# Your Top Ten Favorite Character Actors **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410 "2013-02-05T18:58:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/1 "2013-02-05T18:58:02Z")
This is Step Two on the way to a poll (or more) to decide the SDMB favorites. Refer to [Your Favorite Character Actors (pre-poll data gathering)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=681313) for some possibilities from which to make your own Top Ten list. Your list can be totally new and separate from those listed in the other thread. It’s just a memory jogger, if you like. The names in this thread will be used for a poll (or more) later. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/2 "2013-02-05T20:43:00Z")
It was fairly easy (okay, tough!) to get down to 25. But I had to make some hard choices to get to these 10: Harry Dean Stanton David Strathairn Walton Goggins Stephen Root Michael K. Williams Strother Martin Garret Dillahunt Chris Cooper Ben Johnson Frances McDormand I’m just hoping some of my Top 25 wind up on some of your lists. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/3 "2013-02-06T01:54:56Z")
Lee J. Cobb Chris Cooper Garret Dillahunt Ciarán Hinds Frances McDormand Claude Rains David Strathairn Mark Strong Jack Warden Tom Wilkinson ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/4 "2013-02-06T04:53:00Z")
Dick Miller JT Walsh Trey Wilson Elisha Cook Jr Ned Sparks Una Merkel Fred Clark Jonathan Haze Harry Dean Stanton William Smith UT~ ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/5 "2013-02-06T14:17:39Z")
Ah, this was hard. Clancy Brown Chris Cooper Laird Creggar William Fichtner John Hawkes Ciarán Hinds Jason Isaacs (can’t believe I forgot this guy in the last thread) Robert Knepper Frances McDormand David Strathairn Honorary mention: Jonathan Pryce ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/6 "2013-02-06T15:52:54Z")
Thanks for the entries. We have 32 unique names so far. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/7 "2013-02-06T16:13:49Z")
Ward Bond Steve Buscemi Richard Farnsworth Billy Green Bush Bo Hopkins Richard Jaeckel Ben Johnson Giovanni Ribisi Harry Dean Stanton David Strathairn Yeah, getting to 25 was doable, but 15 was tough and cutting #11, Eli Wallach was brutal. I found myself having to choose between like actors; Buscemi and Roth, Bond and McLaglen, Jaeckel and Ray, etc. Some favorite actors mentioned, like Gene Hackman, I’d really put in a different category. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/8 "2013-02-06T16:39:32Z")
The list of unique names, along with their IMDb pages, will be updated periodically and reposted. This ought to assist anybody having trouble making up a Top Ten list. It is indeed a difficult chore! 🙂 Through \*\*lieu \*\*'s list: Ward Bond [Ward Bond - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000955/?ref_=sr_1) Clancy Brown [Clancy Brown - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000317/?ref_=sr_1) Steve Buscemi [Steve Buscemi - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000114/?ref_=sr_1) Fred Clark [Fred Clark - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0163939/?ref_=sr_2) Lee J. Cobb [Lee J. Cobb - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002011/?ref_=sr_1) Elisha Cook Jr [Elisha Cook Jr. - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0176879/?ref_=sr_2) Chris Cooper (3) [Chris Cooper - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177933/?ref_=sr_2) Laird Creggar [Laird Cregar - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0187284/?ref_=sr_1) Garret Dillahunt (2) [Garret Dillahunt - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0226813/?ref_=sr_2) Richard Farnsworth [Richard Farnsworth - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002070/?ref_=sr_1) William Fichtner [William Fichtner - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001209/?ref_=sr_2) Walton Goggins [Walton Goggins - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0324658/?ref_=sr_1) Billy Green Bush [Billy Green Bush - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124100/?ref_=sr_1) John Hawkes [John Hawkes - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0370035/?ref_=sr_1) Jonathan Haze [Jonathan Haze - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0371918/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2) Ciarán Hinds (2) [Ciarán Hinds - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001354/?ref_=sr_1) Bo Hopkins [Bo Hopkins - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005019/?ref_=sr_1) Jason Isaacs [Jason Isaacs - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005042/?ref_=sr_1) Richard Jaeckel [Richard Jaeckel - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001395/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Ben Johnson (2) [Ben Johnson - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0424565/?ref_=sr_1) Robert Knepper [Robert Knepper - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0460694/?ref_=sr_1) Strother Martin [Strother Martin - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001510/?ref_=sr_1) Frances McDormand (3) [Frances McDormand - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000531/?ref_=sr_2) Una Merkel [Una Merkel - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0580916/?ref_=sr_1) Dick Miller [Dick Miller - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0588241/?ref_=sr_1) Jonathan Pryce [Jonathan Pryce - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000596/?ref_=sr_1) Claude Rains [Claude Rains - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001647/?ref_=sr_1) Giovanni Ribisi [Giovanni Ribisi - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000610/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Stephen Root [Stephen Root - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0740535/?ref_=sr_1) William Smith [William Smith - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810342/?ref_=sr_1) Ned Sparks [Ned Sparks - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0817021/?ref_=sr_1) Harry Dean Stanton (3) [Harry Dean Stanton - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001765/?ref_=sr_1) David Strathairn (4) [David Strathairn - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000657/?ref_=sr_1) Mark Strong [Mark Strong - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835016/?ref_=sr_1) JT Walsh [J.T. Walsh - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000687/?ref_=sr_1) Jack Warden [Jack Warden - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0912001/?ref_=sr_1) Tom Wilkinson [Tom Wilkinson - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0929489/?ref_=sr_1) Michael K. Williams [Michael Kenneth Williams - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0931324/?ref_=sr_2) Trey Wilson [Trey Wilson - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934254/?ref_=sr_4) ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/9 "2013-02-06T17:04:10Z")
