Just watching an interview with Brian Cox. Great actor - but we still have plenty when you look at it -
Michael Gambon
John Hurt
Albert Finney
Sean Connery
Ian McKellen
Gary Oldman
Michael Caine
Joss Ackland
Tom Courtenay
Simon Russell Beale
Tony Hopkins
Christopher Lee
Alan Rickman
Tim Roth
Daniel Day-Lewis
Terence Stamp
Bob Hoskins
Any others?
Roger Moore
Timothy Dalton
Tom Bell, early films were excellent then he did more in tv stuff.
Ray Winstone
Hopkins, Lewis, Finney and Oldman are the cream of that crop, IMHO.
Finn, Roger Moore is not an actor, he is manikin. ;)
Quote from: RidgeRider on March 03, 2010, 10:54:47 PM
Hopkins, Lewis, Finney and Oldman are the cream of that crop, IMHO.
Finn, Roger Moore is not an actor, he is manikin. ;)
Granted, there is a fair bit of plastic in there, but I am one of the few that still thinks he was a better Bond than that prejudiced sweaty sock before him
Edward Woodward
Alec Guinness
Richard Attenborough
Quote from: finnster01 on March 03, 2010, 11:00:01 PM
Quote from: RidgeRider on March 03, 2010, 10:54:47 PM
Hopkins, Lewis, Finney and Oldman are the cream of that crop, IMHO.
Finn, Roger Moore is not an actor, he is manikin. ;)
Granted, there is a fair bit of plastic in there, but I am one of the few that still thinks he was a better Bond than that prejudiced sweaty sock before him
That's blasphemy! Connery was Bond. :D Moore is an under-muscled, overly-coiffed version of Bond. I could never believe him in the role, admittedly when I was younger I did, but as I aged and reality sort of became important, he just didn't cut it for me. Actually, I thought Dalton was decent but not many others did.
Quote from: TheDaddy on March 03, 2010, 11:04:58 PM
Edward Woodward
Alec Guinness
Richard Attenborough
Whoops must lean to read the tittle of the thread :-[
Quote from: TheDaddy on March 03, 2010, 11:04:58 PM
Edward Woodward
Alec Guinness
Richard Attenborough
Mr Daddy, I don't want to rain on your parade but the only "living" actor on your list is Richard Attenborough but he sure is a good one and should indeed be on the list, for nothing but the Great Escape itself
Michael Kitchen, noted for the title role in the series "Foyle's War"
Actors are few and far between who can steal a scene with a simple..."Ah"
Agree about Tom Bell - is he alive?
Is dear dear Johnny Mills still going?
How about Peter O'Toole - or is he Irish.
Jeremey Irons?
Euan McGregor?
Bob Hoskins
Quote from: White Noise on March 03, 2010, 11:19:12 PM
Agree about Tom Bell - is he alive?
Is dear dear Johnny Mills still going?
How about Peter O'Toole - or is he Irish.
Jeremey Irons?
Euan McGregor?
Bob Hoskins
Peter O'toole's middle name is Seamus, so what do you think ;)
Colin Firth
How about Hugh Lawrie? Not just a comedian judging by the number of awards he is picking up for "House". Also, if any of you saw a film called "Peter's Friends", out about fifteen years ago, he gave a magnificent performance (in a comedy!) of a man coming to terms with his actions on the night his child died from cot death.
From the same film (and a few rather better known ones) Ken Brannagh.
John Cleese. He has said that comedy acting is harder than straight acting. Did a very good Shakespeare play thirty-odd years ago, too.
Richard Griffiths, more a character actor, I suppose, but I tend to like anything he is in.
Who of the up and coming bunch do you think will become "great" in the next ten years? Christian Bale? Simon Pegg? Damien Lewis? David Tennant? Anyone with Fiennes in his name?
Quote from: White Noise on March 03, 2010, 11:19:12 PM
Agree about Tom Bell - is he alive?
Is dear dear Johnny Mills still going?
How about Peter O'Toole - or is he Irish.
Jeremey Irons?
Euan McGregor?
Bob Hoskins
Sir John Mills died in 2005 aged 97
Sir Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast. :D
Good call, Fred :D
He's been excellent in a lot of things.
