Best British actor ever, who would you pick

[TORONTONY 10]

@Torontony - John Hurt is my favourite actor too, and has been for many years. It's his gorgeous, gravelly voice that so many of us love to hear, as well as see his brilliant acting. Sadly, John has cancer of the pancreas. He is having treatment and is optimistic.

 

He was wonderful as the narrator in Jim Henson's 'The Storyteller'. He's done a lot of audio work too and I recently heard him on Radio 4 Extra narrating 'The French Lieutenant's Woman'. He was great to listen to and it was a good story too.

 

John is actually a Northerner, being born and raised in Chesterfield and spending some years in Hull.

 

There are some great suggestions for best actor/actress in the thread.

Didn't know of his illness, nor that he came from Chesterfield. My family moved there about 1968, just after I got married and left home, my younger brother still lives there.

[Mister M 1,609]

Sir tom Courtenay.

 

Yes Tom Courtney always lights up the screen in what ever he is in....Fab in 'Billy Liar'! Julie Christie was in that too & she's a tremendous actress - Loved her in 'The Go between'.

 

Good call. Aside from the obvious, he did a great role as David's dad in The Royle Family (Bar Bear a)

 

I was also thinking of Denholm Elliot and Peter Sallis.

 

Yep Denholm Elliott was terrific - I always remember him in 'Brimstone & Treacle', absolutely fantastic.

 

Other memorable performances by British actors

 

Celia Johnson & Maggie Smith in 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie'

Trevor Howard and Wendy Hiller in 'Sons and Lovers'

Glenda Jackson as 'Elizabeth I'

Deborah Kerr in 'Black Narcissus'

Ian McKellan for 'Loving Walter'

[davebrmm 10]

For me it,s Richard Harris.

 

Tony Blair

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:15 ----------

 

Sean Bean ? Dont know how ever he has got on, there are better actors in corrie, one being Eccles for starters.

 

Eccles was played by Spike Milligan never knew he was in the failed actors grave yard

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:17 ----------

 

I love Idris Elba......proper lad!

 

Yeah he's British.....and should be the next James Bond

 

You have to be joking

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:18 ----------

 

The most entertaining British actors to me are Tim Curry and Brian Blessed. However, I reckon the most skilled and talented British actors are Christopher Lee, Ian MacKellon, Jim Broadbent, Gary Oldman and Timothy Spall

 

And Tony Blair

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:25 ----------

 

I'm not sure if it's possible to pick a best actor. It's entirely subjective. For example, many would say Judi Dench. But I think, she's over-exposed and over-used and doesn't do a thing for me, and demonstrates a lack of original though on the part of the casting director

 

In a different field, there's also the example of the music business. The 'Best Act' in whatever category is really a popularity contest, rather than a test of actual skill. One Direction have won lots of 'best' awards, but I think most would agree that they aren't actually literally the best at anything-except in current popularity.

 

With acting, much depends on script, lighting, cinematography etc. There are lots of actors I like, but it would be hard to define a 'best' as such..Smart Arse what about Charlie Chaplin,and Richard Todd

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:33 ----------

 

Its got to be Daniel Day-Lewis

 

I love There Will Be Blood but what what a performance in Lincoln.

 

Won 3 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes & 4 Baftas

 

He is Irish so I would advise you not to call him English

[TORONTONY 10]

Tony Blair

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:15 ----------

 

 

Eccles was played by Spike Milligan never knew he was in the failed actors grave yard

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:17 ----------

 

 

You have to be joking

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:18 ----------

 

 

And Tony Blair

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:25 ----------

 

I'm not sure if it's possible to pick a best actor. It's entirely subjective. For example, many would say Judi Dench. But I think, she's over-exposed and over-used and doesn't do a thing for me, and demonstrates a lack of original though on the part of the casting director

 

In a different field, there's also the example of the music business. The 'Best Act' in whatever category is really a popularity contest, rather than a test of actual skill. One Direction have won lots of 'best' awards, but I think most would agree that they aren't actually literally the best at anything-except in current popularity.

 

With acting, much depends on script, lighting, cinematography etc. There are lots of actors I like, but it would be hard to define a 'best' as such..Smart Arse what about Charlie Chaplin,and Richard Todd

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:33 ----------

 

 

He is Irish so I would advise you not to call him English

He was born in England, so he qualifies. He has dual citizenship.

