Claude Rains
(1889 - 1967)| He was destined to play aristocratic types as he looked, spoke and acted like one of the upper class. He was of medium height at 5' 7", with a squarish face, a mane of thick hair, arched eyebrows over ...Click on photo to read biography |
Arnold Moss
(1910 - 1989)| Another of the unsung character actors we see, we recognize but don't know the name, he was a gem of an actor best suited for villainy. He was another of the aristocratic types who were most often cas ...Click on photo to read biography |
Paul Fix
(1901 - 1983)| Although he appeared in over 200 films in his career, he will always be remembered as Micah Torrance the easy going sheriff on "The Rifleman" TV series of the 1950s & 60s. His was a memorable face and ...Click on photo to read biography |
Ethel Barrymore
(1879 - 1959)| The second eldest of the three acting Barrymores (Lionel, Ethel and John), she was initially a leading actress of the stage but in later years became a renowned character actress. A 5' 7" solidly buil ...Click on photo to read biography |
Art Baker
(1898 - 1966)| Those of us who grew up in the beginning of the television era remember Art Baker from the TV series "You Asked For It" yet he was already an established character actor by the time he took that job. ...Click on photo to read biography |
Wilfrid Hyde-White
(1903 - 1991)| So many of these great actors are so familiar to us that when we see their pictures we can immediately hear their distinctive voices in our minds. Such is the case with Wilfrid Hyde-White. With his hi ...Click on photo to read biography |
Ed Lauter
(1940 - )| He was one of the most familiar character actors of the 1970s and on. Pictured here with a rare smile on his face, he was most often cast as a villain or very serious, introspective hero type. He was ...Click on photo to read biography |
Harry Davenport
(1866 - 1949)| One of the oldest actors on these pages, he was a very familiar and jovial face in early films. Always elderly in films but tall, slim, white-haired with twinkling eyes and a smiling face. He was alwa ...Click on photo to read biography |
Miriam Hopkins
(1902 - 1972)| She was known as "the Golden Girl" in the 1930s when she was a very popular star. Petite at 5' 3", lithe and lovely with golden hair, sleepy blue eyes and a trace of a southern accent she was most oft ...Click on photo to read biography |
Roy Barcroft
(1902 - 1969)| He was a fixture in many a western film or TV series most often as the bad guy. Tall, stocky and handsome with a neat mustache, squinty eyes and solid, strong voice and demeanor he had a long career i ...Click on photo to read biography |
Sam Jaffe
(1891 - 1984)| He was the definitive character actor, as versatile as any other actor and more so. A small frail man, he was a commanding performer. His range was unbelievable from the young Hindu in "Gunga Din" to ...Click on photo to read biography |
Sir.Ralph Richardson
(1902 - 1983)| A legendary star of the world theatre, Sir Ralph Richardson was also one of the finest character actors ever. Tall, slightly stout with a jolly square face, bulbous nose, ...Click on photo to read biography |
Sir.John Gielgud
(1904 - 2000)|
If an actor lives long enough and continues to ply his trade he/she will most definitely become a character actor in his/her twilight years. Such is the case with John Gielg ...Click on photo to read biography |
Arthur Housman
(1889 - 1942)| Many character actors "specialize" in certain areas. Vito Scotti and Fritz Feld played waiters and maitre 'ds most often, Harry Davenport specialized in judges, Gabby Hayes and Andy Devine, as western ...Click on photo to read biography |
Barton MacLane
(1902 - 1969)| One of the screen's best 'heavies' he was a staple in films of the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s. Always a tough guy, usually bad but occasionally a good guy, he was tall, very burly and stocky with a squar ...Click on photo to read biography |
Jane Withers
(1926 - )| This terrific little character actress had a double career each the reverse of the other. She started out as a child actor playing mean, nasty little brats primarily and in her middle age played jolly ...Click on photo to read biography |
Alvy Moore
(1921 - 1997)| He was an amiable, always smiling chap and a face familiar to millions of movie and TV fans. Small and slight, with dark hair, in a crewcut in earlier days, friendly eyes and a cheery demeanor, he spo ...Click on photo to read biography |
Donald Pleasence
(1919 - 1995)| One of the busiest working actors of his time, he was seen in scores of plays, films and television productions. He started out as a classic stage actor in Shakespearean productions and towards the en ...Click on photo to read biography |
Jim Davis
(1915 - 1981)| One of the most recognizable cowboy actors by his face and especially his voice, he was a staple in westerns from the 1940s to the 1980s. Tall, burly and rugged looking with a weather-beaten, but hand ...Click on photo to read biography |
