# These days it feels like there are about thirteen working actors **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 31, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637 "2014-12-31T19:53:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/1 "2014-12-31T19:53:23Z")
Jennifer Lawrence Amy Adams Jeff Bridges Robert Downey Jr. Benedict Cumberbatch Chris Pine Matt Damon Josh Brolin Ryan Reynolds Jake Gylenhall Seth Rogan James Franco Bradley Cooper ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/2 "2014-12-31T20:25:47Z")
They certainly get around, don’t they? But not to worry - we still have: Tom Cruise Meryl Streep Jessica Chastain Martin Freeman Kevin Kline Steve Carrell Tina Fey Jamie Foxx Will Smith Keira Knightley Olivia Wilde Morgan Freeman Billy Bob Thornton Angelina Jolie Brad Pitt …and of course, Kevin Bacon! ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/3 "2014-12-31T20:27:57Z")
Had to Google Benedict Cumberbatch. Now it’s time for the avalanche of “what about so-and-so?” posts. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/4 "2014-12-31T20:36:25Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Had to Google Benedict Cumberbatch. Now it’s time for the avalanche of “what about so-and-so?” posts. Carrell definitely belongs on my first list. Between all the comedy work and Oscar bait drama As for Benedict, someone at work yesterday said the same thing. Smaug Khan Sherlock Holmes Will almost certainly get an Oscar nomination this year. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/5 "2014-12-31T21:08:12Z")
He’s also quite good and nominated for a Golden Globe as Alan Turing in _The Imitation Game_, now playing. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/6 "2014-12-31T21:33:14Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Jennifer Lawrence > Amy Adams > Jeff Bridges > Robert Downey Jr. > Benedict Cumberbatch > Chris Pine > Matt Damon > Josh Brolin > Ryan Reynolds > Jake Gylenhall > Seth Rogan > James Franco > Bradley Cooper That would have been a good line-up for the Dwarves in The Hobbit. They could always CGI Bilbo and Galdalf. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/7 "2014-12-31T21:36:40Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Had to Google Benedict Cumberbatch. I had to google seven from the OP’s list, plus five from EH’s addendum. Cumberbatch, however, was not one of them, as my sister-in-law is a big fan. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/8 "2014-12-31T22:27:19Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Will Smith Don’t you mean Jaden Smith? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/9 "2015-01-01T02:13:02Z")
And thank God that Michael Cera has fallen out of favour… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/10 "2015-01-01T02:59:22Z")
Scarlett Johanssen , Anne Hathaway, and Zoe Saldana also come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/11 "2015-01-01T03:43:08Z")
I was just wondering about this recently. Why is it that some actors get so many parts? Is it only their agents? There are plenty of great actors who have successful careers, yet don’t experience the same saturation. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/12 "2015-01-01T03:55:21Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Jennifer Lawrence > Amy Adams > Jeff Bridges > Robert Downey Jr. > Benedict Cumberbatch > Chris Pine > Matt Damon > Josh Brolin > Ryan Reynolds > Jake Gylenhall > Seth Rogan > James Franco > Bradley Cooper Gotta replace Ryan Reynolds with Chris Pratt. ---
**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:** [January 1, 2015, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/13 "2015-01-01T07:14:22Z")
Kevin Kline is one of the last actors I think about when I think of appearing in a ton of movies. And the list needs Samuel L. Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/14 "2015-01-01T08:06:28Z")
I thought of Cameron Diaz, who at one stage seemed to be in every Hollywood movie made. I looked her up and she is in 3 or 4 movies a year as are most of the people listed. It seems like more. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/15 "2015-01-01T09:12:34Z")
I was expecting Channing Tatum’s name to appear in somebody’s list. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/16 "2015-01-01T13:52:26Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Had to Google Benedict Cumberbatch. Now it’s time for the avalanche of “what about so-and-so?” posts. Of course, there are more movies and more TV being produced today than ever before. There are probably more “regularly working actors” today than at any point in history. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/17 "2015-01-01T15:27:21Z")
There always is a small group of actors in any period of film. Typically 8 to 12 stars and maybe a dozen character actors. I went through a period renting movies from the 30’s and 40’s. At first none of the character actor’s faces were familiar. I learned their names and faces very quickly. For example, Sydney Greenstreet was a great character actor and easy to spot. He’s in at least ten movies I’ve seen. I always assumed this was by design. The public prefers seeing familiar faces. They enjoy seeing John Wayne, Henry Fonda, and Jimmy Stewart over and over again. Today is no different. People are drawn to the theaters to see their favorite actors. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/18 "2015-01-01T16:35:37Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > There always is a small group of actors in any period of film. Typically 8 to 12 stars and maybe a dozen character actors. > > I went through a period renting movies from the 30’s and 40’s. At first none of the character actor’s faces were familiar. I learned their names and faces very quickly. For example, Sydney Greenstreet was a great character actor and easy to spot. He’s in at least ten movies I’ve seen. > > I always assumed this was by design. The public prefers seeing familiar faces. They enjoy seeing John Wayne, Henry Fonda, and Jimmy Stewart over and over again. > > Today is no different. People are drawn to the theaters to see their favorite actors. I was trying to think of what a list from 1970-1975 might look like. Definitively? Elliot Gould is really all I can think of. I could throw out other names, but they don’t have that sense of being in every damn film that, say, Jennifer Lawrence has. Maybe James Caan. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/19 "2015-01-01T17:01:12Z")
Paul Newman, Burt Reynolds, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Gene Hackman, Redford, Sally Field, Faye Dunnaway, Jane Fonda, Meryl Streep would be on my 70’s list. Character actors are harder to recall. Michael J. Pollard, Estelle Parsons are two I recall. But they didn’t appear in a bunch of films like the classic character actors. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/20 "2015-01-01T17:09:19Z")
Nicolas Cage. When I’m at the video rental store, my eyes automatically look away from any video with the words “Nicolas Cage” on the cover. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637.md?page=2)