BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars

Subject: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Peter T.
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 11:49 AM

Another summer mudcat movie thread!

I was watching "The Master of Ballantre" last night starring Errol Flynn (dreadful film, made even more dreadful by the uncanny sight of the heroine, whose name I forget, looking startlingly like a young Margaret Thatcher, and with the same charm!). Anyway, Errol Flynn is too old in the film, and the drink has worn him down -- but as I was watching it occurred to me that a film that made the most of his age and charm could have shown what a fine actor he was, but no one had enough sense to make one. He had great intelligence, and had a kind of presence that would have augured well for a much better end to his career. Got me thinking about other actors/actresses (lots more actresses of course, who got thrown on the junk heap as they got older) who, if they had had a chance, could have thrived. For example:

Peter Lorre. Came to Hollywood, and no one there knew what to do with him. God knows what he might have done if there had been someone intelligent around.

Rita Hayworth. Famous, totally wasted in film after film.

Richard Boone (Paladin). Someone should have given him a serious movie part as a good guy. He always played bad guys, but he could have been Clint Eastwood.

Karen Allen. She was absolutely perfect in the first Indiana Jones film, and I think she made Starman, and that was about it. She could have had her own female Indiana Jones series, if anyone had taken her seriously.

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: CarolC
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 02:03 PM

Alan Rickman - underused
Janeane Garofalo - tragically misused

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Cluin
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 06:32 PM

Maury Chaykin, although he's definitely not underused.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Rapparee
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 08:46 PM

The late Roy Brocksmith.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 09:19 PM

William Shatner.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: mack/misophist
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 09:39 PM

Ronald Reagan - Hollywood should never have turned him loose.
Arnold Whats'isname - ditto. Wasted in civilian life.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Bert
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 09:48 PM

William Hartnell, the first Dr. Who. Wasted on small parts such as the RSM in the TV show The Army Game. He was such a great actor that no one recognized him when he played Dr. Who.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Sam L
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 09:57 PM

Michelle Pfieffer. She should do cartoony bigger than life parts, not naturalistic roles. The only part she ever really came into her own with was Catwoman. Scarface was a cartoon, but not the right kind. Like Tim Curry, she was meant to do boldly stylized things.

Ice Cube can really act, and should do classier movies.

That one guy in that one movie was really good, why isn't he in more stuff?

I'm not sure if we've seen every square inch of Julianne Moore yet, so she's a little underused.


Underused character--Jesus in big Lebowski; the movie wasn't ready to end yet, set up too much expectation.

There are underrated and underused stars, and on the other hand there's Nicole Kidman, who seems to have a deal with satan to mesmerize everyone for no apparent reason. She was good in Flirting, and then, what.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 10:45 PM

Molly Ringwald was great in Sixteen Candles. Whatever happened to her? Apparently she's been in a lot of movies nobody ever heard of.

Elvis Presley would have been a better actor had he been given better scripts and better direction. But the marketing strategy was that movies were just a way to sell records, and people would come to hear him sing anyway, even if the scripts were awful, so why bother getting a good script?

Speaking of musicians who act, Dwight Yoakam was excellent in Sling Blade. David Bowie was just right in The Man Who Fell to Earth, but the script called for him to be stoic and unemotional, so I don't think we ever got to see the full range of his talent.

Garth Brooks showed real comedic talent as a guest on Saturday Night Live. I'd like to see him really act. Paul Simon can also be very funny.

Steve Buscemi has been busy as an actor, but he mostly gets supporting roles. He's been type-cast as "that funny-lookin' guy." He deserves better. See him in Trees Lounge if you can get it.

Likewise Christopher Walken. Often the villain, never the lead.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Scoville
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 11:07 PM

Second Dwight Yoakam, Steve Buscemi, and Richard Boone.

I've been a fan of Chris Cooper (lately in Adaptation and Seabiscuit) for years, since I saw him in Matewan and Lone Star, and he has only recently gotten much recognition (Oscar for Adaptation. The only one who got any real promotion in Lone Star was Matthew McConaghey, who didn't earn it either in terms of screen time or acting ability.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 11:27 PM

Some of my favorites:

Joan Cusack and Carol Kane, both brilliant comedic actresses.

Helen Mirren, at least she is underused in the US. I know her career is much bigger in Europe.