Robert Strauss
(1913 - 1975)| This big, burly monstrosity of a man was in reality 'teddy bear' and one of the most lovable character actors on film. He created one of the most memorable roles ever in the film classic "Stalag 17." ...Click on photo to read biography |
Frederic Forrest
(1936 - )| Looking a bit younger here than he is today is one of the finest character actors working at present. His forte was intense, brooding, often troubled characters and some pretty evil villains. Tall at ...Click on photo to read biography |
Jean Hersholt
(1886 - 1956)| One of the biggest actors ever in the history of the movies he is probably best know these days for the Humanitarian Award named for him given at the Academy Awards for philanthropic services. He was ...Click on photo to read biography |
Eduardo Ciannelli
(1889 - 1969)| One of filmdom's great portrayers of mobsters and menacing criminals, he was also versatile enough to play other types. Tall, craggy-faced and graying with a polished Italian accent and an impeccably ...Click on photo to read biography |
Ray Teal
(1902 - 1976)| He was the quintessential western sheriff, kindly, loyal and sometimes corrupt. No other actor personified a sheriff as Mr. Teal. He was tall, burly and rugged-looking with a weathered face, trim must ...Click on photo to read biography |
James Mason
(1909 - 1984)| Urbane, sophisticated, debonair, mundane, charming, classy, all terms to describe a most unique actor and star who can never be replaced. James Mason was one of a kind with a style all his own. He was ...Click on photo to read biography |
Henry Stephenson
(1871 - 1956)| He was a master of the historical epic, costume dramas and classic literature films. He worked in a few silents but had his best success in the sound era of film. He did his best work in the twilight ...Click on photo to read biography |
Ernestine Wade
(1906 - 1983)| One of my all-time favorite actresses, she could be classified as a "one-hit wonder" like many stars so connected to a singular role, and to be sure, she performed little else. The role, of course, wa ...Click on photo to read biography |
Guy Marks
(1923 - 1987)| He was questionably not a career actor but rather a topnotch entertainer who dabbled in acting. He does fit into the "one-hit wonder" category. In this case it is the quality, not the quantity, of his ...Click on photo to read biography |
J.Carrol Naish
(1897 - 1973)| The most surprising fact about J. Carrol Naish is that although he played mostly Mediterranean, Mexican, Indian, Jewish and Arab types he was in actuality an Irishman. A solid, versatile actor for yea ...Click on photo to read biography |
Lyle Talbot
(1902 - 1996)| Lyle Talbot had a long and varied career in films and on TV. He has starred in tent shows, on stage, in radio, films, serials, television, commercials and more. He was a tall, handsome, fair haired, m ...Click on photo to read biography |
George Chandler
(1898 - 1985)| This very familiar, avuncular actor is best remembered as Uncle Petrie on the "Lassie" TV series but was quite active in early films of the 1930s, 40s & 50s. He was 5' 8" and lanky with graying hair, ...Click on photo to read biography |
Linda Hunt
(1945 - )| Diminutive in size but gigantic in her talent, this wonderfully dazzling character actress is a joy to watch. Small at 4' 9", of medium build and plain looking with dark hair, a warm smile and twinkli ...Click on photo to read biography |
Kurt Kaznar
(1913 - 1979)| Although he had the look of a sinister villainous type, I remember him most for his comedy roles. Perhaps that was the dormant side of his actual personality. He was a big man, rotund and very dark wi ...Click on photo to read biography |
Yaphet Kotto
(1937 - )| Besides being one amazing actor, Yaphet Kotto is one fascinating individual. He has a most impressive list of stage, film and television credits for one who began his career in the 1960s. He is a 6' 5 ...Click on photo to read biography |
James Hong
(1929 - )| One of the finest actors working today, James Hong is also a very versatile thespian. His is a familiar face, especially to television viewers as he has been quite prolific on TV. Although he has play ...Click on photo to read biography |
Robert Prosky
(1930 - )| This very steady character actor has been racking up a fine list of credits that would rival any of the great character actors of the past. Of late he has been playing grandfatherly, senior citizen ty ...Click on photo to read biography |
Leon Ames
(1902 - 1993)| Those of us who were kids in the 1950s and 1960s probably remember Leon Ames best as the star of two TV series: "Life With Father" and "Father of the Bride." He was just as familiar in films of the 19 ...Click on photo to read biography |
Saul Rubinek
(1948 - )| Saul Rubinek is a very interesting character actor to watch as the diversity of his roles is incredible. He is most often cast as very off-beat, complex characters. He is slightly pudgy with dark blac ...Click on photo to read biography |
