# Worst Acting by Actors Cast Through Nepotism **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871 "2005-06-19T02:51:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/21 "2005-06-19T04:41:48Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Sondra Locke. And I agree. > > I’d also add Kate “Mrs. Spielberg” Capshaw in _Temple of Doom_. Clint Eastwood also put his daughter, Allison Eastwood, into his movie adaptation of _Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil_. Not only was she completely untalented and horrible in the movie, Eastwood actually created a new character that wasn’t in the book just to give his daughter a part. Not only that but it was the worst kind of created part- a completely contrived love interest for the John Cusack character which totally detracted from the rest of the story and essentially stopped the movie dead for every scene she was in. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/22 "2005-06-19T04:55:11Z")
You have to see [Big Jake](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066831/), which has the Duke’s son Patrick AND Robert Mitchum’s son Chistopher. And they both SUCK. Especially Chris Mitchum. He delivers his lines as if he’s reading them for the first time in rehearsal. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/23 "2005-06-19T05:02:26Z")
I nominate Dom DeLuise’s family. I didn’t mind Dom himself appearing in a couple Stargate SG-1 episodes, but none of his kids have any acting ability, and I get sick of them constantly showing up in various sci-fi shows. What’s up with that anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/24 "2005-06-19T05:34:22Z")
On the other hand, if only Edwin Boothe had thrown John Wilkes a few more bones… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/25 "2005-06-19T05:45:37Z")
Steve Bochco and Barbara Bosson. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/26 "2005-06-19T06:20:53Z")
> [@The Sausage Creature](#): > > That was Alec Baldwi Ope. Well there you go, the conglomeration has already begun. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/27 "2005-06-19T06:48:50Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Can we include TV? Tori Spelling, daughter (or is it granddaughter) of Aaron. Now how did I know poor Tori was going to end up on this list? First off, she was no worse than anyone else while on the show and better than many (Ian Zeiring? Gabrielle Cartaris? please). Second, try watching some of her post-90210 work (especially _The House of Yes_ and _Trick_) and you’ll discover that, yes, Tori spelling actually can act. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/28 "2005-06-19T06:53:37Z")
Didn’t Liv Tyler start her career by appearing in one of her daddy’s music videos? ---
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Woodruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sarah\_Woodruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarah_Woodruff)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/29 "2005-06-19T07:08:17Z")
Angelica Huston - striking-looking woman, no charisma or acting talent, but getting cast opposite ex-boyfriend Jack Nicholson in a film directed by dad John Huston upped her chances of Oscar by about 1000%. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/30 "2005-06-19T08:25:09Z")
[url=http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0004739/]Lauralee Bell\*\* who played Cricket on **Young & the Restless** is the daughter of the recently deceased co-creator William J. Bell. I’ve seen corpses who showed more depth and emotional range. ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/31 "2005-06-19T11:36:21Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Sondra Locke. And I agree. > > I’d also add Kate “Mrs. Spielberg” Capshaw in _Temple of Doom_. Small nitpick about Sondra Locke. While I _fully_ agree that most of her Clint Eastwood movie personas were annoying as all hell (the exception being Antoinette Lilly in “Bronco Billy” - where she was _supposed_ to be objectionable), Ms. Lock was an Academy Award-nominated actress for “The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter” way before she ever met Eastwood. VCNJ~ ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/32 "2005-06-19T11:41:17Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > [**Rebecca Pidgeon**](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0682071/) has gotten several roles by virtue of being David Mamet’s wife. She is a transcendently bad actor, at least as bad as Sofia Coppola, and arguably the worst actor to ever get a substantial number of significant Hollywood parts. At least she’s loyal and true and not too bad to look at. