Buzz
While legendary figures like Bogart, Brando, and Hoffman are etched in the collective memory of film fans, actors like Corsitto, Bedoya, and Welsh have largely been overshadowed. It's unfortunate, considering how crucial these performers were in some of cinema's most memorable moments.
10. Salvatore Corsitto in The Godfather
Before 1972, Salvatore Corsitto, an Italian-American barber, had never been involved in film or television. However, that changed when he was cast as the Italian undertaker Amerigo Bonasera in The Godfather after an open casting call by director Francis Ford Coppola.
In the film's opening scene, Amerigo Bonasera pleads with the Godfather for a favor on the day of the Godfather’s daughter’s wedding. Bonasera seeks justice for his daughter, who was savagely attacked by two young men who were not held accountable by the American legal system.
Soon after landing the role, Corsitto found himself alone in the garden of Marlon Brando’s home on Mulholland Drive, awaiting Coppola’s invitation. Once summoned inside, he was introduced to Brando as one of the Don’s enforcers. Stepping into character, the two actors improvised a scene, leaving Coppola impressed and immortalizing Corsitto in film history.
Corsitto’s iconic monologue, “I believe in America,” remains one of the standout moments of the legendary film, with Brando even praising Corsitto’s performance as one of the best in the movie.
9. Joe E. Brown in Some Like It Hot
While stars like Cary Grant and Clark Gable continue to be remembered for their comedic contributions, Joe E. Brown remains largely unknown to modern audiences. Before 1960, Brown was a major figure in vaudeville, Broadway, and film. Known for his wide grin and larger-than-life personality, Brown initially appeared in melodramas but soon found his true calling in comedy, showcasing his talent in films like A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
When Brown's film career began to slow, he turned his focus to sports, visiting soldiers during World War II, and working on stage productions. Then, in 1959, he was offered the role of millionaire Osgood Fielding III in one of the 20th century’s finest comedies, Some Like It Hot.
While the entire movie is packed with humor, the real highlight occurs at the end when a smitten Brown proposes to Jerry, played by Jack Lemmon, who is disguised as a woman. Initially, Lemmon plans to trick Brown into a big divorce settlement by revealing that he’s a man after they marry. However, a friend persuades Lemmon to abandon his scheme.
Still in disguise, Lemmon tries to push Brown away by claiming various character flaws, but nothing deters Brown from his desire to marry. Eventually, after Lemmon removes his wig and exposes himself as a man, Brown delivers the iconic line: “Well, nobody’s perfect.”
Even those who haven’t seen the film are likely familiar with this scene, made unforgettable by Brown’s comedic expression and impeccable timing. It has since become one of the American Film Institute’s top 50 quotes of all time.
8. Joe Mantell in Chinatown
Not many people are aware of this Oscar-nominated actor. Joe Mantell made his film debut in 1949, playing a newspaper boy in Undercover Man. He gained widespread recognition in 1956 with an Academy Award nomination for his supporting role as Angie, the best friend of Ernest Borgnine's character in the 1955 film Marty.
Following that, Mantell often found himself cast in forgettable roles in both movies and television. However, fans of 1960s sitcoms might remember him as the neighbor in Pete and Gladys, and Alfred Hitchcock aficionados might recall his brief appearance as a traveling salesman in The Birds.
Nevertheless, it was his supporting role in the 1974 film noir Chinatown that secured his place in Hollywood lore, portraying Lawrence Walsh, the partner to private investigator Jake Gittes, played by Jack Nicholson. In the film's somber conclusion, encapsulating the futility of battling powerful figures who manipulate the system, Mantell delivers the unforgettable line: “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.” This quote has since been recognized as one of the greatest in cinematic history, earning a spot in the American Film Institute’s top 100 quotes.
7. Pat Welsh in E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
Although you may not realize it, Pat Welsh has evoked a wide range of emotions from you, making you laugh, cry, and experience everything in between.
In 1981, a Marin County housewife was discovered by Ben Burtt, the sound designer for George Lucas, when he overheard her discussing photo enlargements with a clerk at a local camera shop. Captivated by her voice, Burtt immediately took Welsh outside and explained that he was looking for a unique voice for a character in an upcoming film. Welsh’s daily two-pack cigarette habit likely contributed to the distinctive sound of her voice.
Just three months after auditioning, the 60-something Welsh triumphed over an 82-year-old Tibetan woman to secure the role of the endearing E.T. in the 1982 film E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. She earned a modest $380 for her 9.5-hour work on the film.
So the next time you hear E.T. utter the unforgettable phrase—“E.T. phone home”—remember to thank a chain-smoking former elocution teacher for it. Her unique voice also earned her a second voice role as the bounty hunter Boushh in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
6. Estelle Reiner in When Harry Met Sally
While Estelle Reiner’s name may not be instantly recognizable, as the matriarch of one of America's most influential comedy families, she delivered one of the most iconic lines in film history.
Estelle, the wife of director/comedian/writer Carl Reiner and mother of the equally accomplished Rob Reiner, began her career as a painter before transitioning into acting. In 1943, she married Carl, becoming the inspiration behind Mary Tyler Moore’s character in The Dick Van Dyke Show. Yet, her most remarkable achievements came in her sixties when she emerged as a renowned cabaret singer and performed in several comedic productions.
