One of my favorites!
Gil Hill was perfect as Axel Foley’s fed up boss Inspector Todd. The Beverly Hills Cop movies were his only acting roles. He was a retired Commander in the Detroit Police Department who once ran for mayor of Detroit.
Because the Deputy Chief chewed his ass out. You see he don’t have any bit of it left, don’t you? 
Two immediately came to mind. The first one, I was a little surprised he hadn’t been mentioned yet: Robin Williams. I remember him from Garp, and I loved him in Good Will Hunting.
The other one is Mark Wahlberg, who I really liked in The Departed.
Somehow, a few years ago, I happened to watch a clip of “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” from The Last Waltz. It’s sung by The Band’s drummer, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I recognized him from somewhere. It took me a while, but I finally figured out where I’d seen him, he was in my favorite movie. From a clean-cut Air Force officer in The Right Stuff to a scruffy, bearded musician, I’m surprised I recognized him at all.
He’s Levon Helm. Still probably more known as a musician than an actor, but he did have other movie roles, including Coal Miner’s Daughter. In The Right Stuff I think he shares all his scenes with Sam Shepard, who started as a playwright.
I was chatting with a friend of mine, and Russell came up. I looked him up online and discovered he’s buried in a small town that I visit fairly often. I had a few spare hours there once and found his grave in the town cemetery.
I read up on him a bit, and he sounds like an interesting guy; served on presidential comissions on employing disabled veterans.
I’m surprised no mention of John Cena (Peacemaker). Started as a wrestler similar to Dave Bautista and The Rock. He’s carved out a pretty good niche playing comically oversized characters.
I did forget him. Very funny in 
Blockers. I hope he teams up with Bautista someday.
He was the only good thing in Shooter IMHO. Everyone else in the film phones it in but not Helm.
Cena has turned out to be a much better actor than anticipated. He brought a level of pathos to Peacemaker that type of series usually doesn’t manage.
Are we still pretending that acting isn’t a requisite skill for a professional wrestler? Same for comedians.
Well, it is to be a good pro wrestler.
Once upon a time, competitive swimming was a ticket to Hollywood: Johnny Weissmuller, Buster Crabbe, Esther Williams…
As far as I know this was a one-shot deal, but I enjoyed director John Sayles’ performance as Ring Lardner in “Eight Men Out”.*
*notably, his singing “I’m Forever Blowing Ball Games” to the Black Sox on the train.
Similar to R Lee Ermey, Dale Dye is a former Marine who became a technical advisor and then appeared in like a million movies (usually as “Colonel” or “General” somebody).
Jason Statham was a diver-turned-male-model when Guy Ritchie kickstarted his acting career by casting him in Lock, Stock, and the Two Smoking Barrels.
How could I have forgotten him? I actually know him: his wife (and partner in his technical advisor company) is a friend of mine.
Phil Hartman was a graphic designer who had designed album covers for bands like Crosby, Stills & Nash and America. Feeling the need to find a social outlet, he joined the Groundlings comedy troop. There he met Paul Reubens and helped develop the Pee Wee Herman character. He got small parts in movies and became a voice actor in cartoons but then became famous for his stint on Saturday Night Live, where he earned the nickname “Glue” for being able to hold sketches together with his timing and character work. He followed up his work on SNL with more movie parts, voicework on The Simpsons, and the show NewsRadio.
RIP Phil Hartman. He was very funny and talented.
Several years ago, Peyton Manning hosted SNL and appeared in some skits. He was a natural.
I didn’t really like him in Guardians of the Galaxy but I thought Dave Bautista was fantastic in Knock at the Cabin.
He’s not a great actor, but also John Cena. I smile every time I see him in a movie.
And then he turns around and does comedy in The Other Guys.
The United Way bit is a masterpiece.