Raul Julia. He had such incredible range.

Some older ones who come to mind:

Jason Robards and Colleen Dewhurst-I saw them in 'Moon for the Misbegotten' on tv decades ago, and fell in love with both of them. Jason Robards had such a delicious dark side that directors seemed to fear, so they rarely used him well. As a TV and stage actor, he did a ton of Eugene O'Neil, who nobody seems to do anymore. Loved him in those.

Colleen Dewhurst just plain rarely got work. That starlet system really worked against some of those actresses.

Another one is Geraldine Paige. She was astounding. Anyone ever see
'The Trip to Bountiful'?

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: M.Ted
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 11:45 PM

Saw Molly Ringwald in Cabaret at Studio 54 about a year ago--she was excellent--second the vote for Peter Lorre, he was an incredible actor--Lotte Lenya was an incredible talent--all anyone remembers her for was Rosa Klebb in "From Russia With Love"--Frank Morgan, remembered as The Wizard, was a great supporting actor, but had incredible depth, and in a few movies(can't remember the names), carried the dramatic lead admirably--

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 11:53 PM

Here are some obscure names for you:\\
Charles Korvin---Enter Arsen Lupen

Fay Bainter---Mrs. Wiggs Of The Cabbage Patch (A tear jerker if there ever was one---finally going to the Opry with the few dollars she save and the damned house burns down)

George Brent---his forgettable roles were truly forgettable.


Which brings me to the trivia query---remember when you could put a penny or a nickel into a machine and get a postcard size picture of a movie star---John Garfield comes to mind.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 12:20 AM

Geoffrey Lewis and William Macy spring to mind.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 03:44 AM

Molly Ringwald is on stage in the West End at the moment here in London.

Several of the actors you mentioned can also be found at any given time treading the boards either in England or the States. We tend to think if they're not on film, they aren't working. Lots are...to name just a few of the above...William Macy, Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman, Jon Cusack...you get the idea.All these fine folk have healthy stage careers.

(and of course, Jason Robards, Colleen Dewhurst, Raoul Julia, Geraldine Paige...I was privileged to see all of them onstage.))

..xx..e

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 08:47 AM

Harry Dean Stanton

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST,Wesley S
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 09:07 AM

I went to high school with Terrance Mann { Chorus Line, Critters } and always thought he would have made a great villan in a James Bond or Die Hard type movie. Plus he can act.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Peter T.
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 09:11 AM

Some interesting people here -- Colleen Dewhurst, absolutely. There are also some famous people, did a lot of work, but if they had had a good director who sat on them or a decent script could have done much more. Greta Garbo is the best example, terrific actress, only got one or two parts where she wasn't in the MGM glassed in aquarium. Kim Novak, her career was a hopeless mess. One of the things that makes "The Misfits" such an interesting film is that Clark Gable finally gets a chance to do something gritty -- he should have done those Jimmy Stewart films with Tony Mann (thank goodness Jimmy Stewart had enough sense to go independent, with all those great films, like Vertigo).

I would have liked to see Jane Russell in one of those film noirs, she would have been great opposite Bogart, or someone as tough as she was.

The really sad one is Buster Keaton. He should have been able to make the transition to sound -- there is one scene in Limelight where we get a flash of what could have been.

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Willie-O
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 09:12 AM

Hmm, I sat with my kids and watched Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink last night. Later efforts I have seen her in: the miniseries of Stephen King's "The Stand", circa 1995...and she had a bit part in a recent thing called "Not Another Teenage Comedy" or something-like-that, where she played an annoyed thirtyish waitress whose only line is: "F***in' teenagers!" She still has great lips to sneer with. I think they're original equipment, the way she can contort them.

I really liked Samantha Mathis in the early 90's movie about pirate radio, "Pump Up the Volume". Since then she has just gotten into one dreadful thing after another--"Broken Arrow" has to be the worst. (John Travolta and Christian Slater trying to out-macho each other--the horror!)

Ally Sheedy disappeared after her brat pack days, recently resurfacing in an intense performance as a photographer/junkie in "High Art".

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 11:39 AM

Underused comic genius: Kevin Kline. Check out "A Midsummer Night's Dream"!

Different kind of comic genius who's almost always in bad, bad movies: Robin Williams. (Of course, there _was_ "Aladdin.")

