Best Male Actors of All Time
165 items ranked
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Oh my gosh he should be so much higher just because of Harvey
Jimmy Stewart was a trail blazer and a class act who did everything from screwball, to romantic/comedy/ drama/ thriller/ western and he would be right at home with CGI and 3D if he were around to day. There's no point in listing his successes; there are way too many. Try Harvey. Everybody loves a loveable drunk! Top 10 stuff!
Amazing actor. Should be in the top 20. People don't appreciate older actors as much these days because action movies and special effects are making the movies better so the acting doesn't have to. Sit down and watch "It's a Wonderful Life" with family or close friends. Your opinion will almost definitely change.
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Bird Man of Alcatraz, Elmer Gentry, Atlantic City, Gun Fight at the OK Corral, Jim Thorpe All American, Apache, Sweet Smell of Success, Run Silent Run Deep...Shall I go on?
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As Gregory aged, he showed more depth in his roles. Also, he spent most of his time in those horrible 50's dramas that dragged on and on until you left the theatre depressed and headed for the nearest bar. Thank God for Bee Bop and Elvis in the 50's! But, if you catch Gregory in some of his smaller roles in the 70's and on, you'll see a different actor. One more in tune with the audience and you start to really appreciate his chops. Top 100.
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After examining the whole list my assessment is people do not make a distinction between actors they like, actors in movies they like, and good actors. There are many movies I like whose main actor is good to mediocre. There are movies I do not like whose main actor is excellent. Final comment: Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Clarke Gable always play the same personae in any of their movies. They are not versatile actors just well chosen for the roles. Warren Beatty and Kevin Cosner are flat - hardly worthy of being called actors.
believable performances and intelligent choices Bhelped this actor have a long career, not to mention a large selection of different grocery foods! Who wouldn't want to have a career such as his? But #1? Definately Top 10
if Im a lame woman i chose Newman, However he is great artist but I can accept #1 rank in best actors of all time suitable for him.
I agree with paul newman as tops, but why is Alec Baldwin not on this list?
NEWMAN AND GAGNEY OR CAGNEY AND NEWMAN AS THE 2 BEST MALE SCREEN ACTORS OF ALL TIME. THE OTHER ACTORS MENTIONED IN THIS ARE GREAT ACTORS WITH GREAT SKILLS, BUT I BELIEVE NONE PUT AS MUCH HEART MIND AND SOUL INTO THERE ROLES AS NEWMAN AND CAGNEY. THERE THE GOLD STANDARD. Joe Caprio
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Another non-conformist who died tragically young. He was the upcoming heart-throb of his era and commanded the screen as such. His cocky approach to a character changed the norm for his time. Top 50, yes. Unfortunately, he didn't stay around long enough.
Are you kidding? James Dean should seriously be higher on this list. He was one of the first stars to use Method acting, and even though he only made three films, in my opinion they were all incredible performances. No, he wasn't copying Brando. In Dean's own words, "People were telling me I behaved like Brando before I knew who Brando was!" Did you realize that Dean was dyslexic? That's right. He had a natural gift for improvisation. In sum, I think quality matters more than quantity.
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an actor who can mould into any character he portrays..shutter island,blood diamond,inception..you name it....He is No:1
how come tom hanks heath ledger and kevin spacey and some others are before dicaprio. he must be in top three. jhe is ten times better than dustin hoffman.
Leonardo DiCaprio is my most favorite actor of all time. In every movie I've seen him in, he really gets into role and makes his characters so believable, unlike a lot of other actors. Too bad most people don't think so, too.
best actor ever must be nmbr1.see movie whats eating gilbert grape.?
He played a role as frank abagnale jr in catch me if you can was nominated for these awards 2 oscars, another 10 wins and 18 nominations.
Baby face Leonardo is one of the few child stars to make it through to adulthood and that in itself is a career. His latest effort, Inception, for it's day and it's genre, is miles ahead of the pack. He has to work for his pay and make us forget his pretty little face from all of those bopper flicks and he does work hard. Top 100.
