People we like: some current British actresses ....

We ran a post the other week on some current British actors we like (see below), so here are some of the current British actresses wowing us …

Olivia Colman of course is approaching National Treasure status, with her great work in the BROADCHURCH series, as well as being Mrs REV., and also compelling in THE NIGHT MANAGER, among others.

Ditto Sarah Lancashire, who has come along way from being Raquel in CORONATION STREET. She is electrifying in the HAPPY VALLEY series (where Siobhan Finneran - no longer O'Brien in DOWNTON ABBEY or living it up in BENIDORM - was also stupendous as her sister), and also in LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX, which also features Nicola Walker.

Does anyone do grim and glum like Nicola Walker?  She first drew our attention in SPOOKS some years ago,  was stunning in SCOTT & BAILEY, and shared honours in LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX with Sarah Lancashire. Also on stage recently in the revival of Arthur Miller’s A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE with Mark Strong.

We also like Elizabeth Berrington, equally at home in comedy and drama, and in everything from WATERLOO ROAD to STELLA via THE TRACY ULLMAN SHOW and CAMPING.

Thandie Newton has re-invented herself in LINE OF DUTY which has another great role for Vicky McClure, who has sort of crept up on me, not having noticed her much before, though she was impressive in THE SECRET AGENT last year.

Of the newer girls Keeley Hawes continues to impress, 
I missed her though in the previous series of LINE OF DUTY, but she is fun in THE DURRELLS. 

Then there is Gemma Atherton, currently getting better and better and more noticed.

These and more are all evidence that British drama is thriving, good to see roles too for older actresses like Anne Reid. That SCOTT & BAILEY duo, Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp, are also at the top of their game …

He is still Warren Beatty ...

Fascinating to see Warren Beatty a day or two ago on Graham Norton's sofa on Norton's UK chatshow here. After the debacle of that Best Picture wrong envelope at the Oscars, Warren was witty, amusing and erudite here. After 15 years or so since his last film and not a regular on the celebrity circuit, it was good to see him up close and well in his 80th year .... perhaps having Annette Bening at home and four children helps keep him young. Just saying ... Warren played along gamely with Norton  - well he did have a film to promote -  denying all those rumours about him and his legendary lifestyle ...

What a fascinating career its been, with just a few duds, the new film is RULES DON'T APPLY, in which he plays Howard Hughes - perfect casting! - and he also directs and co-wrote the screenplay. Great cast in it too, including Bening, Candice Bergen, Steve Coogan, Alec Baldwin, Hart Bochner and another new favourite Alden Ehrenreich (from HAIL CAESAR!). This may be one to match Scorsese's THE AVIATOR ?

Beatty was a star from the start, at the dawn of the 1960s, having impressed the likes of Tennessee Williams, William Inge and Kazan, in the bland era of Troy Donahue and the others, he stood out for his spectacular looks and quirky movie choices - it must be the longest star career of his generation. We like those early ones like THE ROMAN SPRING OF MRS STONE, SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS, and our particular favourite then, Frankenheimer's ALL FALL DOWN (left). Followed by Rossen's interesting misfire LILITH in 1964, and Penn's oddball MICKEY ONE in 1965, Then came two forgettable comedies: PROMISE HER ANYTHING with Leslie Caron and KALEIDOSCOPE with Susannah York in Swinging London, 1966, followed by the game-changer BONNIE AND CLYDE in 1967, to be followed in 1969 by another dud, George Stevens' last film THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN, perhaps he did it to work with Stevens and co-star Elizabeth Taylor - they both looked good, but she was really too old and chubby then to be a Las Vegas showgirl. 

The Seventies saw those classics like Altman's McCABE & MRS MILLER with Julie Christie, and Pakula's THE PARALLAX VIEW in 1974 - both still very powerful; and two more with Christie SHAMPOO in 1975 and HEAVEN CAN WAIT in 1978. REDS was another powerful one in 1981, gathering those Awards. Less successful - we did not want to see them - were ISHTAR and BUGSY. THE FORTUNE wasn't all that, LOVE AFFAIR seemed a vanity project, DICK TRACY amused for a while, and we did not want to see the later BULWORTH or TOWN & COUNTRY. It will be interesting to see how RULES DON'T APPLY fares. Not too many other actor-directors his age out there .... Only Beatty and Orson Welles (for CITIZEN KANE) have been nominated by the Academy as an actor, director, writer, and producer for the same film, and Beatty has done it twice,  Beatty reviews at label.