Well, that was more difficult than I thought it would be. 15 or 20, no problem, but narrowing it down to 10 was tough. Anyway, here’s my list: Ward Bond Walter Brennan Chris Cooper Jack Elam George Kennedy Strother Martin Tim Roth Harry Dean Stanton Lee Van Cleef J T Walsh ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/10 "2013-02-06T17:42:53Z")
Just a bit of trivia: if we were to stop right now and use this thread’s responses as a guide to the ultimate poll, these actors who have received multiple mentions would be who we would have to choose from: Ward Bond (2) [Ward Bond - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000955/?ref_=sr_1) Chris Cooper (4) [Chris Cooper - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177933/?ref_=sr_2) Garret Dillahunt (2) [Garret Dillahunt - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0226813/?ref_=sr_2) Ciarán Hinds (2) [Ciarán Hinds - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001354/?ref_=sr_1) Ben Johnson (2) [Ben Johnson - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0424565/?ref_=sr_1) Strother Martin (2) [Strother Martin - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001510/?ref_=sr_1) Frances McDormand (3) [Frances McDormand - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000531/?ref_=sr_2) Harry Dean Stanton (4) [Harry Dean Stanton - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001765/?ref_=sr_1) David Strathairn (4) [David Strathairn - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000657/?ref_=sr_1) JT Walsh (2) [J.T. Walsh - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000687/?ref_=sr_1) The latest count of unique names is 44, and I’d like to hear from you about how the poll(s) should be created. I don’t think a March Madness approach (like the one in **Little Nemo** ’s “Top Song of the 70s” elimination) would work here, but I’m not sure what else would. Is “SDMB’s Favorite Character Actor” even what we want to find? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/11 "2013-02-06T21:25:06Z")
Any list of character actors which omits Abraham Benrubi isn’t worth the pixels! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/12 "2013-02-06T21:29:11Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Any list of character actors which omits Abraham Benrubi isn’t worth the pixels! Very well. I’ll add [him](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0072344/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) to the list. Got 9 others? ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/13 "2013-02-06T21:46:28Z")
I’m going to make my list all female to balance things out a bit: Margaret Hamilton Dawn French Jennifer Saunders Jean Marsh Elsa Lanchester Hermione Gingold Penelope Wilton Carol Kane Emma Chambers Maggie Steed Heavy on the British actresses, but you just don’t see as many American character actresses in large, juicy roles. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/14 "2013-02-06T21:58:53Z")
Henry Stephenson Alan Hale Sr Cloris Leachman Bruce Gordon Dwight Frye Emil Sitka Una O’Connor the three Hanson brothers from “Slapshot” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/15 "2013-02-06T22:06:05Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > the three Hanson brothers from “Slapshot” Would they be: Jeff Carlson … Jeff Hanson Steve Carlson … Steve Hanson David Hanson … Jack Hanson ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/16 "2013-02-06T22:23:17Z")
Graham Greene Billie Whitelaw Sheila Tousey Steve Railsback Peter Coyote ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/17 "2013-02-06T22:41:17Z")
Please check the links to IMDb on the latest batch to be sure I have gotten the actor you meant. I don’t know some of them by name and some pages have no pictures to go by. Thanks Abraham Benrubi [Abraham Benrubi - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0072344/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Ward Bond (2) [Ward Bond - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000955/?ref_=sr_1) Walter Brennan [Walter Brennan - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000974/?ref_=sr_1) Clancy Brown [Clancy Brown - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000317/?ref_=sr_1) Steve Buscemi [Steve Buscemi - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000114/?ref_=sr_1) Emma Chambers [Emma Chambers - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0150324/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Fred Clark [Fred Clark - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0163939/?ref_=sr_2) Lee J. Cobb [Lee J. Cobb - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002011/?ref_=sr_1) Elisha Cook Jr [Elisha Cook Jr. - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0176879/?ref_=sr_2) Chris Cooper (4) [Chris Cooper - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177933/?ref_=sr_2) Peter Coyote [Peter Coyote - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001075/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Laird Creggar [Laird Cregar - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0187284/?ref_=sr_1) Garret Dillahunt (2) [Garret Dillahunt - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0226813/?ref_=sr_2) Jack Elam [Jack Elam - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001181/?ref_=sr_1) Richard Farnsworth [Richard Farnsworth - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002070/?ref_=sr_1) William Fichtner [William Fichtner - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001209/?ref_=sr_2) Dawn French [Dawn French - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0294067/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Dwight Frye [Dwight Frye - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0296859/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Hermione Gingold [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0320006/?ref\_=fn\_al\_nm\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0320006/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Walton Goggins [Walton Goggins - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0324658/?ref_=sr_1) Bruce Gordon [Bruce Gordon - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0330050/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Billy Green Bush [Billy Green Bush - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124100/?ref_=sr_1) Graham Greene [Graham Greene - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001295/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Alan Hale Sr [Alan Hale - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002118/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Margaret Hamilton [Margaret Hamilton - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002121/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) John Hawkes [John Hawkes - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0370035/?ref_=sr_1) Jonathan Haze [Jonathan Haze - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0371918/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2) Ciarán Hinds (2) [Ciarán Hinds - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001354/?ref_=sr_1) Bo Hopkins [Bo Hopkins - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005019/?ref_=sr_1) Jason Isaacs [Jason Isaacs - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005042/?ref_=sr_1) Richard Jaeckel [Richard Jaeckel - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001395/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Ben Johnson (2) [Ben Johnson - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0424565/?ref_=sr_1) Carol Kane [Carol Kane - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001406/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) George Kennedy [George Kennedy - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001421/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Robert Knepper [Robert Knepper - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0460694/?ref_=sr_1) Elsa Lanchester [Elsa Lanchester - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006471/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Cloris Leachman [Cloris Leachman - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001458/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Jean Marsh [Jean Marsh - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0550577/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Strother Martin (2) [Strother Martin - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001510/?ref_=sr_1) Frances McDormand (3) [Frances McDormand - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000531/?ref_=sr_2) Una Merkel [Una Merkel - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0580916/?ref_=sr_1) Dick Miller [Dick Miller - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0588241/?ref_=sr_1) Una O’Connor [Una O'Connor - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0640547/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Jonathan Pryce [Jonathan Pryce - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000596/?ref_=sr_1) Steve Railsback [Steve Railsback - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0706883/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Claude Rains [Claude Rains - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001647/?ref_=sr_1) Giovanni Ribisi [Giovanni Ribisi - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000610/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Stephen Root [Stephen Root - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0740535/?ref_=sr_1) Tim Roth [Tim Roth - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000619/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Jennifer Saunders [Jennifer Saunders - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0766837/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Emil Sitka [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0803238/?ref\_=fn\_al\_nm\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0803238/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) William Smith [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810342/?ref\_=sr\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810342/?ref_=sr_1) Ned Sparks [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0817021/?ref\_=sr\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0817021/?ref_=sr_1) Harry Dean Stanton (4) [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001765/?ref\_=sr\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001765/?ref_=sr_1) Maggie Steed [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0824353/?ref\_=fn\_al\_nm\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0824353/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Henry Stephenson [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0827261/?ref\_=fn\_al\_nm\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0827261/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) David Strathairn (4) [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000657/?ref\_=sr\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000657/?ref_=sr_1) Mark Strong [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835016/?ref\_=sr\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835016/?ref_=sr_1) Sheila Tousey [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0869721/?ref\_=fn\_al\_nm\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0869721/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Lee Van Cleef [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001812/?ref\_=fn\_al\_nm\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001812/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) JT Walsh (2) [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000687/?ref\_=sr\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000687/?ref_=sr_1) Jack Warden [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0912001/?ref\_=sr\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0912001/?ref_=sr_1) Billie Whitelaw [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0925794/?ref\_=fn\_al\_nm\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0925794/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) Tom Wilkinson [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0929489/?ref\_=sr\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0929489/?ref_=sr_1) Michael K. Williams [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0931324/?ref\_=sr\_2](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0931324/?ref_=sr_2) Trey Wilson [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934254/?ref\_=sr\_4](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934254/?ref_=sr_4) Penelope Wilton [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934362/?ref\_=fn\_al\_nm\_1](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934362/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/18 "2013-02-06T23:13:29Z")
Slim Pickins Chill Wills Michl Asher Walter Brennen Peter Lorie Sidney Greenstreet Jay Silverheels Alan Hale Sr. Butterfly McQueen Margaret Dumont (d)? Lionel Barrymore Ben Johnson Richard Jackel Zazu Pitts Jack Elam Woody Strobe Key Luke “Big Boy” Williams Margaret Hamilton ??? Stone (the one who played Andy Hardy’s dad) Sorry I got carried away. I figured 20 is better than none and I just kept having more and more pop in my head. I know I slaughter some names. Also (for justification of putting too many) I felt some of mine may not have fallen into the “character actor” status. Some like Barrymore, Lorie and Brennen were stars in their own rights. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/19 "2013-02-06T23:20:18Z")
Not to worry about “too many” **TV time** and the thing about “character actor” versus “star” is whatever you want it to be. Since this thread is about picking names for a poll where voters will determine the SDMB choice(s) if a name gets votes it’s okay by me. If not, no harm done. If I can, I will fix the spelling, too. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410/20 "2013-02-06T23:22:07Z")
Slim Pickens! How could I forget Slim Pickens?!? I want to add him to my list. If it has to be 10, I will drop George Kennedy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-ten-favorite-character-actors/649410.md?page=2)