For some reason, Twitter rants about the Avengers 2 being disappointing got me talking about how Don Cheadle was tragically underused in the movie. That got me thinking about some of the best minor movie characters from great films. You know, those memorable folks who have a limited number of lines, but steal the scenes so often that you want more. Here are some of my favorites.
Harry Ellis- Die Hard
The much maligned Jefe - The Three Amigos
Veteran junkballer Eddie Harris- Major League
Bud Light Kaminski from The Program
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Comments
Wooderson
Alright alright alright
accurate
That's what I love about high school girls, I keep getting older and they stay the same age...
(I know poor taste given little vick and our current rb but still a classic man...)
Just as a sidebar, it's crazy to think that NPH's role in Harold and Kumar single handedly resurrected his career. He wasn't in a movie in two years before this and he was still a year away from doing HIMYM. Nuts.
Since Star Wars is becoming a thing again.. my personal favorite..... Porkins!!!!!!
But hands down (to me) the best all time.... Bueller....Bueller.... Ben Stein's Economics Teacher.....
Porkins was also Lt. Eckhardt in Michael Keaton's Batman.
Mine are more cameos, but:
Gene Hackman in Young Frankenstein
Patrick Stewart in Robin Hood: Men In Tights
Patrick Stewart's King Richard was classic, but Blinkin and Achoo were awesome. That was the first time I ever saw Chappelle.
I saw the movie for the first time well after release, after Chappelle had his own show, and was floored when I realized who it was. The "gotta get pumped" line is great. I wouldn't consider either of them a minor character though
I've always wanted a to test the ban waters
must......not.....downvote......OK Joe, just banhammer him for 5 minutes.
my first thought was "wow..nice grammar..." and then I was like... OHHH..I SEE WHAT HE DID THERE!
Leaving it now haha. Yousa caught me though
error.......error....
God I love Eurotrip. I remember one weekend over a break where most of my friends had headed out Blacksburg, my buddy and I got wasted drunk and watched that movie like 4 times.
I can still watch it to this day anytime I see it on Comedy Central.
I believe that everyone in their early thirties has a drunk story to accompany Eurotrip. Mine involves my best friend and his parents on his birthday and a bottle of Goldschlager. And a drunken comment about the three vibrating dongs at Wandersexxx and referring to a prosthetic reach around. Leave your Eurotrip stories here....
I could add so many euro trip cast members. One of my favorite movies.
Bye, bye, boys! Have fun stormin' the castle!
Just watched that last night.
they will need a miracle!
One more.. minor AND uncredited... Tom Cruise/Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder!
The first time I watched Tropic Thunder I didn't suspect for a second that that was Tom Cruise. I was floored when I watched the credits. I'm completely serious when I say it might be his best acting job.
NSFW
So good. DIET COKE.
Not a movie, but...
"Hey, did one of you tell Stanley that I have asthma? Cuz I don't, but if word gets out they won't let me scuba. If I can't scuba...then what's this all been about? What am I working toward?"
Best Creed quote ever.
Robert Wuhl - Hollywood Knights
This guy from Airplane!
And this guy:
I really don't consider him minor, but certainly not the main character:
Val KIlmer's best turn by far.
(And... I liked the Doors.)
just the greatest character ever, big or small.
Not so sure this constitutes as a minor character, but easily one of my favorite acting performances.
Fun Fact: Ledger improvised fooling around with the button trying to get the building to explode. He was supposed to get in the bus and drive away as the hospital was exploding
if that's true that is absolutely brilliant
hashtag soarces:
http://screenrant.com/greatest-unscripted-movie-scenes/
I hope you're not offended my scepticism
edit: i just took a spin through that link you sent me...there's some cool stuff in there! nice find
Not at all! I need to get used to backing things up on TKP as it is. This community keeps you on your toes.
Or if you're Wyatt Teller's opposition, keeps you on your butt.
TKP, it'll get after ya!
