# Actors whose acting skills don't keep them from being big box-office successes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272 "2006-05-18T16:22:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272/41 "2006-05-19T15:27:59Z")
> [@](#): > > I’d say Brendan Frasier, but his movies match his skills, so it’s all right. Better him than somebody I care about. I’ll debate this one. He was good in **Gods and Monsters** , and supposedly was in **The Quiet American**. Just because he plays a good Lunk in intentionally over-the-top flicks like the Mummy series, George of the Jungle, Dudley Do-Right, and Looney Tunes is no reason to not give him his due. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272/42 "2006-05-19T15:29:02Z")
[QUOTE=Ensign Edison] And John Cusack! Hey, I love Better Off Dead and Grosse Point Blank too, but all I see when I look at him is one of those Plymptoons where the guy’s face is sucked into his nose. He’s been in a coma for like ten years, what is the appeal? [/QUOTE] What about _The Ice Harvest_? I loved him in it. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0400525/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0400525/) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272/43 "2006-05-19T16:04:31Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] I’ll debate this one. He was good in **Gods and Monsters** , and supposedly was in **The Quiet American**. Just because he plays a good Lunk in intentionally over-the-top flicks like the Mummy series, George of the Jungle, Dudley Do-Right, and Looney Tunes is no reason to not give him his due. [/QUOTE] I’ll agree with you and add _School Ties_. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272/44 "2006-05-19T16:15:38Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] I’ll agree with you and add _School Ties_. [/QUOTE] And I’ll throw in _Crash_, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272/45 "2006-05-20T01:16:08Z")
[QUOTE=ddgryphon] I will take issue with the Harrison Ford vote. See “Regarding Henry” or “Witness” or really any work he’s done. He isn’t the best verbally, but like McQueen, his unspoken work is incredible. He can say more with his eyes in 5 seconds than other actors in an entire career. … [/QUOTE] I think “Mosquito Coast” is another good movie to see Harrison Ford display some range. One of the few films in which 1)he had a major part and 2)played a pretty unlikeable character. ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272/46 "2006-05-20T01:35:46Z")
[QUOTE=Laughing Lagomorph] I think “Mosquito Coast” is another good movie to see Harrison Ford display some range. One of the few films in which 1)he had a major part and 2)played a pretty unlikeable character. [/QUOTE] I can’t believe I left that off. I haven’t seen it in a while, but it was my favorite Harrison Ford movie for the longest time (had River Phoenix in it too – man did they work well together!) ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272/47 "2006-05-28T14:24:19Z")
John Wayne,Jane Mansfield. Marilyn Monroe, ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272/48 "2006-05-28T17:03:15Z")
[QUOTE=ddgryphon] I will take issue with the Harrison Ford vote. See “Regarding Henry” or “Witness” or really any work he’s done. [/QUOTE] Fuck **Witness** and fuck **Regarding Henry**. Does a film have to be dull to be worthy of acclaim? Harrison Ford was terrific in **Raiders of the Lost Ark**. Period. There’s not an actor on earth, living or dead, who could have done the job better than him. Do you think it’s easy, making the greatest action-adventure movie ever made? Ford deserves as much credit for that as Spielberg or Lucas. And don’t get me started about \*\* Empire Strikes Back\*\*. ---
**Author:** ![Rachael\_Rage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Rachael\_Rage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachael_Rage)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2006, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272/49 "2006-05-28T17:53:47Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] Fuck **Witness** and fuck **Regarding Henry**. Does a film have to be dull to be worthy of acclaim? Harrison Ford was terrific in **Raiders of the Lost Ark**. Period. There’s not an actor on earth, living or dead, who could have done the job better than him. Do you think it’s easy, making the greatest action-adventure movie ever made? Ford deserves as much credit for that as Spielberg or Lucas. And don’t get me started about \*\* Empire Strikes Back\*\*. [/QUOTE] I enthusiastically second that. ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272/50 "2006-05-29T02:44:16Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] I’ll debate this one. He was good in **Gods and Monsters** , and supposedly was in **The Quiet American**. Just because he plays a good Lunk in intentionally over-the-top flicks like the Mummy series, George of the Jungle, Dudley Do-Right, and Looney Tunes is no reason to not give him his due. [/QUOTE] See **Gods and Monsters** and **The Quiet American** and you will change your mind about Brendon _ **Fraser** _. He is a very fine actor. ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272/51 "2006-05-29T02:45:36Z")
[QUOTE=Large Marge] See **Gods and Monsters** and **The Quiet American** and you will change your mind about Brendon _ **Fraser** _. He is a very fine actor. [/QUOTE] Ack. I meant **Brendan Fraser**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-acting-skills-dont-keep-them-from-being-big-box-office-successes/357272.md?page=2)