Genius dramatic actress, underused and misused: Julianne Moore ("Far from Heaven.")

Greatest still-active screen actors (used a lot, fortunately): Robert Duval and Robert DiNiro. Underused? John Hurt.

Two "dramatic" stars who are wasted in drama but great in comedy: George "O Brother...," "Intolerable Cruelty" Clooney, Armand "Fatal Instinct" Asante.

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 11:47 AM

I always wished I could have seen more of Terri Garr on screen.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 01:18 PM

george w bush

Subject: RE: B.S. Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Firecat
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 02:44 PM

I think Sean Biggerstaff (Oliver Wood in the first two Harry Potter films) is underused! Tim McInnerny and Adrian Lester get my vote for underrated, with Bill Nighy close behind.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST,chinmusic
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 04:01 PM

As pointed out here on several postings, some actors never realize their potential because they're stereotyped, or sucked into the Hollywood system. A classic film from back in the 60s was The Hustler. It was the best thing that Piper Laurie ever did in her career, and I loved George C. Scott's performance too, but moreover, I thought it should what a wonderful dramatic actor that Jackie Gleason was. It's no surprise that great comedians can play drama equally well. Robin Williams has shown this in a few of his movies, and Carol Burnett in Friendly Fire. Maggie Smith was great in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, but not enough great screen roles seem to come her way after that. I remember seeing Kim Stanley on television in an episode of Ben Casey way back when, and I always wondered why she didn't do more film work. Some of my favourite underated actors have already been mentioned, but I'll add Lee Marvin and Lee Remick as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 05:43 PM

Richard MacCabe .....the best Puck ever at Stratford ....stunning as the rapist in Deborah Warner's production of Titus Andronicus, and much more..... agreat actor with talent to burn

Saw another good actor a few years ago Kevin MacMonaghan in a series of plays at Leicester rep....not just good, out of this world. He was in the follow up to Tutti frutti briefly but I haven't seen him since...

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: PoppaGator
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 05:56 PM

Patricia Clarkson does lots of great work in "indie" films, but rarely if ever appears in major mainstream Hollywood movies.

I wonder whether or not many folks ever get to see her.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 01:01 AM

Of course, one reason many of these folks are under-used is because they're underground. . . as I read though this list, the commingling of living and dead is a little unnerving.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 02:06 AM

Gary Sinise, one of the finest actors in the biz, IMHO.

Donald O'Connor. Immensely talented dancer, was allowed to show his true talent in Singing In The Rain, but was then casted in all those Clarence the talking mule pictures. The studio system at work, I guess.

leonardo Di Caprio. Not underused, but I think wrongly used in the past several years. He is a great actor (see him in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" and "This Boy's life", for examples), but the romantic lead roles he's been doing since Titanic somewhat stifle, by the nature of those roles, his versatile acting talent .

Janet Margolin
Elvis Presley
Stuart Whitman
Robert Mitchum (not under utilised, but probably unappreciated for the being the great actor he was).
Peter Donat
The list goes on.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 02:09 AM

Charles Durning
The aforementioned Alan Rickman
Don Cheadle

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 11:07 AM

Now that I think of it, the list of under and wrongly used African Americans in films is HUGE.

I'd have to include James Earl Jones as wrongly used in films, especially in those sentimental African American feel good crap films he's been forced to make to keep working. And the list of African American actresses who are excellent, but under-used is astounding.
Esther Rolle did a whole lot more than her most famous TV roles on 'Maude' (she was a scene stealer!) and 'Good Times' (ruined by that jackass kid, but remember, she played opposite John Amos, an excellent actor) She had a much better stage career.

Angela Bassett trained at Yale Drama, just like Streep, and excoriated Halle Berry for taking the role that won Berry the Academy Award in what I thought was a really racist film. I love that Angela!

Cicely Tyson.

One of my favorite American actresses, Alfre Woodard. It's no coincidence that two out of the four women I just mentioned have made it into John Sayles' films...

Some African American actors who ought to be on the same level as Jimmy Stewart and Robert Mitchum: Ossie Davis, Laurence Fishburn, Gregory Hines (amazingly good actor for a dancer!), Paul Winfield, and the two most misused actors ever, Sidney Poitier (in dramatic roles) and Richard Pryor (in comedic roles).