Van Heflin
(1910 - 1971)| Van Heflin was another "on the cusp" actor. He had both starring roles and character parts. He was one of America’s most beloved film actors and a talented one at that. He was a tall, medium built man ...Click on photo to read biography |
Claire Trevor
(1909 - 2000)| Always the hussy, floozy, gangsters moll or "good-girl gone-bad", she was a definite asset to the film community. She is best remembered for her work in the film classic "Key Largo" but she did some o ...Click on photo to read biography |
George Macready
(1899 - 1973)| What I remember most about George Macready is that voice; very soft, a slight rasp, but oh so mellow sounding. He was one of the screen's most sophisticated villains, suave, debonair and malicious but ...Click on photo to read biography |
Percy Kilbride
(1888 - 1964)| Best known for playing the slow-drawling New Englander, as did actor Parker Fennelly, he was actually not from that area. He'll always be remembered for his portrayal of the slow moving, slow talking, ...Click on photo to read biography |
Victor French
(1934 - 1989)| Pictured above as we best remember him, as Mr. Edwards on the TV series "Little House on the Prairie", is one of the most endearing character actors of the 1970s and 1980s. He was a natural as a lovab ...Click on photo to read biography |
William.H. Macy
(1950 - )| One of the finest character actors working today, William H. Macy is one of those rare, chameleon-like actors who buries himself in his roles. Although he is a relatively new character actor compared ...Click on photo to read biography |
Judith Anderson
(1898 - 1992)| She was every bit the aristocrat she portrayed and a lovely woman besides. Although she could play despicable villainesses, she was in actuality a charming, amiable person ...Click on photo to read biography |
Arthur O'Connell
(1908 - 1981)| A solid character actor if ever there was one, Arthur O'Connell was a fixture in films from the 1940s through the 1970s. He most often played an elderly, amiable neighbor, unc ...Click on photo to read biography |
Frank Ferguson
(1899 - 1978)| Kindly looking, avuncular Frank Ferguson was a familiar face in movies and TV from the 1940s through the 1960s. He appeared in over 100 films and was cast initially as ranchers, merchants or detective ...Click on photo to read biography |
Raymond Bailey
(1904 - 1980)| Raymond Bailey was quite adept at portraying one of America's most serious problems and diseases, corporate greed, and giving it a comic twist. He and David White were masters at playing the greedy ex ...Click on photo to read biography |
Lon Chaney_Jr.
(1906 - 1973)| Although he is best known as a star of monster movies, Lon Chaney Jr. was a solid character actor in his own right. His diverse characterizations in many dramatic films equal or surpass his work as th ...Click on photo to read biography |
Paul Stewart
(1908 - 1986)| I'm still "discovering" character actors, who have been visible for years in numerous movies but who hadn't necessarily made an impact on my memory until only recently. The latest is Paul Stewart, a m ...Click on photo to read biography |
Alan Rickman
(1946 - )| One of the finest actors working today, he came to movies and television from the stage. He is a master at portraying villains, tormented individuals and serious as well as off-beat characters. He is ...Click on photo to read biography |
Margaret Dumont
(1889 - 1965)| We now cover two of the screen's Grande Dames. The first was a foil to some of the screen's great comedians. Margaret Dumont was the ultimate aristocrat, dowager type. She was slightly plump, with dar ...Click on photo to read biography |
Marie Dressler
(1869 - 1934)| The second Grand Dame of the screen was Marie Dressler. She often played the aristocrat and dowager also but was versatile enough for a variety of diverse roles. Hers was the tale of the Ugly Duckling ...Click on photo to read biography |
Anthony Quayle
(1913 - 1989)| He was a solid character actor of the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s and was equally at home in contemporary dramas or historical epics. He was a tall, well-built man with balding, ...Click on photo to read biography |
Stuart Margolin
(1940 - )| Always fun to watch, Stuart Margolin has been a steady supporting player in films and on TV from the 1960s on. He is best known for his TV work, especially as Angel on "The Rockford Files", but has do ...Click on photo to read biography |
Les Tremayne
(1913 - 2003)| He is another of those, oh so familiar, faces in films and on TV whose name we don't know. In a lot of cases picturing some of these folks with darker hair may help trigger your memory. Some of the ph ...Click on photo to read biography |
Lloyd Nolan