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Terrific actor! Gordon Gekko and Liberace are reason enough to include him among the best!
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Versatile leading man could play any role and has been gracing the big screen for decades.
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The two best American Film actors have to be Tracy and Brando. Brando might have the edge, as if you ask American actors, their is a difference before Brando and after Brando. If you are a student, you must watch Brando, who else has created so many iconic characters.
Is it not obvious?Brando stands alone.Watch the scene in the funeral parlor from the Godafther or the Marc Antony monologue from Julius Caesar or the taxicab scene from Waterfront.After Brando,comes De Niro,Pacino,Olivier,Burton etc.Newman was more of a movie star and should be nowhere near the top.Dean was good but untested really.
he must be no 1:no other actor deserves that place than him,and wat about AL PACINO HE MUST BE NO 2.RATHER THAN THE MOVIE JUST catch the expressions and the change of accent in different situations
Very good when he was young, but the older he got, the worse he got. I loved Apocalypse Now until they found Brando's character.
Here is a man with an apetite for fame (and food) and the ability to lead not only on screen, but in off screen causes. A very talented non-conformist. Top 10 stuff.
legend, well deserved place at number 2, but still think he should be number 1. see godfather, on the waterfront and a streetcar named desire and you will agree
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He was one of the top ten of all time for sure along with Bogart, Gable, Wayne and others
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Western legend + Gran Torino+Letters from Iwo Jima. Good actor all around + Good producer.
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After a successful run on the small screen, he headed out to Italy to team up with the King of Spaghetti Westerns, Sergio. There, he learned his craft. Upon his return to Hollywood, he was a different actor. If you have an opportunity, compare the Clint before and after. Clint has proved his stay power as both actor and director. How old is the man? He doesn't get bored and he never bores his audience. Top 10 stuff!
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Wonderful actor! Love everything I see him in, and he is always terrific! Crimson Tide, Glory, Inside Man, Unstoppable, and Philadelphia, just to name a few, are awesome!
A great actor who is always in average or bad films. It's almost got to the point now where I won't watch a film if he's in it, even though he's a great actor.
Denzel is great. Catch him in Much Ado About Nothing and you can see that the man can play anything. But he is always in roles that are dark and moody. He spends his time propping up weaker actors around him. He needs a better manager. Top 20.
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Singing in the Rain; 'nough said indeed! But he also always had a great supporting cast and that has been the genoius of Kelly. Muscular and agile, he pulls off routines with a smile time after time and has us believing in that Great American Dream! If you are into Americana, then you need a little Gene. Top 200.
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Best remembered as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy (1985-90) and Alex P. Keaton in Family Ties (1982-89), Fox has been recognized as a leading Hollywood actor for the past three decades. Although he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, Fox hasn't slowed down yet, and continues to make guest television appearances as well as actively advocate Parkinson's research.
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Sir Anthony Hokins, please. And with good reason. He is tremendous in all his ambitions. Silence of the lambs, Meet Joe Black, Howard's End, etc., he can slip into any role with ease. Hope he stays around for awhile and hope that he runs into some good writers. Top 50.
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Who can forget the classic line "Say Hello to My Little Friend" from his American classic Scarface.
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That is not fair. If you put Paul Newman or Marlon Brand before him I will accept that they have lived many years back before he reign but I can not accept to see as 22 best actor of all timed the man who has inculcated the characters Micheal Corleone, Tony Montana, Frank Serpico, Coloniel Frank slad,Shylock, Lt. Vincent Hanna to name a few in the minds of movie goers !
my favourite actor.he shud be no.1 of his generation of actors
when he acts you feel it threw the TV thats how powerful his acting is he beats everybody on this list because of that
I am just confused when i see the Pacino the great here,he is i admit the miracle of all world's cinema history,he is the best at the masterpiece of cinema for all time the godfather saga.
