# Great "one off" acting performances **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2019, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653 "2019-03-28T08:03:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/21 "2019-03-28T18:32:32Z")
> [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > Oprah Winfrey in The Color Purple but what is Tom Arnold if he isn’t primarily an actor? I’m looking at his IMDB page and if someone with that many acting credits isn’t considered an actor then I’m not sure I understand the question. > [@TriPolar](#): > > Same goes for Dawson. Running Man is his last role in a long distinguished acting career. Tom Arnold, dunno, I’d guess comedian but that would assume he was ever funny. Richard Dawson, to a lot of people of a certain age he’s far more known as the long running host of Family Feud. I didn’t know he was a “real actor” beyond his Running Man role until seeing Hogan’s Heroes reruns on Nick at Nite. ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/22 "2019-03-28T18:45:43Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as Roger Murdoch :D:D:D I thought that Matthew McConanaughey’s performance in True Detective was light years beyond anything he has done before. Chris Tucker as Ruby Rhod was excellent. As was Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder. Easily my favorite role of his. ---
**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:** [March 28, 2019, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/23 "2019-03-28T19:29:53Z")
This will change, but Yalitza Aparicio was stunning in _Roma_, her first acting role. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/24 "2019-03-28T19:31:01Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Tom Arnold, dunno, I’d guess comedian but that would assume he was ever funny. > > Richard Dawson, to a lot of people of a certain age he’s far more known as the long running host of Family Feud. I didn’t know he was a “real actor” beyond his Running Man role until seeing Hogan’s Heroes reruns on Nick at Nite. In that case, Robin Williams, Adam Sandler, Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, and countless others would all also qualify as they are all dual category entertainers and if quantity of actual acting gigs ( Tom has 167 acting credits on IMDB; he’s getting paid for acting ) won’t convince you they’re actors then yeah they are all eligible. If not, what makes Tom Arnold a comedian not a comedic actor like the others? Would you say that Ronald Reagan wasn’t really an actor because you only knew him as a politician? That’s what you’re saying about Richard Dawson after all. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/25 "2019-03-28T19:40:18Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Harold Russell in [The Best Years of Our Lives](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036868/). This movie came up in the thread about decades. Harold Russell had never acted before, he played an Army veteran who had lost his hands, exactly what he was. From this role he became the only actor to win two Oscars for the same role, one for Best Supporting Actor and another special Oscar for being an inspiration to returning WWII veterans. Sadly, he also has the distinction of being the only actor to sell his Oscar. He sold it in 1992 to pay his wife’s medical bills. Winners since 1950 have signed an agreement to never sell their Oscar, but Russell won his in 1947. Really great movie by the way. It’s a little longer than most, but everyone should make time to see it. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/26 "2019-03-28T19:50:40Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Sadly, he also has the distinction of being the only actor to sell his Oscar. He sold it in 1992 to pay his wife’s medical bills. Winners since 1950 have signed an agreement to never sell their Oscar, but Russell won his in 1947. I was unaware of this. I can’t believe someone in Hollywood didn’t step forward to help. And agreeing not to sell your award? Well great, better someone starve to death holding their award I guess 😕:rolleyes: > [@](#): > > Really great movie by the way. It’s a little longer than most, but everyone should make time to see it. Indeed. Though unless it’s a colorized version not many people would bother, and then Baby Boomers may be the last generation to grasp the significance of that movie, and only because it was about the life and times of our parents. I am happy to see others know of this movie and appreciate Russell’s performance. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/27 "2019-03-28T19:51:40Z")
It was a tiny part, but Donnie Wahlberg was both believable and unrecognizable in The Sixth Sense. Harry Connick Jr in Copycat (I also enjoyed him in PS I Love You, but Copycat was probably more of a stretch for him) Courtney Love in The People vs Larry Flynt Cher in Mask, and Silkwood…not really a one-of if she is consistently good though… ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/28 "2019-03-28T20:37:58Z")
