# "One Hit" Actors **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 12, 2021, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569 "2021-09-12T23:02:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**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:** [September 14, 2021, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/142 "2021-09-14T18:20:12Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > I’m going to defend the Duke a little bit. I will too: I’ve heard he didn’t mind if you raided his refrigerator (my dad was childhood friends with Toni) 😍 Same for Alan Ladd: not much of an actor, but he gave my grandmother a wire recorder so she could mail it back snd forth to my dad at school, cheaper than long distance phone calls. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/143 "2021-09-14T18:25:26Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Specifically: _The Searchers_ , _True Grit_ , _The Longest Day_ and _The Shootist_ –all of those hold up well and are well acted, by both Wayne and the rest of the cast. Of this list, _The Shootist_ and _True Grit_ are the ones I’ve seen. I agree with _The Shootist,_ but the rest of the cast I think outshines Wayne. I liked the remake of _True Grit_ better than the original. I think the only John Wayne movie I’ve seen and really liked is _Hatari!_ and that’s because of the African scenery and wildlife. Wayne himself is pretty much a secondary character to that, even though he does a pretty good job in it. I think Mercer’s character fits with Wayne’s acting style. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/144 "2021-09-14T18:25:29Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Might Eric Stoltz qualify? Maybe not quite one-hit he had _Mask_ and _Some Kind of Wonderful_ , both considered seminal teenager 80s movies, he had tons of prestige and fame, and he’s largely gone nowhere since _Some Kind of Wonderful_ which was his big pay day following the attention he got for _Mask_ . Note he doesn’t fall into the child actor category–despite playing teenagers he was in his mid-20s during those films, he was 24 in Mask and 26 in Some Kind of Wonderful. He also famously was the original Marty McFly in Back to the Future; they even had done scenes with him before deciding he just wasn’t working out as Marty. Perhaps his career would have had a different trajectory if he hadn’t gotten fired from that movie. The problem with his performance as Marty McFly was that he simply didn’t understand the movie was a comedy and continually tried to go all serious. He was _completely_ wrong for the role but some studio bigwig insisted. ---
**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 14, 2021, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/145 "2021-09-14T18:38:37Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > If you ask me “Hey, you know that big hit movie Cuba Gooding, Jr. was in?” I’m going to ask “You mean _Boyz n the Hood_ ? Or _Jerry Maguire_ ? Or _A Few Good Men_ ? Or do you mean…” Gooding was in _A Few Good Men_, but in a small role. I think he’s only in one scene, as one of the Marines who testifies for the prosecution at the trial. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/146 "2021-09-14T18:43:32Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > [Horst Buchholz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horst_Buchholz) got a big Introducing Credit in _The Magnificent Seven_ in 1960, then a supporting role in a Billy Wilder movie, _One, Two, Three_ , and then his career evaporated like an ice cube on a red-hot skillet. He still got some work, but it mostly petered out. The big tragedy of the film “One, Two Three” was that while being filmed, the border between West and East Berlin was still open, and that was a crucial premise to the plot, but at the release date the Wall had been built, so the premise got flawed and it wasn’t funny anymore to joke about that border, so the film tanked. It’s one of Billy Wilder’s best comedies, and nowadays after all that has happened and without that baggage, it’s a hilarious take on the Cold War and the American-German relations at that time. Not only Horst Buchholz (who was great in his role), but also Liselotte Pulver who was magnificent could have had their big American breaks if not for those circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/147 "2021-09-14T18:50:09Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > Personally I like watching movies where the actors have actual talent. I remember watching a movie called _A Single Shot_ some years ago and noting in the opening credits that Jason Isaacs was in it. Cool, I thought. He’s a good actor and I always liked his characters. However, as the movie progressed I couldn’t spot him. Finally the movie was over, the end credits rolled, and I had never spotted him. So I looked for his name, noted which character it was, and went back to one of his prominent scenes. Holy shit. There he was. No wild makeup or other effects, he was just so damn good at playing his part that he was literally unrecognizable to me. That is sign of a good actor. Judi Dench, Eddie Redmayne, and Bryan Cranston are also in the same league. Gary Oldman is another one with that talent. He can be totally unrecognizable in different roles, and doesn’t get cast for a special type. Chameleon actors are the best. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/148 "2021-09-14T19:07:26Z")
Sharon Stone was supposed to be the new “it girl” when _Basic Instinct_ came out. Turns out that showing your hoo-hoo in a mainstream film is a great attention-getter, but is a hard act to top. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/149 "2021-09-14T19:25:56Z")
