinel, as Detective Rizzo, Annie Hall, as Duane Hall, Heaven’s Gate, as Nathan D. Champion, The Dogs of War, as Jamie Shannon, Pennies from Heaven, as Tom, The Dead Zone, as Johnny Smith, At Close Range, as Brad Whitewood, Sr., The Milagro Beanfield War, as Kyril Montana, Biloxi Blues, as Sgt. Toomey, Homeboy, as Wesley Pendergass, King of New York, as Frank White, True Romance, as Vincenzo Coccotti, Wayne’s World 2, as Bobby Cahn, The Prophecy, as Gabriel, Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead, as The Man with the Plan, Basquiat, as The Interviewer, Last Man Standing, as Hickey, Excess Baggage, as Ray, Suicide Kings, as Carlo Bartolucci/Charlie Barret, Mousehunt, as Caeser, the Exeterminator, New Rose Hotel, as Fox, Antz, as Colonel Cutter, Blast from the Past, as Calvin, Sleepy Hollow, as Hessian Horseman, Scotland, Pa., as Lieutenant McDuff, Joe Dirt, as Clem, America’s Sweethearts, as Hal Weidmann, Poolhall Junkies, as Mike, The Country Bears, as Reed Thimple, Kangaroo Jack, as Sal Maggio, Gigli, as Det. Stanley Jacobellis, The Rundown, as Hatcher, Man on Fire, as Rayburn, Envy, as J-Man, The Stepford Wives, as Mike Wellington, Around the Bend, as Turner Lair, Wedding Crashers, as Senator Cleary, Romance & Cigarettes, as Cousin Bo (watch him sing and dance to Tom Jones’ “Delilah.”), Domino, as Mark Heiss, Click, as Morty, Man of the Year, as Jack Menken, Hairspray, as Wilbur Turnblad, Balls of Fury, as Feng, $5 a Day, as Nat Parker, The Maiden Heist, as Roger Barlow, Kill the Irishman, as Shondor Birns.
Eli Wallach
Who doesn’t love Eli Wallach? This man is a national treasure
Where you know him from:
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, as Tuco Benedicto Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez (known as “The Rat”)
The Magnificent Seven, as Calvera
Also look for him in: Baby Doll, as Silva Vacarro, The Misfits, as Guido, How the West Was Won, as Charlie Gant, How to Steal a Million, as Davis Leland, Mackenna’s Gold, as Ben Baker, Cinderella Liberty, as Lynn Forshay, Movie Movie, as Vince Marlow/Pop, The Hunter, as Ritchie Blumenthal, Nuts, as Dr. Herbert A. Morrison, The Two Jakes, as Cotton Weinberger, The Godfather Part III, as Don Altobello, Keeping the Faith, as Rabbi Ben Lewis, Mystic River, as Mr. Loonie, Liquor Store Owner, The Hoax, as Noah Dietrich, The Holiday, as Arthur Abbott, New York, I Love You, as Abe (great little short with him and Cloris Leachman. Best part of the film, actually), The Ghost Writer, as Old Man, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, as Julie Steinhardt.
J.T. Walsh
One of the great character actors of all time. This man is missed big time.
Where you know him from:
A Few Good Men, as Lt. Col. Markinson
Pleasantville, as Big Bob
Breakdown, as Red (love this movie)
The Negotiator, as Terence Niebaum
Also look for him in: Hannah and Her Sisters, as Ed Smythe, Tin Men, as Wing, House of Games, as The Businessman, Good Morning, Vietnam, as Sgt. Major Dickerson, The Grifters, as Cole, Backdraft, as Alderman Marty Swayzak, Hoffa, as Frank Fitzsimmons, Sniper, as Chester Van Damme, National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1, as Desk Clerk, Red Rock West, as Wayne, The Last Seduction, as Frank Griffith, The Client, as Jason McThune, Miracle on 34th Street, as Ed Collins, Outbreak, as Chief of Staff, Nixon, as John Erlichman, Executive Decision, as Senator Mavros, Sling Blade, as Charles Bushman.
You know how, in music (I’m totally making this up, but it might be true), they have up beats and down beats? Like, some beats are just there, are played and are part of the song, but other beats are hard, firm beats that are the big, punctuated notes? It feels like this dude’s entire career was full of nothing but punctuated notes. He’s awesome.
