# Strangely failed film careers **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 13, 2000, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332 "2000-12-13T08:03:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![G.Nome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c89c15/32.png) [@G.Nome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G.Nome)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/41 "2000-12-18T00:24:58Z")
I’m still in the game. I just have to work Omar Sharif into this somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/42 "2000-12-18T00:54:38Z")
Didn’t he have a gambling problem? And plus, I heard he got started a little bit late, so when the seventies rolled around, Sharif was considered “too old”…or something like that. Doesn’t he usually do character roles? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/43 "2000-12-18T00:58:07Z")
Olivia DeHaviland. I thought she was great in GWTW, and I also liked her in Anastasia: the Mystery of Anna (which also had Sharif doing an EXCELLENT role as Tsar Nicholas II). I wonder why she didn’t act in more films. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/44 "2000-12-18T16:16:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*Olivia DeHaviland. I thought she was great in GWTW, and I also liked her in Anastasia: the Mystery of Anna (which also had Sharif doing an EXCELLENT role as Tsar Nicholas II). I wonder why she didn’t act in more films. > \*\* This is a joke, right? Or did you somehow miss her other 60 movies (6 with Erroll Flynn) and Oscar-winning performance in The Heiress? My sarcasm detector is on the fritz. BTW, what episode does your sig come from? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/45 "2000-12-18T18:30:15Z")
D’oh!!! (Maybe it’s just because you don’t hear about her as much. I’m sorry! I’m a moron…you guys just fought some ignorance right there!) It doesn’t come from any episode, but from Nelson’s book, “Mike Nelson’s Movie Megacheese.” Gosh, now I know how Wildest Bill must feel… ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/46 "2000-12-18T19:11:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revedge \* > \*\*I think that a lot of the one hit wonder phenomenom is due to the limited acting range of the people involved. THey were perfect for one specific role, but their limitations showed when they were asked to play different characters. Mark Hamill and Keir Dullea being perfect examples. \*\* Nah, the perfect example here is **Daryl Hannah.** Played a robot in BLADE RUNNER (1982) and a mermaid with a limited grasp of English in SPLASH (1984). The critics were wowed! She was SUCH a good robot and mermaid with a limited grasp of English! So she started getting meatier roles. THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR. LEGAL EAGLES. WALL STREET. The critics, who began by laughed their asses off at her (CAVE BEAR is widely considered one of the worst movies of the last 20 years), began to mercifully ignore her participation when reviewing films in which she appeared. Casting directors, when looking for a lanky, horse-faced blonde, started phoning up Laura Dern, who could act. By 1993 she was starring in ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN. Her most recent success was MY FAVORITE MARTIAN. BTW…Happy 40th Birthday, **Daryl!** Hope you invested some of your income! ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/47 "2000-12-18T19:48:22Z")
I know you all hate Paula Poundstone, but she was hilarious on the subject of Darryl Hannah. “I know she’s gorgeous, but she’s never gotten that whole walking and talking thing down. Other than that, she’s golden—why don’t they just put a photo of her on the corner of the screen, and not force her to try to act?” ---
**Author:** ![Tommy\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Tommy\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommy_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/48 "2000-12-18T20:01:20Z")
What the hell happened to Scott Bakula? “Quantum Leap” was insanely popular. He made “The Color of Night,” “Necessary Roughness” (which was hilarious in its own dollar movie kind of way), and “Master of Illusions.” All of these movies tanked and I haven’t seen him in a while. I would have figured he would have done quite well. I think that he needs to return to the small screen. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/49 "2000-12-18T20:48:17Z")
What about (I think this is his name) David Caruso? He was good on NYPD Blue, then quit to break into movies and made like one movie and was never heard from again. And I know it hasn’t been very long, but Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jason Alexander have all been sitting on their hands lately ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/50 "2000-12-18T21:20:03Z")
Elena Sahagún. I just have to put in a plug for Elena Sahagún. Who?? _¿¿Quién??_ you’re asking. Elena Sahagún is the most beautiful Latina ever. I mean, Jennifer Lopez takes a back seat to her in the looks department. And yet all she ever got was a few bit parts in crummy B-movies. She deserved to shine. Have you seen _Naked Ambition_? No? Didn’t think so. I saw her in that imbecilic flick 10 years ago and I’ve been in lust with her ever since. _¿Elena, donde estas ahora?_ ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/51 "2000-12-18T21:33:54Z")
