Though audiences may not know all of these actors’ names, their faces are instantly recognizable, as they crop up in almost everything, whether it’s network programming, movies, or television.
It might not be that they’ve won many awards, but most of these folks are cast so often for being character-actors, meaning that they have a specific look or characteristic that gets them so much work in Tinseltown. Another reason why some of these older actors have gotten so much work is that, in the golden age of Hollywood, it’d literally take no more than a week to shoot a movie, so actors would be on an entirely different set every other week.
Stephen Tobolowsky
Being the first of many character-actors, Stephen Tobolowsky can be seen all over television, generally in roles of annoying characters that get in the way more than anything. Most notably, he played Ned in Groundhog Day, the old pal of Phil who grows more and more irritating as each day passes.
However, though he’s one of the most in-demand character actors, Tobolowski turned in an incredibly emotional role in Christopher Nolan’s breakthrough movie Memento. The film is one of the best non-linear movies ever made, as it follows two narratives, one that goes forwards in time and one that goes backward, and Tobolowski plays an amnesiac. He also appeared in Heroes, Californication, Glee, and more.
Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney started acting at such a young age and having over 200 credits to his name isn’t his only feat. He is one of the very few actors who has worked over the course of nine decades, right up until his death in 2014.
Having seen the entirety of cinema history unfold in front of his eyes, Rooney started in silent movies, and then in many popular film noir flicks. His most popular movies include Breakfast at Tiffany’s and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, but his most memorable role for modern audiences is his performance of Gus in the Night at the Museum series, some of the most family-friendly Ben Stiller movies.
Eric Roberts
There are a lot of reasons The Dark Knight is the ultimate Batman movie, but adding to the long list is that even the minor characters are played by seasoned heavyweights. In the blockbuster, Eric Roberts plays Sal Maroni, a tertiary villain who hangs out in nightclubs and makes dumb deals with the Joker.
Roberts plays the role surprisingly hammy, and it’s borderline parodying on gangster tropes, but that’s what the performer does best. Unlike many of the other actors who have hundreds of credits to their names, Roberts isn’t a character actor, as he brings something different to every role he’s hired for. And considering he has over 500 credits, it sounds like a lot of work.
Richard Riehle
It seems like Richard Riehle has never had any interest in being anything other than a character actor, as he has been completely complacent in showing up on different sets for a couple of hours a day for the past 40 years.
Most of Riehle’s roles don’t even have proper character names, as his most famous roles are as Old Guard, Dune Buggy Driver, and Coast Guard Officer. However, those roles were all in the classic movies The Fugitive, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Lethal Weapon, respectively. And besides playing Santa Claus on countless occasions, the crown jewel in Riehle’s career is his role of Tom in Office Space.
Fred Willard
The late, great Fred Willard is one of the most recognizable actors here, as not only has he acted in some of the biggest TV shows and movies of all-time, but he’s starred in so many of them. From playing Frank Dunphy in the hit comedy Modern Family to the President of the United States in Wall-E, Willard has warmed the hearts of millions of viewers.
The actor has delivered hundreds of memorable performances, and thanks to his silver fox and fathering trademarks, he’s one of those familiar faces all audiences love to see wherever he crops up.
Irving Bacon
Though younger audiences may not recognize Irving Bacon, the actor starred in tens of films each year of the 1930s and 1940s. Featuring in tons of western movies and film noir pictures, Bacon was massively sought after by that generation’s directors due to the way he could express reactions unlike any other actor at the time.
His trademarks included his bug-eyes and his ability to be easily wound up in scenes. His most famous movies include Gone With The Wind and the original Meet John Doe.
Christopher Lee
After first earning acclaim for arguably the best portrayal of Dracula, Christopher Lee starred in not just tons of Hammer movies but went on to become typecast as a villain. The celebrated actor has been a Bond villain and starred in countless horror flicks.
On top of that, he had been cast in so many blockbuster franchises, including Star Wars as Count Dooku and The Lord of the Rings as Saruman. And given how the movie industry is so reliant on blockbuster franchises these days, who knows what he would have been cast in if he was still around today. Including movies, television, and his voice acting in video games, Lee has close to 300 credits to his name.
John Carradine
Though Carradine wasn’t the most famous actor in the world, he was certainly among the most recognizable. Just like Irving Bacon, John Carradine is one of the most prolific character-actors in cinematic history.
He was all over horror movies, John Ford westerns, and B-movies later in his career. He balanced his work in movies and TV evenly, as Carradine featured in the classic sci-fi shows Lost in Space and Land of the Giants.
Danny Trejo
Danny Trejo is sometimes cast purely based on his gruff and stoic look. The actor’s build and long hair have awarded him hundreds of roles, whether it’s as one of Neil’s crew in Heat, being the lead character in the B-movie influenced Machete series, or as a cartel member or hired gun in so many other movies.
He’s even made a fantastic appearance in Breaking Bad, but regardless of how tough he is, it doesn’t seem to matter anymore, as Trejo stars in tens of movies every year whether it’s for his build or otherwise.
Bess Flowers
Bess Flowers hasn’t just featured in more than 200 movies, but well over 800 of them in 40 years. Though most of her roles were non-speaking and many of her performances are uncredited, the actress still has a legacy in Tinseltown, as she is known as “Queen of the Hollywood Extras” thanks to the sheer amount of work she put in between the 1920s and 1950s.
She featured in five movies that won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and she was consistently hired by Alfred Hitchcock and John Ford.