# The greatest actors of your lifetime **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 20, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150 "2010-03-20T17:58:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![turkeylurkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@turkeylurkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turkeylurkey)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/21 "2010-03-20T21:48:50Z")
In no particular order – Male: Tom Hanks John Wayne Russell Crowe Morgan Freeman Dustin Hoffman Female: Sally Field Meryl Streep Katherine Hepburn Diane Keaton Cate Blanchett ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/22 "2010-03-20T21:57:25Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > George W. Bush - pretended to be the president for 8 years. Political potshots aren’t appropriate in a Cafe Society thread. Don’t do this again. **twickster** , Cafe Society moderator ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/23 "2010-03-20T22:40:26Z")
As of Post # 22, here are the actors with multiple votes so far: ```auto Men: Robert Deniro 2 Gene Hackman 2 Tom Hanks 2 Dustin Hoffman 3 Gary Oldman 2 Jimmy Stewart 2 28 Total Names Women: Sally Field 2 Katharine Hepburn 2 Frances McDormand 2 Sissy Spacek 2 Meryl Streep 4 21 Total Names ``` I’ll post a new summary at the top of the next page. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/24 "2010-03-20T22:46:03Z")
My picks: Men: Marlon Brando Robert Deniro (it’s De Niro, btw) Robert Duvall Heath Ledger Edward Norton Women: Judi Dench Laura Linney Helen Mirren Kate Winslet And one who hasn’t been mentioned yet: Patricia Clarkson. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/25 "2010-03-20T23:07:02Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Robert Deniro (it’s De Niro, btw) > > And one who hasn’t been mentioned yet: Patricia Clarkson. I changed to De Niro but [Robert De Niro](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000134/) also shows > [@](#): > > Alternate Names: Robert De Niro Jr. | Bobby DeNiro | Robert DeNiro | Robert Denero Added Clarkson. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/26 "2010-03-20T23:13:16Z")
Limiting to 5 of each, and only the ones who came to prominence since I started watching movies critically (say late '70’s to early '80’s) Cate Blanchett Judi Dench Meryl Streep Kate Winslet Judy Davis Ian McKellan Geoffrey Rush Ian Holm Robert DeNiro Robert Duvall (with an eye on Paul Giamatti and Billy Crudup to overtake in the next few years) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/27 "2010-03-20T23:27:43Z")
> [@Mrs.Cake](#): > > Limiting to 5 of each, and only the ones who came to prominence since I started watching movies critically (say late '70’s to early '80’s) > > Judy Davis > > Ian McKellan ([Ian McKellen](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005212/)) > Geoffrey Rush > Ian Holm > > (with an eye on > > Paul Giamatti > > and > > Billy Crudup > > to overtake in the next few years) I added all these names to the summary data in case others vote for Crudup and Giamatti, too. I’m not meaning to be exclusive at this stage. Just trying to get a reasonable group together for polls, so as not having to bother with the “Other” category when the time comes. ---
**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:** [March 21, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/28 "2010-03-21T02:06:51Z")
What about Steve Buscemi? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/29 "2010-03-21T04:33:39Z")
I’d put both Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp on the list. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/30 "2010-03-21T08:48:16Z")
Men: Daniel Day-Lewis Edward Norton Gary Oldman Sean Penn Brad Pitt Women: Kate Winslet Meryl Streep Laura Linney Jessica Lange Susan Sarandon It was tougher to pick the women than the men. I started by pruning out those before my time and those I didn’t think warranted inclusion. That left me with only four guys, so I added in the late-nominee Brad Pitt, which I (obviously) agree with. On the women’s side, though, I was left with something like a dozen choices, each one more difficult to eliminate than the next. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/31 "2010-03-21T11:41:58Z")
