# Americans who are more popular or respected in Europe **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 23, 2015, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272 "2015-06-23T19:52:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [June 24, 2015, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/41 "2015-06-24T13:19:21Z")
It appears that Elizabeth McGovern has spent most of her time in the U.K. since getting married to a Brit in 1992. She still does a fair amount of work in the U.S. though. This is actually fairly common among actors who have reached the point that they can expect to get reasonable amounts of work every year. The live one place and fly to any other place that they get a job acting at, regardless of where in the world it might be. It’s like actors who live on a ranch in Montana or some such and regularly fly to Los Angeles for acting jobs: > **[Elizabeth McGovern](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_McGovern)** > > Elizabeth Lee McGovern (born July 18, 1961) is an American actress and musician. She has received many awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award, three Golden Globe Award nominations, and one Academy Award nomination. > Born in Evanston, Illinois, McGovern spent most of her early life in Los Angeles. After attending the American Conservatory Theater and the Juilliard School, she made her feature film debut in Ordinary People (1980). For her role as Evelyn Nesbit in the musical film Ragtime ... ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/42 "2015-06-24T13:30:09Z")
How about [Sam Wanamaker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Wanamaker) (and his daughter [Zoe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zo%C3%AB_Wanamaker)? He moved to the UK in the 1950s after being blacklisted in the US and was responsible for the modern recreation of the Globe Theater. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/43 "2015-06-24T14:17:13Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I agree that you could perhaps call her someone who is now more active in Europe, like the OP said, but you can’t claim that her professional life was mostly in Europe. She still hasn’t made anything as important as those three movies since then. > > I still think of her as Hollywood actress, just one who’s currently working in Britain. Take it you have never watched Downton Abby then > [@](#): > > On a related note, _holy crap_ she was sexy back then. She’s still an attractive woman, but back in the early-mid 80’s she was sex personified. On the afore mentioned Downton, she is hotter then the three actresses who play her daughrers. ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/44 "2015-06-24T14:37:58Z")
[Bill Ramsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Ramsey_(singer)) (originally from Cincinnati) was a household name in German [_schlager music_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlager_music) during the 1950s and 1960s. He is also an accomplished jazz musician. I guess nobody has ever heard of him in the United States. ---
**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:** [June 24, 2015, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/45 "2015-06-24T14:44:35Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Take it you have never watched Downton Abby then I’ve seen every episode, and if she’s a British actress, then Hugh Laurie is an American. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/46 "2015-06-24T15:16:28Z")
> [@Donnerwetter](#): > > [Bill Ramsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Ramsey_(singer)) (originally from Cincinnati) was a household name in German [_schlager music_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlager_music) during the 1950s and 1960s. He is also an accomplished jazz musician. I guess nobody has ever heard of him in the United States. See post #36 ;). ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/47 "2015-06-24T15:20:03Z")
Every third-rate band in Austin will tell you, “We’re gods in Norway” or “We’re huge in Liechtenstein.” ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/48 "2015-06-24T15:29:05Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > See post #36 ;). Ups … :o ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/49 "2015-06-24T16:00:34Z")
Melvin Lasky was a renowned journalist in Germany since the late 1940s. Don F. Jordan, originally from New York, has been based in Germany for decades. He has worked for CBS News, the Voice of America and the Guardian. Jordan has been a frequent guest on German political talks shows since at least the 1980s; he has also played archetypical Americans in a number of German TV movies (minor roles). Melinda Crane from Boston is another well-known American journalist in Germany, also a regular on German TV. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/50 "2015-06-24T16:57:55Z")
[QUOTE=Donnerwetter;18464591 Jordan has been a frequent guest on German political talks shows since at least the 1980s; he has also played archetypical Americans in a number of German TV movies (minor roles). [/QUOTE] What are the characteristics of an “archtypical American” on German TV? ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/51 "2015-06-24T17:12:00Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > What are the characteristics of an “archtypical American” on German TV? In one role I remember (really a minor one, more like a cameo) he played a dominating, boisterous, somewhat intimidating American law enforcement officer. It kind of fits his personality, on political talk shows, he usually is a fearless defender of US policies. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/52 "2015-06-24T17:12:02Z")
Emo Philips. I saw him on the Comedy Channel years ago and thought he was fairly amusing, then he went to England and hosted numerous specials. Evidently they liked him a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/53 "2015-06-24T17:15:23Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Every third-rate band in Austin will tell you, “We’re gods in Norway” or “We’re huge in Liechtenstein.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TbZZYMooLnQ/hqdefault.jpg "Interview with Citizen Dick") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbZZYMooLnQ) ---
**Author:** ![journeyman\_southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5e9695/32.png) [@journeyman\_southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/journeyman_southpaw)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/54 "2015-06-24T17:29:13Z")
The American heavy metal band Manowar remains little known in the States, but their albums chart high in countries where metal has always remained popular such as Germany. ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/55 "2015-06-24T18:21:34Z")
What about August Darnell (aka Kid Creole → [Kid Creole and the Coconuts - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_Creole_and_the_Coconuts) )? The band was hugely popular in Europe during the 1980s. ---
**Author:** ![chiquitita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@chiquitita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiquitita)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/56 "2015-06-25T15:32:57Z")
Mort Shuman, as a singer, had a series of hits in France during the seventies. In the US, it seems that he is only known as a songwriter, not as a performer. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/57 "2015-06-25T16:25:57Z")
I was going to say Al DiMeola as it seems he is always touring in Europe. But then I looked at his web page and shows seem to be pretty evenly split between the U.S. and “over there”. And he was playing less than two hours from where I live two nights ago and I missed it! Damn. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/58 "2015-06-25T16:32:26Z")
Ry Cooder has never achieved much commercial success in the U.S., but he’s always been big in Scandinavia. The Violent Femmes are a bit of a cult act, especially WRT their classic first album, but they have had bigger chart success in Europe too. As for the singer who was unknown here but huge behind the Iron Curtain, I think you may be talking about Dean Reed. > **[Dean Reed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Reed)** > > Dean Cyril Reed (September 22, 1938 – June 13, 1986) was an American actor, singer-songwriter, director, and social activist who lived a great part of his adult life in South America and then in East Germany. Nicknamed the Red Elvis, Reed was the best-selling Western performer in communist countries, with his songs often topping the local charts, and millions of his records were sold in the Eastern Bloc and elsewhere mostly under the Melodiya label. He never renounced his U.S. citizenship, desp... ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/59 "2015-06-25T19:01:55Z")
Jerry Lewis is a god in France. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272/60 "2015-06-25T19:23:22Z")
Earle Hyman spends the majority of his time in his adopted Norway, acting in Ibsen and in imported American shows translated into Norwegian. He may still be better known overall for playing Bill Cosby’s father Russell Huxtable, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-are-more-popular-or-respected-in-europe/723272.md?page=4)