While most actors are known primarily for their acting skills, Richard Burton is known for his endearing look, commanding voice, and ability to portray highly intellectual male protagonists. Burton was nominated for seven academy awards, but never received an Oscar. He was one of Hollywood’s most well-paid actors in the late ’60s, earning a reported $1 million or more per film. The actor is also known for being married to popular British-American actress, Elizabeth Taylor, twice.
His most successful film to date is the 1953 biblical epic, “The Robe”, where he plays a Roman tribune who was tasked with supervising the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Another highly successful film Richard Burton appeared in was “Look Back in Anger”, a film about a guy who decides to rebel against life. Despite not being awarded as much as he should have, the actor is widely known as one of the greats.
Tom Hardy
Tom Hardy is well known as one of Hollywood’s most versatile male actors. He's portrayed various incredible characters, from UFC fighters to gangsters, and even a Batman villain. Hardy is one of the most consistently well-performing actors on the big screen and regularly draws crowds to films that have his name on them. He proved his incredible acting abilities in films such as Legend, where the actor played both of the film’s main characters.
If you really want to enjoy Tom Hardy at his best, you should check out either "Bronson" or "Legend". The actor plays a gangster/criminal in both films and does an incredible job in both.
Bryan Cranston
In the first few decades of his career, most people knew Bryan Cranston as either Dr. Tim Whatley from NBC’s popular sitcom "Seinfeld", or as Hal from the Fox sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle". He was considered your average nice, goofy and funny older male actor, but everything changed when he took the role of Walter White on AMC’s iconic "Breaking Bad", which is widely considered one of the greatest TV shows of all time.
"Breaking Bad" revolves around Walter White, an aging and depressed chemistry teacher, and his new partner, Jesse Pinkman, a high-school dropout. The two decide to work together and open a meth business after Walter discovers he has terminal cancer and that his family isn’t financially secure. Bryan Cranston’s performance in the show is considered among the best on-screen acting of all time.
Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholson is known as one of Hollywood's darkest, most mysterious and best actors of all time. There has never been an actor who was known for playing such a large and varied range of genres. His roles include everything from light-hearted comedies and romance films, to some of the darkest and most terrifying movies of all time. The veteran actor is known as an outsider and often rebels against common traditions, in both his personal and professional life. He has received 12 Academy Award nominations over the years, making him the most nominated male actor of all time.
Some of Jack Nicholson's most brilliant roles include the iconic "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", Stephen King's novel-to-film adaptation of "The Shining", the romantic comedy film "As Good as It Gets", and his enduring performance as Batman's arch nemesis, the Joker. Two of his top movies to date are also actually some of his latest. "About Schmidt" and "The Bucket List" are both drama heavy films with a sprinkle of comedy that focus on the struggles of old age.
Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey Bogart is considered the single greatest male actor of all time. He first began acting in Broadway shows, but quickly made his way into films in the 1930s. The actor has appeared in numerous roles over the years, and had an acting career which lasted for over three and a half decades. Bogart has a cult following even to this day. Some of his most successful roles from the '40s include "High Sierra", "The Maltese Falcon", "The Big Sleep", and the well known classic, "Casablanca", which landed him his first nomination for an Academy Award.
Bogart's two best performances, according to many critics and fans, are 1948's neo-western film "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre", and 1950's old school crime drama, "In a Lonely Place". Unfortunately, the actor was a heavy smoker and drinker, which considerably shortened his lifespan and killed him at the relatively young age of 57. In 1997, he was named the number one movie legend of all time by Entertainment Weekly Magazine. Later in 1999, he was also chosen as the American Film Institute’s greatest male screen legend.