M. Emmet Walsh
Where you know him from:
So many things. I’m just gonna list the things that made me first take notice of him.
Back to School, as Coach Turnbull
Blood Simple, as Private Detective Loren Visser
And, honestly…
Wild Wild West, as Coleman (I have to assume this is part of it, because I don’t remember precisely who he played, but I do remember him being in this movie.)
Also look for him in: Midnight Cowboy, as Bus Passenger Alice’s Restaurant, as Group W Sergeant, Little Big Man, as Shotgun Guard, What’s Up, Doc?, as Arresting Officer, Serpico, as Chief Gallagher, Bound for Glory, as Husband, Couple in Trailer Automobile, Nickelodeon, as “Father” Logan, Slap Shot, as Dickie Dunn, Airport ’77, as Dr. Williams, Straight Time, as Earl Frank, The Jerk, as Madman, Ordinary People, as Salan Reds, as Speaker, Liberal Club, Blade Runner, as Bryant, Slikwood, as Walt Yarborough, The Pope of Greenwich Village, as Burns, Fletch, as Dr. Joseph Dolan, Wildcats, as Walt Coes, Raising Arizona, as Machine Shop Ear-Bender, Harry and the Hendersons, as George Henderson, Sr., The Milagro Beanfield War, as Governer, Clean and Sober, as Richard Dirks, Chattahoochee, as Morris, White Sands, as Bert Gibson, A Time to Kill, as W.T. Bass, Albino Alligator, as Dino, Romeo + Juliet, as Apothecary, My Best Friend’s Wedding, as Joe O’Neal, Chairman of the Board, as Freemont, The Iron Giant, as Earl Stutz, Random Hearts, as Billy, Youth in Revolt, as Mr. Saunders.
Matt Walsh
Where you know him from:
The Hangover, as Doctor Valsh
Role Models, Davith of Glencracken
Old School, as Walsh
Also look for him in: Road Trip, as Crime Scene Photographer, Bad Santa, as Herb, Starsky & Hutch, as Eddie, Christmas with the Kranks, as Neighbor #2, Be Kind Rewind, as Officer Julian, Semi-Pro, as Father Pat the Red, Drillbit Taylor, as Not for Pot Driver, Step Brothers, as Drunk Corporate Guy, I Love You, Man, as Impatient Golfer, The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, as Captain Ortiz, Cyrus, as Tim, Due Date, as TSA Agent, Hung, as Matt Saline, Movie 43, as Amanda’s Dad.
Jessica Walter
Where you know her from:
Arrested Development, as Lucille Bluth
Archer, as Malory Archer
Play Misty For Me, as Evelyn
Also look for her in: Lilith, as Laura, The Group, as Libby, Grand Prix, as Pat Stoddard, Bye Bye Braverman, as Inez Braverman, The Flamingo Kid, as Phyllis Brody, Ghost in the Machine, as Elaine Spencer, PCU, as President Garcia-Thompson, Slums of Beverly Hills, as Doris Zimmerman, Unaccompanied Minors, as Cindi.
Melora Walters
Where you know him from:
Magnolia, as Claudia Wilson Gator
Boogie Nights, as Jessie St. Vincent
Big Love, as Wanda Henrickson
Also look for him in: Dead Poet’s Society, as Gloria, Beethoven, as Pet Shop Owner, Ed Wood, as Secretary #2, Hard Eight, as Jimmy’s Girl, Matchstick Men, as Heather, Roy’s Ex-Wife, Cold Mountain, as Lila, The Butterfly Effect, as Andrea, Love Ranch, as Janelle.
Fred Ward
Where you know him from:
The Right Stuff, as Gus Grisson
Corky Romano, as Leo Corrigan (This is where I first noticed him. Just sayin’.)
Tremors, as Earl Bassett
Also look for him in: Escape from Alcatraz, as John Anglin, Silkwood, as Morgan Uncommon valor, as Wilkes, Swing Shift, as Biscuits, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, as Remo Williams, Henry & June, as Henry Miller, The Player, as Walter Stuckel, Bob Roberts, as Chip Daley, Short Cuts, as Stuart Kane, Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult, as Rocco, Road Trip, as Earl Edwards, Joe Dirt, as Joe’s Dad, Summer Catch, as Sean Dunne, Sweet Home Alabama, as Earl Smooter, Masked and Anonymous, as Drunk, Armored, as Duncan Ashcroft, 30 Minutes or Less, as the Major.
