Sunday 14 December 2008

My 20 Favourite Actors


After doing making my list of My 20 Favourite Actresses (my wife pointed out to me that "doing" my 20 favourite actresses might have another connotation - I swear I only meant doing the list), I figured that had to be followed by the men. I obviously wasn't the only person to think of this - Movie Viewing Girl got one of the first 20 Favourite Actor posts up and I hope to see some more. Nathaniel over at the Film Experience Blog gets credit for the initial meme of Your 20 Favourite Actresses.

A few notes on making the list:
  • John Goodman, Morgan Freeman and Armin Mueller-Stahl should really be on this list. Stupid 20. Why can't you be bigger?
  • Again, it's just not as diverse as thought it might be...These are just the gut picks though from the set of films I've seen.
  • Michael Cera, Johnny Depp and Robert Downey Jr. should pretty much be there as well, but I've got more invested with the following bunch...


Tadanobu Asano

John Candy

Don Cheadle

George Clooney

John Cusack

Alain Delon

Colin Firth

Jean Gabin

Cary Grant

Gene Hackman

Tony Leung

Robert Mitchum

Bill Murray

Paul Newman

Michel Piccoli

William Powell

Robert Redford

Peter Sellers

Jean-Louis Trintignant

Koji Yakusho


7 comments:

Wendymoon said...

Nice list of love for some great actors. I'm glad to see Peter Sellers here.

Bob Turnbull said...

Thanks Wendy...Yep, I'm happy to see Sellers anywhere - I have so many of his older films to catch up with though. Not a bad problem to have I suppose...

James Yates said...

Another fantastic list. I really think, that if I absolutely HAD to pick a favorite, I'd go with Alain Delon.

With some of these faces, I'm reminded of conversations I used to have with my old roommate regarding actors. After bringing up a name, he'd say: "[insert actor's name] is someone I'd like to go have a beer with." I really think that's a true sentiment. Leaving the male sociology out of it, how great would it be to sit with with someone like Gene Hackman in a dive bar, discussing film into the wee hours?

James Yates said...

By "male sociology," I mean this: I remember in one of my classes in college, we discussed the idea of how men and women relate to their role models. A certain essay (I have no idea who the author is) claimed that women invaribly compare themselves to female role models, whereas men want to "hang out" with their male role models. I don't totally agree with that sentiment, but I totally want to have a few pitchers with Gene Hackman. Who wouldn't?

PIPER said...

That's a great photo of Peter Sellers. Did you ever read the book The Life and Death of Peter Sellers?

I have been a long fan of his and I began to read it, but had to put it down because he was such an incredible son of a bitch I couldn't take it.

It is much easier to admire people if you don't know them.

Bob Turnbull said...

Jamie, I am so up for grabbing a few ales with Mr. Hackman and talking movies. I'll even buy. Tell him I said so, OK?

Piper, no I haven't read that Sellers book - for the same reason as you. I'd heard he was dick-ish and wanted to avoid knowing specifics. Like when I read Miles Davis' biography - really interesting stuff for sure, but it sure puts a different spin on the guy. Granted, it's easier to know that kind of info about a musician than a film star.

una tomms said...

when I got to your last actor I fell off my chair as it was koji yakusho whom Iam completely in love with the man is a superb actor and singer he is sex on legs would love to meet him thanks for that.