Christopher Jones from Wild in the Streets, 1968. Good looks and extreme charisma – I was sure he’d be a mega-star. IMDB’s bio cites a rocky childhood and personal problems. He hasn’t had steady work for years. How is he even supporting himself?
Michael Parks from the TV series Then Came Bronson. Another good-looking, talented actor who should have been huge. He’s worked steady for many years but most folks probably don’t know his name.
Ever predict stardom for someone who didn’t quite make it?
I thought Robert Powell was destined for greatness after starring in Jesus of Nazareth. Even after all these years, it’s still my favorite interpretation of the gospels.
Judge Reinhold…I thought he was great in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but, he didn’t really fly. Amusingly, Forrest Whitaker, who had little more than a mumbling big-gorilla jock role in the same movie, really got more of the attention.
Danielle Brisebois (sp?) from All in the Family…hot babe w/a primo rack when she grew up-same fate as Judge.
Jason Patric. Steady work but not what he deserves.
I thought both Ed Marinaro and Helen Thomas would hit it big after Hill Street Blues, but it never happened. Same for that matter with Captain Furillo and the woman who played his wife.
He’s working steadily, but I really thought Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would be the go-to action movie guy by now - this generation’s Schwarzenegger/Stallone-type. He’s starred in films with middling success and had supporting roles in lots of stuff, but he hasn’t had that star-maker franchise role (Terminator/Rambo/Rocky) that puts him in the top.
Good choices. Both were very handsome (Patric circa Lost Boys was a dead ringer for Jim Morrison at his most gorgeous), both very good actors, both had that solid leading man charisma. I can only assume either they’re both difficult to work with, or possibly neither one was interested in romcom roles that kept the likes of Dermot Mulroney employed through the 90s.
My pick is Rufus Sewell. He was excellent in Dark City, or even in the thankless bad guy role in A Knight’s Tale. It seems he got typecast in typical villain roles, and went back to the stage for the most part.
Those enjoying this thread will likely enjoy the “What the hell happened?” section on this blog, which is about actors who seemed like they would be big but didn’t make it. Very informative and well written (albeit with lots of typos!).
Paul Le Mat. Two lovely bits in American Graffiti (for which he won a Golden Globe) and *Melvin and Howard * (for which he was nominated) and then endless crap although he added a second Golden Globe for the TV movie The Burning Bed then back to oblivion. He was like Edward Norton in that he started in movies with major roles in every movie he was in. He just made a lot of terrible choices.
Remember when classically handsome Michael Pare, the actor nowadays billed third in the poster of Uwe Boll’s “Blobarella”, was going to be a superstar?