# Actors who are "triple threats"--they can really sing, really act, and really dance. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 16, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968 "2010-09-16T14:12:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/21 "2010-09-16T15:37:30Z")
**Kevin Kline** for the win. He can do both drama and comedy, has a more than serviceable voice and for dance moves? I can’t link to it from work but there is his memorable “How to act like a manly, man” scene from **In and Out**. He can do it all. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/22 "2010-09-16T15:38:34Z")
Lena Horne ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/23 "2010-09-16T15:41:04Z")
Surprisingly, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/24 "2010-09-16T15:42:20Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > Doris Day, lest we forget. Where can I see her dance??? For my money, Ann Miller. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/25 "2010-09-16T15:42:29Z")
> [@FordTaurusSHO94](#): > > I’ve heard Hugh Jackman can do all three, but I’ve only seen him act. [Oklahoma](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpG4rEI16aA) [Lipton Ad](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8ze0dJFd-M) ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/26 "2010-09-16T15:46:24Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > Surprisingly, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Yep. From the new guard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Hugh Jackman, and NPH lead the pack. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/27 "2010-09-16T15:48:37Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > > [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > > > Doris Day, lest we forget. > > Where can I see her dance??? **Tea For Two** ; **Calamity Jane** ; **Pajama Game**. She might have been a better dancer if she had not been in a bad car accident as a teenager that steered her more into singing. Just thought of Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone. How does Kristin Chenoweth dance? ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/28 "2010-09-16T15:55:14Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > > [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > > > Where can I see her dance??? > > **Tea For Two** ; **Calamity Jane** ; **Pajama Game**. She might have been a better dancer if she had not been in a bad car accident as a teenager that steered her more into singing. I’ve got all of those – I’ll have to re-watch as I don’t recall the dancing parts being the strong point in the performances. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/29 "2010-09-16T15:58:20Z")
Jennifer Lopez, although I’m not sure how well regarded her acting is. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/30 "2010-09-16T16:03:33Z")
Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, Gwen Verdon, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Danny Kaye, Frank Sinatra (see **On the Town** or **Anchors Aweigh** for his dancing), Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/31 "2010-09-16T16:05:39Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Christopher Walken is quite the hoofer. He dances well, but he sings like he acts: he doesn’t. He gets in front of a camera and says his lines however he likes. He’s _awesome_ for it, but I can’t say he’s acting. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Reloy3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Reloy3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reloy3)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/32 "2010-09-16T16:10:02Z")
Kristin Chenoweth ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/33 "2010-09-16T16:23:32Z")
Glee: Matthew Morrisey in particular (in addition to the younger cast) is a phenomenal dancer, as well as singer and actor. Non-Glee: Brian Stokes Mitchell is astonishingly good. Corey Reynolds of _The Closer_ starred on Broadway in _Hairspray_, clips from it show him to be fantastic. James Marsden in the movie version of Hairspray, but I can’t remember his dancing - time to rewatch it. Mandy Patinkin. Ann-Margret became a fairly good actress over time. ---
**Author:** ![kathmandu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kathmandu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kathmandu)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/34 "2010-09-16T16:26:30Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Jennifer Lopez, although I’m not sure how well regarded her acting is. If you ask me, her acting is much better than her singing, which is awful. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/35 "2010-09-16T16:44:33Z")
How is Bette Midler’s dancing? I understand her acting and singing are both world class. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/36 "2010-09-16T16:46:37Z")
Carmen Miranda ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/37 "2010-09-16T16:52:38Z")
and Julie Frigging Andrews ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/38 "2010-09-16T16:54:36Z")
Catherine Zeta-Jones got her start in musicals in the West End. ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/39 "2010-09-16T16:55:42Z")
If only Cher could dance. > [@kathmandu](#): > > > [@control-z](#): > > > > Jennifer Lopez, although I’m not sure how well regarded her acting is. > > If you ask me, her acting is much better than her singing, which is awful. Yeah, I’d agree that the singing is where J.Lo falls down - lots of hits, but not a strong vocalist by any stretch of the imagination. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/40 "2010-09-16T16:58:32Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Ginger Rogers, and James Cagney for starters. You’ve been inside my head damn you! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968.md?page=3)