Black Actors
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Category: Topics not related to music
Forum Name: General Polls
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=59982
Printed Date: November 28 2024 at 11:01
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Topic: Black Actors
Posted By: GaryB
Subject: Black Actors
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:16
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I am a music fan first but I'm also a big movie fan. The other day I was discussing my favorite movies with a friend and I realized that most of them had black actors in the starring roles. This is a list of some of the top black actors making movies today. Vote for your favorite (explain why) and list some of their movies you like.
Extra Credit Question: This is intended to once and for all end an argument between my daughter and I. Do you prefer Chris Tucker or Chris Rock?
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Replies:
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:20
Samuel L. Mutherfukin Jackson.  The Chris question is a difficult one for me. I lean towards the Rock. Hey, wait a second, where the hell is Eddie Murphy?  |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:21
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Chris Tucker for me, because of his role in The Fifth Element. No Forrest Whitaker? |
Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:24
| I didn't mean to exclude Eddie Murphy (or anyone else) but I just held it to ten choices. |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:26
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Morgan Freeman is in my top five favorite actors (a list I haven't actually generated, but whoever is in it, he's up there).
------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:27
That's OK, just be prepared that many of us will bring up the others you didn't include. I'm still in shock I got away with "Mutherfukin" without the autobleep.  LeVar Burton for Kunta Kinte in Roots and of course Jordi La Forge in Star Trek... |
GaryB wrote:Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:29
| The Fifth Element was my main reason for picking Chris Tucker but I also liked the Rush Hour movies. But I thought Chris Rock was pretty good in Nurse Betty. |
Posted By: Liimatta
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:29
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From the avaible choices, Samuel L. Jackson is my favourite. My third favourite actor. |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:30
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I like Rock for stand up, and Tucker for his off the wall acting. "Lee! Lee!" ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:31
| Everyone is welcome to include other names, I'll include Mos Def right now. |
Posted By: The Pessimist
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:34
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Ah Morgan Freeman... I've watched Se7en a whole bunch of times in the last month just because of the performance he gives in it. An utter genius. A couple of other performances of his I love dearly are in Bruce Almighty (average film but he is superb in it) and Lucky Number Slevin.
------------- "Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value." Arnold Schoenberg |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:38
I loved Mos as Ford Prefect. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:38
His portrayal of Red in The Shawshank Redemption is his best. ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:43
| Definitely Morgan Freeman. Mainly because of Se7en and The Shawshank Redemption (which is insanely overrated at IMDb, but still a great movie). |
Posted By: The Pessimist
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:46
I don't really think he has a best as such, but Red is definitely one of his better characters. ------------- "Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value." Arnold Schoenberg |
Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:48
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I'm not surprised to see Samuel L. Jackson leading the poll. Of all the great movies he's made, I keep going back to "The Long Kiss Goodnight".
Denzel has made so many great ones as well but "Man On Fire" was incredible.
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:51
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Forest Whitaker ------------- What? |
Posted By: Man Erg
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:56
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Samuel L. Jackson
An honourable mention for Forest Whitaker. ------------- 
Do 'The Stanley' otherwise I'll thrash you with some rhubarb. |
Posted By: The Runaway
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 09:58
------------- http://www.formspring.me/Aragorn224" rel="nofollow - Trendsetter win! The search for nonexistent perfection. |
Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 10:01
| IMO there have been three great "Drill Instructor" speeches in military movies. The first was Jack Webb in "The D.I." The second was R.Lee Ermey in "Full Metal Jacket"". The third was Samuel L. Jackson In "Basic". "...an unfortunate training accident that I will not hesitate to repeat..." |
Posted By: JJLehto
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 10:30
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I like a lot of the names mentioned but my favorite, (not to mention one of my favorite actors) is Morgan Freeman. Great actor and he should narrate every movie. |
Posted By: The T
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 12:08
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Denzel Washington, followed closely by Morgan Freeman.
Chris Rock by b3984920 miles ------------- 
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Posted By: The Pessimist
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 15:24
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I'm actually surprised nobody has mentioned Jackson's performance in Pulp Fiction. The bible verse section is actually stunning, almost like Shakespeare.
