Who is your favorite character actor?

This could be a poll-worthy topic, but for one person to construct such a list would be beyond presumptuous. Thought it might be fun to hear some nominations. I'm not looking for actors whose names top the bill, just bit parts combined with Bill Simmons' famous 'that guy!' quality. My list:

Rip Torn
James Coburn
James Cromwell
Dub Taylor
Brian Cox
Harry Dean Stanton
Denholm Elliott
R Lee Ermey
Sam Elliott
Christopher Lloyd
Sir John Gielgud
JT Walsh
Mako
James Whitmore
Ray Walston
Richard Farnsworth
Lance Henrickson
Keith David
Abraham Benrubi
Missi Pyle
Dan Hedaya

There's a fuzzy line between character and star sometimes (Coburn, Cromwell, Cox, Lloyd and Gielgud made my list, Oliver Platt, as an example, did not). How should one define it?

Gary

[surfinillini]

Joey Pants is my fav...he's been in everything from Risky Business to Memento, to The Matrix, great career.

edit: Mako is a great one too, he was in Conan and that movie Sidekicks with Jonathan Brandis (right before he hung himself).

[ClassicBob]

Until about 2 years ago, the correct answer by a mile was Paul Giamatti. But now he has finally reached star status that he was deserving for a long time.

Does Philip Seymour Hoffman count, or is he too famous now as well?

[istewart]

Hedaya is [censored] annoying.

Agreed on Giamatti. PSH has to be considered a star now, but another great nomination. Same with Pantaliano. That's what makes this tough, I'm looking for people who were great but never got to make that leap.

Gary

[TheMainEvent]

http://www.nndb.com/people/736/000022670/031024SB.jpg

[Los Feliz Slim]

http://www.nndb.com/people/214/000029127/john-c-reilly-sized.jpg

[istewart]

http://www.stars2go.com/w/christopher-walken/star.jpg

[henrikrh]

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agree! Walken in 2008!

edit: Is this Walken? It's gotta be. It is yeah? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

http://adorocinema.cidadeinternet.com.br/personalidades/atores/john-turturro/john-turturro02.jpg

[istewart]

Yes.

[imported_CaseClosed326]

good call

[dsm]

George Sanders
Jo Van Fleet
Steve Buscemi
Irene Worth
George kennedy
Fred Gwynne
Keenan Wynn
Charles Durning
Jack Palance
Ed Begley
e.g. Marshall
Steven Tobolowsky
Lee Cobb

...just to name a few

[Go_Blue88]

nevermind

[Klepton]

http://images.art.com/images/PRODUCTS/large/10038000/10038584.jpg

[surfinillini]

surprised nobody mentioned Lane Smith:

recently died but you remember him from such roles in

Son in Law

The Mighty Ducks

The Distinguished Gentleman

and many others...

[Cancuk]

Steve Buschemi (spelling), although he's pretty well known.

About 5-7 years ago, Phillip Seymour Hoffman

[Dominic]

JT Walsh was awesome.

these days, I like David Morse, William Fitchner and Chris Cooper.

[MonkeeMan]

Let's not forget faithful Indian companions and loyal sidekicks

http://www.jimwegryn.com/Names/Tonto.jpg http://www.cowboyhathistory.org/images/andy_devine.jpg

[TheCroShow]

a few come to mind:

http://gfx.filmweb.pl/p/3454/po.64937.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/chao_xing/mlil/mlil56.jpg

http://www.gothamist.com/images/2004_04_dennisfarina.jpg

[robokop]

Ajay Naidu

[Claunchy]

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/4118/macy6ic.jpg

[OrangeCat]

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[housenuts]

i don't understand this question

[InchoateHand]

The black guy.

[TheCroShow]

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The black guy.

[/ QUOTE ]

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050720/050720_hounsou_vlg_4p.widec.jpg

this guy?

[tonypaladino]

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buschemi (sp) and not even close. I've met him, he's a prett cool guy too.

[surfinillini]

again, I have reiterate Joey Pants.

I forgot he was also in:

-The Goonies
-La Bamba
-The Fugitive
-Bad Boys
-The Sopranos

[TheBlueMonster]

Akim Tameroff. Watch him in some Orson Welles movies and you'll fall in love...in a strictly heterosexual, I love film sense.

[nothumb]

John Turturro
Steve Buscemi
Eli Wallach
Harvey Keitel
Giancarlo Esposito
Jean Reno (he's big overseas but can we count him?)

One man who has played a ton of great supporting roles (moreso than he has been good as a leading man) although he is very well known is Morgan Freeman.

Terrence Howard (also starting to get big)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Adebisi from Oz)
Tom Sizemore

etc etc

NT

[trying2learn]

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many great answers in this thread...but i think macy may be the best.

[Guyon]

http://www.little-eichmann.com/images/213_ironeyescody.jpg

[JonPKibble]

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