Jack Warden
Another one of my legit favorite actors of all time. This man should be in every movie.
Where you know him from:
Heaven Can Wait, as Max Corkle
Shampoo, as Lester Karpf
The Verdict, as Mickey Morrissey
Also look for him in: From Here to Eternity, as Cpl. Buckley, 12 Agnry Men, as Juror #7, Run Silent Run Deep, as Yeoman 1st Class Mueller, Who is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?, as Dr. Solomon F. Moses (watch this movie. It’s so awesome and surreal. And Warden is incredible in it), Brian’s Song, as Coach George Halas, All the President’s Men, as Harry Rosenfeld, Death on the Nile, as Dr. Bessner, The Champ, as Jackie, Beyond the Poseidon Adventure, as Harold Meredith, …And Justice for All, as Judge Rayford, Being There, as President “Bobby,” Used Cars, as Roy L. Fuchs/Luke Fuchs, Problem Child, as Big Ben, Bullets over Broadway, as Julian Marx, While You Were Sleeping, as Saul, Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead, as Joe Heff, Mighty Aphrodite, as Tireslas, Ed, as Chubb, Chairman of the Board, as Armand McMillan, Bulworth, as Eddie Davers, Dirty Work, as “Pops” McKenna, The Replacements, as Edward O’Neill.
Sam Waterston
Where you know him from:
The Killing Fields, as Sydney Schanberg
The Great Gatsby, as Nick Carraway
Law & Order, as Jack McCoy
Also look for him in: Rancho Deluxe, as Cecil Colson, Interiors, as Mike, Hopscotch, as Cutter, Heaven’s Gate, as Frank Canton, Hannah and Her Sisters, as David, September, as Peter, Crimes and Misdemeanors, as Ben, Serial Mom, as Eugene Sutphin, D.D.S., Le divorce, as Chester Walker, The Newsroom, as Charlie Skinner
Emily Watson
Where you know her from:
Breaking the Waves, as Bess McNeill
Punch-Drunk Love, as Lena Leonard
Red Dragon, as Reba McClane
Also look for her in: The Boxer, as Maggie, Cradle Will Rock, as Olive Stanton, Angela’s Ashes, as Angela McCourt, Gosford Park, as Elsie, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, as Anne Sellers, The Proposition, as Martha Stanley, Corpse Bride, as Victoria Everglot, Miss Potter, as Millie Warne, The Water Horse, as Anne MacMorrow, Fireflies in the Garden, as Jane Lawrence, Synecdoche, New York, as Tammy, Cold Souls, as Claire, Cemetary Junction, as Mrs. Kendrick, War Horse, as Rose Narracott.
Carl Weathers
Where you know him from:
Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III & Rocky IV, as Apollo Creed
Predator, as Dillon
Happy Gilmore, as Chubbs,
Also look for him in: Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as Military Policeman, Force 10 from Navarone, as Weaver, Action Jackson, as Action Jackson, The Comebacks, as Freddie Wiseman.
Hugo Weaving
I know we all know him now, but, he counts. The fact that we know him is because he counts.
Where you know him from:
The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded & The Matrix Revolutions, as Agent Smith
The Lord of the Rings, as Elrond
V for Vendetta, as V
Also look for him in: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, as Tick/Mitzi, Babe & Babe: Pig in the City, as Rex, Happy Feet, as Noah the Elder, Transformers, as Megatron (and the sequels, obviously), The Wolfman, as Abberline, Captain America: The First Avenger, as Red Skull.
Jack Weston
Where you know him from:
Wait Until Dark, as Carlino
The Thomas Crown Affair, as Erwin
Cactus Flower, as Harvey Greenfield
Dirty Dancing, as Max Kellerman (owner of the resort)
Also look for him in: Imitation of Life, as Tom, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, as George Stickel, The Cincinnati Kid, as Pig, Gator, as Irving Greenfield, Short Circuit II, as Oscar Baldwin
Frank Whaley
Where you know him from:
Pulp Fiction, as Brett
Field of Dreams, as Archie Graham
Also look for him in: Ironweed, as young Francis Phelan, Born on the Fourth of July, as Timmy, The Freshman, as Steve Bushak, The Doors, as Robby Krieger, JFK, as Oswald Imposter, Swimming with Sharks, as Guy, Broken Arrow, as Giles Prentice, Red Dragon, as Ralph Mandy, The School of Rock, as Battle of the Bands Director, Curb Your Enthusiasm, “Lewis Needs a Kidney,” as Peter Hagen (the dude who picks up Larry as he tries to walk through the drive thru and later is arrested for a major crime), World Trade Center, as Chuck Sereika, Vacancy, as Mason.
