THE ‘GOOD GUY’ ACTORS

 

Down the decades there have always been actors and actresses that have come across on the screen as genuinely nice people, the kind of men and women one would assume must be a really fine people to get to know away from the screen. Of course, looks can be deceiving. Some turned out to be the complete opposites of their screen image, but I am only concerned with on-screen personas for this list. Which actors and actresses suggest on-screen that they might make good friends if we ever got to know them? I have studied the backgrounds and private lives of most successful actors and actresses, so I am familiar with those with the proverbial clay feet, but I have not let that knowledge influence my choices. This list is one built entirely on screen personality and nothing else. Part one features the guys:

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No 10  GLENN FORD

Several co-stars and directors have written about their difficulties working with Glenn Ford, stating he was petulant, self-centered and just plain un-cooperative if he was not in the mood to accommodate them. On-screen, however, he positively radiated geniality and integrity and, since that alone is the criteria for the actors on this list, he gets a berth. A grossly under-rated actor, he knew how to sell integrity with just a word or two and the faintest of smiles. Ford was not unlike Spencer Tracy in that regard. Both were wonderful on-screen yet, perhaps, not so wonderful off it.

 

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No 9    ROBERT MITCHUM

Robert Mitchum may appear to be a surprise choice, but I always felt he exuded a kind of genuineness in all his roles. What you saw was what you got. Perhaps, I became a little biased after watching him in Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957) the first time, but I had the feeling that his portrayal was pretty close to Mitchum’s own personality. The man was a rough diamond who never took the acting profession too seriously and it sometimes showed with his tongue-in-cheek performances. I think he would have been fun to know providing one was a straight-shooter with him. No doubt, he would have had little time for prevaricators.

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No 8    DEAN MARTIN 

When Dean Martin broke up with his comedy partner Jerry Lewis, everyone expected Jerry to go on to bigger and better things, while Dino would probably pump out a few more records as his movie career disappeared down the tubes After all, he was a good singer but a less than average actor playing straight man to Lewis. The average movie-goer was completely unaware, however, that Dean was a naturally funny guy in real life, far funnier than Jerry. And he was laid back; easy-going. Everybody loved him because he rarely took himself seriously. Consequently, he carved out a huge career in music, television and movies, one that eclipsed the self-indulgent rubbish Jerry served up after they parted company.

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No 7    GIG YOUNG

He was not the most versatile of actors, but what Gig Young and his crooked smile gave us was likeability, and he gave it to us in spades. He was actually too likeable in Young at Heart (1954), leaving us to wonder how Doris Day could possibly prefer whining, grumble-bum Sinatra over him. In real life Gig was an alcoholic who died with his young wife in what appears to have been a suicide pact, but in the fantasy world of movies he came across as a light-hearted scallywag, a tongue-in-cheek, happy go lucky wag.

Image result for JOSEPH COTTEN IN SINCE YOU WENT AWAY

No 6    JOSEPH COTTEN

I based my opinion of Joseph Cotten on two of my favourite films – Shadow of a Doubt (1943) and Since You Went Away (1944). In the first of these he played a serial killer, in the second a naval hero and all-round good guy. As strange as it might sound, he was extremely likeable in both pictures. Students of film would doubtless say his best performances were in Citizen Kane (1941) and The Third Man (1949), and they probably were, but I liked him best in the other two, especially as Tony in Since You Went Away. The adolescent Shirley Temple admitted years later that she developed a teenage crush on him during the shoot and thought he was absolutely wonderful.

Image result for JAMES GARNER IN SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF

No 5    JAMES GARNER

One of my first heroes was James Garner because he played Brett Maverick in the hit TV series Maverick back in the fifties and early sixties. He shared the billing with Jack Kelly who was also very good, but Garner just came across as the smartest, coolest, funniest, most loveable rogue on the box. He was also ideally suited to those roles in movies such as The Great Escape (1963), Move over Darling (1963) and the hilarious Support Your Local Sheriff (1969). I have only ever read glowing reports from colleagues who worked with him. It seems he was universally admired by his peers. James Garner was a class act on and off the screen.

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No 4    FESS PARKER

I confess I was a hopeless Davy Crockett addict when I was ten, but Fess Parker was more than simply the hero of the Alamo. He was also TV’s Daniel Boone! Admittedly, Daniel was pretty much just Davy under another name, but every time I saw Parker, I was impressed by the fact that he never ever raised his voice. Just a soft-spoken Texas gentleman which, for all I know, is something of a rarity. In The Great Locomotive Chase (1956) he was the essence of ‘cool’ even when faced with execution. I wonder if he ever got peeved about anything in real life. My bet is he was just as nice off-screen as on.

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No 3    BILLY CRYSTAL

I developed a soft spot for Billy Crystal after enjoying his first job as MC of the Academy Awards in 1990. He would do so again seven more times and was easily the most watchable host ever. His affable persona carried over into his movies, in particular the two City Slickers and his wonderful baseball movie (he directed) titled 61*. Billy Crystal is a very funny guy who appears to love baseball more than acting. I get the impression he has been that way since he was a little boy.

