Where your favorite actor started
By suspenseful
@suspenseful (40193)
Canada
March 14, 2008 1:10pm CST
We were watching an old TCM movie about crime and my husband remarked that one of the bad guys was played by Raymond Burr. Now for those who grew up in the 50s to 80s, Raymond Burr played Perry Mason and later Ironside and then later Perry Mason in the Perry Mason movies. I also thought that many of the actors I was familiar with started at less then savory characters, Humphrey Bogart being that crooked lawyer before turning to hero roles.
In fact, most actors started at less serious roles, and even those good female actors now away started in cheap not very favorable roles.
So how did your favorite actor start his or her role in the movies, was it something unforgettable or evil or was it as a good or heroic role (being a ladies maid or the porter is considered a good role, being a criminal or shyster is not) and did he or she continue as a good person or was he or she still typecast as the not so good and slimy individual?
3 people like this
9 responses
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
15 Mar 08
JOhn Wayne was my favorite and he started in B westerns one he was like an outlaw ut ended up doing the right thing after getting well.
and Garry Grant he was always so smooth but funny.
Yup I didnt like Raymond Burr being and a$$ in a western I seen him in the other day
SOmetimes the actor or actresses got stuck in where they started and never got out of those rolls like elvis he wanted to play seriuos roles but the Cornol wouldnt let him he had him play in all the ones where they girls fell all over him!
1 person likes this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
30 Jun 08
oh yes the quit man loved the donny brook him and brother in law had.
I just watched an old western and have seen several where Raymond Burr was always the bad guy and he was always real big almost fat think it is the clothes tho in a suit he dont look bad at all.
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@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
30 Jun 08
Raymond Burr was best in Ironside, Perry Mason, and any shows dealing with crime. He did start out playing the bad guy in Film Noir and there was one in which he was murdered near the beginning. My husband has a box of John Wayne's old movies and look how much he came. Mind you I did not like the shows like The Commencharos, but I liked him in the War Movies. "They were Expendable" is one of my favorite war movies. And I also liked him in The Quiet Man.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
1 Jul 08
Raymond Burr is rather large built. He and Orson Wells were similar in size. So it is a wonder that he got fat in later life.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
17 Mar 08
My favorite episode was "To Serve Mankind" do not know who was on in that one, but it reminded me of that Science Fiction Series V. I have some on Vhs. I really have to get it on DVd.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
24 Apr 08
I was wondering what the people who thought all aliens are friendly thought about that. I guess they were in shock. Imagine going into a space ship and thinking they are our space brothers and then being the main course.
1 person likes this
@balasri (26537)
• India
28 Mar 08
This is how some of my favorite famous actors started their careers.
Brad Pitt landed some unaccredited roles in two 1987 films, and did a long stint of television work with shows such as Dallas and Growing Pains.
George made his debut in the horror movie Predator
Kevin Spacey - Kevin Spacey was a Subway Thief in his first role for the flick Heartburn. Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson headlined the film.
Clint Eastwood's acting career spans all the way back to the 1955 science fiction horror film: Revenge of the Creature.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
24 Apr 08
I think I saw Revenge of the Creature, but it was not in 1955, I doubt my parents would have allowed me to see it then.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
15 Mar 08
gee I had so many favourite actors and actresses, susan hayward always the bad girl,
humphrey bogart, notorious,
james gagney ganster
barbara stanwyk strong woman roles
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
17 Mar 08
thank you again for best response, I find it is so much easier now being notified when we get them, I love it.
1 person likes this
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
15 Mar 08
I have seen this alot but can't for the life of me think of any right off the bat. It doesn't really fit totally with this discussion here but one of my favorite actors is Patrick Swayze - he started out working on oil rigs in Texas and taking ballet lessions :)
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
30 Jun 08
I have been around for a while and I have been many of the flops the actors that are now stars started in. However, I find that in the last twenty or so years, some actors demanded and got roles that made them all look good, and then started to play bad guys at the end of their career. But I always feel that it is better to get a variety of roles when you start so that people are not surprised when you play the hero or disappointed when you play the villain. It is all about experience.
@betsyraeduke (2670)
• United States
15 Mar 08
My favorite actor is more of a tv star then a movie star. My favorite actor is John Shneider. He is most famous for his role as Bo Duke in the Dukes of Hazzard, however, he started acting in stage shows and other small parts when he was eight, I'm not sure what those roles were.
The most recent major role that John had was as Johnathon Kent, superman's dad, in Smallville.
In both Dukes and Smallville, he would be considered a 'good guy', however, I'm not sure if I would say that he was often, 'type casted', because in his many guest apperances on other shows, as well as roles he has played in movies, sometimes he played a 'good guy' and sometimes he played a 'bad guy'.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
30 Jun 08
I saw John Shneider in a CSI Miami episode, but that is normal since I am a CSI Miami fan. I did notice he was on a lot of movies and Tv shows. I like John Wayne, Cary Grant, oh and William Powell of the Thin Man shows, and Raymond Burr. There are others I liked, and others I would have liked if they got better roles.
Oh and do not forget Harrison Ford. One of the best.
@lucy02 (5016)
• United States
15 Mar 08
I always liked Jimmy Stewart. I can only remember him playing good guys though he may have played a bad guy in some of his earliest stuff. Of actors now I like George Clooney and Tom Hanks. I first remember seeing George on Facts of Life (the tv comedy.)
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
17 Mar 08
Jimmy Stewart was a bad guy in one of the Thin Man Movies. That was when he first got started and was just a bit actor then.
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
15 Mar 08
There was a stupid seriel back in the 40's or 50's about this scientist that invented this kind of rocket pack and wore this silly bullet shaped helmet, which would've made sense, but he also had his arms out in front "Superman" style....
ANYWAY, in one of th shows he was fighting aliens and while the role wasn't credited, one of the aliens was Leonard Nemoy, who later went on to play one of the most famous aliens of them all, Mr. Spock from Star Trek.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
30 Jun 08
I never saw that serial. I did see the old Superman Tv show, and also Flash Gordon ('loved' Ming the Merciless) So I guess I will have to look up Leonard Nemoy and find out all the Tv shows he was in. I am interested in old Tv science fiction shows.
1 person likes this
@Inzy4jonny (37)
• Bahamas
14 Mar 08
I loved that guy, and watched both shows.....Perry Mason and Ironside...i was younger then and thought the two were connected somehow...lol. It all goes to say that no matter what we do, we gotta crawl before we walk. Everyone has to start from somewhere, can't expect to just jump in those big time role with no experience!!!
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
30 Jun 08
I was watching some Film Noir when Raymond Burr was young and he played some very despicable characters. It seemed in those days, they were not afraid to be cast as the bad guys. It was all in the experience. And I did see some of the commercials the famous actors were in. I cannot tell you who they were and also those third rate films - not good enough to call them B movies, and that is how these famous actors got started. So you never know, that flop might have been the one that started some famous actor to stardom.