Shea Whigham
Where you know him from:
Boardwalk Empire, as Eli Thompson
The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans, as Justin
Wristcutters: A Love Story, as Eugene
Also look for him in: Tigerland, as Pvt. Wilson, Bad Company, as Agent Wells, All the Real Girls, as Tip, Man of the House, as Ranger Holt, Lords of Dogtown, as Drake Landon, Pride and Glory, as Kenny Dugan, Fast & Furious, as Stasiak, Barry Munday, as Donald, Machete, as Sniper, The Conspirator, as Captain Cottingham, Take Shelter, as Dewart, The Lincoln Lawyer, as DJ Corliss, This Must Be the Place, as Ernie Ray, Catch .44, as Billy
Paxton Whitehead
Where you know him from:
Back to School, as Dr. Phillip Barbay
Also look for him in: Jumpin’ Jack Flash, as Lord Malcolm Billings, Rover Dangerfield, as Count, The Adventures of Huck Finn, as Harvey Wilks, RocketMan, as British Reporter, Kate & Leopold, as Uncle Millard, The Importance of Being Earnest, as Rev. Canon Chasuble.
Kim Whitely
Where you know her from:
Next Friday, as Suga
Black Dynamite, as Honeybee
Curb Your Enthusiasm, “The Car Pool Lane,” as Monena
Also look for her in: Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, as Party Guest, Deliver Us from Eva, as Ormandy, Along Came Polly, as Gladys, Fun with Dick and Jane, as KostMart Training Leader Lucy.
Bradley Whitford
Where you know him from:
The West Wing, as Josh Lyman
Billy Madison, as Eric Gordon
Scent of a Woman, as Randy
Little Manhattan, as Adam
Also look for him in: Adventures in Babysitting, as Mike Todwell, Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise, as Roger, Young Guns II, as Charles Phalen, Awakenings, as Dr. Tyler, A Perfect World, as Bobby Lee, My Life, as Paul Ivanovich, The Client, as Thomas Fink, Bicentennial Man, as Lloyd Charney, Kate & Leopold, as J.J. Camden, The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, as Al, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, as Danny Tripp, The Good Guys, as Dan Stark.
Isiah Whitlock Jr.
Where you know him from:
25th Hour, as Agent Flood (and also She Hate Me, reprising the character)
Enchanted, as Ethan Banks
Cedar Rapids, as Ronald Wilkes
The Wire, as State Sen. R. Clayton Davis
Also look for him in: Goodfellas, as Doctor, Eddie, as Rick, Everyone Says I Love You, as Cop, Pieces of April, as Eugene, Duane Hophood, as William, 1408, as Hotel Engineer, Choke, as Detective Palmer, Cadillac Records, as Mississippi DJ, Brooklyn’s Finest, as Investigator #3, I Hate Valentine’s Day, as Drummer, Twelve, as Detective Dumont, Detachment, as Mr. Mathias, Twylight Zones, as Landers, Thanks for Sharing, as Charles.
James Whitmore
Where you know him from:
The Shawshank Redemption, Brooks Hatlen
Battleground,a s Kinnie
Give ‘em Hell, Harry!, as Harry S. Truman
Planet of the Apes, as President of the Assembly
Also look for him in: The Blackboard Jungle, as Gus Minissi, Kiss Me Kate, as Slug, Them!, as Police Sgt. Ben Peterson, Oklahoma!, as Mr. Carnes, Who Was That Lady?, as Harry Powell, Tora! Tora! Tora!, as Vice Adm. “Bull” Halsey, Nuts, as Judge Murdoch, The Majestic, as Stan Keller.