Timothy Spall
Terence Stamp
Ralph Fiennes
Tom Bell is sadly no longer with us either
Anybody mentioned Tom Wilkinson? Been about for some time in BBC costume stuff and in Hollywood films. Played the Father in 'In the Bedroom' a fine film about revenge and plenty of stuff since.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/TomWilkinsonMar09.jpg)
Malcolm McDowell
Alex: And the first thing that flashed into my gulliver was that I'd like to have her right down there on the floor with the old in-out, real savage.
Also in A Clockwork Orange was Warren Clarke, better known now for Dalziel & Pascoe
Daniel Day Lewis is a breed apart IMO.
Ben Kingsley is amazing.
Ian McShane in HBO's Deadwood blew my f**king mind.
You've all missed the biggest.
Lee Bowyer, the diving, shirt-pulling, cheating big girl's blouse. He only gets my vote because Drogba isn't British.
Quote from: FC Silver Fox on March 04, 2010, 07:04:44 AM
You've all missed the biggest.
Lee Bowyer, the diving, shirt-pulling, cheating big girl's blouse. He only gets my vote because Drogba isn't British.
:D ;D
Roger Moore never took himself seriously. Was well aware that his looks got him film parts.
Quote from: MrCheviot on March 04, 2010, 03:08:31 AM
Daniel Day Lewis is a breed apart IMO.
Ben Kingsley is amazing.
Ian McShane in HBO's Deadwood blew my f**king mind.
Deadwood is the best TV series I've ever seen and McShane was incredible.
I'd add Patrick Stewart and Jim Broadbent to the list.
The problem with a thread like this is that everyone has completely different ideas and tastes, what you may think is good i may think is rubbish, it is the same with football coaches/scouts, they all see something different, but if i must choose then i think currently David Tennent very versatile actor.
Quote from: TonyGilroy on March 04, 2010, 08:42:51 AM
Quote from: MrCheviot on March 04, 2010, 03:08:31 AM
Daniel Day Lewis is a breed apart IMO.
Ben Kingsley is amazing.
Ian McShane in HBO's Deadwood blew my f**king mind.
Deadwood is the best TV series I've ever seen and McShane was incredible.
I'd add Patrick Stewart and Jim Broadbent to the list.
I was about to post exactly the same Tony. Just on Season 2 of Deadwood and it's ruddy amazing! More profanity than a Manchester slum.
I see no-one has mentioned Ian Holm yet.
Delboy
Rodney
Trigger
Boysey
I was about to post exactly the same Tony. Just on Season 2 of Deadwood and it's ruddy amazing! More profanity than a Manchester slum.
I see no-one has mentioned Ian Holm yet.
[/quote]
And it justs gets better. You're in for a treat with Series 3. I'll give nothing away but there's one fight scene which is the most gruesome I've ever seen.
Incredibly much of what is portrayed is historically accurate. Apart from the language because if 19th century profanities were used it would seem exceptionally mild - the likes of "drat" or "by God". So to give the correct effect they had to use language that we, even today, find shocking.
Yeah, I Wiki'ed Deadwood and read up on all the characters. It's incredible that all of the events are historically accurate, if somewhat embellished for dramatic effect.
Al Swearengen was actually in his mid 30s during the events of the show.
Charles Dance ?
I'm not really a fan of Sean Connery or Michael Cain. I've enjoyed some of Connery's performances but he plays every character almost exactly the same as the last. Russian sub commander with a Scottish accent ? And Michael Caine much the same for me but a bit more of a range. I did enjoy "Last Orders" though, excellent British production.
I watched Die Hard again last night on Sky. Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber really is the greatest ever movie villain. What a quality actor.
"And when Alexander looked over the breadth of his domain he wept for there were no worlds left to conquer. Benefits of a classical education..."
Quote from: alfie on March 04, 2010, 09:01:52 AM
The problem with a thread like this is that everyone has completely different ideas and tastes, what you may think is good i may think is rubbish, it is the same with football coaches/scouts, they all see something different, but if i must choose then i think currently David Tennent very versatile actor.
The thread is about the Greatest Living British Actor not the favourite. I agree that alot of those names mentioned would not be on my list. Acting is all to do with script and Direction and Production as well as the Acting. There really are not that many greats. Tennant may be versatile but is not great. But then only three or four are.
No Female as yet mentioned. Some great ones out there.
What about Robert Carlisle? I can think of three movies that show him in diverse roles, The Full Monty, The 51st State, and that Bond movie, (the one where M - Judy Dench - is kidnapped).
