Though he is quickly moving out of that realm, I still give the nod to Don Cheadle. Every time he’s on the screen, something interesting comes out of the scene.
Someone had to step in after the loss of legendary character actor JT Walsh. When my friends used to challenge me to the Kevin Bacon game, we had a no-JT Walsh rule.
He’s also stepping out, but Steve Buscemi.
JT Walsh was a great choice. I also recommend Jeffrey Jones. Ed Rooney, Dean of Students, in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Richard Farnsworth sniff
Keenan Wynn
Morgan Freeman
Eve Arden
James Whitmore sniff
Oh so many more…
Michael Ironside, baby.
He’s never smiled. EVER.
Tom Hanks
M. Emmett Walsh (Bladerunner)
Brion James (see above; a great evil bad guy type, RIP)
Along with names already mentioned, I’d add Paul Giamatti, who has appeared in Private Parts, Saving Private Ryan, Man on the Moon, and the Planet of the Apes remake.
Harry Dean Stanton
This one bald guy, he was in War Games and Top Gun, to name a few. He reminds me of Ed Harris.
I consider Harvey Keitel a character actor.
Can you imagine the answers Eve would have had for these?
Jack Elam
Gene Hackman
Martin Landau
Michal Asher
Peter Lori
Ben Johnson
Wilfred Brimley
It’s just not as much fun without Eve.
Philip Seymour Hoffman
John C. Reilly
Philip Baker Hall
And the Great, the incomparable William H. Macy
All seen in Magnolia, but they’ve been in plenty of other films as well…
Uh, Ed Harris was IN WarGames.
Macy truly has become the JT Walsh of the 21st Century. We may need to ban him from the KB Game.
I am also really big on Reilly. He has a guy’s guy kinda attitude. Anderson has a way of getting a great supporting cast (Don Cheadle in Boogie Nights).
As to Paul Giamatti, you can’t go wrong with that guy. He was great in Donnie Brasco. FUH-GETABOUTIT! He gets an extra check for being the son of the man who banned Pete Rose from baseball for life!
Are you talking about James Tolkan? Also the principal in Back to the Future?
Why does James Whitmore get a “Sniff” next to him? He’s not dead.
A friend of mine is a big Joe Grifasi fan, although I don’t quite understand the allure.
Here’s some for the Lady Eve: Eugene Pallette (giant frog-voice), Eric Blore (“I positively swill in their ale.”), Franklin Pangborn, William Demarest (“Positively the same dame!”), Charles Coburn, Edward Arnold, Jimmy Conlin… All from various 1930’s movies, including Preston Sturges comedies and a Capra film or two. They’re all very recognizable, and were probably not even considered bit players in their time.
Eve Arden “If you can’t be an athlete, be an athletic supporter.”
Joan Cusack (always does a great job)
Kathy Bates
Ving Rhames - Always does well.
In addition to the many named already:
Most of my favorites are probably considered TV character actors, though some made inroads into film.
Charles Lane (still alive!! 96 or 97 years old)
Albert Salmi
Claude Akins
Olan Soule
Neville Brand (an honest-to-goodness hero of WWII, who was almost without peer in portraying “greasy evil”)
Preston Foster
R. G. Armstrong
W. Morgan Sheppard
Victor Buono
Michael Ansara
Patrick O’Neal
Alan Oppenheimer
Tim O’Connor
Richard Anderson
That guy who was in “Patton” as one of Patton’s right-hand men, was also in the made-for-TV sequal “Patton’s Last Days” (was in the car when Patton was mortally injured). Thick neatly-combed pompadour, distinctive slightly higher-pitched voice, somebody help me out on his name.
Sir Rhosis
I just thought of one more…and just forgot …phoeey.
Pete Posthethwaite
Wayne Knight
Bert Mustin (played “old man” roles for years on TV)
Mischa Auer
Jack Elam
Margaret Dumont
Vernon Dent (the Three Stooges’ greatest foil)
Edgar Kennedy
Damn. Everyone else has taken the good ones.
Terry Kiser was the first name that came to mind for me. And then Michael Ironside.
Albert Salmi
I can’t think of anyone else right now. I’m sure more names will come to me later!
Dick Miller has got to be the king. For years, I’ve tried to explain to my brother that Miller actually DID have starring roles way back when, but he refuses to believe me.