Best decade ever for any actor?

[Dr. Pepper]

For me it has to be Jimmy Stewart 1949-1959! 24 films! Three classics for Alfred Hitchcock! Half a dozen great westerns! Cecil B. DeMille's 1952 winner of the best picture Academy Award! A few great bio flicks. The predecessor of CSI and Law & Order. Some great comedies! Absolutely unparalleled out put and quality!

# "Startime" .... Azel Dorsey (1 episode, 1959)
... aka Ford Startime
... aka Lincoln-Mercury Startime
- Cindy's Fella (1959) TV episode .... Azel Dorsey
# The FBI Story (1959) .... John Michael ('Chip') Hardesty
# "Lux Playhouse" .... Narrator (1 episode, 1959)
- Cowboy Five Seven (1959) TV episode .... Narrator
# "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" .... Narrator (1 episode, 1959)
... aka Herald Playhouse (USA: syndication title)
... aka Schlitz Playhouse (USA: new title)
... aka The Playhouse (USA: syndication title)
- Cowboy Five Seven (1959) TV episode .... Narrator
# Anatomy of a Murder (1959) .... Paul Biegler
# Bell Book and Candle (1958) .... Shepherd 'Shep' Henderson
... aka Bell, Book and Candle (USA: poster title)
# Vertigo (1958) .... Det. John 'Scottie' Ferguson
... aka 'Vertigo' (USA: poster title)
... aka Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (USA: complete title)
# "General Electric Theater" .... Bart / ... (3 episodes, 1955-1957)
... aka G.E. Theater (USA: informal short title)
... aka G.E. True Theater (USA: new title)
- The Trail to Christmas (1957) TV episode .... Bart
- The Town with a Past (1957) TV episode .... Britt
- The Windmill (1955) TV episode .... Joe Newman
# Night Passage (1957) .... Grant McLaine
# The Spirit of St. Louis (1957) .... Charles Augustus 'Slim' Lindbergh
# The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) .... Dr. Benjamin 'Ben' McKenna
# The Man from Laramie (1955) .... Will Lockhart
# "Arthur Godfrey and His Friends" (1 episode, 1955)
- Episode dated 20 April 1955 (1955) TV episode
# Strategic Air Command (1955) .... Lt. Col. Robert 'Dutch' Holland
# The Far Country (1954) .... Jeff Webster
# Rear Window (1954) .... L. B. Jefferies
... aka Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window (USA: complete title)
# Tomorrow's Drivers (1954) .... The Story Teller
# The Glenn Miller Story (1953) .... Glenn Miller
# Thunder Bay (1953) .... Steve Martin
# The Naked Spur (1953) .... Howard Kemp
# Carbine Williams (1952) .... David Marshall 'Marsh' Williams
# Bend of the River (1952) .... Glyn McLyntock, Wagon train guide
... aka Where the River Bends (UK)
# The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) .... 'Buttons' A Clown
... aka Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth (USA: complete title)
# No Highway (1951) .... Theodore Honey
... aka No Highway in the Sky (USA)
# The Jackpot (1950) .... Bill Lawrence
# Harvey (1950) .... Elwood P. Dowd
# Broken Arrow (1950) .... Tom Jeffords
# Winchester '73 (1950) .... Lin McAdam

# Malaya (1949) .... John Royer
... aka East of the Rising Sun (UK)
# The Stratton Story (1949) .... Monty Stratton

[Drifter]

He would have been in North By Northwest too, if Hitchcock hadn't thought he looked too old. Probably my favourite actor of all time.

[Dr. Pepper]

The only other person that I can think of that is even close is Tom Hanks, 1992-2002. 14 great and diverse films!