------------- "Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value." Arnold Schoenberg |
Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 15:25
Agreed. And it's not even from the Bible, is it? |
Posted By: TheProgtologist
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 15:33
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Morgan Freeman followed VERY closely by Samuel L. Jackson.
Don Cheadle is also a superb actor and I look forward to seeing more work by him.He was excellent in Hotel Rwanda.
Laurence Fishburne should have been included in this poll. -------------  |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 15:48
 "There's a glitch in the Matrix, Pee Wee." "Yes, I see it. But what is it I'm doing in that movie theater?" ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: LiquidEternity
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 16:21
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Don Cheadle! He's so impressive, yet often overlooked. A wonderful chameleon actor who can actually portray different types of characters in his movies (unlike, say, Morgan Freeman).
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Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 16:46
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You're right, Laurence Fishburne should have been included. I think he was about sixteen when he was in Apocalypse Now.
Don Cheadle was great in Crash and played an xlnt Sammy Davis jr in The Rat Pack.
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 16:50
Another often overlooked and extremely prolific actor is Tony Todd - he never seems to be out of work. I thought he was great in Candyman.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0865302/ - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0865302/ ------------- What? |
Posted By: TheProgtologist
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 18:39
Unbelievably,Fishburne was only 14 when shooting started,and he lied about his age to get cast in the role. ------------- |
Posted By: TheProgtologist
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 18:42
He was also Sgt. Warren in my favorite war movie ever,Platoon.Unfortunately.the character of Sgt. Warren played a larger part in the book than he did in the movie. ------------- |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 18:45
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Will Smith ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 19:01
| I thought Will Smith would get a few more votes. He has made a lot of big movies since he left TV. |
Posted By: Kazuhiro
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 19:27
| I chose Morgan Freeman. |
Posted By: LiquidEternity
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 20:08
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Will Smith is pretty good, I guess, but he's been on a horrible streak as far as his movies go. Lots of really awful ones lately.
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Posted By: Stooge
Date Posted: July 30 2009 at 21:50
| I've got to vote for Samuel L. Jackson. He seems like a nice guy too. He plays an interesting character in Black Snake Moan. |
Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: July 31 2009 at 08:15
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Morgan Freeman is hard to top, even when he plays the bad guy (The Contract, Wanted). Djimon Hounsou hasn't received any votes yet. I really liked his performances in Blood Diamond and Gladiator. Jamie Foxx is voteless as well. He was great in Ray and Redemption and not bad in Stealth. |
Posted By: progkidjoel
Date Posted: July 31 2009 at 08:24
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Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: July 31 2009 at 08:30
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Will Smith has made a few things that did not work for me. But in I Am Legend he basically had to carry the whole movie like Tom Hanks in Castaway.
Black Snake Moan was an interesting role for Jackson. He even took lessons so that the scenes with him playing the guitar looked more realistic.
I know that most people refer to Pulp Fiction but I think Jackson's performance in Jackie Brown was overshadowed by Pulp.
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Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: July 31 2009 at 13:56
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Mos Def for me, because he played a good Ford Prefect...not as good as the one in the miniseries from the '80s, but good.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: manofmystery
Date Posted: July 31 2009 at 17:14
Should read: I did mean to execute Eddie Murphy.
What an awful actor, completely unbearable in everything but Trading Places
 Someone must be prejudice against crazy eyes
Can't say I've seen a ton of his films but I did enjoy him on The Shield
I love Sam Jackson but he's not much of an actor. Took care of those motherf'n snakes though.
How about Sir Sidney Poitier?
How about Richard Pryor?
How about one of the coolest men to ever live:
 How about Richard Roundtree? (my real pick)
From this list I'd have to go with Morgan Freeman. James Earl Jones would have taken it easily but for his appearance in Scary Movie 4. -------------  Time always wins. |
Posted By: LiquidEternity
Date Posted: July 31 2009 at 17:34
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The day I found out that Lando Calrissian and Billy Dee Williams are the same person, I about fell over. Hysterical.
