# Which of today's actors are "class acts" or genuine nice guys? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 15, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475 "2009-01-15T19:12:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/101 "2009-01-18T11:46:06Z")
> [@Rachael\_Rage](#): > > Joseph Gordon-Levitt > > (slightly more so with Joe, he could be considered a friend of mine). I’ve read in several places that Gordon-Levitt considers himself an actor and not a star, is that the case? If so it would help explain what makes him a nice guy as I think people who want to be stars are probably the kind of people not to have that much humility to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/102 "2009-01-18T12:15:43Z")
> [@maggenpye](#): > > John Ritter, too. Seemed to be a genuinely decent guy. It isn’t firsthand, but I read that when he first met [Amy Yasbeck](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001865/mediaindex) during a script reading for _Problem Child_ (where they’d play husband and wife), he forced her to go eat a bagel with cream cheese because he thought she was too skinny. Now, I’m admittedly no expert, but that sounds like a pretty surefire way to win a girl’s heart. Since she went on to marry him a few years later, I might not be far off. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/103 "2009-01-18T13:09:04Z")
Last year, I was picked to join some coworkers in learning and preparing a song-and-dance routine for _The Singing Office_, a reality show that aired on TLC during the summer. My company was representing Mel B. The other team was representing Joey Fatone. We had a two-day “boot camp” in early April, and the first day Mel B. was there in the studio space with us. I presume that one of Joey Fatone’s teams was in the studio on the other side of the facility, because during our lunch break, he came over to chat us up. I happened to have brought Michaela’s cell phone with me, so they could get in touch with me in the event an emergency. I asked him if he’d be good enough to call Michaela and tell her “hi.” “Sure,” he said. “Get back to me after lunch.” I didn’t have any way of anticipating that I’d be able to break free from our work after lunch, but I agreed. Well, during the afternoon, Joey came into our studio, looking like he was trying to spy on our act. Mel made like she was indignant about this, but I took the opportunity to pull the phone out of my pocket, and hit the speed dial for home. I handed Joey the phone and said, “Here. Talk to my daughter. Her name is Michaela.” He left the room to complete the call, and thrilled the heck out of an eleven-year old girl in Anaheim. So, Joey gets my vote as a class act. Of course, I’m from 1999 on the SDMB, where, time was, you could get to be called a class act just for apologizing to someone in a thread. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/104 "2009-01-18T14:01:56Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > By all accounts, Alfred Yankovic is a wonderfully nice fella. My roomie Phlip knows him from the Pennsic war about 8 years ago, he liked to hang out by the fire and listen to people singing. She said he was seriously nice though he preferred not to have people point him out as he was on vacation and trying to relax. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/105 "2009-01-18T15:48:52Z")
He’s been mention before, but I’d like to point out that in the documentary “Browncoats” about the Firefly fandom there’s a segment devoted to cast and fans gushing about what a nice guy Nathan Fillion is. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/106 "2009-01-18T17:15:09Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > I’ve heard that too, which troubles me because I love his writing. I’ve heard that he refuses to give autographs, but instead carries around little printed business cards that say something like, “This card is proof that the bearer of this card has met Steve Martin,” which he gives to fans who approach him. Now, that does sound like a pretty cold brush-off, but at the same time, I see the humor in it. The cards say: “This is to certify that I have met Steve Martin and found him witty and charming.” I have heard, though I cannot confirm/cite that Martin began the process after being deluged with fans at one point in the 70s and signing so many autographs he developed some mild tendonitis and couldn’t play his banjo for a while. It also seems a smart way to deal with the whole “I don’t have a pen” problem or the “will you sign my shirt/my hat/my breasts” issue. Plus, a business card is the ultimate in portability. You can put your Steve Martin card in your wallet next to your ID and carry it forever. My class act nomination would be Andre Braugher, who played the very intense Detective Pembleton on _Homicide: Life on the Streets_. I met him (and his wife, Amy Brabson, who played his wife on H:LOTS and has been a guest attorney and judge on various Law & Orders through the years) when he was performing in a play locally. I gave him driving directions and drew a crude little map for him to get to a supermarket (the one in the neighborhood where he was staying and working is cruddy) and pointed out a couple of restaurants nearby that he and his wife might enjoy. Then I made fangirlish noises about H:LOTS he asked me if I was interested in seeing his play, and I got to tell him that I already had and make more fangirlish noises about _that_. We had a nice little conversation, and as he departed, he said “If you want to see the play again, I’ll tell the box office to hold two tickets for you for Saturday night.” I didn’t think that he meant it, but I called the box office and there were indeed two seats reserved under my name, compliments of Mr. Braugher, so I got to see the show again.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/107 "2009-01-18T17:54:55Z")
