|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 15:01:36 GMT
I've been wanting to do this for a long time, and never got around to it on the TCM message board.
I am going to post lists of studio era performers who had top billing or second lead billing in a Hollywood film between 1930 and 1959.
This will not include people like Rudolph Valentino who only starred in silent films. It also eliminates anyone who may have had small parts in the late 50s but became a star in the 1960s, like Lee Van Cleef.
It does include people who headlined B films at poverty row studios, since they had top billing. It also includes any character actors or character actresses who were occasionally cast in a lead or second lead role, like Marjorie Main in the Ma and Pa Kettle films.
I will only include foreign stars if they had a lead or second lead in a Hollywood film during these years. If someone was a big star in their native country but did not have a Hollywood film to their credit, they will not be included.
If I have omitted anyone who fits these parameters, please let me know!
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 15:05:14 GMT
LETTER A
Walter Abel Mary Astor Robert Alda Jean Arthur George Arliss Evelyn Ankers Ross Alexander Grace Allen Robert Armstrong Pier Angeli Bud Abbott Judith Anderson Lew Ayres Eddie Albert Brian Aherne Heather Angel Richard Arlen Andrews Sisters Fred Astaire Desi Arnaz Eve Arden John Archer Anna Maria Alberghetti John Agar June Allyson Don Ameche Julie Adams Dana Andrews Merry Anders Gene Autry Elizabeth Allan Jean-Pierre Aumont Edward Arnold Pedro Armendariz Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson Rex Allen
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 15:16:09 GMT
LETTER B
Baby Sandy (real name Sandra Lea Henville) Scotty Beckett Vivian Blaine Eddie Bracken Anne Baxter John Boles Ethel Barrymore Charles Bickford Carroll Baker Scott Brady Jane Bryan George Brent Lucille Ball Jack Benny Diana Barrymore Humphrey Bogart Ingrid Bergman Richard Barthlemess Spring Byington Johnny Mack Brown Joan Bennett Ray Bolger Ann Blyth Lionel Barrymore Tallulah Bankhead Marlon Brando Alice Brady Gene Barry Constance Bennett Ernest Borgnine Lucille Bremer George Burns Jocelyn Brando Kenny Baker Helen Broderick Walter Brennan Lynn Bari Ralph Bellamy Joan Blondell Adrian Booth (also billed as Lorna Gray) Warner Baxter Shirley Booth Richard Burton Clara Bow Charles Boyer Binnie Barnes David Brian Billie Burke David Bruce Fay Bainter John Barrymore Carla Balenda John Drew Barrymore (also billed as John Barrymore Jr.) Fanny Brice Clive Brook Mari Blanchard Freddie Bartholomew Suzan Ball Lex Barker John Bromfield Karin Booth Smith Ballew Wendy Barrie Pat Boone Betsy Blair Harry Belafonte Turhan Bey Mary Boland Wallace Beery Stephanie Bachelor William Bendix Claire Bloom Wally Brown Lauren Bacall Stephen Boyd Tom Brown Beulah Bondi Steve Brodie Virginia Bruce Joe E. Brown Anne Bancroft Lee Bowman Hilary Brooke Richard Basehart Betty Bronson Jim Bannon May Britt Yul Brynner Phyllis Brooks Joe Besser Joan Barclay El Brendel Bruce Bennett Edgar Bergen Bob Baker John Beal
|
|
|
Post by starliteyes on Nov 8, 2022 15:18:26 GMT
I think Walter Abel fits into your parameters. He starred in a few films, including the 1935 version of The Three Musketeers. He also played second leads in a number of films, as well as many substantial supporting parts.
|
|
|
Post by starliteyes on Nov 8, 2022 15:22:25 GMT
How about Freddie Bartholomew?
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 15:23:58 GMT
LETTER C
Ronald Colman Mae Clarke Peter Cookson Madeleine Carroll Macdonald Carey Lee J. Cobb Judy Canova Dane Clark Kitty Carlisle Tony Curtis Mady Christians Lou Costello Tom Conway Ruth Chatterton Ricardo Cortez Peggy Cummins James Cagney Valentina Cortese Buster Crabbe (also billed as Larry Crabbe) John Carroll Wendell Corey Broderick Crawford Ina Claire Ben Cooper Dolores Costello Rod Cameron Bing Crosby Sunset Carson Joan Collins Rory Calhoun Phil Carey Steve Cochran Rosemary Clooney Jack Carson Joan Crawford Charles Coburn Claudette Colbert Richard Carlson Gary Cooper Jeanne Crain Jeff Chandler Robert Cummings Joan Caulfield Montgomery Clift Cyd Charisse Richard Conte Henrietta Crosman James Craig Janis Carter Lon Chaney (Sr.) Lon Chaney Jr. Charlie Chaplin Bernice Claire Alan Carney Phyllis Calvert Carleton Carpenter Dorothy Comingore Richard Cromwell Nancy Carroll Tullio Carminati Leslie Caron Jackie Cooper Peggie Castle Joseph Cotten Marguerite Chapman Maurice Chevalier Mary Carlisle Bruce Cabot Constance Cummings Laird Cregar Pat Crowley Ken Curtis John Carradine Cantinflas
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 15:24:33 GMT
How about Freddie Bartholomew? Thanks starliteyes. I knew I was forgetting a few!
