# Which actors have played more than one GREAT villain. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 4, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592 "2005-08-04T17:39:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Indyellen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/indyellen/32/4176_2.png) [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/21 "2005-08-04T20:03:12Z")
I’d like to add [Michael Wincott](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000699/) to the list - particularly for his turn at Guy of Gisborne in _Prince of Theves_ and as Rochefort (“Isn’t that a smelly kind of cheese?”) in _Three Musketeers_. And speaking of _Robin Hood_ (among others), we cannot forget the incomparable [Basil Rathbone](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001651/). Although, to be fair, I’d have to say he’s played equally as many good guys. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/22 "2005-08-04T20:04:31Z")
Orson Welles in _The Third Man_, _The Stranger_ and _Touch of Evil_. He wasn’t exactly a nice guy in _Citizen Kane_, either. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/23 "2005-08-04T20:18:26Z")
> [@Indyellen](#): > > I’d like to add [Michael Wincott](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000699/) to the list - particularly for his turn at Guy of Gisborne in _Prince of Theves_ and as Rochefort (“Isn’t that a smelly kind of cheese?”) in _Three Musketeers_. He was also quite good in the otherwise forgettable **Along Came A Spider**. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/24 "2005-08-04T20:21:54Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > I know of 1 great villian: Misery (1990) … Annie Wilkes > who was the other: In Dolores Claiborne I thought she was the hero? > I probably haven’t seen the one you’re refering to. > > :smack: How could I miss Gary Oldman Actually, I was thinking of Dolores Claiborne. To me, she had the same morality role as Billy Bob Thornton in Sling Blade — basically a sympathetic villain. But even if you exclude that one, she was a pretty bad bitch in The Late Shift, and in Annie, as Miss Agatha Hannigan, running the orphanage. Speaking of Misery, that one caused the American Film Insititute to rank her as the number 17 villain of the past 100 years. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/25 "2005-08-04T20:23:58Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > Gary Oldman has too many to remember, but a couple of favorites are in The \*5th Element \* and _The Professional_, with a decent job of being Dr. Smith. I’m gonna try to list most of his villainous roles: Sid Vicious in _Sid & Nancy_. After all, he DID kill her. Lee Harvey Oswald in _JFK_. Dracula in _Bram Stoker’s Dracula_. Drexl Spivey in _True Romance_. Stansfield in _The Professional_. Milton Glenn in _Murder In the First_. Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg in _The 5th Element_. Ivan Korshunov in _Air Force One_. Doctor Zachary Smith in _Lost In Space_. Pontius Pilate in _Jesus_. Rep. Shelly Runyon in _The Contender_. Quite a list. Does he hold the record for playing the most “real” people? Sid, Oswald, Beethoven, Pilate…? ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/26 "2005-08-04T20:51:48Z")
Brian Cox was Tim Roth’s slimy henchman in _Rob Roy_. He just about stole the movie _Troy_ as Agamemnon. And he was Stryker in _X-2_. As a side note, he was the first actor to play Hannibal “the Cannibal” – in Michael Mann’s mostly forgettable adaptation of _Red Dragon_, entitled _Manhunter_. And then, of course, there’s Tim Roth himself, who was so utterly detestable from his first smirk in _Rob Roy_. He also proved himself quite the nasty in _Pulp Fiction_, _The Musketeer_, and _Planet of the Apes_. ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/27 "2005-08-04T20:56:06Z")
I see Gary Oldman and Alan Rickman have already been mentioned, so I’ll throw in David Bowie - he was great as a villain in **Labirynth** , and he did a pretty good job as Pilate in the **Last temptation of Christ**. ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/28 "2005-08-04T21:05:01Z")
Dennis Hopper has already been mentioned, but only in passing … so I’ll say … **Dennis Hopper!** Frank Booth from _Blue Velvet_ was terrifying and Dennis’ bold take on King Koopa from \*Super Mario Bros.\*forever changed the way we look at people with pokey shit growing out of their heads. (My first two choices were David Warner and Malcolm McDowell, but I see both of them were taken … _in the same freaking post!!!_ Damn you **Robot Arm**!!!) ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/29 "2005-08-04T21:14:47Z")
Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty in _Blade Runner_ and as John Ruder in _The Hitcher_ Laurence Olivier as Dr. Christian ‘The White Angel’ Szell in _Marathon Man_ and as Andrew Wyke in _Sleuth_ ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/30 "2005-08-04T21:17:01Z")
> [@Snowboarder Bo](#): > > Ben Kingsley was truly detestable and scary as a Brit mob thug in [Sexy Beast](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203119/). > > And of course, there was [his earlier turn at evil](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083987/), which was unforgettably chilling. > > :rolleyes: :eek: I do hope you’re kidding. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/31 "2005-08-04T21:21:24Z")
John Malkovich. Wonderful as Valmont in _Dangerous Liaisons_, chilling and brilliant as Mitch Leary in _In the Line of Fire_, and also has played baddies in _Rounders_, _Con Air_, and undoubtedly other movies I’m forgetting. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/32 "2005-08-04T21:26:36Z")
Willem Dafoe, as the Green Goblin in the Spiderman movies and Max Schreck in “Shadow of the Vampire”. ---
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/33 "2005-08-04T21:34:03Z")
Since he’s fresh in my mind from other threads, Harvey Korman as Count De Monet in **History of the World Part 1** , and Heddy…err Hedley Lamar from **Blazing Saddles**. Also one my favorite villainous actors _Gene Hackman_. **Unforgiven Runaway Jury Absolute Power Extreme Measures Superman Antz The Quick and the Dead** Probably a few more that I can’t remember. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/34 "2005-08-04T21:45:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty in Blade Runner and as John Ruder in The Hitcher And the bad guy from **Nighthawks** that hijacks the Ski Gondola. > [@](#): > > Laurence Olivier as Dr. Christian ‘The White Angel’ Szell in Marathon Man and as Andrew Wyke in Sleuth Good one! Also Moriarty in **The Seven Percent Solution** , and IMO his best turn as the baddie - Marcus Crassus in **Spartacus** More: Tim Curry. Dr. Frank N Further in **Rocky Horror** , the Dark Lord in **Legend** , and the evil voice of too many cartoons to even list. Robert Shaw. Assassin in **From Russia With Love** , gangster baddie that got conned in **The Sting** , lead henchman in **The Taking of Pellham 1,2,3** , the bad guy from **The Deep**. Julian Glover. Kristatos in **For Your Eyes Only** , Walter Donovan in **Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade**. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/35 "2005-08-04T21:54:26Z")
Michael Caine as Dr Robert Elliot in _Dressed to Kill_ and as Mortwell in _Mona Lisa_ ---
**Author:** ![lhovis73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecd19e/32.png) [@lhovis73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lhovis73)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/36 "2005-08-04T21:55:11Z")
Terence Stamp has played at least two (very different) great villains: – the creepy young man who kidnaps women in The Collector – General Zod in Superman 2 (I’m sure he’s done other good stuff, but these stick out in my mind…) Interesting, how many of our favorite villains are English… ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/37 "2005-08-04T21:57:06Z")
Rutger Hauer also played the villian opposite Rambo and Lando Calrissian in _Nighthawks_. Christopher Walken also played the villianous angel Gabriel in _The Prophecy_ and _The Prophecy 2_. In the last Prophecy movie (either 3 or 4), Gabriel was redeemed as was the hero. One was OK, and was notable for featuring Viggo Mortensen as Satan. If you missed the others, do not rush to Blockbuster or Netflix to find them. As for GREAT villians, I’ll nominate [Jack Elam](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001181/). A long career as a bad guy in B westerns. Plus, he made the turn to comedy quite nicely. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/38 "2005-08-04T21:58:07Z")
> [@Rufus Xavier](#): > > John Malkovich. > > Wonderful as Valmont in _Dangerous Liaisons_, > chilling and brilliant as Mitch Leary in _In the Line of Fire_, and > also has played baddies in _Rounders_, _Con Air_, and undoubtedly other movies I’m forgetting. Like that movie where he was a jewel thief? ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/39 "2005-08-04T22:01:24Z")
> [@Rufus Xavier](#): > > John Malkovich. > > Wonderful as Valmont in _Dangerous Liaisons_, > chilling and brilliant as Mitch Leary in _In the Line of Fire_, and > also has played baddies in _Rounders_, _Con Air_, and undoubtedly other movies I’m forgetting. _Being John Malkovitch_? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592/40 "2005-08-04T22:04:48Z")
Robert Shaw was one of the good guys in _The Deep_–Lou Gossett was the bad guy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-actors-have-played-more-than-one-great-villain/315592.md?page=3)