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160 Legendary Old Hollywood Actors. The greatest actors of the pre-60's, Hollywood's Golden Age. Here are all the actors worth mentioning from this era. (The first 25 are ranked after AFI's 25 greatest actors of all time, the rest are not ranked in order!)
Fonda was the patriarch of a family of famous actors, including daughter Jane Fonda, son Peter Fonda, granddaughter Bridget Fonda, and grandson Troy Garity; his family and close friends called him "Hank". In 1999, he was named the sixth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute. 7. Humphrey Bogart.
- Fred Astaire. “Can’t act. Can’t sing. Balding. Can dance a little.” This was said to have been some movie producer’s comment on Astaire’s very first screen test.
- Lionel Barrymore. The Barrymores are perhaps the most famous acting family of all time. Siblings John, Lionel and Ethel all became distinct film stars on their own right.
- Humphrey Bogart. Born in New York, on Christmas day, 1899, Humphrey DeForest Bogart had a wealthy background. His father was a surgeon and his mother a renowned magazine illustrator.
- Marlon Brando. Method acting exponent Marlon Brando rose to fame when he reprised his Broadway role of Stanley Kowaski in the screen adaption of Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire.
- 15 Gene Kelly
- 14 Laurence Olivier
- 13 John Wayne
- 12 Gregory Peck
- 11 Gary Cooper
- 10 Charlie Chaplin
- 9 Spencer Tracy
- 8 James Cagney
- 7 Clark Gable
- 6 Henry Fonda
As one of the greatest dancers in classic Hollywood, Gene Kelly starred in some of the golden age's most memorable musicals. He made his film debut with 1942's For Me and My Gal before rising to international prominence with the 1944 romantic comedy Cover Girl opposite Rita Hayworth. RELATED: Greatest Classic Hollywood Actresses, According To The A...
Sir Laurence Olivier is among the most acclaimed Thespians to grace the silver screen. Garnering international acclaim with his stage work, Olivier made his screen debut in the early 30s and earned fame with his portrayal of Heathcliff in the 1939 adaptation of Wuthering Heights. Olivier then starred in one of Alfred Hitchcock's best and most rewat...
John Wayne is among the most recognizable Western actors, with one of the most successful and long careers in the business. Debuting during the Silent Age, Wayne played several roles throughout the 1930s before becoming a household name with John Ford's 1939 seminal Western Stagecoach. What followed were four decades of continuous success with film...
1944's The Keys of the Kingdom was Gregory Peck's ticket to international success, earning him an Oscar nomination and kickstarting his career as a leading man. His career would flourish throughout the 1940s, thanks to films like The Valley of Decision, Spellbound, and Gentleman's Agreement. The 1950s saw Peck becoming one of Hollywood's top stars,...
Gary Cooper was among the first actors to win two Best Actor Oscars, prevailing for his performances in Sergeant York and High Noon. His career began during the Silent Era and achieved international levels with 1939's The Virginian. Films like 1932's A Farewell to Arms and 1936's Mr. Deeds Goes to Townsolidified him as a leading man and box office ...
Widely considered the greatest and most recognizable star from the silent era, Charlie Chaplin is also one of the big-screen most emblematic figures. The actor rose to prominence following the foundation of United Artists, which granted him complete control over his pictures. 1921's The Kidturned him into a star, paving the way for a successful and...
Spencer Tracy was the first actor to win back-to-back Best Actor Oscars, a feat that has only been achieved once again. Renowned for his naturalistic approach and rejection of method actingand other experimental techniques of his time, Tracy was one of classic Hollywood's leading figures, starring in multiple hits and earning acclaim for his versat...
A bonafide triple threat, James Cagney was famous for his acting, dancing, and directing abilities. The actor rose to international prominence during the 1930s thanks to films like The Public Enemy and Angels with Dirty Faces, crafting a tough-guy persona that would define much of his early career. RELATED: Great Crime Movies Under 90 Minutes Long ...
Rising to prominence during the silent era, Clark Gable achieved international fame and acclaim during the 1930s, eventually becoming one of the most beloved and commercially successful stars of the Golden Age. Gable won the Oscar for his performance in the classic romantic comedy It Happened One Night, cementing his place as one of the business' l...
Henry Fonda was among classic Hollywood's most relatable heroes, a guy-next-door anyone could root for. He became a household name with performances in films like Jezebel and Young Mr. Lincoln before achieving universal critical and commercial success with John Ford's 1940 Americana masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath. The 40s and 50s were crucial for ...
- Senior Editor
May 30, 2022 · Some of the oldest male actors who keep going strong may not be those who you expect to see. As Hollywood is a place of glamor and glamorous skin, it may come as a surprise that some of the big-screen stars are as old as they are.
Dec 23, 2015 · Clint Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the Man with No Name in Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy of spaghetti Westerns during the 1960s, and as antihero cop Harry Callahan in the five Dirty Harry films throughout the 1970s and 1980s. These roles, among others, have made him an enduring cultural icon of masculinity.
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Jan 19, 2024 · Some of them have been around since the early golden days of Old Hollywood, so they've really seen it all. Many have helped make strides in equality for performers and paved the way for modern stars today — making it easier for future actors to make their mark in Hollywood.
