# Steve Buscemi's Best Roles -- Updated **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088 "2013-03-05T14:15:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/1 "2013-03-05T14:15:57Z")
Although [Your Favorite Character Actor – Final Poll](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=683040) is still open, it appears that Steve Buscemi is far enough ahead in the voting that he will emerge as SDMB’s Favorite “Character Actor.” This morning the voting stood at: ```auto View Poll Results: Who are your Top Five Character Actors of all time? This poll will close on 04-22-2013 at 01:32 AM Steve Buscemi 33 46.48% John Goodman 22 30.99% Peter Lorre 21 29.58% Stanley Tucci 17 23.94% David Strathairn 15 21.13% Frances McDormand 13 18.31% J.K. Simmons 13 18.31% Harry Dean Stanton 13 18.31% Stephen Root 12 16.90% Jim Broadbent 11 15.49% Joan Cusack 10 14.08% Margaret Dumont 10 14.08% Claude Rains 10 14.08% Tim Roth 10 14.08% Chris Cooper 8 11.27% Garret Dillahunt 8 11.27% M. Emmet Walsh 8 11.27% Walton Goggins 7 9.86% Slim Pickens 7 9.86% Giovanni Ribisi 7 9.86% JT Walsh 7 9.86% Charles Durning 6 8.45% Carol Kane 6 8.45% Cloris Leachman 6 8.45% Strother Martin 6 8.45% Warren Oates 6 8.45% Elisha Cook Jr 5 7.04% Sydney Greenstreet 4 5.63% John Hawkes 4 5.63% Ben Johnson 4 5.63% George Kennedy 4 5.63% Jack Warden 4 5.63% Jack Elam 3 4.23% Ned Beatty 2 2.82% Dan Hedaya 1 1.41% Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 71 ``` Back in August 2010 as _Boardwalk Empire_ was about to premiere on HBO [The BEST Steve Buscemi Role](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=576048) attracted 136 Voters who posted at least one vote for the names in this new poll. If your top 3 [Steve Buscemi](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000114/?ref_=sr_1) roles are not included, please vote Other and post your choice(s). Honor system public poll (others can see your votes) on the way… ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/2 "2013-03-05T14:37:47Z")
Couldn’t remember him being in Pulp Fiction at all. Now see that he was Buddy Holly waiter at Jack Rabbit Slims. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/3 "2013-03-05T14:43:19Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Couldn’t remember him being in Pulp Fiction at all. Now see that he was Buddy Holly waiter at Jack Rabbit Slims. Yeah, had to check that myself. I voted for the three (other than Pulp Fiction) that I’d actually seen: The Big Lebowski, Reservoir Dogs, and Boardwalk Empire. ---
**Author:** ![UncaStuart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncastuart/32/404_2.png) [@UncaStuart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaStuart)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/4 "2013-03-05T14:52:17Z")
Let me be the first, this time around, to start the \*Con Air \*parade. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/5 "2013-03-05T14:56:09Z")
I voted for _Reservoir Dogs_, _Trees Lounge_ (a very good movie), and _Desperado_ (small, but memorable part to open the movie). Of his other prominent roles that I’ve seen: Initially I checked _Fargo_, and he is great in it, but I just really liked him in _Desperado_. _The Big Lebowski_ - certainly a memorable movie, but IMO Buscemi’s part is mostly memorable for John Goodman yelling at him, and not for anything he actually did in the movie. _Ghost World_ - he was good, but I didn’t really care for this movie. _Boardwalk Empire_ - he is very good in this, but I’m just not sure I totally buy him in that role. _The Sopranos_ - while a decently large part, still felt kind of tacked on to me. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/6 "2013-03-05T14:58:47Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > I voted for the three (other than Pulp Fiction) that I’d actually seen: You’ve not caught Fargo? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/7 "2013-03-05T14:58:47Z")
I liked him in \*Airheads \*too (but I forgot to vote “Other”). ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/8 "2013-03-05T15:07:38Z")
_Living in Oblivion_ was one of my favorite movies in the mid-90s. He’s so great in it (as is a young Peter Dinklage… “I’m a dwarf I don’t even have dreams with dwarfs in them!”). ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/9 "2013-03-05T15:12:54Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Of his other prominent roles that I’ve seen: > > _The Big Lebowski_ - certainly a memorable movie, but IMO Buscemi’s part is mostly memorable for John Goodman yelling at him, and not for anything he actually did in the movie. Even though I did vote for TBL, I agree with you. In fact it may have been his ashes that I liked best! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/10 "2013-03-05T15:24:27Z")
> [@UncaStuart](#): > > Let me be the first, this time around, to start the \*Con Air \*parade. Yup,I would have voted for that,also Billy Madison. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/11 "2013-03-05T15:46:11Z")
What about his recurring role on _30 Rock_ as the slightly creepy and bumbling transvestite private detective Lenny Wosniak? ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/12 "2013-03-05T15:57:43Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > You’ve not caught Fargo? I have, but it’s quite possibly been over ten years since I’ve seen it. I have only the vaguest recollection of the film in general (lots of Minnesota accents and a wood chipper that is used to chip something other than wood), much less Buscemi’s role in it. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/13 "2013-03-05T15:59:38Z")
I think his role as Luke, the randy buffalo hunter, in _Lonesome Dove_ deserves a spot on your list. ---
**Author:** ![jack\_tardiff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jack\_tardiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_tardiff)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/14 "2013-03-05T18:21:46Z")
> [@UncaStuart](#): > > Let me be the first, this time around, to start the \*Con Air \*parade. Oops. Forgot about that. Tie between _Ghost World_ and _Reservoir Dogs_ for number one on the poll – hard to imagine either movie without him (yes, I think both movies are excellent, which helps). _Trees Lounge_ ended up as the third choice, just because it was an OK movie and he was OK in it. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/15 "2013-03-05T18:32:57Z")
Happy Franks, the suicidal lounge entertainer on the ocean liner in _The Impostors_. “He was a great agent. I loved him like a brother, I loved my wife like a mother and a hooker, and look where it’s got me, alone, afraid, and I just wanna die!” ---
**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 5, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/16 "2013-03-05T18:37:41Z")
I can only remember him in three movies, Con Air and Armageddon and one with a flying car, and Con Air wins by a country mile. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/17 "2013-03-05T18:57:47Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > one with a flying car Now I’m picturing him as Doc Brown in _Back to the Future Part II_. Great Scott! ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/18 "2013-03-05T23:41:08Z")
Tommy in Trees Lounge. The ultimate Buscemi sad sack role. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/19 "2013-03-06T01:34:59Z")
_Living In Oblivion Fargo Reservoir Dogs_ ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088/20 "2013-03-06T02:10:07Z")
While I’ll stick with my choice of “Fargo,” it’s almost unfair to an actor to pick that movie because it’s one of the three best roles of the careers of any actor who was in it; it was as good a script as has ever been written. The opening scene with Buscemi, William H. Macy and Peter Stormare in “The King of Clubs” establishes not only the entire plot AND foreshadows exactly what’s going to happen (“Oh no, it’s real sound, it’s all worked out!”) but you understand, in two or three minutes, all three characters absolutely bang on. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-buscemis-best-roles-updated/652088.md?page=2)