 

---------- Post added 24-07-2015 at 10:47 ----------

 

Tony Blair

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:15 ----------

 

 

Eccles was played by Spike Milligan never knew he was in the failed actors grave yard

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:17 ----------

 

 

You have to be joking

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:18 ----------

 

 

And Tony Blair

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:25 ----------

 

I'm not sure if it's possible to pick a best actor. It's entirely subjective. For example, many would say Judi Dench. But I think, she's over-exposed and over-used and doesn't do a thing for me, and demonstrates a lack of original though on the part of the casting director

 

In a different field, there's also the example of the music business. The 'Best Act' in whatever category is really a popularity contest, rather than a test of actual skill. One Direction have won lots of 'best' awards, but I think most would agree that they aren't actually literally the best at anything-except in current popularity.

 

With acting, much depends on script, lighting, cinematography etc. There are lots of actors I like, but it would be hard to define a 'best' as such..Smart Arse what about Charlie Chaplin,and Richard Todd

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:33 ----------

 

 

He is Irish so I would advise you not to call him Englis

 

---------- Post added 24-07-2015 at 10:50 ----------

 

Tony Blair

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:15 ----------

 

 

Eccles was played by Spike Milligan never knew he was in the failed actors grave yard

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:17 ----------

 

 

You have to be joking

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:18 ----------

 

 

And Tony Blair

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:25 ----------

 

I'm not sure if it's possible to pick a best actor. It's entirely subjective. For example, many would say Judi Dench. But I think, she's over-exposed and over-used and doesn't do a thing for me, and demonstrates a lack of original though on the part of the casting director

 

In a different field, there's also the example of the music business. The 'Best Act' in whatever category is really a popularity contest, rather than a test of actual skill. One Direction have won lots of 'best' awards, but I think most would agree that they aren't actually literally the best at anything-except in current popularity.

 

With acting, much depends on script, lighting, cinematography etc. There are lots of actors I like, but it would be hard to define a 'best' as such..Smart Arse what about Charlie Chaplin,and Richard Todd

 

---------- Post added 23-07-2015 at 23:33 ----------

 

 

He is Irish so I would advise you not to call him English

 

He was born in England though.

Edited July 24, 2015 by TORONTONY

[Minimo 59]

Impossible for me to choose an all time favourite.

 

Women include Julie Walters, Maggie Smith, Thora Hird, and I'm sure there are more.

 

Top men include Pete Postlethwaite, Timothy Spall, John Thaw, and again there will be others.

[janie48 95]

What about Sean Connery? who seems to have been overlooked.

 

Not for the Bond films, but for parts in less famous films playing much different characters .

 

His role in a film called "The Hill" is one that comes to mind.

Edited July 29, 2015 by janie48

[PRESLEY 1,224]

What about Sean Connery? who seems to have been overlooked.

 

Not for the Bond films, but for parts in less famous films playing much different characters .

 

His role in a film called "The Hill" is one that comes to mind.

 

Great film the Hill, but for me Connery was the best and one and only James Bond, as for Roger Moore the Best Simon Templer. nice but dim Tim Dalton didn't make the grade and as for Pierce Brosnan it might as well have been Pierce Morgan.

[TORONTONY 10]

Great film the Hill, but for me Connery was the best and one and only James Bond, as for Roger Moore the Best Simon Templer. nice but dim Tim Dalton didn't make the grade and as for Pierce Brosnan it might as well have been Pierce Morgan.

Harry Andrews was the real star of The Hill , in my opinion.

 

---------- Post added 29-07-2015 at 21:29 ----------

 

Great film the Hill, but for me Connery was the best and one and only James Bond, as for Roger Moore the Best Simon Templer. nice but dim Tim Dalton didn't make the grade and as for Pierce Brosnan it might as well have been Pierce Morgan.

 

My favourite Sean Connery part was as Malone in the Untouchables, which is also my all time favourite film.

[plantas_Vzla 10]

Benedict Cumberbatch and Rachel Weisz are for me, some quite good actors

[code word 10]

Garry Oldman

[Ghosthunter 10]

Sir Ian McKellen

 

 

and Danny Dyer.....the clue is in his name

[glennpickard 10]

My contribution for leading actors/actresses would be Gary Oldman, Alec Guiness, Richard Attenborough on the male side and Margaret Rutherford, Helen Mirren and Maggie Smith on the female side

 

Tops would be Oldman and Smith for me !

 

---------- Post added 10-08-2015 at 17:01 ----------

 

My contribution for leading actors/actresses would be Gary Oldman, Alec Guiness, Richard Attenborough on the male side and Margaret Rutherford, Helen Mirren and Maggie Smith on the female side

 

Tops would be Oldman and Smith for me !