Which Actor has the longest run of great movies?

[noisy_brut]

I would have to say Harrison Ford with this run:

The Empire Strikes Back - 1980
Raiders of the Lost Ark - 1981
Blade Runner - 1982
Return Of The Jedi - 1983
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - 1984
Witness - 1985
Mosquito Coast - 1986
Frantic - 1988
Working Girl - 1988
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - 1989
Presumed Innocent - 1990

His next movie was Regarding Henry which I didn't like...Also remember, up near the top he did have a role in E.T. that was cut.

[sanshodayu]

Having checked out all the obvious contenders,it seems you've come up with the right choice!Of course,many have had more great films to their credit over a similar period,but with weaker ones in between.The great stars have often been quite prolific.Daniel-Day Lewis had a good run from My Left Foot onwards.Again trusting my Who's Who not to have omitted some,also the Japanese Takashi Shimura(if you count Godzilla),from 1949 through the early-mid sixties.

[James Logan]

Second the Harrison Ford choice. That was one heck of a great decade for the man.

[max]

I disagree with the choice of Ford. Consider the decade De Niro had.

BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY (1973)
MEAN STREETS (1973)
THE GODFATHER PART II (1974)
TAXI DRIVER (1976)
1900 (1976)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK (1977)
THE DEER HUNTER (1978)
RAGING BULL (1980)

That would add up to several critics' citations, 4 Best Picture nominations, 4 acting nominations, 2 Oscars. Now THAT is greatness.

[thingsgoinon]

I'd hafta say Tom Hanks. Tho I don't like some of these films ( Mail and Seattle), they were all popular in one way or another.

Big 1988
Punchline 1988
Joe vs the Volcano 1990
A League of Their Own 1992
Sleepless in Seattle 1993
Philadelphia 1993
Forrest Gump 1994
Apollo 13 1995
Toy Story 1995
That Thing You Do 1996
Saving Private Ryan 1998
You've Got Mail 1998
Toy Story 2 1999
The Green Mile 1999
Castaway 2000

Now certainly some may argue that since a couple of these weren't hits at the box office that they don't count, but even those have many many fans ( me included, I think Volcano was great!)

[max]

Thingsgoinon - If you're going to extend the run to more than a decade, then I wouuld add several more great films to De Niro's resume.

THE KING OF COMEDY (1983)
ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (1984)
BRAZIL (1985)
THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987)
MIDNIGHT RUN (1988)
GOODFELLAS (1990)
AWAKENINGS (1990)
CAPE FEAR (1991)
A BRONX TALE (1993)
CASINO (1995)
HEAT (1995)

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Now certainly some may argue that since a couple of these weren't hits at the box office that they don't count, but even those have many many fans ( me included, I think Volcano was great!)</font>

We're talking about runs of great films and not box-office hits.

[thingsgoinon]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by max:
Thingsgoinon - If you're going to extend the run to more than a decade, then I wouuld add several more great films to De Niro's resume.</font>

sorry wasn't aware were only doing decades


<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
We're talking about runs of great films and not box-office hits.

</font>

wow you could prob add a ton more for DeNiro then http://www.joblo.com/ubb/wink.gif

[Deckard]

JOHN WAYNE- made over 180 films, spanning 40 years- many greats from STAGECOACH(1939) to RED RIVER, THE SEARCHERS, MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE all the way till TRUE GRIT(1969) and finally THE SHOOTIST(1976). With tons more greats inbetween John Wayne indeed had a long run of quality cinema.

[sanshodayu]

I took the question to mean run of consecutive films; otherwise would also have chosen De Niro. (Not sure if The Last Tycoon and New York New York were up to the required standard)

[max]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">(Not sure if The Last Tycoon and New York New York were up to the required standard)</font>

No, but neither were RETURN OF THE JEDI, FRANTIC or MOSQUITO COAST. And if you pick Harrison Ford's greatest films and put them next to De Niro's during their respective runs, I would say that De Niro's body of work is more impressive. But my question is: how are we defining greatness here? Box-office supremacy or Oscars and critical acclaim?

[noisy_brut]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by sanshodayu:
I took the question to mean run of consecutive films; otherwise would also have chosen De Niro. (Not sure if The Last Tycoon and New York New York were up to the required standard)</font>

Yes, My original question was a run of consequtive films, there was no time limit (as a certain decade in place)

If I was going by a complete body of work I would have added Star Wars, Apocolypse Now, American Graffitti, Jack Ryan Movies, Fugitive

I know some of Ford's movies in the late 80's aren't for everyone, but I really liked Frantic and Mosquito Coast.

[pod2010]

Ben Affleck

1. School Ties
2. Mallrats
3. Good Will Hunting
4. Chasing Amy
5. Phantoms
6. Armageddon
7. Dogma
8. Forces of Nature
9. Reindeer Games
10.Bounce
11.Pearl Harbor
12.Jay and silent bob strike back
13.Changing Lanes
14.The sum of all fears
15.daredevil

i loved all these movies, sorry they are not in year order, but #14 and 15 have to be aewsome.

[max]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">If I was going by a complete body of work I would have added Star Wars, Apocolypse Now, American Graffitti, Jack Ryan Movies, Fugitive</font>

Even so, De Niro's body of work is more impressive. If we're talking box-office, then Ford wins easily.

[noisy_brut]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by max:
Even so, De Niro's body of work is more impressive. If we're talking box-office, then Ford wins easily.

</font>

They are both actors with great bodies of work. I was just looking for people's opinions, not going by critical acclaim or by box office. I'll agree you're DeNiro list is a great list. The only reason I don't know if I can agree with it is there are two movies on it I haven't seen, so I can't make an honest judgement.

I'll probably be checking them out soon though.

[Professor Falk]

Put me in the pro-Frantic crowd, as well. I film I feel is quite underrated.