I recently did some research on P.J. Soles over at IMDB. She was a victim in the original Halloween and the star of the hilarious Ramones vehicle Rock 'N Roll High School, but I hadn't seen her in anything else. On the IMDB search I learned she is a veteran of many cheesy '80s horror flicks and was even in the modern bad classic, Uncle Sam. Does anyone else know of less-known yet deserving B actors or actresses?
P.J. also gave Bill Murray's slob character more than he deserved in "Stripes." Remember the spatula scene? Awwwwwww.
Robin Curtis' career was destroyed in her first big scene in "Star Trek III: The Search For Spock." She replaced Kirstie Alley as Lt. Saavik. While she delivered that line badly--and it's a terrible line no one could do well--she did fine for the rest of the picture, and her small role in "Star Trek IV," but was still regulated to grot like "Hexed," "Bloodfist IV," "Santa With Muscles," and "The Unborn II." Last known movie: "Making Contact" in '99. Too bad...
I wish James Lorinz was in more stuff. Frankenhooker, Street Trash, Last Exit to Brooklyn, and a small role in Jerky Boys.....the guy's too funny.....wonder where he is......
The actress who played Frankenhooker was pretty funny too... Has she done anything else?
P.J. Soles also had a part in CARRIE.
James Karen (http://us.imdb.com/Name?Karen,+James+(I)) is probably best know to genre fans for his role as Frank in RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. Guy's got 89 credits in his filmography, and he's all over the place! From the bottom of the barrel (HARDBODIES 2, THE WILLIES) to big budget flicks (ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, THIRTEEN DAYS) to masterpieces (ROTLD). Great actor.
Patty Mullin was the female lead in Frankenhooker. She was a Penthouse Pet and in Doom Asylum, but I don't know of any other filmwork from her.....she was great in Frankenhooker though...
Michael Biehn should be placed in this category. For every 1 good movie he's been in, he's had at least 5 turkeys to go with that. After his career imploded with "Navy SEALs," he's been relegated to the backburner of the Hollywood stove. He now either plays a villian in B-films or the occasional bit part in more major Hollywood releases.
For those who want to know, his current effort is an upcoming TV series called "Adventures, Inc."
>James Karen is probably best know to genre fans for his role as Frank in
Or in his role as 'The Pathmark man' in the Pathmark supermarlet commercials. :)
>RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. Guy's got 89 credits in his filmography, and
>he's all over the place! From the bottom of the barrel (HARDBODIES 2, THE
>WILLIES) to big budget flicks (ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, THIRTEEN DAYS) to
>masterpieces (ROTLD). Great actor.
Don't forget his role as Craig Nelson's boss in Poltergeist.
Amanda Pays is pretty and talented. That british accent..mmm. She deserves better than the likes of Leviathan.
And she's married to that lucky bugger, Corbin Bernsen, who's kinda underrated himself (or maybe not)
>Does anyone else know of less-known yet deserving B actors or actresses?
Forgot to mention; Ami Dolenz. She was in Ticks, Pumpkinhead II, Stepmonster, Withcboard II and a bunch of other turkeys. I had a huge crush on her after seeing just the ads for She's Out of Control (with Tony Danza).
I kinda liked Laura Tate as the original Michelle in "Subspecies".
(and in the very, very, very bad Marc Singer movie, "Dead Space")
We musn't forget Clu Gulager. He was in Return Of The Living Dead and several MST3K films.
Somebody I always thought was a really underrated actor is Angus MacInnes. For all the movies he's been in, he really ought to be better known. He was one of the squadron leaders in Star Wars, one of the gunslingers in Outland, a council member in Judge Dredd, a hit man in Witness, and had parts in Rollerball, Superman 2, Hellraiser 2 and a bunch of other movies. Of course, none of these were big roles. The only really significant role I've seen Angus MacInnes play is washed up hockey player Jean LaRose in Strange Brew.
Look him up at IMDB.
Navy SEALs should be reviewed on this sight *lol* that movie bit the big one.
I second Clu Gulager, I think the name worked against him career-wise. Ever see him in THE KILLERS with Lee Marvin and Ronald Reagan? He reminds me of Tom Skerritt in M*A*S*H in that film.
I always thought Sarah Douglas deserved a better career than she's had. She was so cold and nasty in SUPERMAN II, but also kind of sexy. Now she makes stuff like RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD III, although she handled a pump shotgun pretty well. I saw her on TNT in an episode of L.A. HEAT, man, did I feel sorry for her having to act in crap like that.
Charlie Spradling was in a couple of those movies too, or else in other Full Moon flicks. Maybe that's why she's seem to have disappeared.
Angus Scrimm! This guy ain't in enough movies. The first time I saw Phantasm he scared the s**t out of me!!
>Angus Scrimm! This guy ain't in enough movies. The first time I saw Phantasm
>he scared the s**t out of me!!
He has a recurring role on the show Alias.
Well, I always liked Timothy Farrell (http://us.imdb.com/Name?Farrell,+Timothy). He was in so many great roadshow & b-pictures like Test Tube Babies, Dance Hall Racket, Jailbait, Glen or Glenda? and Girl Gang.
He could play a sensitive doctor or a cold-hearted criminal and make you believe him all the way. He's one of my favorites, yes indeed.
Just thought I had to add one of the most unsung, but still incredibly rated actors ever.
Harry Dean Stanton (http://us.imdb.com/Name?Stanton,+Harry+Dean)
It doesn't matter what type of movie you like. At one point or another Mr. Stanton will cross your radar.
My favorite Stanton quote?
"Ordinary f**kin' people. I hate them."
Stanton. Undeniably the man.