I don’t think there’s anybody. If they don’t do some cheap schlock film early on they’re all tempted do a movie for fun later on. And even the best movies in concept can fall apart in the end.
It really shouldn’t count but his very first film appearance was in a comedy short called Art Trouble where he was uncredited and Shemp Howard was one of the stars. I’m sure he was in other far less than stellar movies later on.
I saw Men in Tights so many times before I saw Prince of Thieves that the latter felt like a parody of the former.
Robert Donat
Louis Jouvet
Vivien Leigh and Valerie Hobson (after establishing themselves around the mid-'30s)
Paul Newman found himself in The Silver Chalice early on, and vowed to be more discriminating.
I’ve only seen a part of his output, and he was very prolific, but I think Edmund Gwenn had an instinct for good movies. Several Hitchcock films, plus things like Miracle on 34th Street, Them!, Mr. 880, Life with Father, and much else.
Cary Grant made a bunch of classics- both comedies and dramas – with very few clunker.
Legend has it he tried to track down and destroy every print but then VHS and DVD came along. Anyway, it was his Hollywood debut to give the guy a break.
i nominate Stephen Root. Everything I’ve seen him in has been interesting.
You obviously never saw Bloodline. It was a bad movie which paid some well-respected actors (like Hepburn) to appear in it to sell some tickets.
First actor to come to mind.
Good one. He plays great villains, but an even better Milton Waddams 
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I’m gonna go with Tom Waits.
Yeah. Both had a few “meh” films early on, but mostly, if you see “Starring Tom Hanks” (Or Jimmy Stewart) you were in for some at least decent entertainment.
To be honest Hanks first staring role was a stinkeroo- Mazes and Monsters.
Sure, but you’d be pretty much alone.
Forrest Gump won Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Hanks had won the previous year for Philadelphia ), Best Director, Best Visual Effects, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing at the 67th Academy Awards. The film was nominated for seven Golden Globe Awards, winning three of them: Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, Best Director – Motion Picture, and Best Motion Picture – Drama. The film was also nominated for six Saturn Awards and won two for Best Fantasy Film and Best Supporting Actor (Film).
In addition to the film’s multiple awards and nominations, it has also been recognized by the American Film Institute on several of its lists. The film ranks 37th on 100 Years…100 Cheers , 71st on 100 Years…100 Movies , and 76th on 100 Years…100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) . In addition, the quote “Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get,” was ranked 40th on 100 Years…100 Movie Quotes .[81] The film also ranked at number 61 on Empire 's list of the 100 Greatest Movies of All Time.[82]
Many great actors had a stumble or two right out of the gate.
I’m not a real “Movie Guy”, but this dude is serious good act-a-part-guy. So good, in fact, you almost don’t even recognize him from movie to movie. He just creates the character. Tom Hanks is Always Tom Hanks playing somebody else.
I never said my tastes were typical 
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I’m someone who ranks Terry Kiser highly based on Weekend at Bernie’s, Weekend at Bernie’s II, and Friday the 13th Part VII, as well as Kane Hodder for his work on the aforementioned Friday the 13th Part VII (and VIII and X) and the Hatchet movies, so my opinion on movies should be taken with a large grain of salt 
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Pauly Shore Charlie Chaplin didn’t make many clunkers.
Does he get a pass for that since it was made for TV…so not a “real” “movie?”
How about James Garner? A few great movies, come kinda forgettable, but I don’t know of any truly bad movies in his career.
Humphrey Bogart
Meryl Streep? Has she done a crappy movie?