The Top Leading Men On and Off the Screen

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my personal top ten actresses of all time.  Now, I think it is only right to dedicate this post to the actors.  Many of these men, could captivate the audience with a slight smile, twinkle in their eye, or at the mere sound of their deep voices.  The actors that I am going to be introducing to you are from a variety of genres, but are all part of the so-called “studio era.”  Much of the information will be coming from my own knowledge base, and the rest will be supplemented by a terrific book “The 50 Most Unforgettable Actors of the Studio Era.”  There are two other books with a similar title:  one focusing on women and the other about on-screen couples.  Here is to the men of the big screen!

A Woman of Strength and Conviction

The first time that I ever saw Lauren Bacall in a film, it was with Humphrey Bogart in, “To Have or Have Not.”  She had an intensity in her eyes that I had never quite seen before, and she used them so effectively that she created a signature pose called, “The Look.”  It created a sultry appearance, with her chin practically touching her neck, with those penetrating eyes staring straight up at the camera.  Very few people realized that this was not a look that she had intended for superficial reasons, but rather it was due to her nerves.  It was the only way that she could keep from trembling in front of the camera.