Some more interesting careers ?

Another selection of thumbnail career portraits, in the style of one of our Sixties favourite magazines "Who's Who in Hollywood". 

Don Murray. In his late 80s now (born 1929), Murray started out in 1950, and got his big break co-starring with Marilyn Monroe in Logan’s BUS STOP in 1956 – he may have been fine, but it’s the character of the cowboy who is so annoying. He met his first wife Hope Lange here. He followed this with two I have not seen: BACHELOR PARTY and A HATFUL OF RAIN, and then two westerns which I liked as a kid: the engaging FROM HELL TO TEXAS in ’58, and the more sprawling THESE THOUSAND HILLS in 1959, with young Lee Remick, and that other 20^th Century Fox boy, Stuart Whitman. 
Gritty realism followed with THE HOODLUM PRIEST and the very Irish saga SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL in 1959. Maybe his last interesting role was as senator Brig Anderson in Otto’s ADVISE AND CONSENT in 1962, who commits suicide when his wartime gay affair is about to be exposed – and we get that first look at a gay bar in American film, as Brig reels back in horror, leaving his wartime buddy lying in the gutter. (review at Murray label).

He was back with Lee Remick in BABY THE RAIN MUST FALL in 1965, but now Steve McQueen was the lead, and it was the era of the new boys like Beatty and Redford. He did a rubbish British film in 1967: THE VIKING QUEEN – we avoided it at the time, but I have now ordered a copy as it seems delirious fun, a certified Trash Classic. Murray continued in a long career, in lesser films and lots of television (like KNOTS LANDING), but like many others had a good late Fifties era.

Richard Beymer, now in his late Seventies (born 1938) was a child actor – he was Jennifer Jones’ son in De Sica’s INDISCRETION OF AN AMERICAN WIFE in 1954, and then after a lot of television, came his run of 20^th Century Fox movies in the late Fifties and early Sixties: George Stevens’ THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK in 1959, WEST SIDE STORY, Fox comedies HIGH TIME and BACHELOR FLAT (which we liked at the time), THE STRIPPER with Joanne Woodward and Carol Lynley in 1963 (review at Woodward label) and the lead in HEMINGWAY’S ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG MAN in 1962, as per recent review, below), plus FIVE FINGER EXERCISE and THE LONGEST DAY in 1962. Perhaps Beymer wasn’t distinctive enough, and Fox already had the likes of Robert Wagner and Jeffrey Hunter under contract …. He continued keeping busy, returning to the limelight in David Lynch’s TWIN PEAKS in 1990, and it was interesting seeing him ageing well in items like MURDER SHE WROTE.

Dean Stockwell. Another child actor, born 1936, has clocked up over 200 credits according to IMDB. He was in ANCHORS AWEIGH with Gene Kelly in 1945, Losey’s THE BOY WITH GREEN HAIR in 1948, KIM with Errol Flynn, then came those “sensitive” roles in COMPULSION in 1959, SONS AND LOVERS in 1960, LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT in 1962, RAPTURE in 1965, as well as TV roles in the likes of WAGON TRAIN, DR KILDARE. Later films include that terrific thriller AIR FORCE ONE, PARIS TEXAS, DUNE, TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A., BLUE VELVET, THE PLAYER and more.

Brandon De Wilde (1942-1972). Another child actor, but less fortunate, in that he was killed in a traffic accident when aged 30, after being a child actor on Broadway when aged 9 in THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING, which role he repeated in the 1953 film.. We have already covered his career in detail, at label, and those films we like, such as ALL FALL DOWN and HUD, and those westerns like SHANE and NIGHT PASSAGE where he has some nice scenes with James Stewart.

Pamela Tiffin. Pamela, born 1942, was the delightfully daffy and attractive alternative to those blondes like Sandra Dee or Carol Lynley, and had some good years in the early Sixties. She started as a model and came to attention in SUMMER AND SMOKE in 1961, when we loved her in Billy Wilder’s ONE TWO THREE. Some zany comedy roles followed in COME FLY WITH ME, THE PLEASURE SEEKERS, STATE FAIR, THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL and HARPER in 1966. She the decamped to European comedies in Italy, co-starring with the likes of Marcello Mastroianni, before giving up acting to concentrate on family life.