Rodney Dangerfield as Al Czervik in Caddyshack (in fact, any Dangerfield role in the 80s). Hey whitey, where's your hat!
For that matter, why not Ted Knight, Bill Murray, or even Chevy Chase. They were all great in that movie
You wanna make 5 dollars the hard way?
"5 bucks says he eats that booger."
it's actually "$20 bucks the smails kid picks his nose....$100 says he eats it"...so hilarious even after 1000th time
spaulding...NO!!!!!!!!!
I just winged that one, thanks for the pick up.
OK, then.
Here's another of my fav's:
How much you wanna bet I could throw a football over them mountains?
They're all good in Napoleon Dynamite. I even liked Don... he wasn't afraid to rock the white shorts.
If only coach woulda put me in after halftime. We woulda won the state championship... I woulda gone pro...
Hey Blondie!
Love Eli Wallach in that movie. RIP
A good minor character here would be the store manager with the glasses that Tuco took the gun and ammo from. His face was classic.
Sallah from Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade
I have a dark horse reform candidate, Governor Pappy O'Daniel.
Thank God you mama died givin' birth, if she'd a seen ya, she'd a died of shame.
He ain't lyin!
Thems here's my brain trust.
Tweeder!
The Program > Varsity Blues
Alvin Mack
Lattimer
Bud Lite Kaminsky
Alvin Mack is disqualified for also being Featherstone, a stone handed wide receiver. Agree though that the program is the better movie but maybe not as many great one liners. Ooptie #$&@ing oop, give me a break.
DON'T THROW TO STONEHANDS!
And while we are on the topic, MANU MANU THE SLENDER! "My name means runt of the litter. The rest of the men in my family are very large."
At first glance I thought that was this guy
Also, the guy who always got camels instead of horses in the Indiana Jones movies.
Drink
John Candy in the Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers was a who's who of great studio performers as well as Pine Top Perkins and John Lee Hooker. Think I'll rewatch it this weekend
You don't fuck with the Jesus.
He is just an outstanding actor.
And pretty much the whole crew from Coming to America:
"Every time I talk about boxing, some white man gotta pull Rocky Marciano out of his ass."
"If loving the Lord is wrong, I don't want to be right"
"I believe the children are our future."
"That's real cute how you bounce the ball off your heads."
"Your rent is due mother fucker! Don't be pulling that falling down the stairs crap."
Try the soup
Ah ha!
Ralph Cox, Miracle
One of my favorite movies. I can quote nearly the whole thing.
Mel Brooks writes great minor roles.
Empress Nympho, History of the World Part 1
Lili von Stoop , Blazing Saddles
The lovely Ulla Inga Hansen Benson Yansen Tallen Hallen Svaden Swanson.....Bloom
large marge?
Two of my faves from Animal House... Otis Day and the Knights... and a cameo from songwriter Stephen Bishop that was just....PERFECT....
1. Gary Oldman as Drexl Spivey in "True Romance"
2. Gary Oldman as Stansfield in "The Professional"
3. Dwight Yokam as Doyle Hargraves in "Sling Blade"
4. Frank Collison as Wash Hogwallop in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
5. Alan Ford as Brick Top in "Snatch"
Gary Oldman could get a post of his own... Mason Verger in "Hannibal", Lee Harvey Oswald in "JFK"...
Bricktop was awesome, but Tyrone and Bullet Tooth Tony were more awesome
-"It's a four ton truck, Tyrone. Its not as if it's a packet of fucking peanuts, is it? "
-"It was a funny angle."
-"It's behind you Tyrone. Whenever you reverse, things come from behind you."
He can move when he has to.
Just keep that dog from dribbling on my seats.
Sure Tony and Tyrone are funnier, but they can't match Brick Top's intensity. Brick Top and Brad Pitt's performances are the best in that movie.
Gary Oldman in anything really.
Sausages
You said two minutes five minutes ago!
Mace Windu
One of the best lines.
BLUE!
Lieutenant Dan
Truffle Shuffle!
