# Most influential very minor movie role **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [September 3, 2022, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865 "2022-09-03T05:02:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/21 "2022-09-03T16:46:22Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > Black Knight in The Holy Grail. That’s complicated by the fact that the Black Knight is just John Cleese (largely, actually amputees played him after the various amputations). I didn’t specify in the OP but that seems a bit of a cop out. If it does count then the top ten is all from Monty Python! Literally from the top of my head I can name… Anarchist Peasant (“watery bints distributing swords is no basis for a system of government”) Grammar Nazi Centurion (“Romans they go the house?”) Stoned Pharisee (“even if they do say Jehovah!”) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/22 "2022-09-03T17:02:51Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > It’s a slightly different question, but “best character that had no role in the plot” is an interesting criteria. Oh, stewardess? I speak jive. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/23 "2022-09-03T17:04:24Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > > [@griffin1977](#): > > > > [The Princess Bridge](https://youtu.be/3odMTPuzLwY) > > There’s someone you shouldn’t cross. No doubt- that would be A Bride Too Far. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/24 "2022-09-03T17:13:36Z")
For the “most influential” minor role, it’s got to be the Imperial Officer, right at the start of the original Star Wars, who tells his subordinate to hold fire, rather than blow up the escape pod that held R2D2. With one shot, the entire fate of the Rebellion and the Galactic Empire would have been completely changed. The _entire plot_ of _ **six movies** _ and a lot of TV would have collapsed. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/25 "2022-09-03T17:26:08Z")
Though I meant culturally influential not influential in the plot Though the star wars answer is pretty obvious (I would not include Boba Fett personally as between the Empire strikes back and return of the Jedi he has quite a bit of screen time, even if he doesn’t say much). Surely it has to be Greebo? He’s on screen for what 30 seconds, has like three lines, and you literally see people wearing [t-shirts](https://www.teeturtle.com/products/han-shot-first?variant=19577791465112) referencing his character 45 years after the film came out. ---
**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:** [September 3, 2022, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/26 "2022-09-03T18:48:50Z")
**This man** had a walk-on part as a sailor in _ **Since You Went Away** _ (1944) and instantly became an American heartthrob. He went to to have a long acting career in theatre, radio, TV, and motion pictures. > **[Guy Madison - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0534972/bio)** > > Handsome American leading man Guy Madison stumbled into a film career and became a television star and hero to the Baby Boom generation. As a young ... ---
**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:** [September 3, 2022, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/27 "2022-09-03T19:33:42Z")
Suzanne Somers in American Graffiti as The Blonde. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/28 "2022-09-03T19:39:27Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > The classic, “Coffee is for Closers” speech from Glengarry Glen Ross must rank up there. Oh yeah that’s a good one. Massively influential (the odds are any salesman you know will have that speech memorized) ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/29 "2022-09-03T20:46:58Z")
How about [Trench,Sylvia Trench](https://youtu.be/YfI59AMQSzA) Without her introduction, would we have ever got Bond’s catchphrase? ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/30 "2022-09-03T20:55:56Z")
Another _Princess Bride_ character: Miracle Max. ---
**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:** [September 3, 2022, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/31 "2022-09-03T21:22:25Z")
Sean Connery shows up at the end of _Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves_ and almost single-handedly saves the day. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/32 "2022-09-03T21:23:39Z")
Hey, it’s Enrico Pallazzo! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/33 "2022-09-03T21:30:21Z")
Alfonso Bedoya: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/4OcM23Hbs5U/maxresdefault.jpg "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (6/10) Movie CLIP - No Stinking Badges (1948) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OcM23Hbs5U) ---
**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:** [September 3, 2022, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/34 "2022-09-03T22:52:08Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Anarchist Peasant (“watery bints distributing swords is no basis for a system of government”) You could say “Dennis”. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/35 "2022-09-03T22:55:48Z")
Mickey Rourke in “Body Heat”. Jack Nicholson in “Reds”. Robert Strauss in “Stalag 17”. ---
**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:** [September 3, 2022, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/36 "2022-09-03T22:59:16Z")
Most influential? Easy: Samuel L. Jackson, _Iron Man_. His post-credits cameo basically launched the MCU. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/37 "2022-09-03T23:07:36Z")
> [@Pavelb1](#): > > Keenan Wynn, Dr. Strangelove…“You’re going to have to answer to the Coca-Cola Company” From the same (tremendous) movie, don’t forget,“Our precious bodily fluids”. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/38 "2022-09-03T23:27:10Z")
Banjo boy from _Deliverance_ [![](https://i.gifer.com/F52.gif) ](https://i.gifer.com/F52.gif) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/39 "2022-09-03T23:35:02Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Surely it has to be Greebo? He’s on screen for what 30 seconds, has like three lines, and you literally see people wearing [t-shirts](https://www.teeturtle.com/products/han-shot-first?variant=19577791465112) referencing his character 45 years after the film came out. More memorable target for Harrison Ford: Greedo, or That Swordsman Who Never Had A Chance? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865/40 "2022-09-03T23:45:25Z")
The classic one for me is always Wilford Brimley in Absense of Malice. In a sense it might be arguable how minor his role is, but he is introduced basically at the denouement of the film and probably has less than ten minutes of screen time. But he dominates it. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/btqBJJF2yvE/hqdefault.jpg "Absence of Malice Inquiry") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btqBJJF2yvE) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-influential-very-minor-movie-role/970865.md?page=3)