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 01:46 PM

Guest: How do you know that what you call "feel good crap" isn't exactly the kind of film James Earl Jones wants to be in? I don't know what particular films you have in mind, but he has had "weighty" roles in serious films like Cry the Beloved Country and Matewan, plus he has done voice-only work like the Star Wars and The Lion King. Maybe I just haven't seen any of his "feel good crap." IMDb lists 129 film appearances for him (including TV movies). It looks like he is getting plenty of work, and I doubt that he has to accept work in films he doesn't like just to pay the bills.

In general, though, I agree that black actors are under-used. You rarely see a black actor in a major role unless race is part of the theme of the movie. (Same for other minorities.) It doesn't have to be this way. Race is irrelevant to the vast majority of movie plots. Why couldn't a director hold auditions with no preconceived notion of whether an actor should be black or white?

Once in a while it happens. For example, Will Smith in "Men in Black" or "Independence Day." If I remember correctly, race wasn't mentioned in those films. But I can't think of any other instances like that.

Back in 1984, when Prince's film Purple Rain came out, I remember one reviewer pointing out how unusual it was to see lots of black actors and white actors (many of whom were real musicians first and actors second) appearing in a film together and no one seemingly taking any notice of what race anyone was. He said a movie like that couldn't be made in Hollywood, or anywhere else for that matter, except in Minnesota! Well, hooray for Minnesota! And hooray for Prince! For that reason alone, I admire him, regardless of how crappy his music or his films may be in other respects. (Actually, I rather liked Purple Rain.)

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 02:56 PM

I agree about Molly Ringwald and Terri Garr, and I'd like to raise a cheer for Nancy Culp. Probably best known as the faithful secretary in 'Beverley Hillbillies' she is (was? I fear she may have died) a superb comic actress.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 03:38 PM

wouldn't mind seeing Molly Ringwald sleeping naked on my linen.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 03:57 PM

Guest, I was surprised by what you said about Halle Berry and Angela Bassett, so I looked it up, and found some articles at E! Online News and CNN. There are also some opinions worth checking out at TangledWire, 3BlackChicks.

I dunno, I saw Monster's Ball recently and I didn't think it was racist at all. Hell, movies are full of people of all types having promiscuous sex. I don't see any reason to single out Halle Berry or this particular script for criticism. Anyway, by the end of the movie, it's clear that the two characters actually love each other.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Peter T.
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 05:34 PM

Have to agree about Jackie Gleason, he was so good in the Hustler.   And I had forgotten about Piper Laurie.

Some actresses you can't decide about. I could never decide if Katharine Ross was any good, or if it was just my hormones.

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 01:41 AM

Jackie Gleason was also great in Requiem for a Heavyweight, and Nothing in Common (an early Tom Hanks movie that came out the year before Gleason died).

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST,freda
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 03:01 AM

Holly Hunter, F.Murray Abraham

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 11:18 AM

I found it racist AND sexist. Not to mention, totally unrealistic.

But hey, Jim Dixon, you aren't a black woman, so maybe that is why you didn't see the film as racist or sexist. That isn't unusual. Doesn't mean that the film isn't racist or sexist though.

And please, don't give me that "racism and sexism are in the eye of the beholder". They aren't. They are ingrained cultural conditioning. If you haven't been on the receiving end of the negative treatment, you aren't nearly as likely to perceive that sort of treatment as negative.

Why? No other reason than because it ain't happening to you.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 12:43 PM

There are a lot of kinds of negative treatment that don't happen to me, but I can recognize them when I see them. I wonder why that is?

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Peter T.
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 01:04 PM

Speaking of hormones, I finally got to see Julie Christie in "Darling" last night (it is finally out on DVD, one of Apple films (!) few triumphs) -- I missed it in the 60's. What a great movie, and she is terrific, unbelievably beautiful (but you knew that) and acts her heart out -- I can't remember when she ever got to do that again -- even in Zhivago, she is reduced to being the cool goddess. It is good to see her come out of her self-imposed exile again, though it is all bit parts -- Harry Potter is only the most recent, we get three seconds of her.

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 01:27 PM

Michele Phieffer was superb in "Tequila Sunrise" I always thought she should be gettin more and better roles.

