Kentucky is known for its bluegrass, its bourbon, its
tobacco, its horses...it is not known for its actors, however, although the commonwealth
has, in fact, turned out many both great and successful.
Here we have a list of--in my opinion--the ten most
successful actors to have come out of Kentucky. In reverse order.
# 10-Harry Dean Stanton: Born in West Irvine, Kentucky,
Harry Dean Stanton may never have become a big star but he has long been the
ultimate character actor! A WWII veteran, he started in movies and television
in the fifties, appearing memorably in small roles over the years before
finally getting bigger parts in the seventies. In 1979, Harry was part of the
emsemble crew of the original ALIEN and. in 1984, he took the lead in PARIS,
TEXAS, an acclaimed and inspirational picture directed by Wim Wenders.
This past year, 2012, Harry Dean Stanton not only had a
notable cameo in THE AVENGERS but also became the subject of an artsy
documentary entitled HARRY DEAN STANTON: PARTLY FICTION. Now 86, his credits
continue to pile up.
# 9-Una Merkel: Born in my own hometown of Covington,
Kentucky, Ms. Merkel is best remembered today for her catfight with Marlene
Dietrich in the 1939 classic western, DESTRY RIDES AGAIN starring Jimmy
Stewart. She had been working in films since the silent days, however, and
would continue to do so up into the mid-sixties, transforming her image from
that of a flirty young blonde to that of a middle aged matron. Appropriately
Ms. Merkel had a major role in 1955's THE KENTUCKIAN. Among her later pictures
were Disney's THE PARENT TRAP and Elvis Presley's SPINOUT. In her career, she
was nominated for an Academy Award once and won Broadway's Tony Award for her
stage work.
There is a historical marker for Una Merkel at Covington's
Goebel Park and she was buried near here upon her death in 1986.
# 8-Tom Ewell: From Owensboro, Kentucky, Tom Ewell apparently
disappointed his family by going on the stage at age 19 but in just a few short
years, he was appearing on Broadway. Best known for his dramatic and comedic
supporting roles in plays and, increasingly, motion pictures, he took the lead
in Broadway's THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH. He took the Tony for his acting and
re-created his role on film, that version co-starring Marilyn Monroe in what
would become one of her most iconic roles. He similarly appeared opposite Jayne
Mansfield in the now classic early rock & roll flick, THE GIRL CAN'T HELP
IT. After that, he spent much time on stage or on televisoon, memorably
costarring with Robert Blake on BARETTA in the seventies.
Upon his death in 1994 at the age of 85, Tom Ewell was
surprisingly survived by his mother who went on to live another four years
before passing at age 109!
# 7-Warren Oates: From the small Kentucky town of Depoy,
Warren Oates, one of Hollywood's legendary "bad boys," began acting
in plays at The University of Louisville in the fifties. By the end of that
decade, he was in Hollywood doing character roles in TV dramas and small parts
in films. Bigger and bigger roles kept coming and in 1969, he co-starred in Sam
Peckinpah's controversially violent THE WILD BUNCH. Throughout the seventies,
he played a number of memorable roles including a brilliant turn in BRING ME
THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA. Not long after his memorable performance in an
atypical role in Bill Murray's 1981 STRIPES, Warren Oates died of natural
causes brought on, no doubt, by hard living.
After his death, several more films were released
posthumously and, in 1993, a documentary about the actor was made. The acclaimed biography, WARREN OATES:
A WILD LIFE, came out in 2009.
# 6-Ned Beatty-Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Ned Beatty is
yet another of the truly great character actors. Believe it or not, his classic,
oft-parodied performance in 1972's DELIVERANCE marked his film debut! In short
order, though, he was in just about everything throughout the seventies
including a number of Burt Reynolds pictures and SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE. He even
briefly had his own TV series, done in by its unpronounceable title: SZYSZNYK
(Siz-Nik, as I recall).
Beatty has worked steadily ever since, in roles both big and
small, and is always a familiar and welcome presence in films or on television.
Most recently, he's even been doing voice work in animated features such as
RANGO and TOY STORY 3.
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