# Actors who do a good job of playing evil or dark characters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** actor-characters\ **Created:** [August 31, 2024, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527 "2024-08-31T19:43:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Deanna\_D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@Deanna\_D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deanna_D)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/61 "2024-09-02T12:16:01Z")
Larry Hagman as JR Ewing. Absolutely evil on the inside, and could manipulate any situation to his advantage. ---
**Author:** ![Ribeye](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ribeye/32/14677_2.png) [@Ribeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ribeye)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/62 "2024-09-02T13:26:19Z")
All of this times 10. He is a wonder. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/63 "2024-09-02T15:32:04Z")
what, no Sydney Greenstreet? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/64 "2024-09-02T18:06:04Z")
_A View to a Kill_ is probably on no list of favorite Bond films but I do like Christopher Walken’s take on a Bond villain. At one point he is gunning down his own people and he’s laughing in a way that you know he’s really enjoying himself. Apparently shooting people is a hoot. Then in movies like _At Close Range_ and _True Romance_ and _King of New York_ he hits completely different notes of evil. At this point in his career people see the exaggeration of the impression of him but he’s much more than that. That includes being able to play evil very well. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/65 "2024-09-02T21:05:56Z")
Since he played Hannibal on TV, that would be a no. ---
**Author:** ![Plutonium\_Chef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/plutonium_chef/32/11211_2.png) [@Plutonium\_Chef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plutonium_Chef)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/66 "2024-09-02T23:09:35Z")
Donald Pleasence, as Heinrich Himmler in the movie _The Eagle has Landed_. Creepy AF. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/67 "2024-09-02T23:18:09Z")
(Anyone else noticed that Ben Kingsley is taking all the parts that went to Donald Pleasence before he died?) ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/68 "2024-09-03T15:37:09Z")
Most of the choices so far have been for people who can act terrifying evil. I’d like to nominate someone a little different: Fred McMurray Oh, yes, affable dad Steve Douglas that we knew and loved in 12 seasons of My Three Sons, could be downright disgusting. Not terrifying, no. Maybe just cowardly or cheerfully but coldly manipulative or an amoral lustful dirtbag. It seems like his best roles were where he played “against type.” The three roles that come to mind are: The Caine Mutiny, Lt. Keefer, The Apartment, Mr. Sheldrake Double Indemnity, Walter Neff I happened to catch Woman’s World yesterday on TCM, and until the very end I thought he was going to sell out his family in his lust for the big manager’s job. His ability to be bad and at the same time thoroughly ashamed of himself was always a nice touch. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/69 "2024-09-03T21:04:26Z")
Plus, Christopher Walken can _dance_. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/70 "2024-09-03T21:40:52Z")
Re: Fred MacMurray’s real personality. Years ago the Helekulani in Waikiki had bungalows, similar to the Chateau Marmot in LA. For this reason Fred MacMurray always stayed there. My SO’s dad was the night manager and recalled that MacMurray was a very nice man. Dad had been a beach boy in his youth, and wouldn’t have hesitated to relay any scandalous tidbits had there been any. ---
**Author:** ![Capn\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Capn\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capn_Carl)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/71 "2024-09-03T21:56:27Z")
What? No one mentioned Jack Palance? He rarely played anyone but bad guys. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/72 "2024-09-03T22:14:06Z")
Also, John Goodman in _In the Electric Mist_ isn’t the main villian, but he’s a bad man. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2024, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/73 "2024-09-04T01:34:57Z")
don’t forget British version of The Big Sleep ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2024, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/74 "2024-09-04T01:37:16Z")
I’m surprised at lack of female actors, like Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct 1 & 2 ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Anne\_s\_Lace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Queen\_Anne\_s\_Lace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Anne_s_Lace)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2024, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/75 "2024-09-04T02:12:43Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Clancy Brown Captain Byron Hadley: “Drink up while it’s cold, ladies.” ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2024, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/76 "2024-09-04T02:20:58Z")
How about Anne Baxter in _ **All about Eve** _? I ended up hating her even before the end of the movie. Ditto for Angela Lansbury in _ **The Manchurian Candidate** _. Patty McCormack in _ **The Bad Seed** _. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2024, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/77 "2024-09-04T02:33:56Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Angela Lansbury in _ **The Manchurian Candidate** _. Excellent choice. Her character is pure distilled evil in that film. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2024, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/78 "2024-09-04T04:22:51Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > The three roles that come to mind are: > > The Caine Mutiny, Lt. Keefer, > The Apartment, Mr. Sheldrake > Double Indemnity, Walter Neff Also, _Pushover_ (1954) in which Mr. MacMurray is a corrupt cop and loser criminal. I did not recall him playing a character named “Sheldrake” in _The Apartment_. It’s Fred Clark’s name in _Sunset Blvd._ as well and both were Billy Wilder films. Growing up, I was told a certain house in my neighborhood was where Mr. MacMurray lived, though I never really knew for sure whether it was true. I told this to a friend in college who begged me to deliver a letter he had written to Mr. MacMurray (he also begged me not to read it ‘cause he thought it would embarrass him). I dutifully deposited it unread in the mail box of that certain house. My friend reported back that he received an autographed photo of Mr. MacMurray along with a nice note. Maybe a year or so later, I was driving home past the house and for the first and only time, I saw Mr. MacMurray walking down the street. He was quite old and looked a lot like Ronald Reagan. And before I forget: Gene Tierney in _Leave Her to Heaven_ (1945) was exceptionally evil. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2024, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/79 "2024-09-04T04:41:38Z")
MacMurray’s character in _ **The Apartment** _ is indeed named Jeff D Sheldrake. He’s the slimy toad banging elevator operator Shirley MacLaine when he’s not celebrating Christmas with his wife and children. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2024, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527/80 "2024-09-04T04:50:17Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > I saw Mr. MacMurray walking down the street. He was quite old and looked a lot like Ronald Reagan. I too am a native white Illinoian. After a certain age, allowing for baldness and fatness, we all look the same [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-do-a-good-job-of-playing-evil-or-dark-characters/1006527.md?page=5)