(1902 - 1985)| One of the great character actors of all time, he was a popular feature in many films. He was most often cast as a cop, gangster or tough guy of some sort. He was tall, at 5' 10-1/2", and well built, ...Click on photo to read biography |
Nancy Marchand
(1928 - 2000)| The two characters she was best known for portraying very clearly illustrate this marvelous actress' versatility. On television's "Lou Grant" she played Mrs. Pynchon, the wise and savvy, but always so ...Click on photo to read biography |
Walter Matthau
(1920 - 2000)| Although he was a star in his own right, he was also one of America's greatest character actors. He was most adept at crotchety, cantankerous and cranky types but could hold his own as an evil, despic ...Click on photo to read biography |
Harry Bellaver
(1905 - 1993)| His very familiar face immediately brings to mind that voice and New Yawk accent and the days of the Naked City TV series to those who remember it. He appeared in numerous films but will always be bes ...Click on photo to read biography |
Ned Beatty
(1937 - )| He has become one of America's most recognized, solid character actors since his debut in the chilling film "Deliverance" in 1972. Chubby and red-faced with curly blonde hair, glassy eyes and a jolly ...Click on photo to read biography |
Maria Ouspenskaya
(1876 - 1949)| Although this diminutive little lady appeared in only 24 films she is very well remembered for her work, especially for her turn in the "Wolf Man" series of films with Lon Chaney Jr. Very tiny and hun ...Click on photo to read biography |
Porter Hall
(1888 - 1953)| His name popped up in the credits of many a movie and he always played a sniveling coward, a corrupt politician or businessman, or some other weasely, shady character. He was a smallish man with a nea ...Click on photo to read biography |
Patsy Kelly
(1910 - 1981)| Brash and sassy pretty much describes the characters played by this endearing character actress of stage, film and television. She had an enduring career of many years dating from the vaudeville era t ...Click on photo to read biography |
William Hickey
(1928 - 1997)| The most commonly used term used to describe this actor's roles was "rascal." With a twinkle in his eye, he could play a distrustful, sneaky type character who was still lovable. He was a smallish, sk ...Click on photo to read biography |
Ray Collins
(1889 - 1965)| A very familiar face to fans of the "Perry Mason" TV series as well those who love old movies; he was a solid character actor throughout his career. He was most adept at playing authoritative types, p ...Click on photo to read biography |
Max Showalter
(1917 - 2000)| There's another category of character actor, rarer than most, called the "look-alikes." These are actors who look so similar, and often are cast in similar roles, that we confuse them with each other. ...Click on photo to read biography |
Kenneth McMillan
(1932 - 1989)| He was the epitome of the tough, Irish cop or detective and/or patriarch; kind of in the Charles Durning mold, but he had his own style. He could be classed in the "look-alike" category with Durning. ...Click on photo to read biography |
John Dierkes
(1905 - 1975)| Tall, dark and very gaunt looking, he was a fixture in many westerns and historical dramas. His lankiness, skeletal, craggy face and scraggly hair combined with a deep, hollow sounding bass voice was ...Click on photo to read biography |
Alec Guinness
(1914 - 2000)| He was one of the greatest character actors ever and a star. His beginnings were as a rogue's gallery of characters in the British Cinema. Although he could play scoundrels, ...Click on photo to read biography |
Neil Hamilton
(1899 - 1984)| Although he starred in over 100 films, beginning in the silent era, he is best remembered for his later roles as a silver haired senior. At 5' 11" he was of medium build with deep-set eyes, wavy hair, ...Click on photo to read biography |
John Marley
(1907 - 1984)| Although he'd been around as a working character actor a long time, John Marley didn't enjoy great success until the late 1960s and through the 1970s. His face was most recognizable during those decad ...Click on photo to read biography |
Frances Bavier
(1902 - 1989)| One of the most beloved and familiar actresses ever on television, she became the epitome of the small town matriarchal, lovable, grandmotherly character. Best remembered as Aunt Bee of "The Andy Grif ...Click on photo to read biography |
Hermione Baddeley
(1908 - 1986)| Two very talented actresses shared the unusual name of Hermione and other similarities but were quite unique and distinguishable unto themselves. Hermione Baddeley was a small, frumpy lady with a pudg ...Click on photo to read biography |
Hermione Gingold
(1897 - 1987)| The second Hermione was perhaps the better known of the two for her frequent appearances in all media…radio, stage, films and television. She was a sort of delightful eccentric, cast in similar roles ...Click on photo to read biography |
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