Greatest American Dramatic Actor.....Nicholson, Pacino, DeNiro?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Greatest American Dramatic Actor.....Nicholson, Pacino, DeNiro? (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 10/11/2007 6:39:55 PM EDT

I might have to go with Jack

poll coming

Posted: 10/11/2007 6:40:29 PM EDT

[#1]

Swayze

Posted: 10/11/2007 6:40:32 PM EDT

[#2]

Pacino sucks more dong than a Vietnamese whorehouse.

Posted: 10/11/2007 6:41:35 PM EDT

[#3]

I like those guys but I go with an earlier generation. Burt Lancaster had a range these guys don't have.

Posted: 10/11/2007 6:41:40 PM EDT

[#4]

The greatest actor of not just our time, but all time past and future, is Gary Sinese. Bar none. No poll needed.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:09:26 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:

Quoted:
While i like all 3 of the actors listed in the thread title

my pick for that general age group would be Morgan Freeman

for the newer generation I would pick Christian Bale

Yes. A very good choice.

How about Forest Whitaker..

Whitaker would make my short list for sure

As would Anthony Hopkins and Denzel

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:11:51 PM EDT

[#6]

Some good ones tossed out.

I'll still stick with Kevin Spacey, but will add Whitaker and Hopkins. Robert Duvall, as well, while I'm at it.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:13:44 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Ed Norton

THAT'S the name. I couldn't remember his name. Just seeing him from American History X to Fight Club, it was hard to imagine it was the same guy.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:15:54 PM EDT

[#8]

Not necessarily the "greatest" but he definitely has had some of the greatest monologues... Christopher Walken.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:22:29 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Ed Norton

THAT'S the name. I couldn't remember his name. Just seeing him from American History X to Fight Club, it was hard to imagine it was the same guy.

Norton's best role to me was "Aaron Stampler" opposite hamster gere in "Primal Fear"

His skill almost made up for gere's lack thereof

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:23:16 PM EDT

[#10]

Harrison Ford

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:23:21 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Not necessarily the "greatest" but he definitely has had some of the greatest monologues... Christopher Walken.

Definitely some of the greatest Monologues, but he always plays Christopher Walken.

Damn, though - he gets some good lines. His speeches in "True Romance," "Pulp Fiction," "The Prophecy," and "Man on Fire" are some of the most memorable in movie history.

This reminds me - this thread has been seriously overlooking another great actor - Dennis Hopper.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:25:17 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Ed Norton

THAT'S the name. I couldn't remember his name. Just seeing him from American History X to Fight Club, it was hard to imagine it was the same guy.

Norton's best role to me was "Aaron Stampler" opposite hamster gere in "Primal Fear"

His skill almost made up for gere's lack thereof

Gere sucks hamster balls. I have hated him since "An Officer and a Gentleman."

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:25:27 PM EDT

[#13]

Redford. The Natural is one of my favorite movies of all time AND he was in a Bridge Too Far. Denzel after that.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:25:56 PM EDT

[#14]

pretty close , al pacin and deniero

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:27:40 PM EDT

[#15]

Another vote for Tom Hanks. He is 100% believable in any role he plays.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:29:28 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Redford. The Natural is one of my favorite movies of all time AND he was in a Bridge Too Far. Denzel after that.

His only decent roles were "The Natural" and "Jeremiah Johnson" - but even those were both pretty much the same character. I'll keep him in the "overrated" column along with Pacino.

Heck, Dustin Hoffman could act circles around Redford, and I'm no Hoffman fan.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:30:24 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Dispite his left leanings......I'd have to go with Tom Hanks.

+1

Tom Hanks is good, but I have to agree about Robert Duvall, just because he's been in more films and a great variety.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:32:20 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Definitely some of the greatest Monologues, but he alsways plasy Christophe Walken.

Dan, though - he gets some good lines. His speeches in "True Romance," "Pulp Fiction," "The Prophecy," and "Man on Fire" are some of the most memorable in movie history.

This reminds me - this thread has been seriously overlooking another great actor - Dennis Hopper.

You're Sicilian right? Sicilians were spawned by....