Nominated for an Oscar and won the Golden Globe for her role in Casino. But really, most of her career was playing femme fatales in a rather large number of thrillers and action movies. Basic Instinct is the best known, but for a one hit actor she has a shit-ton of credits, including numerous leading roles after Basic Instinct. ---
**Author:** ![mjmartin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@mjmartin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmartin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/150 "2021-09-14T19:55:47Z")
Three actors that come to mind from the early 2000s are Topher Grace, Michael Cera and Josh Hartnett. All had prominent roles in big movies, but then seemed to all but disappear. I see from a quick search that they have all been working, but in either obscure films, or small parts. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/151 "2021-09-14T20:02:25Z")
Did anyone think any of them were going to be a big star? ---
**Author:** ![mjmartin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@mjmartin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmartin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/152 "2021-09-14T20:05:30Z")
All had multiple roles as leads or near leads in big budget and successful movies. I think that’s probably a good indication. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/153 "2021-09-14T20:19:17Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Turns out that showing your hoo-hoo in a mainstream film is a great attention-getter, but is a hard act to top. Sharon Stone was tricked by Paul Verhoeven into shooting that scene, and that was a total dick move. It sure had an influence on her later career, as she was only seen as the immoral vamp. > **[“You Can’t Shame Me”: Sharon Stone on How Basic Instinct Nearly Broke Her,...](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/03/sharon-stone-on-how-basic-instinct-nearly-broke-her)** > > In an exclusive excerpt from her memoir, Stone writes about predatory directors, being a “difficult” woman in Hollywood, and her most iconic role: “It’s about more than just a peek up my skirt, people.” ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/154 "2021-09-14T20:33:20Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Basic Instinct is the best known, but for a one hit actor she has a shit-ton of credits, including numerous leading roles after Basic Instinct. How many of those were actual _hits_? Just the one, right? _Casino_ did $116MM worldwide, not even half of what _John Carter_ pulled. A one-hit actor can have lots of minor credits. In fact that’s probably the norm. No shame in it. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/155 "2021-09-14T20:41:51Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Sharon Stone was tricked by Paul Verhoeven into shooting that scene, and that was a total dick move. It sure had an influence on her later career, as she was only seen as the immoral vamp. That sucks. I didn’t realize it was sold to her on the false pretense that the lighting would hide the detail. Verhoeven is an asshole for doing that. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/156 "2021-09-14T22:50:10Z")
> [@wjChia](#): > > > [@zimaane](#): > > > > Other than that, all he has done is voice acting in a few animated TV programs. > > Dude, he’s THE definitive Joker. You’re thinking of Caesar Romero. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/157 "2021-09-15T03:56:40Z")
Total Recall did okay. Admittedly before Basic Instinct. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/158 "2021-09-15T06:36:27Z")
I’m wondering if Jennifer Beals could qualify as a “one-hit” actor. She starred in _Flashdance_, and that was about it. She’s had a number of parts in movies and TV since, but never as a star. She has been working steadily, but not in anything as big as _Flashdance_. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/159 "2021-09-15T07:05:20Z")
She’s one of the surprisingly large number who went back to university. And _The L Word_ was big, I’d say, and she was the star in that. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/160 "2021-09-15T08:13:51Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > Agreed. But, if you ask me “Hey, you know that big hit movie Mark Hamill was in?” I’m going to answer “Yeah. Of course. _Star Wars_.” Sure, if you specify “movie.” But, if you said “cartoon,” I think most people would know they were referring to him as the Joker. Sure, maybe not quite as many people who know him as Luke Skywalker, but big enough that it counts as a second hit. That is, of course, assuming that we don’t treat sequels like follow-up albums. Then it’s like his fourth hit or so. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569/161 "2021-09-15T11:56:48Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > I think Mark Hamill is a good example. He’s an excellent actor – and has certainly improved as he’s aged – but he’s so associated with Star Wars that for any live-action film he does the immediate reaction is “Hey! Luke Skywalker is in this!” Hence the booming voicework career. He was also kind of fun in his guest shots on _The Flash_ as “Trickster” and definitely unSkywalkerish. In fact he tended to be the best thing in those episodes. > [@dorvann](#): > > I remember the late Christopher Reeve mentioning he had a hard time getting work because of this type of reaction—“Hey! It’s Superman!!!”. He might actually qualify for this post because he really had limited movie roles aside from Superman, Loved him in “Deathtrap” though. > [@Cartooniverse](#): > > I dunno, it’s hard to forget his seminal work in " Caligula". Ew. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-actors/950569.md?page=9)