# Catch Me If You Can (2002) .... Carl Hanratty
# Road to Perdition (2002) .... Michael Sullivan
# "Band of Brothers" (2001) TV mini-series .... British officer (unknown episodes)
# Cast Away (2000) .... Chuck Noland

# The Green Mile (1999) .... Paul Edgecomb
... aka Stephen King's The Green Mile (USA: complete title)
# Toy Story 2 (1999) (voice) .... Woody
... aka Toy Story 2 in 3-D (USA: promotional title)
# Toy Story 2 (1999) (VG) (voice) .... Woody
# You've Got Mail (1998) .... Joe Fox
# Saving Private Ryan (1998) .... Captain John H. Miller
# "From the Earth to the Moon" (1998) TV mini-series .... Jean-Luc Despont/Host/Narrator
# That Thing You Do! (1996) .... Mr. White
# Toy Story Activity Centre (1996) (VG) (voice) .... Woody
# Toy Story (1995) (voice) .... Woody
... aka Toy Story in 3-D (USA: promotional title)
# Apollo 13 (1995) .... Jim Lovell
... aka Apollo 13: The IMAX Experience (USA: IMAX version)
# Forrest Gump (1994) .... Forrest Gump
# Vault of Horror I (1994) (TV)
# Philadelphia (1993) .... Andrew Beckett
# "Fallen Angels" .... Trouble Boy #1 (1 episode, 1993)
- I'll Be Waiting (1993) TV episode .... Trouble Boy #1
# Sleepless in Seattle (1993) .... Sam Baldwin
# A League of Their Own (1992) .... Jimmy Dugan

[Drifter]

Interestingly, I've always thought that Tom Hanks is as close as you get to James Stewart in modern actors.

[wayneklein]

He would have been in North By Northwest too, if Hitchcock hadn't thought he looked too old. Probably my favourite actor of all time.

Hitch had discussed "North by Northwest" with him but he also felt he was all wrong the part form what I recall. When he worked with Stewart, Grant or any other actor he clearly helped the writer mold the project to fit around the personna of the actor. He also spoke to Cary Grant about appearing in "Vertigo" but, again, he wouldn't have worked in the part. I think that Hitch discussing projects with actors was a way to ascertain who the character was as he developed the screenplay with whichever writer he was working with (in the case of the former Ernest Lehman and in the case of the latter Alec Copple (with extensive rewriting by) and Samuel Taylor.

I believe that Hitch often met with his actors and socialized with them because he enjoyed their company but also because he and the writer would mold the character to fit traits of the actor making for a more convincing fit.

You're right about Stewart though. I'd also nominate Cary Grant as well for the 40's/50's.

For the 60's it's a toss up but Paul Newman had a terrific decade as did Alex Guinness in supporting roles.

[Dr. Pepper]

Interestingly, I've always thought that Tom Hanks is as close as you get to James Stewart in modern actors.

My thought as well.:D I believe Tom even said he was modeling his career after Jimmy's, with his diverse movie choices. Tom has done it all but westerns.

[Parkertown]

Burt Reynolds in the 70's... :agree:

[Chris Gerhard]

In terms of box office receipts and IMDb ratings, I doubt if any other actor beats Harrison Ford:

The Mosquito Coast (1986) .... Allie Fox
Witness (1985) .... Det. Capt. John Book
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) .... Indiana Jones
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) .... Han Solo
... aka Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi (USA: video box title)
Blade Runner (1982) .... Rick Deckard
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) .... Indiana Jones
... aka Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (USA: video title)
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) .... Han Solo
... aka Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back (USA: video box title)
... aka The Empire Strikes Back (USA: short title)


More American Graffiti (1979) (uncredited) .... Officer Bob Falfa
... aka Purple Haze
The Frisco Kid (1979) .... Tommy
... aka No Knife
Hanover Street (1979) .... David Halloran
Apocalypse Now (1979) .... Colonel Lucas
... aka Apocalypse Now Redux (International: English title: longer version)
The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) (TV) .... Han Solo
... aka The 'Star Wars' Christmas Special (USA: unauthorized video title)
Force 10 from Navarone (1978) .... Lieutenant Colonel Mike Barnsby
... aka Alistair MacLean's Force 10 from Navarone (USA: poster title)
Heroes (1977) .... Ken Boyd
Star Wars (1977) .... Han Solo
... aka Guerra de las estrellas, La (USA: Spanish title)
... aka Star Wars IV: A New Hope (USA: video box title)
... aka Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (USA: reissue title (new title))