I love that movie. I may have to watch that tonight now.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:36:06 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Definitely some of the greatest Monologues, but he alsways plasy Christophe Walken.

Dan, though - he gets some good lines. His speeches in "True Romance," "Pulp Fiction," "The Prophecy," and "Man on Fire" are some of the most memorable in movie history.

This reminds me - this thread has been seriously overlooking another great actor - Dennis Hopper.

You're Sicilian right? Sicilians were spawned by....

I love that movie. I may have to watch that tonight now.

Dangit, quoted before I could fix the typos...

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:36:47 PM EDT

[#20]

Pacino is the correct answer.

Michael Corleone, Frank Serpico, "Sonny," Arthur Kirkland, Tony Montana, Lt. Col Frank Slade, Ricky Roma, Carlito Brigante, Lefty Ruggiero, Lt. Vincent Hannah.

Game over.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:37:19 PM EDT

[#21]

My top ten American actors in no particular order:

James Stewart

Tom Hanks

John Wayne

Gene Hackman

Humphrey Bogart

Clint Eastwood

Morgan Freeman

Gary Cooper

Gregory Peck

Harrison Ford

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:43:38 PM EDT

[#22]

Morgan Freeman is one of the very best.

Denzel Washington may be getting the best roles, and he deserves them.

Jeff Bridges is doing great work.

Michael Caine is one of my favorites.

Tom Selleck has become a wonderful actor. His latest stuff is subtle yet emotional.

I'm a big fan of Tom Hanks.

Jack, Al, Robert and Paul are great at playing themselves. Like John Wayne, they're always fun to watch. But I like to see an actor stretch, play different moods, types of characters. Viggo Mortensen is doing that lately. I like Eastern Promises a lot.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:44:02 PM EDT

[#23]

Morgan Freeman
Ed Norton
Al Pacino
Gene Hackman
Maybe Nicholson, but like Walken, he seems to always be playing Jack Nicholson
Steve McQueen
Gregory Peck
I'll tack on Clint Eastwood.
After seeing Training Day, Denzel Washington

And a post from RustedAce reminded me of how awesome Donald Sutherland was in Kelly's Heroes.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:45:40 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
BRUCE CAMPBELL FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shop smart, shop S-Mart!

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:47:02 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Pacino is the correct answer.

Michael Corleone, Frank Serpico, "Sonny," Arthur Kirkland, Tony Montana, Lt. Col Frank Slade, Ricky Roma, Carlito Brigante, Lefty Ruggiero, Lt. Vincent Hannah.

Game over.

I'll give you Michael Corleone and Sonny. Later, he just seemed to get to into playing outlandish versions of the same guy.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:47:43 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
Christopher Walken

Yep ..can steal any scene he's in no matter who else is in the movie.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:47:48 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Pacino is the correct answer.

Michael Corleone, Frank Serpico, "Sonny," Arthur Kirkland, Tony Montana, Lt. Col Frank Slade, Ricky Roma, Carlito Brigante, Lefty Ruggiero, Lt. Vincent Hannah.

Game over.

I'll give you Michael Corleone and Sonny. Later, he just seemed to get to into playing outlandish versions of the same guy.

Has pacino ever been in a film where he doesnt end up yelling at the top of his lungs?

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:51:32 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
Robert Duvall, probably played a broader range of characters than all listed, combined.

+1 for the Great Santini

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:53:03 PM EDT

[#29]

Alec Baldwin

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:53:36 PM EDT

[#30]

Has pacino ever been in a film where he doesnt end up yelling at the top of his lungs?

Heheheh

He's had a great career, but as an actor, I'll take Dustin Hoffman over him every time.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:54:58 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Pacino is the correct answer.

Michael Corleone, Frank Serpico, "Sonny," Arthur Kirkland, Tony Montana, Lt. Col Frank Slade, Ricky Roma, Carlito Brigante, Lefty Ruggiero, Lt. Vincent Hannah.

Game over.

I'll give you Michael Corleone and Sonny. Later, he just seemed to get to into playing outlandish versions of the same guy.

