And now we hit the finale of our AFI Stars series. We've chronicled through the many men and women who made the list fifteen years ago, were near-misses (in your host's opinion), and for the ladies, are still with us. We'll now get into the still-living gents who were on the ballot but didn't make it, but before that, I'll just throw out a thank you to anyone who has been reading through this fairly big undertaking on my part (all-told, this was probably one of the largest series we've done on the blog, coming in at around 30,000 words). I know I frequently ask for this, but if you did enjoy and read the blog regularly (or didn't enjoy), please share your thoughts in the comments and I'll know if this is something that I should try again in the future.
Getting back to the article, the sad matter for the actors in particular is that of the 250 men that were nominated for the list in 1999, only six of them are still alive today. Two of those men (Kirk Douglas and Sidney Poitier) were on the original list, so we only have just four actors to get into right now. Without further adieu...
Tab Hunter (1931-Present)
Oscar Nominations: Never nominated
Most Famous For: Being the Zac Efron of his day (no insinuations of Mr. Efron's sexuality...though they are very similar in a variety of other ways, so...). Tab Hunter was a beefcake who made Warner Brothers a huge amount of money in the late 1950's, starring as the dreamy embodiment of a blond boy-next-door. Hunter later starred in John Waters' Polyester with Divine and in 2006 caused major media waves (including on the New York Times bestseller list) when he wrote a biopic confirming the long-whispered rumors that he was gay.
Is He Still Working?: No, he is not (his final film role was in 1996), though there is supposedly a documentary coming out about his life next year from Jeffrey Schwarz.
Glaring Miss in His Filmography: Like the living ladies articles, I'm going to skip the "favorite performances" here except for two actors I actually have a favorite performance for. I'll go with Island of Desire, because let's face it-seeing Tab Hunter shirtless with Linda Darnell sounds like a great way to kill an evening.
Jerry Lewis (1926-Present)
Oscar Nominations: Lewis was never nominated for a competitive Oscar, though he did win the Jean Hersholt in 2009.
Most Famous For: His Labor Day telethons. Lewis was a noted comedian in the 1950's and 1960's, frequently appearing to much success with Dean Martin in television, film, and radio, and enjoying solid success as a solo act. However, to most everyone with a television in September, he was the face of the telethons that raised money for Muscular Dystrophy, which he did for over forty years. He is particularly well-known and beloved in France, where they recognize him as a "comedic genius."
Is He Still Working?: Yes, actually, though he doesn't host the telethons anymore, he does do small film work in movies like Max Rose in 2013 with Claire Bloom (whom you'll remember was on the female acting list).
Glaring Miss in His Filmography: I've never seen the original Nutty Professor (at least I don't remember that I have), and so I think that would probably be the number one slot for Lewis.
Dean Stockwell (1936-Present)
Oscar Nominations: Stockwell has received one Oscar nomination, for 1988's Married to the Mob (he lost to Kevin Kline).
Most Famous For: The career of Dean Stockwell is a fascinating one, as he is one of those rare child actors who went on to have a very strong career as an adult, though in this case in character actor parts. Starting acting as a cherubic-faced youth in movies like Gentleman's Agreement and Anchors Aweigh, he eventually became a hit actor as an adult, dropped out of acting to get involved in the hippie subculture, reappeared in the 1980's in the art house cinema of David Lynch and Wim Wenders, and is most well-known today for playing Al Calavicci in Quantum Leap and Brother Cavil in the revival of Battlestar Galactica.
Is He Still Working?: Absolutely, and in a variety of different pictures (including, and I find this hilarious, Max Rose with Claire Bloom and Jerry Lewis). He was also opposite Jonathan Groff and Corey Stoll in C.O.G. last year.
Glaring Miss in His Filmography: I've actually seen a few Stockwell pictures, and thought he was terrific if terrifying singing Roy Orbison's "In Dreams" in the exceptional Blue Velvet. I'll go with his Oscar-nominated work as my missing piece, though I have always meant to watch the revived Battlestar Galactica.
Max von Sydow (1929-Present)
Oscar Nominations: Two nominations, one for Pelle the Conquerer, and another one for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (he lost both).
Most Famous For: Being a titan of acting. He is frequently referenced by people who want to name check someone of great acting gravitas. He is particularly well-known for his work in the films of Ingmar Bergman, but also has appeared opposite Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Susan Sarandon in recent years.
Is He Still Working?: Absolutely. He'll be taking a role of some sort (at least this is the rumor) in the next Star Wars film, and was just on The Simpsons. He also was an Oscar nominee three years ago, so not only is he still working, but he's working in very relevant films.
