# Best performance by an actor in only one scene of a movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 1, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981 "2006-05-01T18:43:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/1 "2006-05-01T18:43:26Z")
I feel the Oscars should add this as a new category. The all time best example for me is Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross- so brilliant, he makes Mamet dialogue sound good. However I don’t think it fair that someone in only one scene should be eligible for best supporting actor/actress, as this takes away from actors who are in the entire movie, thus the need for a “Best very small role” category. Let’s say less than around 10 minutes in the film- who are some other worthy performances? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/2 "2006-05-01T18:49:21Z")
Two scenes, but under ten minutes: Mark Rydell as Marty Augustine in **The Long Goodbye**. One of the most chilling villains ever on film. I’m not sure how much screen time Hugh Millais had in **McCabe and Mrs. Miller** – I think there was only one scene with dialog, though he was shown in others – but he’s a candidate. Also a memorable villain. Alec Cawthorne as Inspector Doppler in **Sleuth**. It’s a mystery as why he never appeared elsewhere. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/3 "2006-05-01T18:53:26Z")
Good call on **Long Goodbye** - was he the one who did the “and this is someone I like, imagine what I would do to you” bit? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/4 "2006-05-01T19:05:36Z")
**Christopher Walken** in **Pulp Fiction**. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/5 "2006-05-01T19:08:52Z")
Robert Duvall’s movie debut in **To Kill A Mockingbird** ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/6 "2006-05-01T19:20:44Z")
Gene Hackman in **Young Frankenstein.** ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/7 "2006-05-01T19:26:22Z")
I was beaten to it by \*\*Hampshire \*\* but Christopher Walken as Captain Koons in Pulp Fiction. Incredible scene. In a very bad movie, \*\*House II: The Second Story \*\* (1987) The highlight and only memorable part of the movie was John Ratzenberger as Bill a contractor called in to figure out what is wrong with the structure of the house. He deadpans in his Cliff Claven style. > [@](#): > > There it is. Looks like you’ve got some kind of alternate universe in there or something. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Scupper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Scupper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scupper)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/8 "2006-05-01T19:55:14Z")
Christopher Walken in _ **True Romance** _. Peter Stormare in _ **Constantine** _. Steve Buscemi in _ **Miller’s Crossing** _. Charlton Heston in _ **Wayne’s World 2** _. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/9 "2006-05-01T19:56:37Z")
“You see that a lot in these older houses.” The first one that came to mind for me was Sean Connery as King Richard in _Robin Hood: Men Without Accents_. I completely missed the Walken performance, but agree completely. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/10 "2006-05-01T20:04:48Z")
I know it’s TV, not the movies, but Martin Sheen’s performance in the first episode of ‘The West Wing’ changed his intended role from occasional cameos to a full part. Spell-binding. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/11 "2006-05-01T20:08:43Z")
Ned Beatty in **Network** ---
**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:** [May 1, 2006, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/12 "2006-05-01T20:14:10Z")
Walter Huston as the preacher in **Duel in the Sun** Cyril Cusak in **1984, Day of the Jackal, The Spy who Came in from the Cold** and everything else where he played the guy who knew what you were thinking berfore you were thinking it. Beatrice Straight for the spurned wife in **Network** (oh, wait… she _did_ get an award for that). ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/13 "2006-05-01T21:49:32Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Alec Cawthorne as Inspector Doppler in **Sleuth**. It’s a mystery as why he never appeared elsewhere. You think you’re clever, don’t you? I was going to mention Beatrice Straight. I think she was in more of the movie, but it was just one scene that won her the Oscar. ---
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/14 "2006-05-01T22:07:25Z")
I vote for Alec Baldwin in “Glengarry Glen Ross”. “Whats my name? Fuck you that’s my name!” I also liked Ben Affleck in “Boiler Room”. MtM ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/15 "2006-05-01T22:19:37Z")
I haven’t seen most of these, but how about Bill Murray in **Little Shop of Horrors**? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/16 "2006-05-01T22:21:43Z")
> [@Wee Bairn](#): > > Good call on **Long Goodbye** - was he the one who did the “and this is someone I like, imagine what I would do to you” bit? Exactly. And you remember it, don’t you? 🙂 Billy Gilbert is memorable in his two scenes in **His Girl Friday**. John Goodman in **Oh, Brother, Where are Thou?**. O. P. Heggie in **Bride of Frankenstein** (in the role Gene Hackman parodied in \*\* Young Frankenstein\*\*. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/17 "2006-05-01T22:51:07Z")
I agree with Alec Baldwin in _Glengarry Glen Ross_; he was also very good in _Elizabethtown_ and _Fun With Dick and Jane_ in similarly small roles. To add another nomination: William Hurt in _A History of Violence_. Ed Harris was also very good, but was in more than one scene (though probably less than ten minutes total). ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/18 "2006-05-01T23:22:26Z")
John Turturro in _The Big Lebowski_. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/19 "2006-05-01T23:42:25Z")
Wilford Brimley in **Absence Of Malice**. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981/20 "2006-05-02T03:04:41Z")
> [@Dooku](#): > > Wilford Brimley in **Absence Of Malice**. “Wonderful thing, a supenee…” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performance-by-an-actor-in-only-one-scene-of-a-movie/354981.md?page=2)