Has pacino ever been in a film where he doesnt end up yelling at the top of his lungs?

Pacino is a great actor but he has to add a little bit of "over the top" to most of his roles

I enjoy his acting but his range isn't that great IMO

The reason i named Morgan Freeman is because of his range (Hoke Colburn vs. Somerset vs. Jim vs. Col. Kurtz) He owns and becomes the character he portrays

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:56:21 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Robert Duvall, probably played a broader range of characters than all listed, combined.

+1 for the Great Santini

I remember in the late 70's early 80's, when I was a kid, he had some sort of record in the Guiness Book as the most prolific actor onscreen, he had played just about more roles than anybody up to that point. IIRC.

Posted: 10/11/2007 7:57:29 PM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Dispite his left leanings......I'd have to go with Tom Hanks.

+1

+2

Posted: 10/11/2007 8:01:02 PM EDT

[#34]

Since you said American, that rules out Anthony Hopkins, who I think is the best all around actor currently working. Also rules out Gary Oldman, who I think is the best character actor currently working.

American?

Pacino has to be in the short list.
DeNiro has to be there, too, but he also had inexcusably "phoned-in" a few roles.

I agree F. Whitaker is very good, too, but needs more time to make any "Greatest" list.
Another actor without enough roles yet, but absolutely with the chops is Don Cheadle.

I would put Walken in a separate category of Character Actors, versus leading men.
He'd have to be very high on that list, along with Harvey Keitel.
Other character actors that are great:
William H. Macy

It's too late to think - I'll ETA any others that come to mind.

Posted: 10/11/2007 8:08:07 PM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:
Since you said American, that rules out Anthony Hopkins, who I think is the best all around actor currently working.

...

Heh - I would have brought up Anthony Quinn (despite his being dead) but I feared Arfcom would call for my lynching if a mentioned a Mexican-born actor.

Posted: 10/11/2007 8:16:41 PM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
Alec Baldwin

The greatest actor that has ever lived

Posted: 10/11/2007 8:19:43 PM EDT

[#37]

Spencer Tracy

James Cagney

Posted: 10/11/2007 8:21:04 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
DiCaprio

After watching The Departed and Blood Diamond, I would have to agree.

Posted: 10/11/2007 8:26:55 PM EDT

[#39]

Here's an off the wall pick ... Billy Bob Thornton

Think about the differences in some of his roles.

NASA Director in Armageddon

Johnny Tyler in Tombstone

Davy Crockett in the Alamo

Carl in Slingblade

Posted: 10/11/2007 8:36:01 PM EDT

[#40]

Anthony Hopkins

Posted: 10/11/2007 8:41:51 PM EDT

[#41]

Ed Norton
James Spacey
I will admit, I was impressed with DiCaprio in Blood Diamond.

Posted: 10/11/2007 9:02:03 PM EDT

[#42]

I'll watch anything Tom Hanks does. And Robert Duvall

Posted: 10/11/2007 9:02:53 PM EDT

[#43]

Gregory Peck

Posted: 10/11/2007 9:03:43 PM EDT

[#44]

thats tough. deniro is great but i think i will go with pacino. i like scarface tooooooo much

Posted: 10/11/2007 9:05:28 PM EDT

[#45]

Fred Thompson

Posted: 10/11/2007 10:46:16 PM EDT

[#46]

<--- pacino for me

Quoted:
Pacino sucks more dong than a Vietnamese whorehouse.

you're the guy that thought goodfellas sucked right?
no offense intended, but I'll get my cinematic advice elsewhere

Posted: 10/11/2007 10:47:16 PM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Pacino is the correct answer.

Michael Corleone, Frank Serpico, "Sonny," Arthur Kirkland, Tony Montana, Lt. Col Frank Slade, Ricky Roma, Carlito Brigante, Lefty Ruggiero, Lt. Vincent Hannah.

Game over.

I'll give you Michael Corleone and Sonny. Later, he just seemed to get to into playing outlandish versions of the same guy.

Has pacino ever been in a film where he doesnt end up yelling at the top of his lungs?

I don't think so... you gotta problem with that?