Carol Lynley. Another young model, also born 1942, had a longer career, starting with Walt Disney in THE LIGHT IN THE FOREST in 1958, and then at Fox in that favourite, HOUND DOG MAN with Fabian and Stuart Whitman, THE STRIPPER, HOLIDAY FOR LOVERS, BLUE DENIM with Brandon De Wilde, RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE, THE LAST SUNSET. I did not want to see UNDER THE YUM YUM TREE where she co-stars with Jack Lemmon, and she was also in Otto’s THE CARDINAL in 1963, and the lead in his BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING in 1965, with Olivier (right) and Keir Dullea (also featured here, see label). She was later in THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE in 1972 in hotpants, and was a long time companion of David Frost’s. She kept busy in lesser films (THE SHUTTERED ROOM wasn’t too bad), but then there was that 1965 cheapo version of HARLOW … reviews of some of these at Lynley label.

Vera Miles. Now in her late 80s and retired for years, Vera Miles is probably the biggest name featured here – it was a long if fairly ordinary career but her two each for John Ford and Hitchcock will ensure she is long remembered, as THE SEARCHERS, THE WRONG MAN, PSYCHO and THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALLANCE will always be screened somewhere. She began in 1950 and early roles included some routine westerns, ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS television shows (he had her under personal contract – like he had Tippi Hedren – and was building VERTIGO for Miles, but she had got pregnant by husband Gordon Scott – she had done one of his TARZAN pictures. She wears that unflattering wig in PSYCHO as she had done a downbeat war movie FIVE BRANDED WOMEN for Martin Ritt in Italy and had her head shaved for it. She is glamorous though in A TOUCH OF LARCENCY in 1960, and suitably nasty in AUTUMN LEAVES with Crawford in 1956, and BACK STREET in ‘61. Other leads included 23 PACES TO BAKER STREET, HELLFIGHTERS with Wayne in 1968, and lots more television.  

Next lot to include Tuesday Weld, Carolyn Jones, Paula Prentiss, Barry Coe, Farley Granger, Earl Holliman,  and some Europeans and British ....

Jane

In the pantheon of 1960s British actresses (led by Julie Christie, Susannah York, Sarah Miles, Rita Tushingham etc), Jane Asher was the posh one, with that standout long red hair. A child actress, she was Susannah York’s young sister in THE GREENGAGE SUMMER in 1961, and we liked her in Roger Corman’s 1964 THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH –she was interesting on radio recently saying she enjoyed working on it and with Vincent Price. 

She was also one of ALFIE’s girls in 1966, and went on to a lot of interesting items like Skolimowski’s DEEP END in 1970 – now on Bluray with lots of extra interviews, where she is the perfect 1960s dolly bird with those white boots and yellow PVC mac setting off the hair. She also did a lot of television and stage (I saw her with Laurence Harvey in Shakespeare’s THE WINTER’S TALE in 1967), and she is currently part of the hit musical AN AMERICAN IN PARIS ensemble., 
and I am watching a boxset of the 1980s war drama WISH ME LUCK, which we enjoyed at the time, where she is ideal as Faith Ashley, organiser of the secret agents operating in France during World War II. She was also in BRIDESHEAD REVISTED among others, and er, the short-lived rebooted CROSSROADS.

She was of course famous in the 1960s as also being Paul McCartney’s girlfriend – he lived for a time with her parents at their Wimpole Street address. Her brother Peter was part of  Peter & Gordon and later record producer for the likes of James Taylor. She has though never capitalised on her Beatles connections, and was also later famous for her cakes and baking, Perhaps she should take over THE GREAT BRITSH BAKE-OFF ? She is married to cartoonist Gerard Scarfe and it is always a pleasure to see her. She even tackled Lady Bracknell a few years ago. We should have seen that. 

More on Jane and DEEP END at label ...

People We Like - continued ... some British actors

Douglas Hodge, and as Grimes in the current DECLINE AND FALL. (He was a terrific Zaza in LE CAGE AUX FOLLES a few years back).

Rory Kinnear, and as the Frankenstein monster in PENNY DREADFUL.  (also recently in THE IMITATION GAME, SKYFALL, SPECTRE, and theatre including another HAMLET and THE THREEPENNY OPERA). 

Patrick Baladi may have started off playing Nancy in a school production of OLIVER! but is kept busy now, in the current LINE OF DUTY among others - we like him in  the STELLA series with Ruth Jones, where he looked good wearing leathers, and he marries a man in Tom Hollander's REV.

Hugh Bonneville, now that he has left the Earl of Grantham behind at DOWNTON ABBEY, seems to be having fun, amusingly dragging up in PADDINGTON (right), and being hilarious in DAVID WALLIAMS & FRIEND, as well as BBC series W1A, and that surprise turn in DA VINCI'S DEMONS. Looking forward to PADDINGTON 2. 