Al commanded the screen in so many well known performances, there's no point in listing them. Fro the well educated son in the Godfather to the screaming man in The Scent of a Woman, he has energy that many would love to have. But why he has to yell so much has always befuddled me. Top 100.
Most intense actor of all time and not just in movies but hes love and performance in theatre
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He is in top10? The man with one same face in all of his movies? Ok, he is good but I wouldn't place him in top20. How can a man with same facial expression for: sad, interested, mad, angry, funny be in top10!!!
I liked him in the Eighties when he did more comedies but I just can't accept him in serious roles. He can be a decent actor but that's all.
tom hanks deserves nothing less than #1 spot non and i mean non of his movies has ever anything but perfect
Not just because of the wonderful movies he did but the the actuation is always perfect for the characters.
My favorites are The Terminal, Cast Away, Forrest Gump and Philadelphia.
What about Saving Pvt. Ryan and Philadelphia, he should be #1 iMO
Tom hanks is a very outstanding actor in all of his movies, he was nominated 5 academy awards in his role forrest gump and if you havent watched it then you buy it.
Tom Hanks had us in stitches with The Man with One Red Shoe, Big, The Burbs, etc. and then he got us with a more sensitive side in Sleepless in Seatle, Forest Gump, The Green Mile, etc. Then he ups it with big animation projects like Toy Story and The Polar Express. Smart actor and for the most part, selected the right roles for his ablities. Top 50.
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Jack is a card. From Five Easy Pieces through to this very day, you cannot tie Jack down to a particular style. Werewolve, Devil, Detective, Bum, Womanizer, etc. You name it, he's played it and played it so that we believe that Jack is really that cat we see on the screen. And all this from a balding not particularily good looking brad pitt kinda guy! Jack - tons of fun all the time - Top 20.
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This was Martin's muse for so many years, it is easy to overlook all of his attributes. Drama, henchman, intelligent man, comedian, you name it. With the energy of Pacino and with a slightly different set of tools, he eclipses many actors. But, like I said, he spent a good part of his career locked up with Martin and we all remember that side of him. Top 20.
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Has a good amount of range. Watch The Goodbye Girl, Jaws, Mr. Holland's Opus, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Underrated actor.
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he has the voice, the perfect movie, but he lacts the actting.
Morgan Freeman once said in an interview, "Acting is the easy part. It's getting the job that's difficult". Maybe so Morgan; but with your abilities, ease of tongue and smooth mannerisms, only a fool would pass you up for a part. He is one of the Greats! Top 10.
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daniel day is a legend he is better than most of the actors wha have acted till date.whats that about his career?he is a true actor and is not behind any stardom he select only challengind roles and no need to act in some hollywood garbages.if he wasa conserned about his filmography he should have been acted in 100's of movies.
Now eher is a man who can challenge Cary Grant. But, with today's movies being all about 3D, CGI and very little to do with acting; there isn't much interest in great screen performers by producers or audiences. Wonder where his career will go?
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SImply because he is the grerest actor of all time.
With 2 oscars tomprove. Cant believe he is not in at least top 5 on that list. The fact he is not on it all is simply a joke
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It's not true that his movies are not good. If you saw his films in the last ten years, okay, they're not that good. But watch his films that He had made in the 80s and 90s! They have special and wonderful mood, like in Ed Wood, Gilbert Grape, Donnie Brasco, Blow, Dead Man, Edward Scissorhands and many other movies which people who don't like movies that really have message didn't see, and they're saying that his movies are not good. They are brilliant you've just watched the wrong ones and the new ones which are not as good as the actual Depp movies.
Some of his movies are not great, but as an actor, he is definitely number 1. There are very few actors that play the variety of different roles that he can play. As an actor, he can be anything. A pirate, a weirdo with scissors for hands, a murderer who cuts people with razors, a crazy chocolate factory owner, he even does voice acting. I dont think his movies are the best, but the dynamics of his acting skills are very commendable.