I like Jimmy Stewart really well and like the films from that period and other periods, but I have to admit I have watched the Ford films much more. Without looking, I am sure the films are also listed more often in top films of all time lists, such as the AFI 100. That decade by Ford beats any decade by any actor more than likely by any measurable standard other than individual opinion.

Chris

[apileocole]

Bogart sure had a formidable time from (give or take a few years) 1940 - 1950.

Not in such quantity (as is to be expected from the nature of the work), but for making an impression on pop culture, Astaire had a heck of a decade from '33 - '43.

Cagney '31 to '41... Public Enemy to Yankee Doodle Dandy, that was quite a ride.

[jojopuppyfish]

Jack Nicholson -1970s

# The Shining (1980) .... Jack Torrance
... aka Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining'

# Goin' South (1978) .... Henry Lloyd Moon
# The Last Tycoon (1976) .... Brimmer
# The Missouri Breaks (1976) .... Tom Logan
# One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) .... R.P. McMurphy
# The Fortune (1975) .... Oscar Sullivan aka Oscar Dix
... aka Spite and Malice
# Tommy (1975) .... The Specialist
... aka The Who's Tommy
... aka Tommy by 'The Who' (USA: complete title)
... aka Tommy: The Movie (USA: promotional title)
# Professione: reporter (1975) .... David Locke
... aka The Passenger (International: English title) (UK)
... aka Profession: reporter (France)
... aka Reportero, El (Spain)
# Chinatown (1974) .... J.J. 'Jake' Gittes
# The Last Detail (1973) .... SM1 Billy 'Bad ***' Buddusky
# The King of Marvin Gardens (1972) .... David Staebler
# A Safe Place (1971) .... Mitch
# Carnal Knowledge (1971) .... Jonathan Fuerst
# Five Easy Pieces (1970) .... Robert Eroica Dupea
# On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970) .... Tad Pringle
# The Rebel Rousers (1970) .... Bunny

# Easy Rider (1969) .... George Hanson


I'd measure many of his best films during this film against any in hollywood history.

[jojopuppyfish]

Dustin Hoffman from The Graduate to Rain Man is pretty impressive also.
# Rain Man (1988) .... Raymond Babbitt
# Ishtar (1987) .... Chuck Clarke
# Death of a Salesman (1985) (TV) .... Willy Loman
... aka Tod eines Handlungsreisenden, Der (West Germany)
# Tootsie (1982) .... Michael Dorsey / Dorothy Michaels

# Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) .... Ted Kramer
# Agatha (1979) .... Wally Stanton
# Straight Time (1978) .... Max Dembo
# Marathon Man (1976) .... Thomas 'Babe' Levy
# All the President's Men (1976) .... Carl Bernstein
# Lenny (1974) .... Lenny Bruce
# Papillon (1973) .... Louis Dega
# Alfredo, Alfredo (1972) .... Alfredo Sbisà
... aka Alfredo, Alfredo (USA)
# Straw Dogs (1971) .... David Sumner
# Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? (1971) .... Georgie Soloway
# The Point (1971) (TV) .... Narrator/Father (first telecast)
# Little Big Man (1970) .... Jack Crabb

# John and Mary (1969) .... John
# Midnight Cowboy (1969) .... Enrico Salvatore 'Ratso' Rizzo
# Sunday Father (1969) .... A 'Sunday Father'
# "Premiere" .... Arthur Greene (1 episode, 1968)
- Higher and Higher (1968) TV episode .... Arthur Greene
# Dollaro per 7 vigliacchi, Un (1968) .... Jason Fister
... aka Agente quasi speciale Frank Putzu 1X7 (Italy: reissue title)
... aka Madigan's Million (UK)
... aka Madigan's Millions (USA)
... aka Millón de Madigan, El (Spain)
# The Graduate (1967) .... Benjamin Braddock

[Drifter]

Dustin Hoffman from The Graduate to Rain Man is pretty impressive also.Hey, that's 2 decades (and "Rain Man" came out after "Ishtar" :D)!