Daniel Boys, actor and singer, recently seen in the BOYS IN THE BAND revival.

Then of course there's Tom Hollander, and Aidan Turner (POLDARK and handsome! - see Poldark label.)

Some '70s gals ...

Some of our favourite 1970s actresses who provided lots of amusing goofy moments - so no Jane, Faye, Julie, Diane or Jill, instead its Madeline, Terri, Barbara, Karen and Sandy !

The late great Madeline Kahn: Eunice in WHATS UP DOC?, Trixie Delight in PAPER MOON, Lili Von Shtupp in BLAZING SADDLES, Kitty O'Kelly in Bogdanovich's bomb AT LONG LAST LOVE, the monster's bride in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN.

Terri Garr: TOOTSIE, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS ...,  her great line in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN: "He vould have an enormous schwanzstucker" ... (There's also of course Cloris Leachman's immortal Frau Blucher ...).

Barbara Harris, so deliously amusing in PLAZA SUITE, touching in NASHVILLE, perfect in Hitch's last FAMILY PLOT.

Karen Black, if only for her air hostess flying the plane in AIRPORT '75, her country queen in NASHVILLE, also in FAMILY PLOT, and another Altman: 1982's COME BACK TO THE FIVE AND DIME, JIMMY DEAN, JIMMY DEAN, which also featured:

Sandy Dennis (1937-1992) who of course started in the Sixties with WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE, A TOUCH OF LOVE, THE FOX etc and delighted us in the Seventies with THE OUT OF TOWNERS and her ditzy turn in NASTY HABITS. 

Plus we have to mention Melinda Dillon, so wonderful in CLOSE ENCOUNTERS... and Eileen Brennan, particularly in THE CHEAP DETECTIVE,

Soon, maybe, the '70s guys: Caan, Dern, Devane, Burt Reynolds, Segal, Gould, Sutherland, and the big hitters Nicholson, Redford, Newman, Hackman, De Niro, Pacino and more  ... or maybe not,

Some interesting careers ....

Hope Lange / Tom Tryon / Keir Dullea / Lola Albright. 

We are fascinated here at The Projector as to how some acting careers pan out, who gets the breaks and who keeps working into old age.  Here are some interesting ones .... maybe more later. 

If you were asked who co-starred with Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Montgomery Clift, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, would you come up with the answer? And if told it was Hope Lange would you be any the wiser?

Hope Lange (1933-2003) was one of 20^th Century Fox’s players who came to prominence in the mid-50s and had a good career into the 1960s, maybe not individual enough to be a top line star, but a pleasing presence (rather like Vera Miles) in several hits of the time. She studied dance with Martha Graham, and was the young ingénue in BUS STOP in 1956, having scenes with Monroe, and then was Selina Cross in the Fox hit PEYTON PLACE in 1957, when she was also in the western THE TRUE STORY OF JESSE JAMES, with Robert Wagner and Jeff Hunter,  and in IN LOVE AND WAR, and then Montgomery Clift’s love interest in THE YOUNG LIONS in 1958. She was the lead and top-billed in a favourite of ours, THE BEST OF EVERYTHING in 1959, teamed with Stephen Boyd, with Joan Crawford in the supporting cameo role as her boss. 

She was the main lead opposite Elvis in the Fox meller WILD IN THE COUNTRY. Her scenes were cut out though from HOW THE WEST WAS WON in '62. Then Bette Davis had a supporting role in the 1961 A POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES  where Lange starred with her then amour Glenn Ford, after her marriage to BUS STOP star Don Murray. She then married directed Alan J. Pakula, and had a successful TV series from the film of THE GHOST AND MRS MUIR, among other television roles. Later films included the 1974 DEATH WISH and BLUE VELVET.

Keir Dullea, born in 1936, now 80, was a very individual young actor with those striking looks and eyes, and in interesting films like DAVID AND LISA in 1962 (for which he won the Golden Globe as “Most Promising Male Newcomer”), THE HOODLUM PRIEST, the comedy western WEST OF MONTANA and the lead in Preminger’s BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING in 1965 (where co-star Noel Coward famously said "Keir Dullea, gone tomorrow"), plus the Lana Turner classic MADAME X in 1966, and THE FOX in 1967. He is immortalised for posterity as Dave Bowman, the surviving astronaut in Kubrick’s 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY (and certainly looks better now than his co-star Gary Lockwood – see below). 