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 15:37:57 GMT
LETTER D
Lili Damita Eddie Dean Linda Darnell Melvyn Douglas Arlene Dahl James Dunn Marion Davies Ellen Drew Brian Donlevy Joan Davis Richard Denning Frances Dee Dan Dailey Cass Daley Tom Drake Faith Domergue Bella Darvi John Derek Gail Davis Ted Donaldson Dorothy Dandridge Frankie Darro Jane Darwell Dan Duryea Marlene Dietrich Jimmy Durante Doris Day Brandon deWilde Yvonne De Carlo John Dall Marie Dressler Helmut Dantine Nancy Davis James Darren Sandra Dee Ray Danton Ann Dvorak Kirk Douglas Dolores Del Rio Bobby Driscoll Bebe Daniels Gloria DeHaven Philip Dorn Laraine Day Howard Duff Betsy Drake Bette Davis Richard Dix Irene Dunne James Dean Deanna Durbin Douglas Dick Joanne Dru Jim Davis Denise Darcel Paul Douglas Joan Dixon Olivia de Havilland Fifi D'Orsay Jeff Donnell Dorothy Dell
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 15:42:32 GMT
LETTER E
Madge Evans James Ellison Anita Ekberg William Eythe Vera Ellen Stuart Erwin Sally Eilers Buddy Ebsen Dale Evans Leif Erickson Faye Emerson Vince Edwards Maurice Evans Leon Errol John Ericson Florence Eldridge Richard Egan Joan Evans Nelson Eddy Patricia Ellis Bill Elliott (also billed as Wild Bill Elliott) Taina Elg Gene Evans
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 15:46:52 GMT
LETTER F
Dick Foran (sometimes billed as Nick Foran and Richard Foran) Louise Fazenda Fabian Sally Forrest W.C. Fields Rhonda Fleming Mel Ferrer Frances Farmer Robert Francis Jane Frazee Paul Ford Dianne Foster Barry Fitzgerald Edith Fellowes Frank Fay Alice Faye Errol Flynn Nina Foch Henry Fonda Betty Field Jose Ferrer Mona Freeman Eddie Fisher Geraldine Fitzgerald Glenn Ford Joan Fontaine Kay Francis Felicia Farr Susanna Foster Douglas Fairbanks (Sr.) Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Glenda Farrell Charles Farrell Gracie Fields Preston Foster Anne Francis Steve Forrest Sidney Fox John Forsythe
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 15:52:28 GMT
LETTER G
Betty Garrett James Garner Ruth Gordon Richard Greene Mitzi Gaynor Jean Gabin Gladys George John Garfield Lillian Gish James Gleason Ava Gardner Sydney Greenstreet Nancy Guild Edmund Gwenn Paulette Goddard Cary Grant Jean Gillie Farley Granger Peggy Ann Garner John Gilbert Charley Grapewin Mitzi Green Stewart Granger Anne Gwynne Wynne Gibson Vittorio Gassman Greta Garbo Jane Greer Betty Grable Gloria Grahame Zsa Zsa Gabor Charlotte Greenwood Clark Gable Greer Garson Judy Garland Andy Griffith Janet Gaynor William Gargan Kathryn Grayson Leo Gorcey Coleen Gray Richard "Skeets" Gallagher Frances Gifford Alec Guinness Rita Gam Nancy Gates Bonita Granville Beverly Garland
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 16:04:17 GMT
LETTER H
Jack Hawkins Charlotte Henry Phillips Holmes Audrey Hepburn Tim Holt June Haver Dick Haymes Signe Hasso John Hodiak Jean Harlow Phil Harris Josephine Hutchinson Rex Harrison Barbara Hale Charlton Heston Marsha Hunt Sterling Hayden Wanda Hendrix O.P. Heggie Mary Beth Hughes John Hubbard Katharine Hepburn Jack Haley Celeste Holm Jeffrey Hunter Susan Hayward Edward Everett Horton Gloria Henry Robert Hutton Rita Hayworth Tab Hunter Miriam Hopkins William Haines Jennifer Holt Paul Henreid Harriet Hilliard (also billed as Harriet Nelson) Louis Hayward June Havoc Leslie Howard Judy Holliday Rock Hudson Valerie Hobson Jon Hall Julie Harris Bob Hope Josephine Hull Hurd Hatfield Ruth Hussey Ian Hunter Jean Hagen Walter Huston Kim Hunter William Holden Linda Hayes Jack Holt Rochelle Hudson John Howard Ann Harding Oliver Hardy Leila Hyams Skip Homeier Sonja Henie Richard Hart Irene Hervey Van Heflin Mary Hatcher David Hedison Huntz Hall Jean Hersholt Monte Hale
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 16:05:04 GMT
LETTER I
John Ireland Frieda Inescort Burl Ives Jose Iturbi
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 16:09:02 GMT
LETTER J
Butch Jenkins Katy Jurado Gordon Jones Rita Johnson Rick Jason Anne Jeffreys Allan Jones Gloria Jean Allyn Joslyn Zita Johann Al Jolson Shirley Jones Dorothy Jordan Victor Jory Brenda Joyce Van Johnson Jennifer Jones Louis Jourdan Sybil Jason Buck Jones Glynis Johns Curd Jurgens
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Nov 8, 2022 16:55:16 GMT
LETTER K
John Kerr Elyse Knox Paul Kelly Evelyn Keyes Danny Kaye Andrea King Charles Korvin Helen Kane Gene Kelly Deborah Kerr Richard Kiley Brian Keith Kay Kendall Percy Kilbride Patsy Kelly Howard Keel Susan Kohner Boris Karloff Grace Kelly Buster Keaton Phyllis Kirk Guy Kibbee Ruby Keeler Patric Knowles Nancy Kelly Alexander Knox Jack Kelly
|
|