[claypool]

Robert DeNiro 1973-1982: Mean Streets, The Godfather: Part II, Taxi Driver, The Deer Hunter, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy etc

[phish]

will smith?

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Hitch (2005/I)
Shark Tale (2004)
I, Robot (2004)
"All of Us" .... Johnny (3 episodes, 2003-2004)
Bad Boys II (2003)
Men in Black II (2002)
Ali (2001)
The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
Men in Black (2000)
Alien Attack (2000)
Wild Wild West (1999)
Enemy of the State (1998)
Men in Black (1997)
Independence Day (1996)

[Drifter]

will smith?

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Hitch (2005/I)
Shark Tale (2004)
I, Robot (2004)
"All of Us" .... Johnny (3 episodes, 2003-2004)
Bad Boys II (2003)
Men in Black II (2002)
Ali (2001)
The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
Men in Black (2000)
Alien Attack (2000)
Wild Wild West (1999)
Enemy of the State (1998)
Men in Black (1997)
Independence Day (1996)A few turkeys in there. :shh:

[phish]

A few turkeys in there. :shh:

i've seen turkeys on every list. it's all a matter of opinion.






has there been a better decade for any other black actor?

Sidney Poitier, maybe?

[jojopuppyfish]

I don't see one masterpiece under any of Will Smith's resume. I like WS, btw, but he's not on the level as anyone mentioned above.

[phish]

dustin hoffman movies bore me to death.

it's all relative. not as impressive has harrison ford? doh!

the rest of them..... also a matter of opinion.

[claypool]

has there been a better decade for any other black actor?

Don Cheadle, Forest Whitaker, maybe even Samuel L. Jackson...

[andy749]

Brando in the 50s.



The Fugitive Kind (1959) .... Valentine 'Snakeskin' Xavier
The Young Lions (1958) .... Lt. Christian Diestl
Sayonara (1957) .... Maj. Lloyd 'Ace' Gruver - USAF
The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956) .... Sakini
Guys and Dolls (1955/I) .... Sky Masterson
"Omnibus" .... Stanley Kowalski (1 episode, 1955)
- A Streetcar Named Desire (1955) TV episode .... Stanley Kowalski
Desirée (1954) .... Napoleon Bonaparte
On the Waterfront (1954) .... Terry Malloy
The Wild One (1953) .... Johnny Strabler/Narrator
Julius Caesar (1953) .... Mark Antony
... aka William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
Viva Zapata! (1952) .... Emiliano Zapata
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) .... Stanley Kowalski
The Men (1950) .... Kenneth 'Ken' Wilcheck/'Bud'
... aka Battle Stripe (USA: reissue title)

[phish]

Don Cheadle, Forest Whitaker, maybe even Samuel L. Jackson...

i forgot about samuel l. jackson. how could i have done that. good call.

[zen archer]