The 1969 DE SADE (see review – Dullea label) is a hoot now,

Dullea also did several stage roles and we saw him on stage in London in 1976, as that annoying cowboy in a revival of BUS STOP, with Lee Remick as a world-weary Cherie. - right.

He has kept busy with 84 credits and is still working now. Like Michael York, Terence Stamp and others he shows how actors can keep working as they get older, and the next crop of actors take over.

Tom Tryon (1926-1991) aged 65, clocked up 39 acting credits before becoming a best-selling author. The tall dark and handsome actor was very individual in early roles like I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE in 1958, and in THE UNHOLY WIFE, THREE VIOLENT PEOPLE, THE STORY OF RUTH (see below), MARINES LETS GO, THE LONGEST DAY. 
He was the lead as THE CARDINAL for Otto Preminger in 1963, and also in Otto’s IN HARM’S WAY in 1965. There were lesser roles after that for the gay actor, who had been a marine in the South Pacific during the war, but his novels which were filmed including THE OTHER, HARVEST HOME,  CROWNED HEADS – a great read, which included the short story FEDORA (which became Billy Wilder’s last interesting film) brought him a lot more success and money than acting! He would have been the sailor marooned on a desert island with Marilyn Monroe in SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE, in 1962 – if the film had been completed.

Lola Albright, born 1925, now in her early 90s – Considered one of the most stylish, sultriest and beautiful actresses in Hollywood, with one of the throatiest, smokiest and most distinctive voices in the business, she starred with Kirk Douglas in the 1949 hit CHAMPION, after uncredited appearances in THE PIRATE and EASTER PARADE, and a bit part in THE TENDER TRAP in ‘55. From 1958 to 1961 she played nightclub singer Edie Hart in the popular TV series PETER GUNN. She also made TV guest appearances on ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS (1955) – he should have made her a Hitchcock blonde. She played Constance McKenzie in the TV series PEYTON PLACE (1964) after Dorothy Malone became ill. Lola received critical acclaim for her performances in A COLD WIND IN AUGUST in 1961, and was in Rene Clements’ LES FELINS with Alain Delon in 1964, and was terrific as Tuesday Weld’s mother in the hilarious LORD LOVE A DUCK in 1966. A great example of a stylish actress under-used by Hollywood, but who kept busy with lots of television work.

Next:  Richard Beymer? Don Murray ? Tuesday Weld? Carol Lynley? Pamela Tiffin ? Vera Miles ?

Characters we like ...

10 character actors? OK - but I am not including the well-known ones (stars in their own right) like Claude Rains, Thelma Ritter, Agnes Moorehead, George Sanders, Eve Arden, Judith Anderson, Jim Backus, Ward Bond, Walter Slezak, Hermoine Gingold, Elsa Lanchester, Mildreds Dunnock or Natwick, Beulah Bondi, Betty Field, Fred Clark, John McGiver, Lee J Cobb, or Hitch favourites Leo G. Carroll or John Williams. Then there's also types like Arthur O’Connell, Howard St John, or Dean Jagger and the very individual Maria Ouspenskaya, Florence Bates, Marjorie Main, Margaret Hamiulton and Mercedes McCambridge. We have already done Alice Pearce – see label. These 10 are always a pleasure to see and have enlivened many a movie ...

Jessie Royce Landis (1896-1972). Jessie always amuses and had a great way of delivering throwaway lines, as Grace Kelly's mother in TO CATCH A THIEF, or in a perfect Hitchcock joke, Cary Grant's mother in NORTH BY NORTHWEST (she was only 7 years older than him); she was also mother to Tab Hunter in THE GIRL HE LEFT BEHIND, and Tony Perkin's doting mum in GOODBYE AGAIN. She mothered Grace again too in THE SWAN (a character-filled delight with Agnes Moorehead and Estelle Winwood); other roles included AIRPORT in 1970 and as a ritzy contessa in BON VOYAGE in 1962. 

Norma Varden (1898-1989), with her comic face and manner Norma was always a treat. She is Lady Beekman with that tiara in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, gets almost strangled by Bruno in Hitch's STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, and bumped off by Ty Power in WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION, also in many films (159 credits on film and tv), like JUPITER'S DARLING, YOUNG BESS, NATIONAL VELVET. 