Dianne Wiest
Where you know her from:
Edward Scissorhands, as Peg
Hannah and Her Sisters, as Holly
Bullets over Broadway, as Helen Sinclair
The Birdcage, as Louise Keeley
Also look for her in: Footloose, as Vi Moore, The Purple Rose of Cairo, as Emma, Radio Days, as Holly, The Lost Boys, as Lucy, Parenthood, as Helen Buckman, Little Man Tate, as Jane Grierson, Practical Magic, as Aunt Bridget “Jet” Owens, I Am Sam, as Annie Cassell, Law and Order, as D.A. Nora Lewin, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, as Flori, San in Real Life, as Nana, Synecdoche, New York, as Ellen Bascomb/Millicent Weems, Rabbit Hole, as Nat.
Tom Wilkinson
Where you know him from:
Shakespeare in Love, as Hugh Fennyman
The Patriot, as Gen. Lord Cornwallis
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, as Dr. Mierzwiak
Rush Hour, as Thomas Griffin/Juntao
Also look for him in: In the Nme of the Father, as Appeal Prosecutor, Sense and Sensibility, as Mr. Dashwood, The Full Monty, as Gerald, In the Bedroom, as Matt Fowler, Batman Begins, as Carmine Falcone, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, as Father Moore, Cassandra’s Dream, as Howard, Michael Clayton, as Arthur Edens, John Adams, as Benjamin Franklin, Valkryie, as General Fromm, Duplicity, as Howard Tully, 44 Inch Chest, as Archie, The Ghost Writer, as Paul Emmett, The Conspirator ,as Reverdy Johnson, The Green Hornet, as James Reid.
Fred Willard
Where you know him from:
Anchorman: The Legend of Run Burgundy, as Ed Harken
Wall·E, as Shelby Forthright, BnL CEO (and the only live-action performer in a Pixar movie, ever)
Waiting for Guffman, as Ron Albertson
Best in Show, as Buck Laughlin
A Mighty Wind, as Mike LaFontaine
For Your Consideration, as Chuck
Also look for him in: Silver Streak, as Jerry Jarvis, This Is Spinal Tap, as Colonel on Military Base,Permanent Midnight, as Craig Ziffer, Idle Hands, as Dad Tobias, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, as Mission Commander, The Wedding Planner, as Basil St. Mosely, How High, as Philip Huntley, American Wedding, as Harold Flaherty, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, as Dro. Willoughby, Date Movie, as Bernie Funkeyerdoder, Epic Movie, as Aslo, Youth in Revolt, as Mr. Ferguson.
Michael K. Williams
Where you know him from:
The Wire, as Omar Little
Boardwalk Empire, as Chalky White
Gone Baby Gone, as Devin
Also look for him in: Bullet, as High Top, Bringing Out the Dead, as Drug Dealer, I Think I Love My Wife, as Teddy, The Incredible Hulk, as Harlem Bystander, Miracle at St. Anna, as Tucker, Brooklyn’s Finest, as Red, Life During Wartime, as Allen, The Road, as Thief.
Olivia Williams
Where you know her from:
Rushmore, as Rosemary Cross
The Ghost Writer, as Ruth Lang
The Sixth Sense, as Anna Crowe
Also look for her in: The Postman, as Abby, A Knight’s Tale, as Philippa Chaucer, The Man from Elysian Fields, as Andrea, Peter Pan, as Mrs. Darling, X-Men: The Last Stand, as Moira MacTaggart, An Education, as Miss Stubbs, Dollhouse, as Adelle DeWitt, Hanna, as Rachel.
Fred Williamson
Where you know him from:
From Dusk Till Dawn, as Frost
MASH, as Dr. Oliver “Spearchucker” Jones
Black Caesar, as Tommy Gibbs (Also Hell Up in Harlem)
Starsky and Hutch, as Captain Doby
Also look for him in: Hammer, as B.J. Hammer, The Legend of Nigger Charley & The Soul of Nigger Charley, as Nigger Charley, Boss Nigger, as Boss Nigger, Three the Hard Way, as Jimmy Lait, Take a Hard Ride, as Tyree, The Inglorious Bastards, as Pvt. Fred Canfield, The Black Cobra 2 & Black Cobra 3: The Manila Connection, as Lt. Robert Malone.
If you’re looking for awesome blaxploitation films, this man was in some of the greats.
Mykelti Williamson
Where you know him from:
Forrest Gump, as Bubba
I know you don’t know him from anywhere else. But here’s a big list of other things he did, most of which will shock you, since you had no idea it was the same guy. But before that, this one first. Because I’m about to blow a few people’s minds with this one:
Black Dynamite, as Chicago Wind
Uh huh. Same guy.
