IMDb Poll ( non-sanctioned) Rating post WW2 leading men who had prolific careers.
by st-shot | created - 11 Jun 2011 | updated - 12 Jun 2011 | PublicThis poll was conducted in May 2011 inviting members on the board to rate five leading male actors of their era whose careers blossomed after the war and went on to have lengthy careers as leading men. One question dealt with their three best performances and the other rating them against each other in terms of overall film career performances. On average two dozen members partook in each individual poll. Listed in order.
1. Marlon Brando
Actor | Apocalypse Now
Marlon Brando is widely considered the greatest movie actor of all time, rivaled only by the more theatrically oriented Laurence Olivier in terms of esteem. Unlike Olivier, who preferred the stage to the screen, Brando concentrated his talents on movies after bidding the Broadway stage adieu in ...
Brando was selected first by a wide margin that included more first place votes than the four others combined. Eighteen of his films were mentioned with On The Waterfront comfortably outdistancing Streetcar Named Desire and The Godfather in a virtual tie for second. Last Tango in Paris was a surprisingly weak fourth while his Oscar nominations ( Viva Zapata, Julius Caesar, Sayanora) received little notice.
2. William Holden
Actor | Stalag 17
Billy Wilder proclaimed William Holden to be "the ideal motion picture actor". For almost four decades, the handsome, affable 'Golden Holden' was among Hollywood's most durable and engaging stars. He was born William Franklin Beedle Jr., one of three sons to a high school English teacher, Mary ...
Fifteen of Holden's films were mentioned with Stalag 17 edging Sunset Blvd. by the slimmest of margins, even though Sunset was mentioned more and received the most first place votes. Network was third while Bridge on The River Kwai and The Wild Bunch rounded out the top five.
3. Robert Mitchum
Actor | Out of the Past
Robert Mitchum was an underrated American leading man of enormous ability, who sublimated his talents beneath an air of disinterest. He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Ann Harriet (Gunderson), a Norwegian immigrant, and James Thomas Mitchum, a shipyard/railroad worker. His father died in a ...
Night of the Hunter was the clear cut favorite with Cape Fear second and Out of the Past third. Hunter had the most first place votes as well as being the most mentioned. Seventeen films received votes with Heaven Knows Mister Allison a distant fourth and late career films (The Friends of Eddie Coyle, Farewell My Lovely) getting little mention.
4. Burt Lancaster
Actor | From Here to Eternity
Burt Lancaster, one of five children, was born in Manhattan, to Elizabeth (Roberts) and James Henry Lancaster, a postal worker. All his grandparents were immigrants from the north of Ireland. He was a tough street kid who took an early interest in gymnastics. He joined the circus as an acrobat and ...
Finishing fourth Lancaster had the most responses (31) and more films (26) mentioned than the other actors. From Here to Eternity squeaked past Sweet Smell of Success with Atlantic City a close third. Surprisingly The Swimmer out polled Elmer Gantry and Birdman of Alcatraz for fourth. Eternity got the most first place votes while Success was mentioned on the most ballots.
5. Kirk Douglas
Actor | The Final Countdown
Cleft-chinned, steely-eyed and virile star of international cinema who rose from being "the ragman's son" (the name of his best-selling 1988 autobiography) to become a bona fide superstar, Kirk Douglas, also known as Issur Danielovitch Demsky, was born on December 9, 1916 in Amsterdam, New York. ...
Douglas was a distant fifth in the poll, 20 films were mentioned with Lust for Life squeezing past Paths of Glory for the top spot while Ace in the Hole and Lonely are the Brave tied for third. Champion was fourth while Spartacus was not even in the top ten.
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