Stagger Lee.
Someboddy messes with HIS woman and he blows them away.
Thats one Bad-ass Mutha!
In a gentler vein, from a more civilised time: A.J. Raffles, cricketer, gentleman and amateur cracksman.
Or, if one were to be totally politically incorrect, that diabolical mastermind, “the Yellow Peril incarnate as one man”, the insidious Dr. Fu Manchu.
I was always partial to Boris Badenov, myself.
Good lord people, let’s not forget Coeur De Fer from de Sade’s novel Justine.
He killed three men for 200 centimes, forced Justine the virgin into sexual slavery, called Jesus Christ a corrupted scoundrel and was way into forceable sodomy.
Sexy…and evil.
jarbaby
Absolutely! I enjoyed E.W. Hornung’s books immensely. I thought Ronald Colman fit the role perfectly (way back in the 30s).
Dark Helmet from Spaceballs was good, too.
When I read the OP’s title, I immediately thought of criminals from books so I’ll answer in that respect.
From my limited reading, my foremost favorite criminal would have to be Artemis Entreri, from R.A. Salvatore’s novels based in The Forgotten Realms.
He’s an assassin, raised in the streets, and feared on those self same avenues for his cruel efficiency and unrivaled skill with weapons.
His lifestyle and personality are like yin is to yang when compared with one of the good guy’s in the novels, and that makes him that much more interesting to get to know.
The Saint - not the movie guy, not the television guy - the Simon Templer of the Chartiers novels, truly a great criminal.
Bernie Rhodenbarr - from Lawrence Block’s “The Burglar Who…” series (Hey, you’ve got to love a burglar bookstore owner).
Irene Adler - the only person to best Holmes.
(Also enjoy Raffles)
Another vote for The Stainless Steel Rat, and Angelina.
Also, Catwoman.
The Hamburgler was always my favorite…
Irene Adler.
Thanks, TV Time, I’d forgotten her name.
A third for Slippery Jim, also a honorable mention for his homicidal wife Angela.
Vlad Taltos, also, from Steven Brust’s novels. Can’t beat that for a name. Has too many strange and interesting qualities to list easily.
Dr. Doom.
The Joker
Lex Luthor
Darksiede
Goldfinger
Dr. Evil/Mini Me
Herr Starr from Vertigo Comic’s Preacher (I suppose Cassidy might be a villian too. If so, count him in)
Kahn. (“KIIIIIIRRRKKK!!!”)
The Lannister family from George Martin’s Game Of Thrones series.
Doomsday (He killed Superman (at least for a little while) by beating him to death)
Oh, yes, definitely Irene Adler–THE Woman.
I also like Col. Sebastian Moran, the great white hunter gone bad…
I dunno about Raffles; I always got a creepy feeling reading the stories, as though there were some unhealthy sickness lurking under the surface. Almost wanted to wash my hands after reading them. Very strange.
The Monopoly Thief from Hawaii 5-O. The best criminal ever.
Wow. This is the first time I’ve had a thread come back from the dead. Neat.
Those who list several when asked for a favorite.
I see Vinny Morris as more criminal, but Hawk is hands down my favorite deviator from the straight and narrow.
Care for a beer some time, Cyn?
My favorites are the Crows, from Shadow Prey. Two ultra-radical Sioux who carry out a plot to assassinate the head of the FBI. By any objective measure they’re killers and terrorists, yet the guy they’re out to kill is such an asshole that you can’t help rooting for them.
Definitely Steve Buscemi’s character in “Reservoir Dogs” (Mr. Pink? I can’t remember).
“I’m the only one behaving like a #$%^@% professional here!”