Dr. Haing S. Ngor, who was almost acclaimed for an Oscar and Golden Globe for “The Killing Fields,” is an obvious choice. Ngor was more or less playing himself in the movie, which is not to say his performance wasn’t outstanding.
And of course William Russell, who won an Oscar for a similar performance almost forty years before that.
IIRC, Tony Sirico (Paulie Walnuts from “The Sopranos”) did some prison time for armed robbery in the 60’s and 70’s. He then sort of fell into a role in the movie “Crazy Joe,” got his SAG card, and started his acting career.
Vigoda was fifty when he was cast as Tessio. While he did have some acting experience, he was little more than a walk-on/bit player when he could get the work. He actually “auditioned” for Godfather at a cattle-call for the wedding scene- he had no hopes of getting a major role- but Coppola really did love the way he looked (like an intelligent aging tough guy), so while it wasn’t his first professional credit it was an unbelievable break for a man his age with no real experience in a major movie to be given one of the largest supporting parts (a role he rose to excellently).
He was on a talk-show a few years ago and was asked if he minded the fact that so many of his recent roles were parodies of himself or of his previous roles. I can’t find the actual quote, but it was something to the effect of “When I went to the cattle call for Godfather I was a cab-driver. Those ‘parody roles’ earn me more money than most Americans will ever see for a few days work. I’m one of the luckiest men on Earth.”
Harold Russell was serving in the military during WW II, because of an accident while filming a training film, he lost both hands, he was then cast in a film about rehabilitating Army soldiers the military was making, and that role led to him starring in The Best Years of Our Lives which is about vets returning home from WW II. Russell won an Oscar for his work in the film.
Interestingly enough, his costar in the film Fredric March started out as a banker, but kept getting cast as an extra in films being made in NYC, and switched to acting.
Excuse me, my arithmetic was wrong. 1972 - 1921 equals 51, so Vigoda was 51 when _The Godfather came out, and presumably 50 when he was cast. It’s possible that Vigoda thought of himself before then as a taxi driver who occasionally acted rather than an actor who occasionally drove a taxi.
The ultimate “accidental” actor: Martin Lickert
Lickert was Ringo Starr’s chauffer. After an actor walked off the set on Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels, Zappa, unable to find a replacement, announced that the next person to walk through the door would get the part. Lickert entered, having gone back to the car to pick up some cigarettes for Ringo and was cast.
Then there’s Audie Murphy. He because famous in 1945 as the most decorated soldier of WWII. Jimmy Cagney saw him on the cover of Life and invited him to Hollywood and gave him acting lessons. He quickly became a major star, though he’s pretty much forgotten today (his To Hell and Back was Universal’s most successful film before Jaws)
Peter Lorre had a few very minor acting credits, but his big break came in M, a role he received when Fritz Lang saw him in the bank where he worked to pay the bills. Lang was entranced by his evil but pitiful appearance.
Vicki Lawrence was a high school student who people said looked like Carol Burnett, a fact she mentioned in a fan letter to Carol. She was more stunned than anybody else when Burnett and her husband Joe Hamilton (producer of the CB Show) attended her senior class play. When Carol needed somebody to play her baby sister in a sketch she remembered Vicki, who took the job and became a regular on the Carol Burnett Show. (It’s amazing that she was barely 20 years old the first time she played Mama, a role that was far more bitter and vicious in her original incarnation than on the syndicated series.)
But wasn’t Ford doing carpentry work to make cash while he was waiting for acting roles? I seem to remember him saying that he always wanted to be an actor, but early on he had to be a carpenter to pay the bills.
And Mr T had won a Bar Bouncer contest that was televised (ABC’s Wide World Of Sports?) not long before being cast as Clubber Lang. I think that’s where Stallone saw him.
So what about Hulk Hogan Andre The Giant, and The Rock. Do these count as accidental actors?
Do they count as actors?
With the candlestick no less.
I’ve read in several places that **Natalie Portman ** was discovered Lana Turner-style; she was supposedly hanging out at a pizza parlor when a talent agent asked her if she’d be interested in acting. She was 11 years old or something. Now she’s all growed up, and playing Luke Skywalker’s mama. And a stripper. Although not in the same movie. Unfortunately.
Sure they do. Just add the adjective of your choice.
The third ones not out yet, there is still hope.