23.  Robert Mitchum (1917-1997)

Robert Mitchum received a best supporting actor nomination for his role in the 1945 film “The Story of G.I. Joe” with Burgess Meredith.  However, Mitchum may be best remembered for his notorious roles in 1955’s “Night of the Hunter” with Shelley Winters and the original version of “Cape Fear” (1962) where he starred opposite Gregory Peck.

22.  Sidney Poitier (1927- )

This legendary actor has appeared in a number of renowned movie roles.  Sidney Poitier was nominated for a best actor Academy Award for “The Defiant Ones” (1958) and would take home the Oscar for his critically acclaimed work in 1963’s “Lilies of the Field”.  He would also star in such movies as “A Raisin in the Sun” (1961), “To Sir, With Love” (1967), “In the Heat of the Night” (1967) where he portrayed Detective Virgil Tibbs, “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (1967) with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy and 1997’s “The Jackal” with Richard Gere and Bruce Willis.  Poitier received an Honorary Academy Award in 2001 for his contribution to the movie industry.

21.  Buster Keaton (1895-1966)

This innovating actor first appeared in 1917’s silent “Butcher Boy” with Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle.  Buster Keaton would go on to appear in numerous shorts and full length feature films including 1921’s “The Haunted House”, “Sherlock, Jr” (1924), “The General” (1927), “Around the World in 80 Days” (1956) with David Niven, “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” (1963) with Milton Berle, Mickey Rooney and Spencer Tracy and the 1966 film “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”.  Although he was never nominated for an Oscar, Keaton did receive an Honorary Academy Award in 1959 for his contribution to film.

20.  The Marx Brothers :

Groucho Marx (1890-1977), Chico Marx (1887-1961), Harpo Marx (1888-1964), Zeppo Marx (1901-1979)

The renowned comedy act appeared in several movies including “Animal Crackers” (1930) and “Duck Soup” (1933).  After Zeppo Marx left the ensemble, the three remaining brothers appeared in “A Night at the Opera” (1935) and “A Day at the Races” (1937).  Groucho would go on to appear in other movies including “Copacabana” (1947).  The Academy presented the brothers with an Honorary Award in 1973 for their work in comedy and film.

19.  Burt Lancaster (1913-1994)

Burt Lancaster appeared in many popular films including “The Killers” (1946) with Ava Gardner, “Sweet Smell of Success” (1957), “The Professionals” (1966) with Lee Marvin and Jack Palance, “Airport” (1970) and the 1986 comedy “Tough Guys” with Kirk Douglas.  He received a best actor Academy Award nomination for his work in “From Here to Eternity” (1953), “The Birdman of Alcatraz” (1962) and “Atlantic City” (1981).  However, it was Lancaster’s work in 1960’s “Elmer Gantry” that garnered him the Oscar.

18.  James Dean (1931-1955)

James Dean’s life was cut short by a tragic car accident in 1955 but his work in film has endured.  Dean appeared in “East of Eden” (1955) with Julie Harris and Burl Ives, “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955) with Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood and in the 1956 epic “Giant” with Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor.  He would posthumously receive two Academy Award best actor nominations: one for “East of Eden”, the other for “Giant”.

17.  Kirk Douglas (1916-)

This legendary actor has starred in a number of movies over the past several decades.  Kirk Douglas starred in movies such as “Spartacus” (1960), “Gunfight at the OK Corral” (1956) with Burt Lancaster (who played Wyatt Earp to Douglas’ Doc Holliday) and in 1954’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”.  He received Oscar nominations for his work in “The Champion” (1949), “The Bad and the Beautiful” (1952) and “Lust for Life” (1956).  For his contribution to film, Douglas received an Honorary Award in 1995.

16.  Orson Welles (1915-1985)

Orson Welles was not only a renowned actor but also a popular director and award winning writer.  His timeless classic Citizen Kane garnered Welles an Academy Award nomination for best actor however it was his work on the movie’s screenplay that won the Oscar.  Welles would go on to receive an Honorary Award from the Academy in 1970.  His other works include “Jane Eyre” (1944) with Joan Fontaine, “The Lady from Shanghai” (1947) with then wife Rita Hayworth, “The Third Man” (1949) as the villainous Harry Lime, “Touch of Evil” (1958) with Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh and as the narrator of the 1981 Mel Brooks comedy “History of the World Part 1”.

15.  Gene Kelly (1912-1996)

This entertainer appeared in such classics as “An American in Paris” (1951) and “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952).  Gene Kelly also appeared in “Inherit the Wind” (1960) with Spencer Tracy and received a best actor Oscar nomination in 1945’s “Anchors Away” co-starring opposite Frank Sinatra.  Kelly received an Honorary Award from the Academy in 1951 for his contribution to film.