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/33 "2005-06-19T12:44:51Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > You have to see [Big Jake](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066831/), which has the Duke’s son Patrick AND Robert Mitchum’s son Chistopher. > > And they both SUCK. Especially Chris Mitchum. He delivers his lines as if he’s reading them for the first time in rehearsal. Robert Mitchum gave his son Jim a role in **Thunder Road** that probably would have been the main flaw with the movie if it hadn’t have been for all the hokey “effects.” This was one of my favorite movies from when I saw it in the late 50’s until I saw **Bullitt** in the late 60’s and saw what a car chase was supposed to be like. Come to think of it, has Jim Mitchum done anything with any quality? I never saw the thing with Dennis Hopper that they did in the Central American jungle: something like **The Last Movie** maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/34 "2005-06-19T12:50:30Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > [**Rebecca Pidgeon**](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0682071/) has gotten several roles by virtue of being David Mamet’s wife. She is a transcendently bad actor, at least as bad as Sofia Coppola, and arguably the worst actor to ever get a substantial number of significant Hollywood parts. Oddly enough, Ricky Jay has done quite a few of Mamet’s movies! Another Mamet wife, Lindsey Crouse, was in **House of Games** with Joe Mantegna (and others) and I had to see that movie the second time before I realized the wooden acting was deliberate and a part of the overall scam (more like **The Sting** ) of it. I’ve seen Ms. Crouse in other roles where she’s been excellent, but I though her weak in HOG. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/35 "2005-06-19T13:02:25Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > Didn’t Liv Tyler start her career by appearing in one of her daddy’s music videos? Liv Tyler started her career in modeling, she won a modeling contest for the teen magazine, Seventeen. Then she was in her father’s band video. ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/36 "2005-06-19T15:04:47Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Now how did I know poor Tori was going to end up on this list? First off, she was no worse than anyone else while on the show and better than many (Ian Zeiring? Gabrielle Cartaris? please). Second, try watching some of her post-90210 work (especially _The House of Yes_ and _Trick_) and you’ll discover that, yes, Tori spelling actually can act. Yeah, she was amazing in “Mother May I Sleep With Danger” and the movie where she was the college coed turned prostitute. :rolleyes: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=6277671#](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=6277671#) ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/37 "2005-06-19T15:45:36Z")
I don’t believe anyone has corrected the following mistake: Sondra Locke was not Eastwood’s wife. She was his girlfriend. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/38 "2005-06-19T17:31:26Z")
As a candidate for the Sofia Coppola Blatant Nepotism Award, I’d like to stay in the family and nominate **Nicolas Cage** , who was, IMHO, totally miscast by his uncle Francis in _Peggy Sue Got Married_. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/39 "2005-06-19T17:47:39Z")
Once saw an episode of M_A_S\*H that featured Alan’s dad, Robert Alda, indeed a talented actor, better than Alan, really, and Alan’s younger brother (I think his name was Antony or Anthony). Robert and Alan’s characters were arguing (Robert played a senior doctor, iirc) and young Alda, playing an MP or something, yelled at them, gave them a speech about how they needed to forget their differences and save the patient. His reading of his few lines was the worst I’ve seen on episodic television (well, not counting Johnny Bench on a few 70s sitcoms, who doesn’t fit the criteria for this thread). I disagree with the assessment of the younger Carradines. Keith is a fine fine character actor. Robert is so-so. Sir Rhosis ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871/40 "2005-06-19T18:11:43Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > **Sofia Coppola** is clearly the queen of this category for her ruination of every scene in which she dazedly appeared in _Godfather 3_, but the idea for the thread came while watching the John Wayne movie **McLintock** , one of several to co-star his cute but absolutely-completely-devoid-of-anything-resembling-acting-ability son [Patrick](http://imdb.com/name/nm0915618/). (Wayne wasn’t known for his great range as an actor, but compared to his kid he was freakin’ Olivier.) > > What are some other examples of celebrity relatives who couldn’t act but got cast alongside Mom/Dad/whoever anyway? \*\*McLintock! \*\* was directed by Andrew McLagen, Victor McLagen’s son. They were clearly trying to recreate some of the John Ford magic of **The Quiet Man** , a wonderful movie starring John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara at her most breathtaking, and Victor McLaglen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-by-actors-cast-through-nepotism/308871.md?page=3)