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Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: July 31 2009 at 19:01
 enough said my favourit actor (together with Nicolas (Coppola) Cage, Johnny Depp and Micky Rourke) |
Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: July 31 2009 at 22:44
| My daughter will arm wrestle anyone who says they're a bigger Johnny Depp fan than she is. She has been in love with him since 21 Jump Street. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: August 01 2009 at 09:43
I didn't know Johnny was a black actor. Man you learn something new on this site everyday. |
Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: August 01 2009 at 10:06
| Of course the reference was to the previous post but Depp is such a talented actor that he could play the role of a black man (much better than Robert Downey jr in Tropic Thunder). |
Posted By: deafmoon
Date Posted: August 01 2009 at 10:17
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I'm gonna go with Denzel Washington for his role in An American Gangster.
But, Morgan Freeman, Jamie Foxx (Ray Charles! part) and Samuel L. Jackson are very fine actors as well. ------------- Deafmoon |
Posted By: mr.cub
Date Posted: August 01 2009 at 18:05
From the best scene of the movie...nobody could have delivered this so eloquently
"I have no idea what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is; I don't want to know. I'd like to think they were singing about something so beautiful, it can't be expressed in words and makes you heart ache because of it. I tell you, those voices soared higher and farther than anyone in a gray place dares to dream. It was like some beautiful bird flapped into our drab little cage and made those walls dissolve away, and for the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free." ------------- 
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: August 01 2009 at 18:30
| ^ That was only a good reciting part from Mr. Freeman, the credit should go to the scriptwriter. |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: August 01 2009 at 22:20
One's an actor; one's a character. What are the odds?!?  ------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |
Posted By: LandofLein
Date Posted: August 02 2009 at 00:24
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It would be an outrage if Morgan Freeman didn't win this poll Thank God he didn't, I would've lost faith in humanity
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Posted By: Evolutionary Sleeper
Date Posted: August 02 2009 at 00:27
I read that in Morgan Freeman's voice... How memorable his words are..  ------------- 
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Posted By: clarke2001
Date Posted: August 02 2009 at 02:05
 "My child. You have come to me my son. For who now is your father if it is not me? I am the well spring, from which you flow. When I am gone, you will have never been. What would your world be, without me? My son." |
Posted By: toolis
Date Posted: August 02 2009 at 02:15
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i'd vote for Denzel but Jamie Foxx with no vote? i don't think so... ------------- -music is like pornography... sometimes amateurs turn us on, even more... -sometimes you are the pigeon and sometimes you are the statue... |
Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: August 02 2009 at 07:44
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I'm not too surprised that the first three are leading the pack. Jackson, Washington and Freeman are my top three in no particular order. But it's interesting that Freeman has over twice as many votes as Jackson and Washington. If I had to pick a favorite role by each I think it would be Shawshank Redemption (Morgan Freeman), Man On Fire (Denzel Washington) and The Long Kiss Goodnight (Samuel L. Jackson). BTW, I threw in Delroy Lindo because I've always liked his acting. He did a great job in Romeo Must Die. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: August 02 2009 at 08:30
And of course, "This is CNN." and "Luke I am your Father."  ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: August 02 2009 at 08:39
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Interestingly enough, James Earl Jones made his movie debut in Dr. Strangelove.
He did a great job in Gardens Of Stone with James Caan. And let's not forget Field Of Dreams.
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Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: August 02 2009 at 08:47
| It looks like Delroy Lindo and Michael Clarke Duncan may remain voteless but only one vote for Djimon Hounsou? Even after Gladiator and Blood Diamond? |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: August 02 2009 at 11:40
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Some of you might enjoy 'Hollywood Shuffle', a hilarious Spinal Tap styled send-up of the world of professional acting for black actors.
Did the guy who played Radio Raheem in Do the Right Thing ever show up again in the movies, what a great character. |
Posted By: PhuncleSam
Date Posted: August 02 2009 at 13:49
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Deja Vu, American Gangster. Washington rules. ------------- Interviewer: "So Frank, you have long hair. Does that make you a woman?" FZ: "You have a wooden leg. Does that make you a table?" |
Posted By: Dawn of Eternity
Date Posted: August 03 2009 at 19:57
| James Earl Jones for me. Why? Because he provided the voice for Vader. |
Posted By: el dingo
Date Posted: August 04 2009 at 06:37
Just behind SLJ for me,,, and he did some superb stuff when black actors just didn't get leading roles ------------- It's not that I can't find worth in anything, it's just that I can't find worth in enough. |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: August 04 2009 at 09:34
Eddy Murphy or Sidney Poitier???? ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: el dingo
Date Posted: August 04 2009 at 09:38
 Sidney Poitier - hence blue type in quote
Eddie Murphy was okay as the voice of The Donkey in Shrek, I guess...