14.  Laurence Olivier (1907-1989)

This star of stage and screen had an illustrious and distinguished career that is second to none.  From 1939 to 1978, Laurence Olivier received eleven Oscar nominations for his work on such films as “Wuthering Heights” (1939), Rebecca (1940), “Richard III” (1956), “The Entertainer” (1960), “Othello” (1965), “Sleuth” (1972), “Marathon Man” (1976) and “The Boys From Brazil” (1978).  He won the best actor prize for “Hamlet” (1948), received a special award for his work in “Henry V” (1946) and was the recipient of an Honorary Award in 1978 for his work in film.  Olivier also made notable appearances in “Spartacus” (1960), “A Bridge to Far” (1977), “The Jazz Singer” (1980), 1981’s Clash of the Titans and made a posthumous appearance in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004).

13.  John Wayne (1907-1979)

This “bigger than life” had an unprecedented career in movies, appearing in film from the 1920s through the 1970s.  John Wayne appeared in numerous movies including “Rio Grande” (1950), “Rio Bravo” (1959), “How the West was Won” (1962), “McIntock!” (1963), “The Green Berets” (1968) and “Rio Lobo” (1970).  He received a best actor Oscar nomination for 1949’s “The Sands of Iwo Jima” and was part of the cast for “The Alamo” (1960) which received a best picture nomination.  It was Wayne’s work in 1969’s “True Grit” that captured the Oscar statue for him.

12.  Gregory Peck (1916-2003)

Gregory Peck was a versatile actor who played a variety of characters from Audrey Hepburn’s love interest in 1953’s “Roman Holiday” to a priest in the 1976 horror film “The Omen”.  Peck also starred in 1962’s “Cape Fear” and made an appearance in the 1991 remake.  He received Oscar nominations for his work in “The Keys of the Kingdom” (1945), “The Yearling” (1946), “Gentleman’s Agreement” (1949) and “Twelve O’Clock High” (1949).  However, it was his role as Atticus Finch in 1962’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” that not only immortalized him as one of Hollywood’s greats, but garnered him the Academy Award.  He would receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1967.

11.  Gary Cooper (1901-1961)

Gary Cooper’s career expanded several decades.  His movies included “A Farewell to Arms” (1932) and 1927’s “Wings”, which was the first movie to ever win a best picture Oscar.  Cooper, himself, would receive nominations for his work in “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” (1936), “The Pride of the Yankees” (1942) and “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (1943).  He would win for 1941’s “Sergeant York”, “High Noon” (1952) and received an Honorary Award in 1960 for his contribution to film.

10.  Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977)

This iconic screen legend’s character, “The Tramp” was beloved by millions.  Charlie Chaplin’s career spanned several decades and included the silent classics “The Kid” (1921) and “The Circus” (1928).  He also starred in “City Lights” (1931) which still ranks as one of the top films of all time.  Chaplin has starred in 1940’s “The Great Dictator” for which he received a best actor Oscar nomination and in 1952’s “Limelight” with Buster Keaton.  Chaplin, who was also a director, music composer and producer, received the Academy Award’s first Special Award for his work on the film “The Circus”.  He would be nominated for his screenwriting on “Monsieur Verdoux” (1947) and would later win the Oscar for music that he created for “Limelight”.  Chaplin received the Academy’s Honorary Award in 1971.

 9.  Spencer Tracy (1900-1967)

Spencer Tracy’s career spanned from the 1930s until his death in 1967.  Considered to be one of the greatest actors of all time, Tracy appeared in numerous films including “Big City” (1937), “Boom Town” (1940) with Clark Gable, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (1941) and “Woman of the Year” (1942) which was the first of nine films he made with Katharine Hepburn.  He was nominated for nine Academy Awards for his work in such films as “San Francisco” (1936), the original “Father of the Bride” (1950), “The Old Man and the Sea” (1958) and “Judgment at Nuremberg” (1961).  Tracy became the first actor to win back to back Oscars for his work in “Captains Courageous” (1937) and “Boys Town” (1938).

 8.  James Cagney (1899-1986)

James Cagney became synonymous with “bad guy” characters for his roles as Tom Powers in “The Public Enemy” (1931) and Cody Jarrett in “White Heat” (1949), ranking numbers 42 and 26, respectively, on AFI’s Top 50 Villains countdown.  Cagney received Oscar nominations for his work in 1938’s “Angels with Dirty Faces” and “Love Me or Leave Me” (1955).  However, it was his role in the 1942 classic “Yankee Doodle Dandy” that won him the best actor prize.