As of Post #30, here are the multiples: ```auto Marlon Brando 2 Daniel Day-Lewis 2 Robert De Niro 4 Robert Duvall 3 Gene Hackman 2 Tom Hanks 2 Dustin Hoffman 3 Heath Ledger 2 Edward Norton 3 Gary Oldman 3 Sean Penn 2 Brad Pitt 2 Jimmy Stewart 2 36 Total Names Women: Cate Blanchett 2 Judi Dench 3 Sally Field 2 Katharine Hepburn 2 Jessica Lange 2 Laura Linney 3 Frances McDormand 2 Helen Mirren 2 Susan Sarandon 2 Sissy Spacek 2 Meryl Streep 6 Kate Winslet 4 23 Total Names ``` This is coming along nicely. Thanks, all! ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/32 "2010-03-21T13:20:17Z")
Women: Kate Winslet Cate Blanchett Meryl Streep Judi Dench Helen Mirren Men: Robert Duvall Robert DeNiro Gene Hackman Al Pacino Kevin Spacey ---
**Author:** ![halfliquid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e57/32.png) [@halfliquid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/halfliquid)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/33 "2010-03-21T16:47:16Z")
Katharine Hepburn Jodie Foster Bette Davis Cate Blanchett Joan Crawford Charlton Heston George C. Scott Jack Nicholson Spencer Tracy Michael Caine ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/34 "2010-03-21T16:55:10Z")
Men: James Stewart Jack Lemmon Russell Crowe Daniel Day Lewis Philip Seymour Hoffman Gene Hackman Ian McKellan Ian McShane Brian Cox Robert DeNiro Jack Nicholson Harvey Keitel Patrick Stewart James Spader Women: Judi Dench Helen Mirren Meryl Streep Katherine Hepburn Kathy Bates Glenn Close And I’m sure I’m forgetting a shitload. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/35 "2010-03-21T17:04:21Z")
Daniel Day-Lewis Liam Neeson Robert DeNiro Sean Penn Gary Oldman Ralph Fiennes Tom Hanks Edward Norton Paul Newman Henry Fonda Kevin Spacey Morgan Freeman ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/36 "2010-03-21T17:10:27Z")
A couple more: Alec Baldwin and Johnny Depp (despite his involvement in the questionable _Pirates of the Caribbean_ series; he earns a place on this list for his work in _Ed Wood_ alone, so far as I’m concerned). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/37 "2010-03-21T17:19:58Z")
One name that is rarely mentioned in these type polls is _John Lithgow_. Not only has he played many different characters extremely well, he has very distinctive looks, unlike many of the other actors mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/38 "2010-03-21T17:29:11Z")
Summary time. As of Post #37: ```auto As of Post #37 Men: Alec Baldwin 1 Marlon Brando 2 Jeff Bridges 1 Steve Buscemi 1 Michael Caine 1 Brian Cox 1 Russell Crowe 2 Billy Crudup 1 Daniel Day-Lewis 4 Robert De Niro 7 Johnny Depp 2 Robert Duvall 4 Ralph Fiennes 1 Henry Fonda 2 Morgan Freeman 2 Paul Giamatti 1 Cary Grant 1 Alec Guinness 1 Gene Hackman 4 Tom Hanks 3 Charlton Heston 1 Dustin Hoffman 3 Philip Seymour Hoffman 1 Ian Holm 1 Harvey Keitel 1 Heath Ledger 2 Jack Lemmon 1 John Lithgow 1 Ian McKellen 2 Ian McShane 1 Toshiro Mifune 1 Robert Mitchum 1 Liam Neeson 1 Paul Newman 2 Jack Nicholson 3 Edward Norton 4 Gary Oldman 4 Laurence Olivier 1 Al Pacino 1 Sean Penn 3 Brad Pitt 2 Geoffrey Rush 1 Kurt Russell 1 Liev Schreiber 1 Gerorge C. Scott 1 Kevin Spacey 3 James Spader 1 Jimmy Stewart 3 Patrick Stewart 1 Spencer Tracy 2 John Wayne 1 51 Women: Kathy Bates 1 Cate Blanchett 4 Patricia Clarkson 1 Glenn Close 1 Joan Crawford 1 Bette Davis 1 Judy Davis 1 Judi Dench 5 Sally Field 2 Jane Fonda 1 Jodie Foster 2 Katharine Hepburn 4 Diane Keaton 1 Jessica Lange 2 Laura Linney 3 Frances McDormand 2 Helen Mirren 4 Julianne Moore 1 Joan Plowright 1 Vanessa Redgrave 1 Mercedes Ruehl 1 Susan Sarandon 2 Sissy Spacek 2 Meryl Streep 8 Elizabeth Taylor 1 Kate Winslet 5 Joanne Woodward 1 27 ``` ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/39 "2010-03-21T17:37:09Z")
Another actress: Edie Falco. Also, sign me up as endorsing Robert Duvall, Marlon Brando, and Laurence Olivier. And add John Gielgud to that list, if you please. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150/40 "2010-03-21T17:38:31Z")
Also: Nancy Marchand. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-actors-of-your-lifetime/533150.md?page=3)