B5Erik

So doing the Humphrey Bogart poll also got me to thinking - who are the most iconic movie stars of all time?

Not necessarily the greatest actors of all time, but the biggest icons - movie STARS - of all time.

Is it Bogart? John Wayne? Clint Eastwood? Jack Nicholson? Clark Gable? Timothy Dalton?

OK, I'm kidding with that last one - even though I love the guy as an actor and, briefly, as a movie star.

If it's the BIGGEST icon of all time, I've got to go with John Wayne. Bogart had a great 20 year stretch, but Wayne was a star for four decades and was a larger than life figure.

Bogart and Eastwood certainly aren't far behind, IMO, but The Duke still has an iconic status that few do 30 years after their deaths.

NoirFan

The Duke and Marilyn.

PopcornTreeCt

Elvis

B5Erik

I should make clear for the sake of the discussion - I'm talking about actors, not actors/actresses.

That could be another thread...

The Cow

Jimmy Stewart for me. (Sean Connery and Jack Nicholson are in there somewhere too)

Edit: oh, sorry, the mandatory answer is Heath Ledger.

NoirFan

Possibly the biggest music icon ever, but his film career is almost entirely forgettable.

NoirFan

In this case, since Monroe is a more identifiable face worldwide than any actor that anyone could mention in this thread, I think she warrants inclusion.

B5Erik

Wow. I hadn't even considered him. I love Jimmy Stewart, but I don't think he's as iconic a figure as some other people. I would say he would probably be top 10, though... (Just my feelings, but they don't sell many t-shirts or posters of Jimmy Stewart, and they do sell t-shirts, posters, refrigerator magnets, calendars, and all sorts of other products like that for John Wayne and Humphrey Bogart.)

B5Erik

More identifiable? Maybe as identifiable, but not more. Everyone knows John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, and Clint Eastwood's faces - from any point in their careers, and their careers were all much, much longer than hers was.

Boba Fett

I'd say Clint Eastwood. Cary Grant is a close second.

NoirFan

"Elvis was a hero to most
But he never meant shit to me you see
Straight up racist that sucker was
Simple and plain
Mother fuck him and John Wayne"

The Cow

Yeah, I know. Even though he is my favorite, and he is very unique, he is not an icon to very many people.

You are probably on target with John Wayne. I tend to block out the last 20 years for "most whatever of all time things", but I do think Stallone (i guess he is beyond that, heh) would be in the same discussion 20 years from now. Not so much a great actor, but he is "iconic".

B5Erik

Both Stallone AND Schwarzenegger are iconic and really should be part of the discussion. Both of them go back more than 30 years in films, as hard as that is to believe...

eXcentris

In the US maybe, worldwide certainly not.

Heck, even though he only made 4 films, Bruce Lee is probably more "iconic" than any actor mentionned so far. So you might want to change your topic to "Biggest American Movie Icon".

Sean O'Hara

I think you're severely underestimating the popularity of John Wayne films around the world.

eXcentris

I am not, but perhaps we do not share the same definition of "icon". An "icon" to me is someone that managed to transcend his sport/art to achieve popularity status outside his craft and his nation of origin. Muhammad Ali achieved that. So did Bruce Lee. John Wayne is the typical representation of the American hero. While he might be "iconic" in the US and he's certainly popular/recognizable elsewhere, he's not a worldwide "icon" in my book.

pro-bassoonist

Marlon Brando / Charlie Chaplin.

Pro-B

Neeb

Humphrey Bogart.
Bruce Lee.
John Wayne.
Marilyn Monroe.

Any one of them can't be wrong.

NitroJMS

It's pretty hard to pick a defining one so here's a bunch of possible candidates:

Actors:

Jimmy Stewart
Humphrey Bogart
Gregory Peck
Cary Grant
Paul Newman
Marlon Brando
Charlton Heston
Clint Eastwood
John Wayne
Jack Nicholson

Actresses:
Katherine Hepburn
Marilyn Monroe
Bette Davis
Audrey Hepburn
Grace Kelly
Meryl Streep
Julie Andrews
Judy Garland

Count Dooku

hasslein

No one's mentioned James Dean... Not my pick, but up there.

wendersfan

Without any doubt.

Fist of Doom

The Bus

Actually, no, it's not that hard. It's either John Wayne or Charlie Chaplin. And John Wayne is the only one whose name is also sort of an adjective. But Chaplin's last movie came out longer ago than Wayne. So it's a tie.

OldBoy

Paul Newman!