John Goodman?
Roddy McDowell
It’s kinda like your standard “look in the dictionary under ‘character actor’ and there’s his picture (Brennan).”
Can’t argue with the choice, but others who come to mind when you mention his name:
Pat Buttram
Arthur Hunnicutt
Smiley Burnette (westerns only)
Elisha Cook, Jr.
Noah Beery, Jr.
Harry Carey, Jr.
Edgar Buchanan
Chill Wills
In the female category:
Ellen Corby
Thelma Ritter
Verna Felton
Rosemarie
Rhea Perlman
I agree with you that it was he in that scene. Yep"This is about to end, as some of the old-timers (Harry Dean Stanton in an uncredited cameo among them) complain that THEY don’t get to sleep at the place."
I thought they mentioned uncredited parts on idmb??
Would Charles Durning/Brian Dennehy (is there any actual proof they are different people?) count, or are they too famous?
Given the new definitions, I withdraw the name of John Wayne and, for the female side, submit Alyson Hannigan.
On the female side, Grace Zabriskie (yes I had to look up her name!). The ice blue eyes and shock of white in her dark hair–very distinctive.
In my mind there’s not a mutual exclusion sort of thing going on. Dennehy has for sure had some starring roles, but he’s also done a number of roles from the “character actor” standpoint. Silverado springs to mind.
You’ll have to tell me about Durning’s exceptions. Must be things I haven’t seen. What he did in The Sting, for instance, is definitely what a “character actor” would be asked to do.
It was mostly a joke, since I honestly have trouble keeping track of which of them has done which. From various things I’ve read, I gather I’m not alone.
I don’t know that it’s possible to single out one “most successful” but he or she has to be in here somewhere.
As far as memorable continued roles by a character actory, James Gregory as Inspector Frank Luger, NYPD on Barney Miller has to be in there somewhere along with Don Knotts as Barney Fife.
For “most appearances”, I nominate William Schallert; his IMDB page has 297 entries under “actor”, many of them uncredited movie roles or TV guest appearances. Probably most remembered as the father on The Patty Duke Show.
I think the point of the OP is that this actor was so successful as a character actor in the 80s, that he snuck into Dave’s dreams playing the same type of character.
It’s hard to argue with Walter Brennan in movies or William Schallert on TV.
Some others who come to mind are Sydney Greenstreet, Harry Morgan and Keenan Wynne.
On the female side, I think immediately of Eve Arden (the wisecracking best friend) and Celeste Holm (the sincere best friend.)
It is probably way to soon to go elevating currently active performers to the level of “most successful character actor” but if we take a stab at who will likely get there in another 10 years or so, I’ll vote for
One actor who turned up in a surprising number of classic films (especially John Ford’s) is Ward Bond.
Also, add Eli Wallach to the list.
Bond appeared in more Best Picture nominees (14) than any other actor in history (though he never scored a nod himself): It’s a Wonderful Life, Gone with the Wind, The Maltese Falcon, It Happened One Night, The Grapes of Wrath, The Quiet Man, Mister Roberts, You Can’t Take It With You, Sergeant York, Dead End, The Informer, The Long Voyage Home, Lady for a Day, and Arrowsmith.
From the current generation, I’d nominate James Rebhorn.
What? I’m the first to think of Vincent Schiavelli? He was the subway ghost in Ghost! He married Latka & Simka! He was Jenny Calendar/Calderash’s uncle on Buffy! Heck, he was even in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. He was everywhere.
Would Lee Van Cleef count as a character actor?
101 and still going strong! He’s going to be in Jamestown, NY on Thursday for Lucille Ball’s birthday celebration.