Someone I deployed with the last time is a sky marshall. He mentioned that he was on a flight with Jon Lovitz and he was charming, funny and witty. And this guy was by no means a fan. He also mentioned a couple of bad ones but I can’t remember them right now. Maybe Sarah Jessica Parker. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/108 "2009-01-18T18:46:11Z")
Hmm. Born Survivor/Man vs. Wild is not really acting, but just to look at the range of philanthropic causes Bear Grylls lists on his website, and also based on his seemingly good interaction with the camera crews who have to follow him on his godforsaken stunts, he seems like a good egg. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/109 "2009-01-18T19:19:14Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Someone I deployed with the last time is a sky marshall. He mentioned that he was on a flight with Jon Lovitz and he was charming, funny and witty. And this guy was by no means a fan. He also mentioned a couple of bad ones but I can’t remember them right now. Maybe Sarah Jessica Parker. Lovitz beat up Andy Dick. That’s a sign of a class act, I’d say. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/110 "2009-01-18T19:29:20Z")
My most notable and nice celebrity interaction came via Mac Davis, a popular countryesque singer/songwriter during the late sixties/early seventies. In 1971, I was working for Continental Airlines and on this particular day I was working as a baggage handler, shuttling luggage back and forth from the terminal to the airplane. I arrived back at the terminal to unload luggage from the plane and as I lifted the doors separating me from the passangers waiting for their bags, who should suddenly appear right next to me but a very happy-seeming and pleasant Mac Davis, who said he’d help me unload the bags because he knew his crew’s baggage and he could set them aside to go into the vehicles waiting to take him and his musicians to his hotel prior to a performance that night. I had seen him on _The Tonight Show_ a dozen times and knew instantly who he was but for some reason I just couldn’t think of his name, so I told him that and he very pleasantly and smilingly nodded and said “Yeah, I’m Mac Davis.” He then asked me, as we were working side by side and shoving luggage through the doors for the other passengers, if I was going to his concert that night. I told him that I’d heard it was sold out and I couldn’t get tickets. He offered to write me a note that would get me in, but I told him I had to get back to the plane with last minute bags, and he said that was cool; he’d wait till I got back. Unfortunately, a problem arose with the plane and like the rest of the crew I was stuck planeside until it got fixed, about 30 minutes or so. Davis kept a limousine and stationwagon full of musicians idling by the baggage area for twenty minutes waiting to give me that note before they finally had to leave. I didn’t get to see the concert that night but I’ve thought the world of him ever since. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/111 "2009-01-18T20:22:25Z")
Not an actor … even when he was acting he was definitely not an actor ;), but … Joe Namath. I was at a book signing he did a couple years ago. He was supposed to sign books from noon until 2 PM. He showed up 20 minutes early, stayed until the very last person in the line got her book signed at 3:10 PM. He shook hands with every single person, looked everyone in the eye, and exchanged a few words with everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/112 "2009-01-18T20:33:24Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Did I say that she was a bad person? She’s just not classy. “Good person” or “big heart” aren’t sufficient for “class act.” It implies someone who is not just “good at heart” but someone who, in both professional and personal life, doesn’t make things difficult for others and, at the very least (and, note that this is only an example), isn’t so out of control in their personal lives that they shit their beds (without having some sort of serious physical illness). It means someone who doesn’t embarrass himself or herself or the people around them. Someone who’s classy doesn’t indulge in anything to excess. Read the OP again, then read the initial post you responded to. When you do, you’ll no doubt notice 1) that the OP contained the words “…or a genuinely nice guy.” and 2) that HelloNinja never used the word class to describe Cho. After that, quit henpecking people to death with a bunch of hair-splitting. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/113 "2009-01-18T20:34:27Z")
How does Peter O’Toole rank among the class acts? Perhaps he is a bit of a drinker, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a good guy. He seemed to positively glow on the Daily Show. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/114 "2009-01-18T20:54:41Z")
William Daniels is not only a class guy, but one heck of a gentleman besides. Back when I was a technician his I used to service his wife’s car. He would always schedule the appointment for a day he was not shooting, so he could follow her down and take her home. He didn’t want his wife riding in a taxi or the shuttle. When they would come down to pick up the car, they often came into the shop to ask me some questions. Always very respectful, and nice. The only weird part was the voice he used for KITT is his natural speaking voice. When ever he started talking I would want to glance around to see if there was a black car parked behind me. Bonus, here is a [picture](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://neilbeynon.