As Ti West’s Ebenezer helps usher in the holiday season at the box office this weekend, we can’t help but think of the many actors who’ve played the crotchety miser on screen over the years. Despite his thorny demeanor and cruel outlook on Christmas, Ebenezer Scrooge is one of the most iconic characters associated with the yuletide celebration.
From Johnny Depp’s darkly stylized turn in West’s new theatrical feature to the towering legacy of Alastair Sim’s definitive 1951 portrayal, Charles Dickens’ penny-pinching antihero has proven to be a magnetic role for actors of every stripe. Over the decades, audiences have watched George C. Scott bring brooding, grounded weight to the part, Albert Finney sing and dance his way through a lavish musical transformation, and Michael Caine famously play it completely straight opposite a cast of Muppets. Even broader comedic and animated riffs—like Bill Murray’s cynical TV executive in Scrooged or Jim Carrey’s motion-capture tour de force—have tapped into the enduring appeal of watching a cold-hearted curmudgeon finally thaw.
So, who’s your favorite Scrooge? Oh, and if you don’t pick Michael Caine, you officially hate Christmas. I don’t make the rules.