------------- It's not that I can't find worth in anything, it's just that I can't find worth in enough. |
Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 10:48
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Sidney Poitier was very big in the sixties with movies like "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner", "Lillies Of The Field" and "To Sir With Love". And he was great in "In The Heat Of The Night".
More recently I liked him in "Sneakers" with Robert Redford and "The Jackal" with Bruce Willis.
I am not the least bit embarrassed to say that Donkey was my favorite character in all the Shreks.
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Posted By: TheCaptain
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 11:33
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Denzel for me. Samuel L makes me happy every time he talks because he's such a badass and Morgan Freeman isn't so much a good actor as a good talker. I haven't really seen enough of the others to be able to vote for them.
------------- Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 11:33
| Why don't we have a black actresses thread yet? Or did I miss it? I'll do it, but let's get some nominations. I'll start with Halle Berry and Pam Grier... |
Posted By: el dingo
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 16:42
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^
Halle Berry every time - and not just for being gorgeous, which she is Whoops - should've waited for the new thread  ------------- It's not that I can't find worth in anything, it's just that I can't find worth in enough. |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 16:44
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Queen Latifah and Tyra Banks. ------------- 
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Posted By: manofmystery
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 20:42
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ummm, Halle Berry, Queen Latifah, and Tyra Banks can't act ------------- Time always wins. |
Posted By: TheCaptain
Date Posted: August 07 2009 at 09:00
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Tyra Banks is an excellent actress. In reality she is quite sane.
------------- Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: August 07 2009 at 16:53
OK, but I am looking for cute black chicks that are in the acting biz or otherwise for a new poll. Allison Stewart came to mind. Not an actress per se. I'll launch the poll as soon as we get enough nominations to fill up all the slots. By the way, has anyone else here seen Jackie Brown? Pam is cool, hot, yeah baby... ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: August 08 2009 at 05:34
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I liked Jackie Brown but I think it has been overshadowed by the popularity of Pulp Fiction. Pam was cool (Robert Forster thought so) and Samuel L. Jackson's character was insane (The AK47...when you absolutely have to kill every MFer in the room").
A couple of "cuties" for your Black Actress poll would be Lisa Bonet and Vanessa Williams.
That is unless you want to go back to the original "Hottie" black actress, Lena Horne.
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Posted By: mrcozdude
Date Posted: August 08 2009 at 05:40
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OJ Simpson for me
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/cozfunkel/" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: The Prognaut
Date Posted: August 13 2009 at 10:14
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No Sidney Poitier?
------------- break the circle reset my head wake the sleepwalker and i'll wake the dead |
Posted By: weetabix
Date Posted: August 15 2009 at 21:02
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Hilly Hicks alot of early 70's films usually played a Teenager.Omega Man was one flick that comes to mind. Frank McCrea, 1941,Cannery Row, Used Cars, Farewell to the King. I am a big Sammy Davis jr.fan, read his book Yes I can, and the only member of the Rat Pack that had acting talent. |
Posted By: manofmystery
Date Posted: August 15 2009 at 21:28
 YES!he was fantastic in the Naked Gun films ------------- Time always wins. |
Posted By: el dingo
Date Posted: August 17 2009 at 17:48
Sammy Davis was probably one of the most multi-talented people to ever draw breath. I still reckon Sinatra could act a bit tho (Von Ryan's Express, etc) ------------- It's not that I can't find worth in anything, it's just that I can't find worth in enough. |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: September 18 2009 at 07:34
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One worthy of special mention is Harry Belafonte - Alongside Poitier he was one of the first black actors to be given lead roles - he cut short his acting career because he didn't like the stereotyped roles he was being offered but the post-apocalyptic Last Man On Earth/Omega Man/I Am Legend style film "The http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World,_the_Flesh_and_the_Devil_%281959_film%29 - World, The Flesh and the Devil " is well worth tracking down and watching (the later films, though based on an earlier Sci-Fi novel, borrow quite a lot from this film).
------------- What? |