# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/61 "2010-09-16T21:13:46Z")
[Corky St. Clair](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVoL4nIMRAA) ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/62 "2010-09-16T21:28:14Z")
How can we forget Sammy Davis Jr.? ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/63 "2010-09-16T21:58:51Z")
Robert Duvall (?) I just watched Tender Mercies recently so that’s where I get singing. I might not rush to buy his Christmas album, but he did sing capably. I know he does the tango really well. Does that gain him entry into the club. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/64 "2010-09-16T22:18:26Z")
Kristin Chenoweth starred in Wicked for several years, I imagine she didn’t get the role by standing still. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/65 "2010-09-17T17:45:57Z")
Beyonce in Dream Girls…much better acting… However, I can’t believe you people overlooked: Dick Van Dyke Julie Andrews and…wait for it… Prince! Wait, he can’t act…sorry about that. Is it Hollywood’s lack of ability to make films requiring singing and dancing or a dearth of younger actors and actresses that can sing and dance? The people mentioned so far were in their 20s and 30s when they acted, sang and dance. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/66 "2010-09-20T13:28:07Z")
What about Madonna? ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/67 "2010-09-20T13:46:32Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > What about Madonna? Even as a huge, obsessive, ridiculous Madonna fan, I have to say no. In my opinion, of course. But no. She can’t act. She just can’t. She’s had flashes of film brilliance (_Desperately Seeking Susan_, _A League Of Their Own_, _Evita_) but if we’re looking for people who can “really act”, I don’t think we can include Madonna. ETA: However I will not hear a word against her singing or dancing abilities! I’m armed with YouTube videos! I’ve got clips from Evita and I’m not afraid to use them! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/68 "2010-09-20T14:44:20Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Jennifer Lopez, although I’m not sure how well regarded her acting is. I’d have to agree with others; Lopez is a perfectly good actress and has acquitted herself well in some fine movies against fine actors. Her skills as an actress have been forgotten in the wreckage of overexposure, much of it self-inflicted, but her resume has some first rate performances. She’s terrific in “Out of Sight,” for instance. But she really isn’t a talented singer. Conversely, Beyonce absolutely can sing, but cannot act, and you can see in the “Single Ladies” parody already linked to that she’s struggling to even be good by SNL’s miserable standards. Next to real actors like Paul Rudd and Justin Timberlake she looks like a volunteer from the audience. ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/69 "2010-09-20T14:47:14Z")
Beyoncé’s problem is similar to Madonna’s - she such a larger-than-life personality and she’s so famous, that instead of becoming a character, she never gets much further than Beyoncé attempting to become a character. You don’t look at the screen and see a character, you think “Hey it’s Beyoncé!” Or at least I do anyway. An example of a larger-than-life personality who was able to overcome this is Cher - even as someone who squees every time they see Cher do anything at all, I was able to believe her as her characters in every film I’ve seen her in, and the Academy Award seems to back me up. As I said earlier, it’s a shame she can’t dance or she’d be perfect for this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/70 "2010-09-20T16:36:33Z")
Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Junior could manage all three. Frank won an academy award for acting. Mandy Patinkin has a great voice, is a very good actor, and he can dance (and swordfight!) Kevin Bacon tours in a rock band, was one of the iconic dancers of the 80’s, and can act. Robert Downey Jr. released an album of jazz songs which he sang and performed on piano, and which was quite well received. I think he danced in _Chaplin_, didn’t he? He’s a great actor, too. Gregory Hines Half the cast of Glee. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/71 "2010-09-20T18:00:01Z")
Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Robert Preston, Jane Powell, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope… ---
**Author:** ![Rahne\_McCloud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@Rahne\_McCloud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rahne_McCloud)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/72 "2010-09-21T03:28:03Z")
Ben Vereen, Glen Close and William Daniels ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/73 "2010-09-21T03:37:38Z")
Donald O’Connor blows away Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds in _Singin’ in the Rain_. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/74 "2010-09-21T04:05:50Z")
Phil Silvers ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/75 "2010-09-21T04:25:29Z")
> [@yanceylebeef](#): > > Isn’t Jason Alexander know for his chops on the dance floor, as well as signing? I know he won a tony for a musical, Tony Robbin’s Broadway, or something like that. Although I’d pay to see “_Tony Robbin’s Broadway_”, he won the Tony for “_Jerome Robbin’s Broadway_”. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/76 "2010-09-21T09:21:13Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > > [@yanceylebeef](#): > > > > Isn’t Jason Alexander know for his chops on the dance floor, as well as signing? I know he won a tony for a musical, Tony Robbin’s Broadway, or something like that. > > Although I’d pay to see “_Tony Robbin’s Broadway_”, he won the Tony for “_Jerome Robbin’s Broadway_”. 😃 I remember Alexander starring in a television version of _Bye Bye Birdie_ some years ago and being amazed how light on his feet he was. His co-star was Vanessa Williams who also deserves a place in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/77 "2010-09-21T10:03:47Z")
Barry Bostwick Roy Scheider Mark Indelicato John Travolta ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/78 "2010-09-21T10:39:17Z")
She won’t be breaking into opera any time soon, but Penélope Cruz is the family’s “bad ballet dancer” and does dance and sing decently; I haven’t heard her sister Mónica sing but she was a ballet dancer for over ten years before someone offered her an acting role. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/79 "2010-09-21T12:53:52Z")
Sure, he’s dead, but Michael Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968/80 "2010-09-21T13:03:42Z")
Why has no one mentioned Richard Gere or Rosario Dawson? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-are-triple-threats-they-can-really-sing-really-act-and-really-dance/553968.md?page=5)