Cary Grant in the 40s , these are some of my ALL TIME FAVES

# I Was a Male War Bride (1949) .... Capt. Henri Rochard
... aka Howard Hawks' I Was a Male War Bride (USA: complete title)
... aka I Was a Male War Bride (Australia)
... aka You Can't Sleep Here (UK)
# Every Girl Should Be Married (1948) .... Dr. Madison W. Brown
# Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) .... Jim Blandings
# The Bishop's Wife (1947) .... Dudley
# The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) .... Dick
... aka Bachelor Knight (UK)
# Notorious (1946) .... T.R. Devlin
... aka Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious (USA: complete title)
# Night and Day (1946) .... Cole Porter
# None But the Lonely Heart (1944) .... Ernie Mott
# Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) .... Mortimer Brewster
... aka Frank Capra's 'Arsenic and Old Lace' (USA: complete title)
# Once Upon a Time (1944) .... Jerry Flynn
# Destination Tokyo (1943) .... Capt. Cassidy
# Mr. Lucky (1943) .... Joe Adams aka Joe Bascopolous
# Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942) .... Patrick 'Pat' O'Toole
# The Talk of the Town (1942) .... Leopold Dilg - Joseph
... aka George Stevens' The Talk of the Town (USA: complete title)
# Suspicion (1941) .... Johnnie
# Penny Serenade (1941) .... Roger Adams
# The Philadelphia Story (1940) .... C.K. Dexter Haven
# The Howards of Virginia (1940) .... Matt Howard
... aka The Tree of Liberty (UK)
# My Favorite Wife (1940) .... Nick
# His Girl Friday (1940) .... Walter Burns
... aka Howard Hawks' His Girl Friday (USA: complete title)

[jjhunsecker]

Brando in the 50s.



The Fugitive Kind (1959) .... Valentine 'Snakeskin' Xavier
The Young Lions (1958) .... Lt. Christian Diestl
Sayonara (1957) .... Maj. Lloyd 'Ace' Gruver - USAF
The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956) .... Sakini
Guys and Dolls (1955/I) .... Sky Masterson
"Omnibus" .... Stanley Kowalski (1 episode, 1955)
- A Streetcar Named Desire (1955) TV episode .... Stanley Kowalski
Desirée (1954) .... Napoleon Bonaparte
On the Waterfront (1954) .... Terry Malloy
The Wild One (1953) .... Johnny Strabler/Narrator
Julius Caesar (1953) .... Mark Antony
... aka William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
Viva Zapata! (1952) .... Emiliano Zapata
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) .... Stanley Kowalski
The Men (1950) .... Kenneth 'Ken' Wilcheck/'Bud'
... aka Battle Stripe (USA: reissue title)

I second this choice

[Jack White]

i forgot about samuel l. jackson. how could i have done that. good call.


I admire Jackson's work ethic. He has been a very busy actor and has appeared in many films, but unfortunately he has appeared in many bad films. A matter where quality and quantity are hardly on par.

[phish]

Jackson has been a very busy actor, but he has appeared in many bad films. A matter where quality and quantity are hardly on par.



Blown (2009)
Unthinkable (2009)
Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey (2009)
Soul Men (2008)
The Spirit (2008)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
Iron Man (2008)
Jumper (2008) .... Roland
"The Boondocks" .... Gin Rummy (3 episodes, 2005-2007)
Cleaner (2007) .... Tom Cutler
1408 (2007)
Resurrecting the Champ (2007)
"Afro Samurai" (2007)
Home of the Brave (2006)
Black Snake Moan (2006)
Snakes on a Plane (2006)
Freedomland (2006)
Honor Deferred (2006)
Farce of the Penguins (2006)
The Man (2005)
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
State of the Union (2005)
Mr. Incredible and Pals (2005)
Coach Carter (2005)
The Incredibles (2004)
The Incredibles (2004)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
Kill Bill
Kill Bill 2
Twisted (2004/I)
Country of My Skull (2004)
S.W.A.T. (2003)
Basic (2003)
"Freedom: A History of Us" .... Highland Garnet / ... (5 episodes, 2003)
The House on Turk Street (2002)
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)box title)
Changing Lanes (2002)
The Comeback (2002)
"The Proud Family" .... Joseph (1 episode, 2001)
- Seven Days of Kwanzaa (2001) TV episode
The 51st State (2001) .... Elmo McElroy
The Caveman's Valentine (2001)
Unbreakable (2000) .... Elijah Price
Shaft (2000)
Rules of Engagement (2000))
Any Given Wednesday (2000) .... Willie Nutter




quality is one of those things that varys from person to person......