I always wanted to see Ahnold play a German or an Austrian or at least a Viking. Why would a computer in southern California give its robots a German accent? lol

Errol Flynn was so good as a pirate and a swashbuckler. Maybe Johnny Depp should do Robin Hood except this time he could base his character on Mick instead of Keefe.


Kim Basinger was underused until LA Confidential. That was her premiere role.

That Streep woman was way over used. I wish the dingo had taken her career.

Danny Devito doesn't get a lot of work but when he does its magic. Have y'all seen "Big Fish"?

There are a lot of actors who are getting way too much work in my view. They seem to be doing characatures of themselves rather than acting.

DiNiro should stick to gangster parts, Pacino too. I'm also dead tired of Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Amergin
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 01:31 PM

Jack Nicholson has the same role....no matter what he is in...

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 06:42 PM

I'm not sure where he fits in this list - or if he does, but my morning newsrag had a rather nice article announcing that Ernest Borgnine has been signed for a new movie - at age 87, and he gets to ride a horse again(...?...).

John

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 07:25 PM

Yes, Gary Sinise! Who else could play Harry Truman AND George Wallace so well?

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 04:04 AM

Peter T, I was fortunate to see Julie Christie when she was at Birmingham Rep Theatre (including being Ariel in The Tempest and multiple roles in their Christmas Review)in the 1960s,just about the time she was making Billy Liar. I've been a fan ever since but, yes, she's been shamefully underused in films, I think she chose to reject "same again" parts she was offered after Zhivago.

RtS

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Peter T.
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 11:25 AM

As someone said about Kelly McGillis in Reuben, Reuben (her first part, speaking of messed up careers), Julie Christie was like "a shower of gold on the screen" in Billy Liar.

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 11:48 AM

Got that wrong - itwas Kevin MacMonagle - whatever happened to him

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 04:00 PM

AMY WRIGHT was a fine actress I first heard of at the New American Theater in Rickford, Illinois. She went East and was noticed and did a 3-person play on Broadway (as I remember it) with Rip Torn and his wife Geraldine Paige---about an affair between a guy and a younger woman and the dynamics/impact it had on the man's wife. In reality, Rip and Amy were involved---and the three had to play out what were probably some very real and difficult emotions on stage EVERY NIGHT. I never got to see it---but I heard that it was excruciatingly wonderful.---------- I wonder how that all played out in real life. Amy didn't show up in many things after that. I've always felt that she should have.

Talk about an extremely promising light that failed !?!?

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Cluin
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 03:28 AM

Need to see more of Emma Thompson.

Please?

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST,Ellenpoly
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 05:55 AM

I'm too lazy or I'd go to the Internet Movie Data Base below

http://www.imdb.com/

and start listing all the names of fine and worthy actors and actresses which I bet you never remember, but fill the vast proportion of roles in films. These are the ones that are really underrated and though used a lot, will never know the kind of money or prestige as the "big names" receive. I have friends among this list, and I know that they just feel lucky to be working actors.

I just wanted to salute their efforts, if not name their names.


..xx..e

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: beadie
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 03:16 PM

I agree that Richard Boone was very nearly typecast as the villain in most of his work. There was, however, a TV series (live, of course) in the mid-fifties that was a forerunner of today's medical drama genre. The show, "MEDIC," cast Boone as an idealistic young surgeon out to save the world from overconfident and arrogant older docs. Actually, it was somewhat ahead of its time, even if it did accurately portray the attitudes of the profession in that age.

Also, I hear tell that Kevin Kline is about to play Cole Porter in a musical biography of the composer titled "De-Lovely."

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Peter T.
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 03:30 PM

Gee, I never saw Medic. I wonder if there are kinos of it. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: Cluin
Date: 03 Jul 04 - 12:33 PM

Boone was in another TV series in the early 70s, called "Hec Ramsay". He played a turn-of-the-century western sheriff who used modern crime fighting techniques and forensics to solve crimes.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: jacqui.c
Date: 03 Jul 04 - 04:17 PM

Pete Postlethwaite

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jul 04 - 08:16 PM

Kelly McGillis was great in the few movies she's been in. I'd love to see more of her.

Subject: RE: BS: Underrated, Underused Movie Stars
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jul 04 - 09:20 PM

Tim Holt, the 'third guy' in Treasure of Sierra Madre. What a great performance.