The 300 Most Underrated Actors (Great Character Actors)

The Wizard, amongst countless other roles.

A very memorable character actor with a memorable booming voice.

Bespectacled support player who popped up a lot on TV. Check him out menacing Fritz Weaver in a late period Twilight Zone episode and also on Karloff's "Thriller" series.

The Fatman. From Caspar Gutman in the Maltese Falcon to Casablanca to playing a political kingmaker in Flamingo Road, always a pleasure to watch.

Actor who made numerous appearances on film and T.V. during the 60s and 70s. I remember him best for his role as Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson "(1972), Silver Bullet (1976), High Plains Drifter (1973) and as Sissy Spacek's Principal in Carrie (1976).

Some notable roles of his include Max Kellerman in "Dirty Dancing", Irving Greenfield in "Gator", and Marty Freed in "Ishtar".

Another stout support player from the 30s,40s and 50s. Perhaps most memorable for his role as political boss Jim Taylor, who tries to screw over Jimmy Stewart's senator Jefferson Smith.

For more info on Mr. Lane, check out my famous film centenarians list.

Jeez. How many episodes of Gunsmoke was he in again? Also great in Cool Hand Luke as the perennially sunglass wearing silent "Boss Godfrey", and as the Boss in "Killing of a Chinese Bookie."

From the Scorpio Killer terrorizing Clint Eastwood, to being stuffed in a trunk in Charley Verrick, to being de-skinned in Hellraiser and a victim of Chucky in Child's Play 3, Robinson is one of the true greats...

Yesssssssss? A familiar mustachioed face to anyone who's a fan of the Golden Age of Television, notching up appearances on "I Love Lucy", "The Jack Benny Show" and later "Sanford and Son". Also known for voice-over work, Nelson provided voices and narration work for the Flintstones, The Snorks and The Jetsons. You may also know him from the various Simpsons lampoons of his Yessssssss? catchphrase.

Had a substantial film career outside of his role as "C.D." in "Walker, Texas Ranger."

Plump character actor with that whiny high voice...he appeared in dozens of great westerns, including The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

That funny, often befuddled little Hungarian man from the golden age of film..

Jeez....how many tv appearances did this man rack up? Familiar to anyone who's a fan of 60s and 70s television, and with a number of film roles in the bargain. Its seems like every time I see a repeat of Gunsmoke or Bonanza, its either Anderson or Morgan Woodward!

The voice...

Steve McQueen's pal notched up a host of great performances, including Bullitt, Papillon, Omen III: The Final Conflict, the Exorcist III:Legion, amongst others

For me, his best roles are as "Doc" in Escape from Alcatraz (1979) and as George LeBay in "Christine". Also provided a small bit of comic relief as "Wild Bob" in the 1972 film adaptation of Slaughterhouse-Five.

While most will remember this face from Dragnet and Mash, Morgan had an excellent career as a support player too, starring alongside Henry Fonda in the Ox Bow Incident and as the judge in Inherit the Wind.

Go home and get ya *beep* shinebox!

Familiar bad-guy actor in a variety of films and TV shows. Probably best known for his role as Kreese, the leader of the Cobra Kai Gym in The Karate Kid (1984.)

A familiar face to anyone who's watched the "Andy Griffith Show", "The Brady Bunch" or "All in the Family", amongst other 60s-70s televison shows.

Best remembered for his role as the weaselly convict Unger in the "Longest Yard" opposite the great Ed Lauter and Burt Reynolds. He can also be seen in "Cool Hand Luke" and the sadly underrated "Emperor of the North" with future "Yard" cast member and footballer Harry Caesar.

Support player who notched up numerous roles on T.V playing elderly men and the like. Some of the shows he starred in were the Andy Griffith Show, All In the Family, and Rhoda (one of his last roles at age 91!)

One of those ubiquitous faces that pops up in seemingly every Western on television or film, with one of the meanest sets of eyes ever to stare down a lawman. Look for him in a more sympathetic role in Days of Heaven.

A ubiquitous face in countless westerns in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

After seeing him in a bit role in the Apostle (1997), I figured this guy would go on to bigger and better things!

Gave a great performance as the disgruntled father of a murdered child in The Star Chamber (1983.) Also check out his role as the unfortunate Montone opposite Sean Connery and Peter Boyle in "Outland" (1981.)

Look for him in the Thing, It and a villainous turn in the underrated Who'll Stop the Rain, as one of Anthony Zerbe's thugs.

Sadly l was ignorant of this man's work when I first put this list together two years ago. Since that time I've managed to catch Tim in an early role in 1985s "Witness" and his turn in Beverly Hills Cop 3, amongst other roles. A true character actor deserving of more prominent roles in film.

He may be typecast as a psycho/criminal, but he's a great psycho/criminal in anything he's in. A notable exception is his role in "JFK."

Probably best known as Principal Strickland in the "Back to the Future " series.

Memorable in his gross role in Dune.

A great Bond villain....a great hero in "Day of the Jackal".....and a voice of reason in "Ronin".

Has appeared in "Poltergeist", the" Return of the Living Dead" films, and in Mulholland Dr.

Best known to me as "Ernie Kaltenbrunner' in "Return of the Living Dead", Calfa has also popped up as a seedy character in "Weekend at Bernie's" and the sadly underrated 1983 film "The Star Chamber".

He's more than just Mr. Feeney.

Memorable for his roles in "The Bad Seed", "Vertigo" and a later career appearance as Doc Metcalf in "Aracnaphobia"

A frequent presence in many Stallone films.