Also look for him in: Free Willy, as Dwight Mercer, Heat, as Sgt. Drucker, Con Air, as Baby-O, Primary Colors, as Dewayne Smith, Three Kings, as Colonel Horn, Ali, as Don King, After the Sunset, as Agent Stafford, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, as Charlene’s Stepfather, Lucky Number Slevin, as Sloe, August Rush, as Reverend James, 24, as Brian Hastings (season 8).
Patrick Wilson
Where you know him from:
Watchmen, as Dan Dreiberg/Nite Owl
Little Children, as Brad Adamson
Young Adult, as Buddy Slade
Hard Candy, as Jeff Kohlver
The Phantom of the Opera, as Raoul
Also look for him in: The Alamo, as William Travis, Running with Scissors, as Michael Shephard, Purple Violets, as Brian Callahan, Evening, as Harris Arden, Lakeview Terrace, as Chris Mattson, Passengers, as Eric, Barry Munday, as Barry Munday, The Switch, as Roland, Insidious, as Josh Lambert, The A-Team, as Lynch, Morning Glory, as Adam Bennett, The Ledge, as Joe Harris, A Gifted Man, as Dr. Michael Holt, Prometheus, as Cocooned Man.
Penelope Wilton
Where you know her from:
Shaun of the Dead, as Barbara
Match Point, as Eleanor Hewett
Pride & Prejudice, as Mrs. Gardiner
Also look for her in: The French Lieutenant’s Woman, as Sonia, Cry Freedom, as Wendy Woods, Carrington, as Lady Ottoline Morrell, Iris, as Janet Stone, Calendar Girls, as Ruth, The History Boys, as Mrs. Bibby, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, as Jean.
Ray Winstone
Where you know him from:
The Departed, as Mr. French
Sexy Beast, as Gal
Beowulf, as Beowulf
Also look for him in: Quadrophenia, as Kevin, Nil by Mouth, as Ray, Ripley’s Game, as Reeves, Cold Mountain, as Teague, King Arthur, as Bors, The Proposition, as Captain Stanley, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, as the voice of Mr. Beaver, Breaking and Entering, as Bruno, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, as Mac, 44 Inch Chest, as Colin Diamond, Edge of Darkness, as Darius Jedburgh, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, as Ares, London Boulevard, as GAnt, Rango, as Bad Bill.
Estelle Winwood
Where you know her from:
The Producers, as “Hole Me Touch Me”
Murder by Death, as Nurse Withers
Also look for her in: The Glass Slipper, as Mrs. Toquet, The Swan, as Symphorosa, The Misfits, as Church Lady Collecting Money in Bar, The Notorious Landlady, as Mrs. Dunhill, Camelot, as Lady Calrinda.
John Witherspoon
Where you know him from:
Friday, Next Friday & Friday After Next, as Mr. Jones (“Hey — young man — you got knocked the fuck out!”)
The Boondocks, as Granddad
Also look for him in: Bird, as Sid, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, as Reverend, The Meteor Man, as Clarence James Carter III, Bulworth, as Reverend Morris, Little Nicky, as Street Vendor, Soul Plane, as Blind Man.
Jeffrey Wright
Where you know him from:
Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace & Skyfall, as Felix Leiter
W., as Colin Powell
Basquiat, as Jean Michel Basquiat
Also look for him in: Presumed Innocent, as Prosecuting Attorney, Critical Care, as Bed Two, Celebrity, as Greg, Off-Off Broadway Director, Hamlet, as Gravedigger, Shaft, as Peoples Hernandez, Ali, as Howard Bingham, Angels in America, as Belize/Mr. Lies, The Manchurian Candidate, as Al Melvin, Broken Flowers, as Winston, Syriana, as Bennett Holiday, Lady in the Water, as Mr. Drury, The Invasion, as Dr. Stephen Galeano, Cadillac Records, as Muddy Waters, Source Code, as Dr. Rutledge, The Ides of March, as Senator Thompson.
James Woods
Where you know him from:
Casino, as Lester Diamond
Once Upon a Time in America, as Max Bercovicz
Any Given Sunday, as Dr. Harvey Mandrake
Hercules, as Hades
Family Guy, as Himself
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, as Mike Toreno (Favorite video game character ever.)