Lighthouse, this is what i mean about this thread
The thread is about the Greatest Living British Actor not the favourite.
If you do not like the actor/actress you are hardly going to consider them to be great, i used to think that Paul Scholfield was the best but of course others thought that Olivier was or Richardson or Redgrave, it's all about personal taste.
This thread is about actors, not actresses, Lighthouse. The linguistic distinction exists in the English language. You don't get actors calling themselves actresses, not many anyway.
Its all this gender neutralisation rubbish emanating from the States. Girls calling themselves guys, etc. I take my lead from nature. When cows start growing cojones, I'll call them all bulls.
Quote from: alfie on March 04, 2010, 10:56:35 AM
Lighthouse, this is what i mean about this thread
The thread is about the Greatest Living British Actor not the favourite.
If you do not like the actor/actress you are hardly going to consider them to be great, i used to think that Paul Scholfield was the best but of course others thought that Olivier was or Richardson or Redgrave, it's all about personal taste.
That was my point really. If somebody asked you about Great British Actors you would list Olivier amongst them. But he wasn't your favourite. But he was considered the best. In the same way as you would never mention Roger Moore as a great British Actor, Whoops somebody did, but the exception proves the rule.
Kenneth Branagh is the modern day equavalent. Never a fan until Wallander. But great actor or great part.
Quote from: FC Silver Fox on March 04, 2010, 11:03:08 AM
This thread is about actors, not actresses, Lighthouse. The linguistic distinction exists in the English language. You don't get actors calling themselves actresses, not many anyway.
Its all this gender neutralisation rubbish emanating from the States. Girls calling themselves guys, etc. I take my lead from nature. When cows start growing cojones, I'll call them all bulls.
Oh my Dear fellow, you were wonderful in the play and so powerful. Oh you weren't in it. Never mind. Actresses will take great offence at not being called Actors. Within the profession Darling, Luvvie, you will find the term Actor relates to both male and female persuassion. Now that's enough about me, what did you think of my Romeo.
Derek Jacobi
Anthony Hopkins
Christopher Lee (how did anyone miss this??)
Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, Judi Dench. Oh! Exeunt stage right. :-[
Quote from: White Noise on March 03, 2010, 11:19:12 PM
Agree about Tom Bell - is he alive?
Is dear dear Johnny Mills still going?
How about Peter O'Toole - or is he Irish.
Jeremey Irons?
Euan McGregor?
Bob Hoskins
Tom Bell died years ago.
Another great actor is
Jonathan Pryce currently starring in "The Caretaker" at the Trafalgar. One to watch out for is
Mark Rylance who is currently starring in " Jerusalem" at the Apollo.
Little known Rylance won the Evening Standard award as Actor of the Year in 2009 and has been compared to Olivier. You heard it here first !
Quote from: Dragoman on March 04, 2010, 02:20:48 PM
Quote from: White Noise on March 03, 2010, 11:19:12 PM
Agree about Tom Bell - is he alive?
Is dear dear Johnny Mills still going?
How about Peter O'Toole - or is he Irish.
Jeremey Irons?
Euan McGregor?
Bob Hoskins
Tom Bell died years ago.
Another great actor is Jonathan Pryce currently starring in "The Caretaker" at the Trafalgar. One to watch out for is Mark Rylance who is currently starring in " Jerusalem" at the Apollo.
Little known Rylance won the Evening Standard award as Actor of the Year in 2009 and has been compared to Olivier. You heard it here first !
Good calls on Rylance and Pryce Dragoman and thanks for reminding me why Tom Bell didn't do the rest of the Prime Suspects!! ;D
Can we not have women actors in this thread please - just fella's. We can start one for the Helen Mirren lovers later.
Where do youngsters like Jude Law, Orlando Bloom, Paul Bettany, Jonny Lee Miller and James Macvoy and the like rate?
Could I also suggest Fulham's own Hugh Grant. A much better actor than people give him credit for.
I agree with Ralph Fiennes and, indeed, Joseph Fiennes is a very fine actor.
Has Liam Neeson been mentioned? Top man.
Tim Spall and Jim Broadbent are 2 of my favourites but I can't belive Pete 'Usual Suspects' Postlethwaite has been overlooked so far.
Dickie Attenborough is still alive and Rowan Atkinson must deserve a mention in despatches?
