Hollywood's Most Prolific Actors

Some actors are know for their roles in a couple big movies like Mark Hamill or Ralph Machio. Others make many movies and have a successful career with a string of blockbusters like Denzel Washington, Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, or Russell Crowe. The third group are in different category because they have been in an insane amount of movies. Some of these actors like Morgan Freeman seem to be in almost every movie you see.

Below is a list of some of the actors that have been in over 50 movies. I got this data from IMDB as of today's date. I know some of these actors have also worked as directors and producers of movies, but these numbers are just for films they have acted in. The numbers may be slightly skewed since some of the films they are credited for may be TV shows or video games or a guest appearance on the Simpsons, but at least you can get an idea of the scope of work they've been involved in over the years. I did not intend to exclude actresses, so don't take offense If you are looking for Angelina Jolie or Julia Roberts (neither of which have been in over 50 movies). Here are some of the actors who have been in at least 50 movies.

The 50 + Club
Steve Martin-55
Sylvester Stallone-55
Tom Hanks-56
Harrison Ford-59
Tim Robbins-60
Brad Pitt-61
George Clooney-62
Keanu Reeves-63
Dustin Hoffman-63
Nicholas Cage-64
Clint Eastwood-66
Val Kilmer-67
Liam Neeson-71
Jack Nicholson-71
Jerry Lewis-72
Humphrey Bogart-76
Spencer Tracy-78
Bruce Willis-79
Ben Stiller-83
Kurt Russell-85
Morgan Freeman-87
Robin Williams-88
Sean Connery-89
Jackie Chan-99

The 100 + Club
Gene Hackman-100
Anthony Hopkins-104
Samuel Jackson-120
Charleton Heston-126
Robert Duvall-132
Klaus Kinsky-135
Michael Caine-139
James Earl Jones-170
John Wayne-170
Christopher Lee-264
Mickey Rooney-320

Congratulations to Mickey Rooney for being the most prolific actor I could identify. Maybe being a manipulated childhood star does have its rewards after all. I'm sure I have missed some obvious ones so if anyone comes to mind list them in the comment section.

Tribute to Don LaFontaine

In a world of movie trailers....

I love movie trailers. Sometimes sitting through 10-15 minutes of previews before a movie starts can be more enjoyable than the feature you came to see. If I'm late to a movie and miss the previews then it is hard to have the ideal movie viewing experience. Whenever someone mentions movie trailers the name Don LaFontaine comes to mind. He is the most celebrated voice man for movie previews and has narrated thousands of movie trailers during his career.

I've seen several interviews with him and he said he'd actually make up the lines for most of his trailers. He's famous for his thunderous deep voice and starting his trailers with phrases like "In a World..., One Man..., In a time..., "etc. Last year I came across a YouTube link by comedian Pablo Francisco where he does a great job of impersonating him. I also saw a funny preview for Comedian which makes fun of his trademark style.

This year I noticed that Don had a new Geico commercial so I was surprised a few months ago when I learned that he had passed away. A voice like his is hard to replace. I thought as a tribute to him I'd post the above mentioned links. Thanks for all the previews.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7LN9uklloY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXbFuNQwTbs

Favorite Movie Quotes

I love movie quotes. Many times when I see something happen in my life it reminds me of a scene or a quote from a movie. My in-laws have entire conversations repeating lines from movies which can be funny unless you haven't seen the movie. Reading the following quotes is like a trip down memory lane. Some movie quotes can be even more potent than watching a movie trailer. Here are some of my favorites:

"It's just a flesh wound" Monty Python and the Holy Grail-1975
"Gentlemen of the court, there are times that I'm ashamed to be a member of the human race and this is one such occasion." Paths of Glory-1957
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father prepare to die. " Princess Bride-1987 "Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges. " Treasure of the Sierra Madre-1948
"So you're telling me there's a chance?" Dumb and Dumber-1994
"Don't mess with the volcano my man, 'cause I will go Pompeii on your... butt." Mystery Men-1999 (side note- Mystery Men have had many shortcomings but probably is pound for pound the best value for one liners and awesome quotes you will ever find)
"Your eyes are full of hate, forty-one. That's good. Hate keeps a man alive. It gives him strength." Ben Hur-1959
"Do you believe that my being stronger or faster than you has anything to do with my muscles in this place? Do you think that's air you're breathing now? The Matrix-1999
"Ours go to 11" This is Spinal Tap-1984
"Rosebud" Citizen Kane-1941 "
"Do you see what I have to work with here?" Batman-1989
"Your fire is dying down Fraulein" Raiders of the Lost Ark-1981
"Eddie says I can quit one of my night jobs after the baby comes"-Vacation-1983
"The Internet... is that the one with the e-mail?" For Your Consideration-2006
"Open the pod bay doors Hal" 2001: A Space Odyssey-1968
"Eat Cookie!" Micky Blue Eyes-1999
"These are not the droids you are looking for" Star Wars-1977
"May I take your trident sir?" Dirty Rotten Scoundrels-1988
"Get your stinking paws off me you damned dirty ape" Planet of the Apes-1968
"There is no charge for awesomeness... or attractiveness." Kung Fu Panda-2008
"Necessary? Is it necessary for me to drink my own urine? No, but I do it anyway because it's sterile and I like the taste. " Dodgeball-2004
"Money well spent, both times I might add" Lonesome Dove-1989
"Nothing is Written !" Lawrence of Arabia-1962
"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" The Wizard of Oz-1939
"Soylent Green is People" Soylent Green-1973
"That doesn't really work, does it?" Amadeus-1984
"Don't tell me my business boy, just checking the luggage" Fletch-1985
"Oops, You caught me being a mentor" A Series of Unfortunate Events-2004

There are thousands of other great quotes so feel free to list some of your favorites.