Mary Wickes (1910-1995). "Dora, I suspect you are a treasure" Bette says to nurse Mary in NOW VOYAGER. Indeed, she was - from THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER to SISTER ACT via WHITE CHRISTMAS, and THE MUSIC MAN among her 140+ credits including lots of television. Mary wisecracked through them all and had few peers as a scene-stealer as she told it like it was. 

Martita Hunt (1899-1969). Imperious dowager Martita was born in Argentina but enlivened many a British movie, particularly GREAT EXPECTATIONS, and BECKET, SONG WITHOUT END, DANGEROUS EXILE, ANASTASIA, BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING and was young Dracula's mother in BRIDES OF DRACULA in 1960. She remains the definitive Miss Havisham. It was fun too seeing her joining the dancing in THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN in 1964! Alec Guinness who knew her well has a nice chapter on her in his memoir "Count Your Blessings"

Margalo Gillmore (1897-1986). Margalo was a nice middle-aged middle-class lady. She also did duty as another mother to Grace Kelly, in HIGH SOCIETY, and was Clifton Webb's nice sister in WOMAN'S WORLD in 1954, other credits include the British comedy UPSTAIRS AND DOWNSTAIRS in 1959, and THE TROUBLE WITH ANGELS in 1966 

Charles Bickford (1891-1967). We like Charles a lot, he anchors the 1954 A STAR IS BORN as the studio head Oliver Niles, a standout in his 140+ credits, as is his Major Terrill in THE BIG COUNTRY in '58. Also dependable as Lee Remick's stern father in DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES, young Tony Curtis's protector in MISTER CORY in 1957, and in Huston's THE UNFORGIVEN in 1960. His career goes back to starring with Garbo in ANNA CHRISTIE in 1930, in movies then since the early talkies, and in hits like SONG OF BERNADETTE, DUEL IN THE SUN, and THE VIRGINIAN on tv from 1962-68.

Jack Carson (1910-1963). Jack was deliciously nasty as Libby the vicious press agent in A STAR IS BORN, one of his many facets as a popular character actor. He was also ideal as Gooper, the other son in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, and with Joan Crawford and Ann Blyth in MILDRED PIERCE in 1945. He had a long relationship with Doris Day too. Jack was a popular guy and clocked up over 130 credits. The extras on the STAR IS BORN dvd show him as the compere of the Hollywood premiere welcoming all the stars of the day, including Doris, Joan Crawford and most of Hollywood.  (Above: Bickford and Carson with Garland and Mason).

Henry Daniell (1894-1963). Supercilious Henry is probably best known for his Baron de Varville in Garbo's CAMILLE, or the nasty Mr Brocklehurst in JANE EYRE in '44. As IMDB puts it "a suave, well-bred villain who could kill an enemy or start a war with a certain air of upper-class disdain, as if all of this effort was beneath him". His many other credits include THE PRODIGAL, THE SUN ALSO RISES, THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX, THE SEA HAWK, HOLIDAY, SIREN OF ATLANTIS and the Judge in LES GIRLS. He often featured in Cukor films (even a moment in THE CHAPMAN REPORT) and died on the set of MY FAIR LADY.

Thomas Gomez (1905-1971). Heavyset Gomez was another busy character actor, who died following a car accident. I watched him the other day in THE GAMBLER FROM NATCHEZ and he amused too in THE CONQUEROR. Other roles included KEY LARGO, THE FURIES, MACAO, TRAPEZE, SUMMER AND SMOKE, and lots of television and starring on Broadway.

Jay C. Flippen (1899-1971). Jay C. was instantly recognisable and always pleased, like his gangster caught on television in ITS ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER in 1955, often out west as in WINCHESTER 73, IMDB again says: "one of those distinctive faces you know but whose name escapes you while viewing old 50s and 60s movies and TV. His distinctive bulldog mug, beetle brows, bulky features, and silver-white hair were ideally suited for roles as criminals and rugged adventurers". Other roles included THE KILLING, THE WILD ONE, OKLAHOMA!, THE FAR COUNTRY, WILD RIVER, HOW THE WEST WAS WON, CAT BALLOU. 

There;'s also those comedy supporting types like Tony Randall, Elliott Reid, Tommy Noonan, Gig Young, and David Wayne (who co-starred with Monroe twice and is in 2 other early MM's at Fox). 
'Heavies' are a separate category, usually supporting in westerns - we like those nasty turns by Lyle Bettger, Jack Elam, Royal Dano, Claude Akins, Neville Brand and sometimes Rory Calhoun. Sometimes heavies crossed over to become stars: Lee Marvin, Bronson, Borgnine ….