# Most Over The Top Acting Performances of All Time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 3, 2017, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450 "2017-07-03T17:39:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![golffan1963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4af34b/32.png) [@golffan1963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/golffan1963)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/1 "2017-07-03T17:39:54Z")
Hope this hasn’t been done before…if it has, you can link to the thread…but here goes: By Over The Top, I would mean hammy, overwrought…or just bad…performances. Here are my three: TV Series: Bonnie Franklin in One Day At A Time. Overwrought would be an understatement. The fate of the planet rested on her every syllable. Movie: Stephen Boyd in “The Oscar”. TV Movie/Miniseries: Saving the worst for last…Matthew Perry as Senator Ted Kennedy in “The Kennedy’s: After Camelot”. It could be the single worst acting performance I have ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/2 "2017-07-03T17:45:50Z")
Anthony Perkins in [Edge of Sanity](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097263/). It is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on crack. Literally. You have to see it for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/3 "2017-07-03T17:49:15Z")
Jake Gyllenhaal in [Okja](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3967856/) ---
**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:** [July 3, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/4 "2017-07-03T17:56:59Z")
John Lithgow as [Emilio Lizardo/Lord John Whorfin](https://youtu.be/GjA92f_iCHQ) in _Buckaroo Banzai_. And he was fucking brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/5 "2017-07-03T18:02:37Z")
The first one I think of (because it is so recent) is Evil Asian Scientist Guy on _Gotham_. (Not bothering to google for his name, but if you know who I’m talking about, you know who I’m talking about.) ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/6 "2017-07-03T18:09:38Z")
[Shatner](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAvRBDQqSmY). Now and forever, [Shatner](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUlaSQbpczk). ---
**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:** [July 3, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/7 "2017-07-03T18:38:17Z")
> [@golffan1963](#): > > Hope this hasn’t been done before…if it has, you can link to the thread…but here goes: [Here’s a recent one.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=818626) I stand by my claim that it’s impossible to an exaggerated parody of Burgess Meredith’s performance in the ROCKY movies, but danged if he didn’t deserve that Oscar nomination for it all the same. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/8 "2017-07-03T18:51:58Z")
Kevin Kline. Everything he’s done. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/9 "2017-07-03T18:55:53Z")
Alan Rickman in _Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves_. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NJk-yQadw_U/maxresdefault.jpg "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (4/5) Movie CLIP - Call Off Christmas (1991) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJk-yQadw_U) Jeremy Irons in _Dungeons & Dragons._ Al Pacino in _The Devil’s Advocate._ Jack Nicholson in _The Witches of Eastwick_. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VHO_jv2m3XY/hqdefault.jpg "are women God's mistake ?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHO_jv2m3XY) ---
**Author:** ![golffan1963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4af34b/32.png) [@golffan1963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/golffan1963)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/10 "2017-07-03T19:01:30Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > [Here’s a recent one.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=818626) I stand by my claim that it’s impossible to an exaggerated parody of Burgess Meredith’s performance in the ROCKY movies, but danged if he didn’t deserve that Oscar nomination for it all the same. Thanks for the link…although I’m glad there have been some replies here, too. Re Burgess, all I can say is: 'HE’LL KNOCK YOU TO TOMORROW ROCK!" and “HE’LL KILL YOU TO DEATH INSIDE OF THREE ROUNDS”. Oscar nom worthy, I agree.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/11 "2017-07-03T19:18:06Z")
I’ll nominate Faye Dunaway in [Mommie Dearest](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUkE9qaVgmo). NO WIRE HANGERS! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/12 "2017-07-03T19:22:33Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > John Lithgow as [Emilio Lizardo/Lord John Whorfin](https://youtu.be/GjA92f_iCHQ) in _Buckaroo Banzai_. And he was fucking brilliant. Amen, amen, amen. “Laugh-a while you can, Monkey Boy!” ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/13 "2017-07-03T19:25:44Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > [Shatner](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAvRBDQqSmY). Now and forever, [Shatner](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUlaSQbpczk). I’m not sure Shatner was even the worst of the Star Trek captains. Cue Avery Brooks: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2zFOdQYmTrk/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgTig9MA8=&rs=AOn4CLA0dYakeNHWPKSdYQuvp9K-F6EEbw "I created it, and it's REAL!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zFOdQYmTrk) ---
**Author:** ![dataguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eada6e/32.png) [@dataguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dataguy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/14 "2017-07-03T19:29:30Z")
Al Pacino, And Justice for All “You’re out of order, and you’re out of order…” ---
**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:** [July 3, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/15 "2017-07-03T19:53:26Z")
Sid Haig as Dragos in _Jason of Star Command_. I know it was a kid’s show, but you could practically see smoke coming out of Haig’s ears when he is thwarted by Jason. ---
**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:** [July 3, 2017, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/16 "2017-07-03T21:02:52Z")
[quote=“mbh, post:9, topic:790450”] Alan Rickman in _Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves_. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NJk-yQadw_U/maxresdefault.jpg "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (4/5) Movie CLIP - Call Off Christmas (1991) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJk-yQadw_U) Jeremy Irons in _Dungeons & Dragons._ Al Pacino in _The Devil’s Advocate._ Jack Nicholson in _The Witches of Eastwick_. [/QUOTE] Pretty much every movie made by the latter three is the definition of “emoting”. I’d nominate Nick Cage’s movies as well. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/17 "2017-07-03T21:18:43Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Pretty much every movie made by the latter three is the definition of “emoting”. I’d nominate Nick Cage’s movies as well. [Not the bees!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVCrmXW6-Pk) ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/18 "2017-07-03T21:26:55Z")
Anything with Brian Blessed. GIVE ME THE REMOTE CONTROL! ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/19 "2017-07-03T22:07:49Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > [Not the bees!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVCrmXW6-Pk) From the same movie (which offers so many examples to choose from): [“How’d it get burnt? Howdigaburn?! _HADIGABURN HADIGABURN!!!_”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzrDpj6M1ig%5B/url) ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-the-top-acting-performances-of-all-time/790450/20 "2017-07-03T22:17:12Z")
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