I agree with Lighthouse that Branagh is great in Wallander (cue Lighthouse to clarify that he didn't say great he was just mildly impressed) and I think he will go on to be a tremendous credit to his profession.
You look back through this thread and we are knee deep in talent. Imagine getting any 6 of these in one film together - fantastic!
Come Ridgy and the boys - start an American version of this thread and see if you can get past Popeye Doyle and Scarface!! :P
As you can imagine i'm not very good with rap artists, but Danny Dyer is in a film with i think 50 cent, and 50 cent describes Dyer as equal to Deniro :o. Saying that i have to to say i've warmed greatly to him, loved the Business,Football factory etc.
What about Phil Davies, never seen him bad in anything. And would have to agree with Ben Kingsley, how can Ghandhi be so scary?
Quote from: FatFreddysCat on March 04, 2010, 04:00:10 PM
As you can imagine i'm not very good with rap artists, but Danny Dyer is in a film with i think 50 cent, and 50 cent describes Dyer as equal to Deniro :o. Saying that i have to to say i've warmed greatly to him, loved the Business,Football factory etc.
The worst thing about him is that we`ve now got a whole generation of youngsters trying to be like him
Danny Dyer is alright. Saw him on stage in a bit of Pinter and he was equal to the task.
I think confidence is his problem but if he just stood back for a moment and looked at how much acting work he has done and the objective assessments of his peers he might just realise that he has it in him to stretch himself.
He's not a great but how is he any different to the Terry Stamp's and Maurice Micklewhite's of yesteyear? I still have a soft spot for 'The Business' -
The Business Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVkidqIyldk#)
Quote from: finnster01 on March 03, 2010, 11:23:37 PM
Quote from: White Noise on March 03, 2010, 11:19:12 PM
Agree about Tom Bell - is he alive?
Is dear dear Johnny Mills still going?
How about Peter O'Toole - or is he Irish.
Jeremey Irons?
Euan McGregor?
Bob Hoskins
Peter O'toole's middle name is Seamus, so what do you think ;)
So is Daniel Day Lewis, by the way.
Quote from: White Noise on March 04, 2010, 04:20:21 PM
Danny Dyer is alright. Saw him on stage in a bit of Pinter and he was equal to the task.
I think confidence is his problem but if he just stood back for a moment and looked at how much acting work he has done and the objective assessments of his peers he might just realise that he has it in him to stretch himself.
He's not a great but how is he any different to the Terry Stamp's and Maurice Micklewhite's of yesteyear? I still have a soft spot for 'The Business' -
The Business Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVkidqIyldk#)
Good to see you got the right film this time WN ;).
Christian Bale of Batman fame and many other film is British I believe.
Oh, Dickie, Larry, Ralph (sorry Raif), Johnny Mills, Johnny Gielgud..... they were all wwwwuuuuunnnderful dahhhling.......
Bernard Cribbins.
There is also Gordon Kaye of Allo Allo and the long gone days when we could make decent sitcoms.
How I miss Herr Flick and The Fallen Madonna With the Large Boobies...
Quote from: finnster01 on March 05, 2010, 01:40:08 AM
There is also Gordon Kaye of Allo Allo and the long gone days when we could make decent sitcoms.
How I miss Herr Flick and The Fallen Madonna With the Large Boobies...
YOU STUPID WOMAN ... CAN YOU NOT SEE ... . :D
great stuff.
Bernard Hill deserves an honourable mention. i am sure older Foffers will remember him in Boys from the Black Stuff but he has been in loads more besides and since.
Quote from: OldBrownShoe on March 05, 2010, 07:12:59 AM
Bernard Hill deserves an honourable mention. i am sure older Foffers will remember him in Boys from the Black Stuff but he has been in loads more besides and since.
King Theoden in Lord of The Rings. Quality actor.
Ooh, here's one I missed and who is one of the greatest British actors of all time.
I give you Daniel Day Lewis. He was absolutely unreal in There Will Be Blood.
"I drink your milkshake. I drink it UP!"
john hurt
Quote from: The Equalizer on March 05, 2010, 09:21:41 AM
Ooh, here's one I missed and who is one of the greatest British actors of all time.
I give you Daniel Day Lewis. He was absolutely unreal in There Will Be Blood.
"I drink your milkshake. I drink it UP!"
IRISH :-[