 7.  Clark Gable (1901-1960)

Best remembered as Rhett Butler in the classic epic Gone With the Wind (1939), Clark Gable is considered one of the silver screen’s all time legends.  Gable career spanned from the 1920s silent era to his last film, “The Misfits” (1961) which also starred Montgomery Clift and Marilyn Monroe.  The actor also starred in “Magambo” (1953) with Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly, “The Call of the Wild” (1935) and “China Seas” (1935) with Jean Harlow.  He won the best actor Academy Award for 1934’s “It Happened One Night” and would be nominated for his performances in 1935’s “Mutiny on the Bounty” and for his role as Rhett Butler.

 6.  Henry Fonda (1905-1982)

From the 1930s and into the 1980s, Henry Fonda was a mainstay on the silver screen.  He appeared in a variety of films including “The Rounders” (1965) with Glenn Ford, the original “Yours, Mine and Ours” (1968) with Lucille Ball and the 1978 sci-fi “The Swarm” with Michael Caine and Olivia de Havilland.  Fonda received a best actor Oscar nomination for his role in 1940’s “Grapes of Wrath” and a best picture nomination for his role as producer for the film “12 Angry Men” (1957).  He received an Honorary Award in 1980 and brought home the best actor prize for one of his final films, “On Golden Pond” (1981).

 5.  Fred Astaire (1899-1987)

This musical favorite was paired with Ginger Rogers in the 1934 film “The Gay Divorcee” and in “Shall We Dance” (1937).  Fred Astaire appeared in the “Ziegfeld Follies” (1946) with Lucille Ball, Judy Garland, Lena Horne, Grace Kelly and Red Skelton and in 1957’s “Funny Face” with Audrey Hepburn.  For fans of the animated holiday classic “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” (1970), Astaire voiced the character of the mailman/narrator.  He received the Academy’s Special Award in 1949 for his work in musicals and would later be nominated for best supporting actor for his performance in “The Towering Inferno” (1974).

4.  Marlon Brando (1924-2004)

Marlon Brando’s unique voice made him one of the silver screen’s most popular and recognizable stars.  The versatile actor’s career spanned several decades and included appearances in 1995’s “Don Juan DeMarco” (1995) with Johnny Depp and Faye Dunaway, as role as Jor-El, Superman’s father in “Superman” (1978) starring Christopher Reeve and Gene Hackman, 1979’s “Apocalypse Now” with Robert DuVall and Martin Sheen and the 1962 version of “Mutiny on the Bounty”.  Brando was nominated for eight Oscars for his roles in movies such as “A Streetcar Named Desire” (1951), “Viva Zapata!” (1952), “Julius Caesar” (1953), “Sayonara” (1957), “Last Tango in Paris” (1973) and “A Dry White Season” (1989).  He brought home the award twice for “On the Waterfront” (1954) and “The Godfather” (1972).

 3.  James Stewart (1908-1997)

James Stewart may be best remembered for his role as George Bailey in the holiday classic It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) but the actor played a variety of characters throughout his illustrious career.  Stewart appeared with a number of Hollywood’s elite in movies such as Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Greatest Show on Earth” (1952), Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window” (1954) with Grace Kelly, “The Man Who Knew too Much” (1956) with Doris Day and “Vertigo” (1958) with Kim Novak.  In addition to his best actor nomination for It’s a Wonderful Life, Stewart was nominated for his work in 1939’s “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”, “Harvey” (1950) and “Anatomy of a Murder” (1959).  He would win for his role in “The Philadelphia Story” (1940) and would receive Oscar’s Honorary Award in 1984.

2.       Cary Grant (1904-1986)

Cary Grant’s lengthy film career included the Alfred Hitchcock thrillers “Suspicion” (1941) with Joan Fontaine, “Notorious” (1946) with Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains, “To Catch a Thief” (1955) with Grace Kelly and “North by Northwest” (1959).  He starred in such movie classics as “Arsenic and Old Lace” (1944), “His Girl Friday” (1948), the original “The Bishop’s Wife” (1947) and “An Affair to Remember” (1957) with Deborah Kerr.  Grant received two Oscar nominations for his work in 1941’s “Penny Serenade” and 1944’s “None But the Lonely Heart”.  He received an Honorary Oscar in 1969 for his contribution to the world of cinema.

 1.  Humphrey Bogart  (1899-1957)

Although Humphrey Bogart passed away in 1957, the appreciation for his on screen work has endured.  One of Bogart’s first movie appearances was opposite Bette Davis and Leslie Howard in “The Petrified Forest” (1936).  He would go on to make such notable classics as “The Maltese Falcon” (1941), “Sahara” (1943) and “The Barefoot Contessa” (1954) with Ava Gardner.  His pairing with Lauren Bacall in 1944’s “To Have and Have Not” created one of Hollywood’s greatest couples both on and off screen.  They would go on to appear in several films including 1948’s “Key Largo”.  Bogart was Oscar nominated for his roles in the classic great “Casablanca” (1943) and “The Caine Mutiny” (1954).  He would win best actor for his work in 1951’s “The African Queen”.

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