After thinking about it I have my real choice. While in more than one movie he only played one rharacter and better than anyone else could have. I nominate Nǃxau ǂToma from The Gods Must Be Crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/29 "2019-03-28T21:21:03Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Beatrice Straight in _Network_ > > Carrie Snodgress in _Diary of a Mad Housewife_ > > Louise Fletcher in _One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest_ Excuse me? Beatrice Straight first appeared on Broadway in 1939. She won a Tony Award. She was one of the original members of the Actor’s Studio. She also made her first movie in 1952. Louise Fletcher made her acting debut in 1958. She stopped acting for 11 years to have a family, but her first movie after coming back was a Robert Altman film. Snodgrass was indeed, a young actress, but she had small roles before Diary. I don’t think any of those examples qualifies as “weren’t full time actors at the time or known as ‘actors.’” A better example for a beginner might be Karen Allen in _Animal House_. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/30 "2019-03-28T21:22:26Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Indeed. Though unless it’s a colorized version not many people would bother, and then Baby Boomers may be the last generation to grasp the significance of that movie, and only because it was about the life and times of our parents. > > I am happy to see others know of this movie and appreciate Russell’s performance. I saw in in 1976 at the age of 21, and it immediately became one my top five favorite movies. My dad told me “Once you see it, you’ll never forget it,” and he was right. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/31 "2019-03-28T21:39:42Z")
[Sennia Nanua](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6451469/?ref_=tt_cl_t1) had done one short film, and then exploded on the screen as Melanie in, “[The Girl with All the Gifts](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4547056/?ref_=nv_sr_3),” a slightly different kind of Zombie film that was just outstanding. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/32 "2019-03-28T22:08:12Z")
> [@BeagleJesus](#): > > Mos Def in _Something the Lord Made_. > > Even though he is primarily known for his music, dude held his own with Alan Rickman…that’s saying something. Wasn’t he also in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/33 "2019-03-28T22:35:34Z")
**Haing S. Ngor** in _The Killing Fields_. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/34 "2019-03-28T22:40:40Z")
32 posts and no mention of [M.E. Clifton-James](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0166782/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm)? He of [I was Monty’s Double](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051759/) fame? It was an outstanding performance and it was actually true! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/35 "2019-03-28T22:44:53Z")
> [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > Oprah Winfrey in The Color Purple but what is Tom Arnold if he isn’t primarily an actor? I’m looking at his IMDB page and if someone with that many acting credits isn’t considered an actor then I’m not sure I understand the question. I think a good argument could be made that Tom Arnold isn’t an actor, he’s just a guy that appeared in a bunch of movies. A similar argument could be made about categorizing him as a comedian. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/36 "2019-03-28T22:46:34Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Excuse me? Beatrice Straight first appeared on Broadway in 1939. She won a Tony Award. She was one of the original members of the Actor’s Studio. She also made her first movie in 1952. > > Louise Fletcher made her acting debut in 1958. She stopped acting for 11 years to have a family, but her first movie after coming back was a Robert Altman film. > > Snodgrass was indeed, a young actress, but she had small roles before Diary. I don’t think any of those examples qualifies as “weren’t full time actors at the time or known as ‘actors.’” > > A better example for a beginner might be Karen Allen in _Animal House_. You mean the Karen Allen of the Indiana Jones films? I don’t think the OP is about an actor kiling their first or early performance or is it? Thought ti was about people who weren’t known as actors killing their acting role. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/37 "2019-03-28T22:49:58Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I think a good argument could be made that Tom Arnold isn’t an actor, he’s just a guy that appeared in a bunch of movies. > > A similar argument could be made about categorizing him as a comedian. True but are we defining acting by quality or quantity of performances? They’re both great questions but entirely different. If people have paid you over 100 times to do an action it’s clear somebody with skin in the game considers you a profesional at what you’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/38 "2019-03-28T23:40:35Z")
Prince Randian in _Freaks_ (1932) Joseph Welch in _Anatomy of a Murder_ (1959) Jeff Beck in _Blow-Up_ (1966) Mick Jagger in _Performance_ (1970) David Bowie in _The Man Who Fell to Earth_ (1976) Wilt Chamberlain in _Conan the Destroyer_ (1984) ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/39 "2019-03-29T00:08:24Z")
Iggy Pop gave a great performance as the Vorta _Yelgrun_ in the episode “The Magnificent Ferengi” (Original air date: January 1, 1998) of _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653/40 "2019-03-29T00:33:01Z")
Alica Rhett, who died at the age of 98 in 2014, had just one film role, but she got fame for it. She played India Wilkes, sister of Ashley Wilkes, in _Gone With the Wind._ At the time of her death she was one of the few actors left sill alive who had had speaking roles in that movie. her real career was as a portrait painter, although after GWTW she had other offers in film, but turned them down. I recall her because she was in my 2013 Death Pool list. She had the nerve to die on January 3, 2014.😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-one-off-acting-performances/831653.md?page=3)