Glaring Miss in His Filmography: I would do myself a disservice here if I didn't mention that I love von Sydow's work and he is one of my most beloved performers, particularly his films The Seventh Seal and Winter Light (Bergman being one of my all-time favorite directors). Of the films I'm missing from von Sydow's filmography, I'd probably say The Emigrants would be the most egregious.
And there you have it-the final four. What are your thoughts on the careers of Hunter, Lewis, Stockwell, and von Sydow? Which of their films do you most need to see/most want to share your love for? Click on the comments and let us all know!
Getting back to the article, the sad matter for the actors in particular is that of the 250 men that were nominated for the list in 1999, only six of them are still alive today. Two of those men (Kirk Douglas and Sidney Poitier) were on the original list, so we only have just four actors to get into right now. Without further adieu...
Oscar Nominations: Never nominated
Most Famous For: Being the Zac Efron of his day (no insinuations of Mr. Efron's sexuality...though they are very similar in a variety of other ways, so...). Tab Hunter was a beefcake who made Warner Brothers a huge amount of money in the late 1950's, starring as the dreamy embodiment of a blond boy-next-door. Hunter later starred in John Waters' Polyester with Divine and in 2006 caused major media waves (including on the New York Times bestseller list) when he wrote a biopic confirming the long-whispered rumors that he was gay.
Is He Still Working?: No, he is not (his final film role was in 1996), though there is supposedly a documentary coming out about his life next year from Jeffrey Schwarz.
Glaring Miss in His Filmography: Like the living ladies articles, I'm going to skip the "favorite performances" here except for two actors I actually have a favorite performance for. I'll go with Island of Desire, because let's face it-seeing Tab Hunter shirtless with Linda Darnell sounds like a great way to kill an evening.
Oscar Nominations: Lewis was never nominated for a competitive Oscar, though he did win the Jean Hersholt in 2009.
Most Famous For: His Labor Day telethons. Lewis was a noted comedian in the 1950's and 1960's, frequently appearing to much success with Dean Martin in television, film, and radio, and enjoying solid success as a solo act. However, to most everyone with a television in September, he was the face of the telethons that raised money for Muscular Dystrophy, which he did for over forty years. He is particularly well-known and beloved in France, where they recognize him as a "comedic genius."
Is He Still Working?: Yes, actually, though he doesn't host the telethons anymore, he does do small film work in movies like Max Rose in 2013 with Claire Bloom (whom you'll remember was on the female acting list).
Glaring Miss in His Filmography: I've never seen the original Nutty Professor (at least I don't remember that I have), and so I think that would probably be the number one slot for Lewis.
Oscar Nominations: Stockwell has received one Oscar nomination, for 1988's Married to the Mob (he lost to Kevin Kline).
Most Famous For: The career of Dean Stockwell is a fascinating one, as he is one of those rare child actors who went on to have a very strong career as an adult, though in this case in character actor parts. Starting acting as a cherubic-faced youth in movies like Gentleman's Agreement and Anchors Aweigh, he eventually became a hit actor as an adult, dropped out of acting to get involved in the hippie subculture, reappeared in the 1980's in the art house cinema of David Lynch and Wim Wenders, and is most well-known today for playing Al Calavicci in Quantum Leap and Brother Cavil in the revival of Battlestar Galactica.
Is He Still Working?: Absolutely, and in a variety of different pictures (including, and I find this hilarious, Max Rose with Claire Bloom and Jerry Lewis). He was also opposite Jonathan Groff and Corey Stoll in C.O.G. last year.
Glaring Miss in His Filmography: I've actually seen a few Stockwell pictures, and thought he was terrific if terrifying singing Roy Orbison's "In Dreams" in the exceptional Blue Velvet. I'll go with his Oscar-nominated work as my missing piece, though I have always meant to watch the revived Battlestar Galactica.
Oscar Nominations: Two nominations, one for Pelle the Conquerer, and another one for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (he lost both).
Most Famous For: Being a titan of acting. He is frequently referenced by people who want to name check someone of great acting gravitas. He is particularly well-known for his work in the films of Ingmar Bergman, but also has appeared opposite Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Susan Sarandon in recent years.
Is He Still Working?: Absolutely. He'll be taking a role of some sort (at least this is the rumor) in the next Star Wars film, and was just on The Simpsons. He also was an Oscar nominee three years ago, so not only is he still working, but he's working in very relevant films.
Glaring Miss in His Filmography: I would do myself a disservice here if I didn't mention that I love von Sydow's work and he is one of my most beloved performers, particularly his films The Seventh Seal and Winter Light (Bergman being one of my all-time favorite directors). Of the films I'm missing from von Sydow's filmography, I'd probably say The Emigrants would be the most egregious.
And there you have it-the final four. What are your thoughts on the careers of Hunter, Lewis, Stockwell, and von Sydow? Which of their films do you most need to see/most want to share your love for? Click on the comments and let us all know!
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