Top 10 Classic Hollywood Actors of All Time

He was one of the most innovative minds in the history of Hollywood. Gene Kelly was one of the greatest song-and-dance men to ever grace the silver screen, but he also helped invigorate the musical genre. Some of his most well-regarded films, like “Singin’ in the Rain” and “On the Town,” he co-directed with Stanley Donen. Together, the pair integrated the camera itself further into musical stories, moving the camera with the dancers to allow for more interesting movement. Other than his enormous contributions to the form, Kelly was simply put, a pleasure to watch. His grace is complemented by an athleticism and a fervor that can’t be matched.

Let’s hear it for the antihero. From the 1940s on into the 1960s, Mitchum was a main attraction for film noir at the box office. In movies like “The Night of the Hunter,” “Cape Fear,” and “Out of the Past,” his star persona was born. His physical presence lent itself well to noir, with his worn, long face and deep voice, and his acting was absolutely sublime. If you were to ask Mitchum, he’d tell you acting was easy as pie. He wasn’t a method actor, and had an easy time remembering lines and mastering accent work, talents we’re sure many of his contemporaries were jealous of.

Many actors have their heyday for a couple of decades, before falling into obscurity or supporting roles. Not Henry Fonda. The actor was prominent on both stage and screen for around 50 years, honing his talent and appearing in classic after classic. Whether it be westerns, such as John Ford’s “Fort Apache,” or courtroom dramas like Sidney Lumet’s “12 Angry Men,” Fonda could do it all. His children, Peter Fonda and Jane Fonda, continued his acting legacy in their own careers, and he continues to be an American legend today.

When it comes to rhythm, no one has it down like Fred Astaire. Born in 1899, Astaire dominated the musical film genre throughout the 1930s, particularly with his partnership with Ginger Rogers. He also is credited with changing the way dance was filmed, ensuring that dancers’ full bodies were shown on camera and that routines were displayed with as few cuts as possible. His popularity spanned decades, but he was a very private man, almost never seen out on the town with his contemporaries. But when he did show up, he was known as one of the best dressed men in town. His charisma and charm on screen seemed to be only matched by his flair off screen.

When you look like Clark Gable, and more importantly, when you age like Clark Gable, it’s easy to see how you might spend 30 years of your career as a leading man. For multiple decades, Gable was a consistent performer at the box office. Today, we best know him for “Gone With the Wind,” but some of his best work was put out with actresses such as Joan Crawford and Myrna Loy. Gable exuded a devastating masculinity that was offset by a boyish charm. The two qualities didn’t seem to match on paper. But when paired together in romantic comedies like “It Happened One Night,” they had an almost blinding effect on the audience.

When Time Magazine calls you the “Actor of the Century,” you must have done something right. Marlon Brando revolutionized acting in the public eye, and was one of the first actors to bring method acting into the mainstream. So many of his performances are branded into our public memory, in movies such as “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “On the Waterfront.” But after an almost decade-long career decline in the 1960s, he made a comeback that once again put him at the forefront of our cultural conversation. His roles in films like “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now” showed a new kind of Brando to the audience. And once again, we wanted him around.

Often considered one of the greatest movie actors to ever live, it seemed Spencer Tracy could do it all. His versatility onscreen knew no bounds, starring in everything from westerns like “Bad Day at Black Rock” to romantic comedies like “Woman of the Year.” Today, Tracy is perhaps best known for his partnership with Katharine Hepburn. The films made with Hepburn and Tracy at the helm are some of his best, with their real life chemistry jumping off the screen. Despite how natural he appeared on screen, Tracy was known for his careful preparation of roles, as well for his frequent downplaying of his own profession. Well, he may not have considered acting to be important, but we certainly consider his career that way.

Slapstick comedy, romance, Hitchcock thrillers: throughout his career, Cary Grant did it all. With his elegant style and good looks, Grant could charm the pants off of just about anyone. And yet, he used that charm to be a chameleon, sliding into different genres seamlessly while still maintaining his Cary Grant essence. He’s incredibly physical and vocally comedic in films like “Holiday” and “His Girl Friday.” But he’s also able to tackle the romantic noir of “Notorious” or the thrill of his other partnerships with director Alfred Hitchcock with total ease. He always seems up for anything, happy to look like a fool where other handsome men might not be. And that trait served him well.

With one of the most distinctive voices in all of Hollywood, is it any wonder Jimmy Stewart has withstood the test of time? But Stewart’s delightful drawl wasn’t the only reason he became such a force to be reckoned with. Often playing moral men, Stewart epitomized what the American ideal could be. In films like “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” he played men working to persevere in the face of adversity or evil with aplomb. He’s so at ease in front of the camera, seemingly unaware it’s even there, that everything he does feels natural. He’s the embodiment of the everyman, and no one else will ever come close.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

The King of the Silent Era

Atticus Finch Will Always Be In Our Hearts

One of the Original Method Actors

The Tough Guy with a Heart Of Gold

Move Over Shakespeare, Olivier Has Arrived

Here’s looking at you, Bogie. Humphrey Bogart seems like an unlikely leading man. He’s not bad looking, but he’s not handsome in the same way as a Cary Grant or Clark Gable. He’s not particularly tall, and he’s got a bit of a melancholy streak to him. But something about that brooding persona, paired with a romantic streak he couldn’t shake, makes him mesmerizing onscreen. His best films include numerous partnerships with his wife, Lauren Bacall, as well as “The Maltese Falcon,” “High Sierra,” and, of course, “Casablanca.” Bogart’s on-screen persona made him one of the most popular actors of his generation.