Quantum of Solace Review

Unlike prior Bond films, this movie is a sequel so if you haven't seen Casino Royale yet you may want to watch it first. If you are just looking to be entertained don't worry. It's not like this is a complicated Shakespearean plot that will go over your head. Warning: This review contains spoilers.

007 has become a darker character over the last two movies. Bond could simply be described as a brutal assassin. He now prefers his fists over gadgets. There is definitely a more serious and realistic feel to this movie. You don't see Bond driving a hovercraft through Venice square or sledding on a cello but there is still plenty of fake stuff like the inability of bad guys with machine guns to shoot him at close range. This film is grittier and more violent than prior Bond movies. The previous movies also featured violence and death but they were usually accompanied by the obligatory witty quips and cocky attitude so it wasn't taken as seriously. In Quantum of Solace the corny puns and innuendo are kept to a minimum, however I did find myself laughing at some of the one liners. Since Bond is so hardened and angry in this movie I was surprised and even touched during a seen when he holds a dying friend and comforts him as he passes away, but my hopes were soon dashed when he callously tossed his body into a giant dumpster as soon as he died.

The action and stunts are great and nearly non stop so there isn't a dull moment; however the cinematography is choppier and harder to follow as is the trend these days in many action movies. Most of the fight scenes reminded me of The Bourne Identity. This movie is very entertaining with action sequences and stunts on the ground, air, and sea. The globe trotting covers England, Italy, Austria, and Bolivia. I found it interesting that Bond did not have the usual romp with the lead actress who was played by Olga Kurlyanko. In the past 007 has been much more prolific and promiscuous with the ladies, but here he seemed very focused on revenge. The other Bond girl , Agent Fields had a trivial part and didn't really fit in or contribute much to the movie. At least they used her to pay homage to a scene from Goldfinger.

Judi Dench grows on me more with each movie. She is more complex and effective than any of the men who have previously played the role of M. I think her character is one of the more intriguing and entertaining ones. I miss Q but since Desmond Llewelyn died it has been hard to replace him. There was really no need for a Q in this movie since there was no gadgetry with the exception of the cool computer screens at the MI6 briefing room. The most recent villain didn't have metal teeth, scars, a third nipple, a pet cat, or bleeding eyes, like prior eccentric villains we've seen. He didn't even have an underground lair or secret facility with hundreds of henchmen working for him either. He was just an average guy which made him appear less threatening and even vulnerable, but he seemed more realistic than prior villains. The scariest thing about the villain was his right hand man's horrible haircut.

If you are a long time fan of the Series and enjoyed Connery and Moore for their suave and smooth performances you may not enjoy this movie as much. I have noticed that many of the seasoned 007 fans are not happy that Bond is being re-defined. Some feel he his identify has been hi-jacked and they've been critical of the direction of the last two movies. I can see their point and as a long time Bond fan I can empathize with them, but I think Daniel Craig does a great job and has revived the series for a younger generation. This movie met most of my expectations despite it's departure from many of the traditional Bondisms we've grown accustomed to over the years. I give it 7.1 out of 10.

Movie Trivia Quiz

If you enjoy movie trivia I thought it would be fun to test your movie trivia skills with a quiz. If you don't enjoy movies then you are reading the wrong blog. To show you how it works I will give you a very easy example. What do Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Michael Keaton, and Christian Bale have in common? Yes they all make more money than us but I was looking for the fact that they have all played the role of Batman. See how you do on the rest of the questions. Answers are listed below. Sorry I couldn't figure out how to write them upside down so try not to cheat.

1. What do Kenneth Branagh, Mel Gibson, Ethan Hawke, and Laurence Olivier have in common?
2. What do The Fellowship of the Ring, Back to the Future, The Matrix, and the God Father have in common?
3. What do Gary Oldman, Klaus Kinsky, Wesley Snipes, and George Hamilton, have in common?
4. What do Jackie Chan, John Wayne, and Buster Keaton have in common?
5. What do Stand by Me, My Giant, Saving Private Ryan, Supersize Me, and the Sandlot have in common?
6. What do Alec Baldwin, Harison Ford, and Ben Aflec have in common?
7. What do Star Wars, Police Academy, Harry Potter, and Rocky Have in common?
8. What do Tim Robbins, Paul Newman, Adam Sandler, Robert Redford, and Clint Eastwood have in common?
9. What do Al Pacino, John Malkovich, and Mark Rufallo, Ben Affleck have in common?
10. What to Rosamund Pike, Famke Janssen, Sophie Marceau, Jill St. John, and Jane Seymour have in common?
11. What do Paul Giamatti, Mel Gibson, Mark Whalberg, Bryce Dallas Howard,and Bruce Willis have in common?
12. What do Patriot Games, National Treasure, Lorna Doone, and Goldeneye have in common?

If I would have had questions like this in school then I could have been a Sterling Scholar. Instead my parents were stuck with a bumper sticker that says "Proud parent of a movie trivia geek" . Feel free to post your scores.

Answers: 1) They all played the character of Hamlet 2) All are the first movie of Trilogies 3)They all acted roles as vampires 4) They did their own stunts 5) They all feature throw up scenes 6) They each played the role of Jack Ryan 7) They all have 4 + movies in the series 8) They have all been prisoners in movies 9) They all played blind characters 10) They are all Bond girls 11)They were the lead actors in M. Night Shayamalan movies. 12) Sean Bean was the villain in each.