This one belongs at the top of the list: Charmian Carr. –_Huh?_ –Charmian Carr! She won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1966! _The Sound of Music_? Liesl, the oldest girl? –_Oh, yeah. That one._ It was her first movie ever. She walked away with the Oscar and, unheard of for a new actress, she even had her own song! And yet it was also her last movie ever. Hear her sing: > [@](#): > > I am sixteen going on seventeen, > I _nev_-er _wor-r-ked_ again! But she’s been a good sport about it. Earlier this year she published her autobiography, _Forever Liesl_, just the thing for _Sound of Music_ junkies; she dishes the inside story of the making of the film. In keeping with the spirit of the film, her book is all G-rated and sunny, without an unkind word for anyone. ---
**Author:** ![G.Nome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c89c15/32.png) [@G.Nome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G.Nome)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/52 "2000-12-18T23:02:15Z")
Archive Guy: I’ll raise you one Natassia Kinksi (who was a major success in Roman Polanski’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles and little else) and the fact, that at the time he starred in Peyton Place and Love Story, Ryan O’Neal was a number one sex symbol. Then he was nothing much. Today’s equivalent would be Brad Pitt sinking from view (for no apparent reason) after Legends of the Fall. ---
**Author:** ![trose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f9ae1b/32.png) [@trose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trose)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/53 "2000-12-19T00:24:47Z")
Acting ability and achieving stardom are two unrelated skill sets. Some are good at one or the other, a blessed few at both. And some are simply more interested in the former than the latter (eg Parker Posey, who’s had lots of offers for mainstream movies but can’t resist quirky indies). And then there’s politics and Hollywood’s weird mindset. Both Jessica Harper and Karen Allen were victims of their resemblance to Amy Irving, who became persona non grata after her marriage to Spielberg broke up. It’s a goofy town, and lots of terrific actors turn their backs on it and have very satisfying careers elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/54 "2000-12-19T00:39:28Z")
I can weigh in with two more: 1. Alex Winter (Bill of _Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventrue_). After making those two movies, he went nowhere real fast. Of course, his partner, Keanu, went on to bigger and better things. 2. Peter Ostrum (Charlie in _Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_). In fact, WW&tCF was the only movie he made. He went on to become a veteranarian. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/55 "2000-12-19T00:44:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ishmintingas \* > \*\*This one belongs at the top of the list: Charmian Carr. > –_Huh?_ > –Charmian Carr! She won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1966! _The Sound of Music_? Liesl, the oldest girl? > –_Oh, yeah. That one._ > > It was her first movie ever. She walked away with the Oscar and, unheard of for a new actress, she even had her own song! And yet it was also her last movie ever. Hear her sing: > > > [@](#): > > > > I am sixteen going on seventeen, > > I _nev_-er _wor-r-ked_ again! > > But she’s been a good sport about it. Earlier this year she published her autobiography, _Forever Liesl_, just the thing for _Sound of Music_ junkies; she dishes the inside story of the making of the film. In keeping with the spirit of the film, her book is all G-rated and sunny, without an unkind word for anyone. \*\* Charmain Carr walked away from acting when her daughter was born in 1969. She did, however, do lots of commerical work in the 70s and 80s. Today she’s an interior designer. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/56 "2000-12-19T01:00:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ishmintingas \* > \*\*This one belongs at the top of the list: Charmian Carr. > –_Huh?_ > –Charmian Carr! She won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1966! _The Sound of Music_? Liesl, the oldest girl? > –_Oh, yeah. That one._ > > It was her first movie ever. She walked away with the Oscar and, unheard of for a new actress, she even had her own song! And yet it was also her last movie ever. Hear her sing: > \*\* Actually, she didn’t win the Oscar. She wasn’t even nominated. The winner was Shelly Winters (for A Patch of Blue). The other nominees were: Ruth Gordon (Inside Daisy Clover) Joyce Redman (Othello) Maggie Smith (Othello) Peggy Wood (The Sound of Music – she was the Mother Superior. It was _her_ last role as well). (Info from [imdb.com](http://imdb.com).) Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/57 "2000-12-26T01:19:08Z")
Sean Young seemed to be making a name for herself in the '80s. Then in '88-'89, there was some unpleasantness with James Woods (that is all I am saying). Plus, she crossed Oliver Stone, which at that time, one did at one’s own peril. Disappeared from sight. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332/58 "2000-12-26T03:41:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zev\_steinhardt \* > > Alex Winter (Bill of _Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventrue_). After making those two movies, he went nowhere real fast. Of course, his partner, Keanu, went on to bigger and better things. A few years ago, Winter made another movie, called Freaked (1993, I think). Keanu Reeves made a cameo appearance in it as a favor to his friend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-failed-film-careers/45332.md?page=2)