Chet Donnelly
Carl Spackler
both of these guys
also from Full Metal Jacket (perhaps a bit nsfw)
Hooker of Da Nang, one of the most memorable movie lines ever.
Price is wrong, bitch
Zed and the Gimp
Bob Barker has to get serious consideration. Great call.
Anyone remember Louie Lastik from Remember the Titans?
Best HS football movie ever, b/c it was set in Virginia, not Texas.
And b/c of course, Denzell.
When does he get to see the god damn sailboat?
My cousin Walter got a cat stuck up his ass once...
True story. That guy was faster than Walt Flannagan's dog.
Biggity bam! The stage is toast and we go smoke a bowl.
Come on. You are the kind of guy who would beg for sex. I should know. We can smell our own.
16? I thought she was 37!
A-I like that you replied to your own post
2-do these replies serve to throw Brodie into the mix, because yes, more Brodie
Too little? I thought you said it was a nice size!
What can I say? I was feeling very relaxed. When I'm relaxed, I squirt.
Robert Duvall in Apocalypse Now.
And Steve Buscemi in Lebowski. He's just there and it's hilarious.
The Dude: It's like what Lenin said... you look for the person who will benefit, and, uh, uh...
Donny: I am the walrus.
The Dude: You know what I'm trying to say...
Donny: I am the walrus.
Walter Sobchak: That fucking bitch...
The Dude: Oh yeah!
Donny: I am the walrus.
And keeping a marmot....for domestic...aquatic purposes...that can't be legal either.
(Yes, I know its from later in the movie and from Walter, not Donny)
One of the best cameos ever. Owns the whole movie in about 10 minutes. Almost won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
BTW: Alec Baldwin from GlenGary GlennRoss for the uninitiated.
"Oh you're a good father? Fuck you. Go home and play with your kids."
Brutal
My name, FUCK YOU, thats my name. See this watch? This watch cost more than your car.
Yeah, how this scene came together is awesome. I think Baldwin was originally supposed to be on screen for something like 2 seconds, with maybe a line. This whole scene was improved on the spot. After they finished filming it, they realized they had to keep it, and for good reason.
BLUE, YOU'RE MY BOY
this is the end..... Aziz and k hart (im not really a k hart fan but would have liked more of him in this movie)
Michael Cera as a coke fiend was pretty great too.
My personal favorite...
Serge from Beverly Hills Cop
I'm serge
The Violinist from Titanic... Completely transformed the emotion of panic and slowed it down to perfectly match the scene of surrender and hopelessness in the last moments on the Titanic.
Really, we've gone this long without mentioning the best minor-ish character for the best 80s movie ever (and French's personal favorite)?
Jesse Heiman... the ultimate Minor Role.
This guy is in almost every movie or show I watch, always in the background.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1035503/
Do you boys like Mexico!? Whooooooo!!
As a kid my absolute favorite character in all of Star Wars was Dak Ralter, Luke's co-pilot in the battle of Hoth (I think he was in the Death Star attack in episode 4 as well?). I was a weird kid.
Edit:
Actually, I take that back. Was more of a Wedge Antilles guy.
I wanted to wait and let someone else post this one, but no one has yet.
The Wolf:
Lets not start sucking each others dicks yet, gentlemen
Now please with cherries on top. Clean the fucking car.
Mark Wahlberg as Sgt. Dignam in The Departed. Best one liners ever.
Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs
Some Childhood nostalgia.
The first and only time I got choked up over an ant
I had one crawl into my beer at the lake one time, choked me up for a split second; that would be the only other time
Tim Robbins as.....Merlin!
"You're gonna do WHAT?!!!!"
"Doctor. Doctor. Glad I'm not sick."
"Where's the monster? Behind the rabbit?" "It is the rabbit."
Leg. You gotta love Oddball in Kelly's Heroes.
