I have always enjoyed honing in on supporting rolls in cinema because frankly, those actors can make a movie even if the headliner is a complete dufus.

List some of those actors who hold great interest for you and have a command of there craft. points awarded for lessor known.

Michael Parks is an amazingly good actor that has several hats he can wear...




most recently known for his rolls in Tarantino movies, his career goes back several decades.

I'm on board for just about any movie with Max Von Sydow. I don't know if he's a great character actor. Maybe more of a movie star in that it's more just him being cool, whatever he does.

Royal Dano




Even though he normally played a back woods cowboyish hillbilly, his intensity, piercing blue eyes and commitment have always been loved by me!

This roll struggled in Hollywood for years. Then it snagged its career role supporting the black & white cookie in the famous Seinfeld episode.

The roll can be seen in its role sitting in a tray next to the feature cookie.

Christopher Walken

lol... you have me rolling.

quintessence

John Cazale

it's old news... we all know the back story

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2402200/...=tt_cl_sm#cast

Ernest Borgnine




the big motley fellow that was scared of nothing.

Borgnine was excellent in the lead of 'Marty'.

Didn't he win an Oscar for it?

I'm going for Goeffrey Lewis, good in everything.

Titus Welliver n Garret Dillahunt both are awesome and need to be in more stuff.

he was on my short list

elisha cook jr




a great nervous and downtrodden character.

Hopefully some will take a look at the films of these actors to supplement their regular cinematic viewing.

Since you can't think of any women:

Carole Kane

Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday

Ester Rolle was great as the sassy maid in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.

With the exception of Michael Parks, who looks to be in Brad Pitt's neighborhood, all these guys were too ugly for lead roles. Just like Steve Buscemi, another great supporter.

Just think of "ugly" (per Hollywood) guys or guys with weak voices or other flaws that keep them from leading parts who have been in a lot of movies.

Vincent Schiavelli, etc.

Nice call... An epic movie deserves epic actors.


I think that is a little to simplistic.

thinking of these actors as just to "ugly" or with "weak personae" to be leading material is missing the boat slightly.

they all avail themselves with great performances, regardless of what those performances entail them to portray.

For me... Much of the joy of ANY MOVIE is derived more from objects not central to the storyline. Away from the main action or driving force... this means background players, set design and art direction, soundtrack, and most certainly metaphorical aspects to the idea behind the story.

these elements are not merely like "game sprites" in a video game by where they only exist to be shot or conquered... they are there to enrich, beautify and "fill out" an artists ideas.



Victor Argo

Burt Young





This is one guy you would NOT want to meet in a dark alley. he's the kind of guy that could snap your neck, and grab a danish as he walked away totally obvious to the life leaving your body.

Morgan Freeman

I certainly think of MF is a lead actor, but many of his roles have been in a supporting capacity... specially in his younger years.





he intensifies and legitimizes any scene he graces. Simply one of the bets working today.

lol Schu. You post all that then post a picture of 2 "ugly" (again, per Hollywood) actors.

Yeah it's simplistic - I'm sure there are attractive supporting actors but for the most part they've got some flaw that prevents them from being a lead.

Parker Posey is a female that comes to mind who breaks the mold. She's attractive and has leading lady appeal (I think) but she's in a ton of supporting roles and does well enough. Though I wouldn't say she's great but she's good.

No pics, but Richard Jenkins, an actor from Providence, RI, who I have seen in many plays over the years, and for women, the great Thelma Ritter.

Dennis Hopper, Gene Hackman, Jack Warden