Estelle's unforgettable performance that remains etched in film history came in her son Rob’s 1989 movie, When Harry Met Sally. As a diner patron in a New York delicatessen, Estelle watches Meg Ryan convincingly fake an orgasm, only to turn to the waitress and famously declare: “I’ll have what she’s having.”
5. Alfonso Bedoya in The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre
Any lover of classic cinema knows this iconic line, delivered defiantly in the desert to the legendary Humphrey Bogart: “Badges? We ain’t got no badges! We don’t need no badges. I don’t have to show you any stinkin’ badges!” This line, which has inspired numerous parodies, is the defining moment of Mexican actor Alfonso Bedoya’s career.
Born in 1904, Bedoya began his career as a character actor in the Mexican film industry, though he spent his teenage years in Houston. His fate changed dramatically in 1948 when he was cast as the bandit Gold Hat in John Huston’s The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, which is now regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. Though he continued to find roles in other films, none ever matched the power of his groundbreaking American debut.
Sadly, alcoholism cut his life short, and the role of Ramon Guiteras in the 1958 film The Big Country remains his final significant contribution to cinema.
4. Margaret Hamilton in The Wizard Of Oz
Although Margaret Hamilton enjoyed a career that spanned nearly 50 years across film, television, radio, and theater, most people remember her for one particular role she played in a beloved children’s story adaptation.
Before embarking on her cinematic journey, Margaret Hamilton was a kindergarten teacher. Her acting debut came in Another Language, the first of over 70 films in her lengthy career. Though she frequently portrayed unlikable characters, none left a lasting impression like her spine-chilling turn as the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz.
Her portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West became her most iconic role, with her sharp features, hunched posture, piercing cackle, and menacing scowl haunting generations of children. Despite her concerns about the character’s effect on young viewers and her attempts to assure them it was all pretend, her unforgettable line, “I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!” continues to captivate audiences to this day.
3. Colin Clive in Frankenstein
Colin Clive was born in France in 1900 to a British colonel, but his life took a dramatic turn after injuring his knee. This injury exempted him from military service, leading him to pursue acting. In the 1930s, he quickly rose to prominence as a leading man, starring alongside legendary actresses like Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, and Jean Arthur.
Although Clive appeared in several notable roles, he is most famous for portraying the unstable Dr. Henry Frankenstein, the mad scientist who creates the monster in the 1931 horror masterpiece, Frankenstein. Even though Clive starred in only three horror films, he is regarded as a top figure in the genre. His iconic portrayal of the mad scientist has inspired numerous actors, horror films, and parody works. The unforgettable moment of the film’s iconic “It’s alive!” continues to resonate, even with those who have never seen the movie.
Sadly, Clive battled alcoholism, which often hindered his ability to perform effectively on set. His health further deteriorated when he contracted tuberculosis, which ultimately led to his premature death in 1937 at the age of 37.
2. Brandon De Wilde in Shane
At the age of seven, Brandon De Wilde’s father, who worked as a stage manager for the Broadway production of Member of the Wedding, was asked by the casting director to bring his son in for an audition. De Wilde landed the role, going on to perform nearly 500 times and becoming the first child actor to receive the prestigious Donaldson Award for “Best Performance Debut” of the year.
After witnessing De Wilde’s performance in the play, producer George Stevens cast him as nine-year-old Joey Starrett in the 1953 western film Shane, starring Alan Ladd. The film is widely regarded by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest ever made. De Wilde’s portrayal earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
De Wilde won over audiences with his portrayal of the innocent young boy who becomes fascinated by the mysterious gunslinger, Shane. His performance was particularly poignant in the final scene, where he repeatedly calls out to the departing figure of the cowboy. Tragically, De Wilde’s promising career was cut short when he was killed in a devastating car accident in 1972 at the age of 30.
1. Pat O’Brien in Knute Rockne: All American
Although Pat O’Brien appeared in over 100 films during his six-decade career, his most iconic role (and perhaps his only opportunity for recognition by modern audiences) was as the legendary Knute Rockne in the 1941 film Knute Rockne: All American. According to Notre Dame president Theodore M. Hesburgh, “He immortalized a movie role as perhaps no other actor in the history of filmmaking when he portrayed our legendary Knute Rockne.” In 1983, following O’Brien’s passing, Hesburgh declared, “We will always consider him a part of the Notre Dame family.”
Renowned for his roles as a tough guy, O’Brien was part of the “Irish Mafia” of actors, a group often compared to the Brat Pack of the 1930s, which included James Cagney, Frank McHugh, and Spencer Tracy. Yet, O’Brien had a softer side, capable of moving audiences to tears with his emotional portrayal of the beloved Notre Dame football coach:
Boys, I’m going to tell you something that I’ve kept to myself for years. None of you here ever knew George Gipp. It was long before your time. But you all do know what his tradition stands for at Notre Dame. Well, the last thing he said to me was... “Rock, sometime when the team is up against it, when things are wrong, and the breaks are beating the boys... tell ’em to go in there with all they’ve got and win just one for the Gipper... I don’t know where I’ll be then, Rock,” he said, “but I’ll know about it... and I’ll be happy.”
