Actors Whose Careers Were Not Fully Realized

[Flivver]

Carole Lombard...so funny and so beautiful.

I would immagine her career could have lasted into the 1960s, had her life not ended so tragically in 1942.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Douglass Montgomery. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0599766/



Especially terrific in Waterloo Bridge (1931): http://www.life.com/image/3272584


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[bobalooba]

James Dean, only three films. He was such a compelling screen presence.

I think his potential was fully realized just not put in action because of extenuating circumstances. Death does make a career hard to pursue

 

[Nathan Dodge]

James Caan. Especially when you consider his Godfather co-stars Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Robert Duvall. Caan should have been a great one.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I think his potential was fully realized just not put in action because of extenuating circumstances. Death does make a career hard to pursue

Ergo, my point. He was hardly recognized before he was gone; the quintessence of an unrealized career. He could have, perhaps, been another Brando. Even Brando, for that matter, could have done more were he not hindered by madness.

 

[HadleyH]

Chester Morris(1901-1970)

I enjoy his films from the late 20s and 30s very much! :eusa_clap
His role as a convict in MGM's "The Big House" (1930) is forceful and brilliant. "Chester Morris was an attractive, charismatic and thoroughly professional actor who never gave a bad performance, but somehow never managed to become a mayor star."

 

[Marc Chevalier]

"Chester Morris was an attractive, charismatic and thoroughly professional actor who never gave a bad performance, but somehow never managed to become a mayor star."

Not a big star, but what a BIG collar! lol


Just saw him co-star with Jean Harlow in "Red-Headed Woman." I wasn't too impressed, unfortunately.


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[HadleyH]

Not a big star, but what a BIG collar! lol

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Yep! That is one big collar, there, right there! That collar alone might earn him an Oscar! lol

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Heath Ledger comes to mind.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heath_Ledger

 

[Brooksie]

River Phoenix


Brooksie

 

[Nathan Dodge]

Don't Laugh, But...

Burt Reynolds

I think he let things slip away when Reynolds traded in his dramatic and light comedy chops for a bunch of silly (but money making) comedies and then descended into self parody (the Reynolds cackle). I always thought that there was a really good dramatic actor there.

 

[LadyStardust]

I think John Gilbert definitely fits the bill.

 

[celtic]

Mickey Rourke.

 

[Senator Jack]

Seriously brilliant as the Christian brothers in Candy.

 

[WH1]

John Cazale, the actor who played Fredo in Godfather I & II. He made only five movies in his far too short career.

The complete list:
The Godfather
The Godfather II
Dogday Afternoon
The Conversation
The Deerhunter

Everyone of them was nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award, truly an amazing career.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

Tallulah Bankhead

Long stage career, "she was only a social drinker" but she was very social every day, sad that she is only remembered for "lifeboat" and as "The Black Widow on "Batman" in the 1960's

 

[Atterbury Dodd]

Leslie Howard.

 

[Wally_Hood]

An actor that whose career was not fully realized, due to an untimely death, was Robert Williams. The only performance I have seen is his in Platinum Blonde, which shows up on TCM from time to time. He was very much like James Stewart, in that he presents himself very naturally, very low key. His delivery has a conversational feel, almost like it's the first take, not the studied performance of someone trained to project to the back of the auditorium.



I said to myself, "Let me dig this solid cat and see what jumps in that wig of his that's causing all the flip on the vine."

 

[BinkieBaumont]

Michael Pare

I was looking through the September 1985 copy of Andy Warhol's "Interview" magazine, from the days when it was in large format, there is a Photographic shoot, done at warner Bros Studio in "Vintage" style featuring the "Up and coming"young stars of that year , Michael Pare was one of them I don't think he really reached his true potential, only remember him for "Eddy & the Cruisers"

"Dressed for success" Michael Pare in 1985