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No 2    KENNETH MORE

I am not an Englishman, but I imagine there was a host of young Brits back in the fifties who would have been deliriously happy to have been Kenneth More or someone very much like him in real life. In Reach for the Sky (1956), A Night to Remember (1958) and Sink the Bismarck! (1960), he portrayed the brave, unflappable Englishman of caricature, quietly confident and resolute, but with a twinkle in his eye at all times. If a British actor was needed to portray a British hero, Kenneth More was the logical choice.

Image result for JACKIE CHAN IN RUSH HOUR

No 1    JACKIE CHAN

For all I know, Jackie Chan may be a hard task master who rules his films with an iron hand, but if the out-takes we see after each film are indicative of the atmosphere on the set, I seriously doubt that is the case. The impression we get is that everyone is having a lot of fun, mainly because Jackie is himself having fun. He certainly appears to enjoy working with Chris Tucker, his co-star in the Rush Hour franchise, and their relationship seems to be built on genuine friendship. Jackie is a super-star who does not seem to be affected in any way. A delightful man.

 

THOSE WHO ALMOST MADE THE LIST:

 Image result for SPENCER TRACY

11        SPENCER TRACY

Image result for GEORGE CLOONEY

12        GEORGE CLOONEY

Image result for COLIN FIRTH

13        COLIN FIRTH

Image result for RICHARD WIDMARK

14        RICHARD WIDMARK

Image result for EDDIE ALBERT

15        EDDIE ALBERT

Image result for HEATH LEDGER

16        HEATH LEDGER

Image result for KEANU REEVES

17        KEANU REEVES

Image result for RICHARD JENKINS

18        RICHARD JENKINS

Image result for PATRICK DEMPSEY

19        PATRICK DEMPSEY

Image result for JEFF BRIDGES

20        JEFF BRIDGES

2 Comments

  1. Glenn Ford : Was one of the real life fast draws with a western six-shooter. In fact,he played just such a gunman in one of his westerns.
    I noticed that in most of his westerns he preferred to wear a jacket instead of the traditional shirt and vest,bib style western shirt,or buckskin shirt.

    Robert Mitchum:You are correct,Alan,on your profile of him from what I’ve read or heard in interviews about Bob.
    What you saw was what you got. He was a feet on the ground kind of guy who was never swept up with the glitz or glamour of Hollywood…or by himself.

    He was bemused by John Wayne while they were filming ”El Dorardo.” He noted that the Duke took his whole JW image seriously and acted the part including putting lifts in his boots to make him taller than he already was.

    Wayne was known to select people on his sets to needle,a habit he picked up from his mentor director John Ford.He did it to Ed Asner on ”El Dorardo,”and Victor French on “Rio Lobo.”
    Wayne mentioned to one of the crew members that he might have some fun messing with Mitchum even if it resulted in fisticuffs The crewman had worked on several movies with Bob and told the Duke he would be unwise to do so.
    Mitchum was a physically powerful gent and good brawl with the best of ’em. And he rarely lost a fight.
    Wayne decided not to tempt fate.

    My favorite story was when Mitchum was sent to jail for a short time Reporters asked him how was jail compared to Hollywood? “Well,you meet a better class of people in jail,”Bob replied.

    Dean Martin : Whenever Dino got any laughs on his pictures with Jerry Lewis,Jer would suddenly come down with stomach problems and could not perform.
    Martin learned quickly that when performing with Lewis that only Lewis could be funny and no one else.

    James Garner : When Tom Selleck was just beginning his career he appeared twice on The Rockford Files. Tom said he watched Jim as to how he treated everyone with total respect on the crew as well as the guest stars. Tom said that Garner became his friend and role model.
    Jimmy Doohan,Scotty on Star TreK TOS,was in a film with Garner. Jim had a minor role but said that Garner could not have been kinder to everyone on set. He even made sure that Doohan and other minor supporting cast members had close-ups in their scenes.

    Spencer Tracy:Astounding actor that I greatly admire. Considered by fans and critics to be one of the best actors of the 20th century.
    Tormented man,alcoholic,not easy to deal with for many.
    He and Jimmy Stewart were in 2 movies together. In the first,Tracy was the established star and Jimmy was up and coming in the profession. Tracy and Stewart got on fine with Spence even guiding Jimmy on the film and offering suggestions.

    Years later they would appear in their second film when Jimmy was now an established star.
    Tracy was aloof,curt,and generally unfriendly to Stewart.

    Still,Tracy could be funny. After meeting him for the first time,Kate Hepburn,said to the director of the upcoming film that she and Tracy were going to co-star in,”I’m a little tall for him aren’t I ?” The director replied “Don’t worry Kate,he’ll cut you down to size.”

    Tracy was asked why he insisted that he receive top billing over Kate in their movies together? One person mentioned to Spence that wouldn’t it be more gentlemanly to let Hepburn have top billing,you know,ladies before men?
    Tracy growled “It’s a movie not a lifeboat.”

    • Thankyou, Michael, for your interesting notes. It is good to see that my ‘Good Guys’ selection is similar to your own. I was particularly concerned about including Mitchum (his press was never very complimentary), so it is nice to see that someone agrees with my opinion of the guy. Of course, like you, I never met him so we could both be dead wrong about the man, but somehow I doubt it. He seemed to be very down to earth in his interviews, not subject to the usual Hollywood hype and self-promoting slop we see far too often. Refreshing.

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