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/real-kitt-start-scene-754563.jpg&imgrefurl=http://neilbeynon.wordpress.com/2007/10/17/columbo-villian-of-the-week-2/&usg=__kokMnDjbvdiruZZ8L7QVBrG3cxg=&h=305&w=440&sz=21&hl=en&start=15&um=1&tbnid=Wl0WZxR6V5QO1M:&tbnh=88&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkitt%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN) of both Mr. Daniels and KITT ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/115 "2009-01-18T21:03:57Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > William Daniels is not only a class guy, but one heck of a gentleman besides. Back when I was a technician his I used to service his wife’s car. > He would always schedule the appointment for a day he was not shooting, so he could follow her down and take her home. He didn’t want his wife riding in a taxi or the shuttle. > When they would come down to pick up the car, they often came into the shop to ask me some questions. Always very respectful, and nice. > The only weird part was the voice he used for KITT is his natural speaking voice. When ever he started talking I would want to glance around to see if there was a black car parked behind me. > Bonus, here is a [picture](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://neilbeynon.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/real-kitt-start-scene-754563.jpg&imgrefurl=http://neilbeynon.wordpress.com/2007/10/17/columbo-villian-of-the-week-2/&usg=__kokMnDjbvdiruZZ8L7QVBrG3cxg=&h=305&w=440&sz=21&hl=en&start=15&um=1&tbnid=Wl0WZxR6V5QO1M:&tbnh=88&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkitt%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN) of both Mr. Daniels and KITT Roy Orbison regularly took his car to be serviced a friend’s cousin. He said Roy was a nice guy, and was a great tipper (these included taking the cousin for a high speed ride). ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/116 "2009-01-18T21:12:12Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Roy Orbison regularly took his car to be serviced a friend’s cousin. He said Roy was a nice guy, and was a great tipper (these included taking the cousin for a high speed ride). My misconception that Roy Orbison was blind flashed through my head for a moment and I thought, that must have been one exciting ride. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/117 "2009-01-18T21:19:58Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > William Daniels is not only a class guy, but one heck of a gentleman besides. Back when I was a technician his I used to service his wife’s car. > He would always schedule the appointment for a day he was not shooting, so he could follow her down and take her home. He didn’t want his wife riding in a taxi or the shuttle. > When they would come down to pick up the car, they often came into the shop to ask me some questions. Always very respectful, and nice. > The only weird part was the voice he used for KITT is his natural speaking voice. When ever he started talking I would want to glance around to see if there was a black car parked behind me. I’d have the irresistible urge to sing, “For god’s sake, John, sit down!” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/118 "2009-01-18T21:31:47Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > My misconception that Roy Orbison was blind flashed through my head for a moment and I thought, that must have been one exciting ride. :smack: I would think the [cling wrap](http://www.michaelkelly.fsnet.co.uk/karl.htm) would be the problem. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![VoluntaryPlan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/9fc29f/32.png) [@VoluntaryPlan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VoluntaryPlan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/119 "2009-01-18T21:32:52Z")
When I was interning at an Atlanta newspaper (not going to say which one, but it was very large), I had occasion to meet a number of national celebrities during my rotation in the entertainment pen. For about three months, I would meet with an actor or actress’ personal assistant and find clothes for the photo shoot, choose somewhere for the interview (which usually involved negotiation more than searching), and generally spend a few minutes with the celebrity themselves. The first time I was actually blown away by this, though, was when I went to meet with George Clooney’s personal assistant and found Mr. Clooney there himself. He explained that his assistant was feeling ill, so he gave her the day off, but didn’t want to cancel the appointment. He insisted on going with me to choose an outfit, ate lunch with me at Spellman’s Cafeteria (at the time I was attending Clark Atlanta, but I doubt they would have turned Clooney away regardless of whether one of us had a Student ID), and generally chit-chatted. I’ve e-mailed him a few times since then and he usually does respond back. By far, the classiest act I have ever met. In terms of least classy, I am going to say Zack Braff. I’ve never seen anyone so uninterested in anything that doesn’t involve themselves. When I was having lunch with his personal assistant, she called him to let him know that she was taking her lunch break and would return right after, and I could hear him yelling through the phone. She closed the phone, put money on the table and ran out. He was no less jerkish the following day, not talking to anyone but my boss, only giving one word answers (she was good enough to draw longer answers out of him eventually), and refusing to take off his sunglasses for the photo. When I stuck my hand out to shake his, as is customary when you meet someone, he wouldn’t take his hands out of his pockets and just sort of walked away with his assistant. It makes watching Scrubs difficult, but it helps that Donald Faison is nothing like his co-star and is in general a great guy. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/120 "2009-01-18T21:43:08Z")
[quote=“VoluntaryPlan, post:119, topic:481475”] In terms of least classy, I am going to say Zack Braff. I’ve never seen anyone so uninterested in anything that doesn’t involve themselves. QUOTE] Everytime someone brings him up, I keep reading it as Zaff Branagin (sp?), the cheesy Kirk like character from Futurama 🙂 Apparently there isnt much of a difference! BTW, which character does he play on scrubs? Give a character description because I dont know em by name! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475.md?page=7)