COME ON Johnny Depp is the worlds Greatest actor of all time and he's at number 30..! Whats up with that.?!
really i luv him i thought hed be higher on the list. i had to search forever to find him
No, he is not the number one because his movies are not great
should be number 1!!!!! 51 is a disgrace, and absolutly not true.
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Robert is one of those actors who passes unoticed until you see him so often you say, who is that guy? He has played a vast amount of different characters in so many different time lines and various personas, it is difficult to describe his talent other than a natural. Watch him on the small screen - Route 66 or on the big screen, M.A.S.H., Godfather and so so many more. Hope he stays around for a while. My personal favourite, Wrestling Ernest Heminway. Top 50.
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Harrison Ford has a great angry-confused look, although I believe he belongs somewhere between number 60 and 80 on the list and is ranked much to high on this list.
Harrison had a good run in the late 70's with George and then as Jack Ryan. Between that he had some very memorable movies; American Grafitti, Blade Runner, Witness, Presumed Innocent, Patriot Games, The fugitive, etc. He kind of fizzed out, but hey; if I were an actor, I would have loved to have had the type of career this man has had. Right place, right time. Top 100.
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There has never been another actor like Cary Grant - to date. Screwball, Romantic Comedy, Thriller, etc. and a calss act on and off the screen. Too many movies to list, but even my young kids get into this guy (Mr Blanding Builds His Dream Home). #1 all time.
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Mel has talent and looks and for the better part of his career, played all of his roles brilliantly and deserved all of the accolades thrown his way. He peaked with Braveheart. Then we find out that the man has a problem; boredom which drives him to alcohol (this is what makes Clint great - he doesn't bite at all the razzle dazzle). Can Mel make a rebound? Top 100.
The Patriot, Signs, Braveheart. This guy's amazing! One of the best on my list
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he is one of the greatest actors in indian film industry he acts mainly in malayalam movies and is a megastar in india his flexibility in plaing various rles are just n example how good is he
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not mohanlal, mammootty and kamal hassan should be there before lal...
who the hell is Mohanlal!? I thought this is meant to be a list of the the top actors of all time...outside of India this guys is completely unknown which automatically excludes him from this list...
in indian filim industry only one actor named as
the complete actor it is our padmasree bharath doctor universal star
our living legend lft.coloniel mohanlal
a complete universal star...............
he is an evergreen versatile actor in the malayalam cinema as well as other languages.....
he is a versatile actor. most dedicated to his profession. an institution to the art of acting.
The Compleate Actor. Mohanlal Very Flexible and Natural actor In Indian cinima
He Is An Amazing Actor in Indian Film Industry........................
No 1 In Malayalam Films.....
he is our universal star, gods own super star, the complete actor. he is mohanlal. love u lalatta
not just mohanlal
it's universal star Padmasree Bharth Lft Col Dr Mohanlal
lalettan...he is the universal star........he is the best actor in the world.....should be in top list
Watch his movie Vanaprastham.One of the best actor in the world.he acted more than 300 films.
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Check out the movie "Cinderella Man" about the true story of heavy weight boxer Jim J Braddock, very good. Paul Giamatti and Rene Zellwiger are outstanding in it also!
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Poitier should be ranked higher based merely on what he overcame in becoming one of the greatest actors, if not the greatest, of all time. His poise and versatility on screen is unmatched and may never be met or exceeded in the future.
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Laurence Olivier was and will always be the number 1 actor. Why do have him so low on your list. Olivier acted for over 60years and was just as great acting in his later years as when he was young. Olivier acted not method person but a true genus actor. actor, actor, actor not stupid method. Laurence Olivier deserves the number ! spot. The rest are only amateurs.
all the other actors can try and copy him but there was only 1 Olivier! He was a genius. He had it all!
A very talented Shakespearean actor who can bore you to death on the big screen unless you are into watching theatre on the big screen. His comdies shine with Brit humour and his dramas reek of too much depth for a camera to appreciate. I would have loved to see this guy perfomr live. It mut have been incredible. Top 50.