Also look for him in: The Way We Were, as Frankie McVeigh, The Gambler, as Bank Officer, Night Moves, as Quentin, Holocaust, as Karl Weiss, The Onion Field, as Gregory Ulas Powell, Videodrome, as Max Renn, Against All Odds, as Jack Wise, Salvador, as Richard Boyle, Best Seller, as Cleve, The Boost, as Lenny Brown, True Believer, as Eddie Dodd, Diggstown, as Gabriel Caine, Chaplin, as Joseph Scott, The Getaway (1994), as Jack Benyon, The Specialist, as Ned Trent, Nixon, as H.R. Haldeman, Ghosts of Mississippi, as Byron De La Beckwith, Contact, as Michael Kitz, True Crime, as Alan Mann, The Virgin Suicides, as Ronald Lisbon, The General’s Daughter, as Col. Robert Moore, Scary Movie 2, as Father McFeely, John Q, as Dr. Turner, Pretty Persuasion, as Hank Joyce, Be Cool, as Tommy Athens.
Robin Wright
Where you know her from:
Forrest Gump, as Jenny Curran
The Princess Bride, as Buttercup/The Princess Bride
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as Erika Berger
Also look for her in: State of Grace, as Kathleen Flannery, Toys, as Gwen Tyler, Moll Flanders, as Moll Flanders, Hurlyburly, as Darlene, Message in a Bottle, as Theresa Osborne, Unbreakable, as Audrey Dunn, The Pledge, as Lori, The Last Castle, as Rosalie Irwin, White Oleander, as Starr, The Singing Detective, as Nicola/Nina/Blonde, A Home at the End of the World, as Clare, Nine Lives, as Diana, Empire Falls, as Grace Roby, Breaking and Entering, as Liv, Hounddog, as Stranger Lady, Beowulf, as Wealthow, What Just Happened, as Kelly, New York, I Love You, as Anna, State of Play, as Anne Collins, A Christmas Carol, as Fan/Belle, The Conspirator, as Mary Surratt, Moneyball, as Sharon, Rampart, as Linda Fentress.
Robert Wuhl
Where you know him from:
Batman, as Alexander Knox
Bull Durham, as Larry Hockett
Arli$$, as Arliss Michaels
Also, from these great little half hour comedy specials on HBO called “Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl,” where he presents U.S. history in a very entertaining fashion. I highly recommend them if you want some intelligent comedy that the educated individual inside of you will appreciate.
Also look for him in: Flashdance, as Mawby’s Regular, Good Morning, Vietnam, as Marty Lee Dreiwitz, The Bodyguard, as Oscar Host, Good Burger, as Angry Customer
Ed Wynn
Where you know him from:
Alice in Wonderland, as the voice of the Mad Hatter. (Dude had one of the most memorable voices in the history of film.)
The Diary of Anne Frank, as Mr. Albert Dussell
Mary Poppins, as Uncle Albert
Also look for him in: Cinderfella, as Fairy Godfather, Babes in Toyland, as Toymaker, The AbsentMinded Professor, as Fire Chief, The Greatest Story Ever Told, as Old Aram.
Keenan Wynn
Where you know him from:
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, as Col. “Bat” Guano
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, as Winter Warlock
The Great Race, as Hezekiah Sturdy
The Mechanic, as Harry McKenna (“Big Harry”)
Also look for him in: Since You Went Away, as Lt. Solomon, Song of the Thin Man, as Clarence “Clinker” Krause, Annie Get Your Gun, as Charlie Davenport, Angels in the Outfield, as Fred Bayles, Kiss Me Kate, as Lippy, Touch of Evil, as Marcia Linnekar’s Attorney, A Hole in the Head, as Jerry Marks, The AbsentMinded Professor, as Alonzo P. Hawk, The Americanization of Emily, as Old Sailor, The War Wagon, as Wes Fletcher, Point Blank, as Yost, Finian’s RAinbow, as Senator Billboard Rawkins, Once Upon a Time in the West, as Sheriff (auctioneer), Mackenna’s Gold, as Sanchez, Orca, as Novak.
