My Twenty Favorite Film Actors Of All Time

Recently my friend Troy Howarth (who has been contributing audio commentaries for several Blu-rays) listed his favorite actors on his Facebook page. This inspired me to finally come up with a list of my own...it's an idea I've been thinking about doing since I started this blog.

I decided to limit the list to twenty names. I could easily have gone to a hundred--there's plenty of great actors I admire. For this particular list the subject's entire body of work counts greatly--if a performer appeared in a number of films I happen to like, he's going to get more of a shot at gaining my admiration...hence the prevalence of so many monster movie guys.

I must point out that just because I did not put a certain actor on this list does not mean I don't appreciate that person. Whenever I do one of these lists, people seem to react more to who isn't on this list than who is. I also need to point out that this isn't my choice of the twenty greatest actors of all time, it's my personal favorites.

I've also decided to include my personal favorite movie role of each actor selected. A list of my twenty favorite film actresses will be coming soon.



1. Peter Cushing
Favorite Film Role: Dr. Van Helsing in THE BRIDES OF DRACULA

2. Christopher Lee
Favorite Film Role: Count Dracula in HORROR OF DRACULA

3. James Stewart
Favorite Film Role: Jefferson Smith in MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON

4. Clint Eastwood
Favorite Film Role: The Man With No Name in THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

5. Steve McQueen
Favorite Film Role: Capt. Virgil Hilts in THE GREAT ESCAPE

6. Buster Keaton
Favorite Film Role: Johnnie Gray in THE GENERAL

7. Alec Guinness
Favorite Film Role: Colonel Nicholson in THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI

8. Lon Chaney
Favorite Film Role: Erik in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

9. John Wayne
Favorite Film Role: Capt, Nathan Brittles in SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON

10. Cary Grant
Favorite Film Role: Roger O. Thornhill in NORTH BY NORTHWEST

11. Spencer Tracy
Favorite Film Role: John J. Macreedy in BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK

12. Boris Karloff
Favorite Film Role: The Monster in FRANKENSTEIN

13. Bela Lugosi
Favorite Film Role: Murder Legendre in WHITE ZOMBIE

14. Vincent Price
Favorite Film Role: Dr. Anton Phibes in THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES

15. Lionel Atwill
Favorite Film Role: Ivan Igor in MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM

16. Claude Rains
Favorite Film Role: Alexander Sebastian in NOTORIOUS

17. Lee Van Cleef
Favorite Film Role: Col. Douglas Mortimer in FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE

18. Liam Neeson
Favorite Film Role: Dr. Peyton Westlake in DARKMAN

19. Gary Oldman
Favorite Film Role: Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK

20. George Zucco
Favorite Film Role: Dr. Alfred Morris in THE MAD GHOUL