That Guy

He’s that guy, you know, the guy who played in…Anyone who has watched an old movie or television show with me has heard that phrase. 

Growing up during the Golden Age of Television, I overindulged in cathode ray tube emissions. Not sated by the torrent of effluvia produced by episodic programs, I immersed myself in old movies.

For reasons unknown even unto myself, I enjoyed sitting through the credits putting the players’ faces to their names. Ergo my encyclopedic (and somewhat useless) knowledge of character actors and “B” movie stalwarts.

From the westerns: Royal Dano, Dub Taylor, Jack Elam, and Arthur Hunnicutt

From gangster flicks: Mike Mazurki, Brian Donlevy, Elisha Cook, Jr and Murray Kinnell

Cue the ones who change genres faster that cold cream removes pancake make-up:

Akim Tamiroff, J. Carroll Naish, Aldophe Menjou, Helmut Dantine

Unlike the Avon lady, some of these names may not ring a bell. (Another pun becoming anachronistic in the age of the Interweb) However, most will recognize the faces. These actors lent their talent to hundreds of movies and TV shows. Yet, they remain anonymous images flickering on late night TV.

Don’t despair old friends. I still remember. As ever BB

“I don't mean to be forward, but ain't I had the pleasure of meeting you two broads before?” – Mike Mazurki in Some Like It Hot