Was he really a minor character in that movie? I thought he was the lead! I love Donald Sutherland. He's the villain in The Hunger Games and the movie is built so you hate his guts, like any villain, BUT IT'S ODDBALL!!!! I love him!!!
I would consider Clint Eastwood (Kelly) and Telly Savalas (Big Joe) as the lead characters, but Oddball stole the show for sure.
My thoughts as well.
Yeah, I see the intent there. I have an array of framed WWII movie posters and the one for Kelly's Heroes has the scene with Clint, Telly, and Donald going in for the showdown with the German tank commander. I just always thought those were your 3 lead actors. Out of those 3, I think Telly and Donald overshadowed Clint big time. I don't even think of it as a Clint Eastwood movie. That's just me.
I'm with you. I remember as a kid thinking the title shouldbe "Oddball's Heroes" rather than "Kelly's Heroes."
Definitely showing my 3rd grade sense of humor here with this one, but how bout a round of applause for Patches from Dodgeball?!
He gets two votes because THIS too
ANNND...you just blew my mind.
How did I not put that together before?
You want me to take on Owney Madden? You want me to take on the most powerful white mobster in New York? And believe me: when you have Owney Madden on your ass, you truly have someone on your ass.
Candlesticks make a nice gift.
But, come sundown, there's gonna be two things true that ain't true now. One is that the United States Department of Justice is goin' to know what in the good Christ - e'scuse me, Angie - is goin' on around here. And the other's I'm gonna have somebody's ass in muh briefcase.
"I thoughtchyo head would be bigger...looks like peanut!"
Wow, how did I forget Don Rickels in Dirty Work?
The Principal from Billy Madison
I don't know how this isn't on here yet but, to me, Hank Azaria has to be one the most underrate "minor" role character/voice actors in recent memory.
Agador/Spartacus in The Birdcage
Not to mention all of these guys in The Simpsons:
and he was on Herman's Head. (Realizes I was the only person in the USA who watched Herman's Head and slinks back into my hole.)
I totally remember Herman's Head. The girl who does Lisa Simpson's voice was on there too. I love this thread by the way French. Great idea.
Some honorable mentions:
Dr. Leo Spaceman from 30 Rock
Pretty much any of the supporting cast of Hot Rod. If I have to pick a "minor" character, Richardson.
Gene Parmesan from Arrested Development
If we're going with Arrested Development characters, there are the lawyers:
haha yes! I had forgotten about Bob Loblaw
May their first child be a masculine child
I don't know many of you have seen the move "Suicide Kings", but Dennis Leary's role (especially this scene) is one of my all time favorites.
"If you touch that little girl again, me and Mr. Mantle will pay you a visit my friend."
See these boots...Stingray
FISHBOOTS?
It's on Netflix if anyone is interested.
Joan Cusack: Grosse Pointe Blank
If we are going Cusack movies, I respond with:
Hi-Fi!!!! One of my all time favorites. Plus I kind of have a thing for Joan Cusack. Admittedly it's a weird thing.
It's a COSBY sweater!!!
I love using that line in everyday conversation.
Leo Getz.
Perhaps no minor role has experienced more fame than Admiral Ackbar that I can think of
Except maybe Boba Fett
Not a movie character, but Red from That 70's show is a favorite of mine.
David Duchovny as Denise in Twin Peaks
Is in movies and is equally funny
I upvoted this, but in no way is Charlie Kelly a minor character. He is the anchor that keeps Sunny relevant.
I consider Dr. Horrible to be a movie, so Moist can be included
And since other people are bringing in TV characters, I'll mention Richmond:
Late to the party, but a couple of my favaorites:
D-Day
and..."I'm baaack!"
I don't think I've seen anybody mention this genius
"Fra-gi-le. It must be Italian!"
He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master.
There is always this fellow.
A Tremors reference. Leg.
One for cartoon movies:
I would go to see a movie that consisted solely of the squirrel's pursuit of the acorn. Best part of the whole movie IMO.
Edit: corrected phone typos
RIP - John Ritter in Bad Santa