Dwight Yoakam
Where you know him from:
Crank + Crank: High Voltage, as Doc Miles
Panic Room, as Raoul
Sling Blade, as Doyle Hargraves
Also look for him in: Red Rock West, as Truck Driver, Hollywood Homicide, as Leroy Wasley, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, as Belmont, Wedding Crashers, as Mr. Kroeger, Bandidas, as Tyler Jackson, Four Christmases, as Pastor Phil, Dirty Girl, as Joseph.
Michael York
Where you know him from:
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery & Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me & Austin Powers in Goldmember, as Basil Exposition
Cabaret, as Brian Roberts
Logan’s Run, as Logan
Also look for him in: The Taming of the Shrew, as Lucentio, Romeo and Juliet (1968), as Tybalt, Lost Horizon (1973), as George Conway, The Three Musketeers & The Four Musketeers: Milady’s Revenge & The Return of the Musketeers, as D’Artagnan, The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977), as Andrew Braddock, The Last Remake of Beau Geste, as Beau Geste, Wronfully Accused, as Hibbing Goodhue, 54, as Ambassador, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, as Prime #1.
Burt Young
Where you know him from:
Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky V & Rocky Balboa, as Paulie
Back to School, as Lou
Chinatown, as Curly
Also look for him in: Across 110th Street, as Lapides, Cinderella Liberty, as Master at Arms, The Gambler, as Carmine, Convoy, as Bobby ‘Love Machine’ ‘Pig Pen’, Once Upon a Time in America, as Joe, The Pope of Greenwich Village, as Bed Bug Eddie, Going Overboard, as General Noriega, Last Exit to Brooklyn, as Big Joe, Mickey Blue Eyes, as Vito Gaziosi, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, as Gino, Transamerica, as Murray.
Harris Yulin
Dude vaguely looks like my grandfather.
Where you know him from:
Scarface, as Mel Bernstein
Training Day, as Doug Rosselli
Multiplicity, as Dr. Leeds
Also look for him in: Night Moves, as Marty Heller, The Believers, as RoberT Calder, Ghostbusters II, as Judge Stephen “The Hammer” Wexler, Clear and Present Danger, as James Cutter, Cutthroat Island, as Black Harry, Cradle Will Rock, as Chairman Martin Dies, The Hurricane, as Leon Friedman, Rush Hour 2, as Agent Sterling, Game 6, as Peter Redmond.
William Zabka
Quintessential teen douchebag of the 80s.
Where you know him from:
The Karate Kid, as Johnny Lawrence (and The Karate Kid, Part II, as well)
Back to School, as Chas
Also look for him in: Valley Girl, as Boy helping with prom decorations, Just One of the Guys, as Greg Tolan, European Vacation, as Jack, Hot Tub Time Machine, as Rick.
Grace Zabriskie
Where you know her from:
Norma Rae, as Linette Odum
An Officer and a Gentleman, as Esther Pokrifki
Twin Peaks (and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me), as Sarah Palmer
Seinfeld, as Mrs. Ross
Big Love, as Lois Henrickson
Also look for her in: Leonard Part 6, as Jefferson, The Boost, as Sheryl, Drugstore Cowboy, as Bob’s Mother, Wild at Heart, as Juana Durango, Child’s Play 2, as Grace Poole, My Own Private Idaho, as Alena, Fried Green Tomatoes, as Eva Bates, FernGully: The Last Rainforest, as Magi Lune, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, as Mrs. Hankshaw, The Crew, as Gloria Pierce, Armageddon, as Dottie, Gone in 60 Seconds, as Helen Raines, Inland Empire, as Visitor #1, License to Wed, as Grandma Jones, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done, as Mrs. McCullum.
- – - – - – - – - – -
This is, as all things are, incomplete. Of course there are more people I probably forgot. If I remember them, I’ll add them. If you remember them before I do, let me know. The list feels short on actors pre-1970 and women. Definitely women. (Also, as a caveat, I’m not really looking for people who are primarily TV people. I need movies to base it on. Some TV people may be okay, but this is primarily a movie blog.)
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Great website. I started something (non-public) on a similar note by changing my profile picture on Facebook every day to a celebrity/political figure/etc over the last couple of years, accompanied by info/links/etc. Lots of new inspiration here. Nice work.
December 29, 2011 at 10:45 am
Jeez, what a great page. I know it’s small, but kudos for featuring Martin Balsam. He may be my favorite primarily supporting actor of all time.
January 22, 2012 at 4:12 pm