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Best actor ever!!!!!! Could do anything. The King of the Silver Screen. Best leading man. Best speaking voice ever. I can't say enough about him!!!!!!!!!
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Everytime I think of Robin, I think of the Bobby McFerrin video; the first time I saw him interviewed on late night TV, Mork and Mindy, etc. You have to love the guy. His routine in the Bicentennial Man is a killer and then he tunrs around and plays a killer, a crazy salesman, a professor with a problem, a homeless man with troubles, a doctor who makes people laugh, etc. Brilliant stand up comedian and the kind of guy who you know if you share a beer withm, will have you in stitches all night long. Thanks for the laughs Robin! Top 10.
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Sir Sean Connery has been blessed with a unique voice, good looks and eyes that speak volumes. Not to mention his physical stature, energy and ability to provide balanced performances throughout even the worst scripts. Try, The Name of the Rose if you haven't seen this one. Top 50.
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Very typecast but very talented actor. Watch how much range he displays in films like The Fugitive, No Country for Old Men, Lincoln, Hope Springs, and Batman Forever. Absolutely amazing!
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Kevin starts off his career with Blockbusters; not in order, Untouchables, Feild of Dreams, Runs with Wolves, Bull Durham and yes, even Bodyguard, etc; but then he fades. Some poor scripts? Poor choices? Who knows. Top 50.
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Robert has directed and acted in some movies that turned the tide! The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, etc. and has directed such greats as The Legend of Bagger Vance. He is one of the most unselfish actors that ever hit the screen and was a heart throb for years. Try Sneakers if you heavn't seen it. Top 20.
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come on ,he is most versatile and talented actor of his generation ..only reason why leonardo dicaprio gets all credit as best in his generation is because he works with scorsese ,I will bet that if bale acted in aviator he would have easily beaten jamie foxx at the oscars....bale can do almost any role.....tell me how is leo gonna fit in american psycho??
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You have to go back and watch ome of the flicks Michael made in the 60's. Not just Alfie and see how a great actor became a man who can hold you attention on the screen whenever he talks and make eveyone around him look good. He makes Steve Martin look like a genius in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. He shows his depth in Educating Rita. He is a man who was troubled with alcohol, but found his way through. Maybe Mel should read Michael's bio. Top 20.
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This man deserves mention in the top ten. Took a stand as a young man to not swear in his music , took flack for it and now is getting top billing and makes more money than all the "rappers" turned actors. He is an entertainer and excells in all he does. Looking forward to his next film. Plus the talent seems to be hereditary
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really need to be in top 5 with dicaprio. awesome actor. watch bourne trilogie and you´ll know.
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No, he was pointless in Inception, all he did was shoot people and ski. He has been in other films, you know.
Okkk, Sureee!
He was pretty goood in Inception!
BUT, to have him on a list of greatest actorssss?
That makess NO sense, especially beforee James Stewart, Cary Grant and Robert Duvall! OMG, You guyssss are craaaaazy!
Does 'insane' better than any actor there has ever been, in my opinion, and has unbelievable screen presence, much like De Niro did in his heyday. I think he has the potential to become the greatest British actor of all time. Surely it's time for a Brit to be the best - USA gave the world Brando, De Niro, Newman, Pacino, Hoffman, and the UK's population is a fifth of USA's. Maybe it's time for a British acting legend. Seriously, I think he might actually be that good. I agree with the previous comment saying that he was totally under-used in Inception, but at least the man's finally getting some recognition after being (criminally) overlooked in Hollywood for a decade, in part due to a nervous breakdown and other personal problems, to be fair, but he seems to have got over all that now. Yes, he was awesome in Bronson, I would very much like to see him doing more demanding, edgy roles like that once he's made a bit of money for himself in the US.
He didn't really have much acting to do in Inception, he's done better than that. He was excellent in Stuart: A Life Backwards. Also was very good in Bronson. Those two are probably his best so far.
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