Comedy/Tragedy (Switch Hitters)

[stonemonkts]

A switch hitter is an actor or actress notable for being equally gifted at doing both comedy AND drama. I believe this ability is rare, but I thought of these, with examples of both:

Kevin Kline (The Ice Storm, Sophie's Choice, Hamlet; I Love You To Death, Fish Called Wanda, Soapdish)

Michael Douglas (He is a debatable choice since I much more value his comedic turns, e.g. War Of The Roses, but I believe he was equally funny and tragic in the one where he played the laid off defense engineer, "Falling Down". Another example would be "Wonder Boys").

Walter Matthau (Fail-Safe, Charlie Varrick, Lonely Are The Brave; Odd Couple, A New Leaf, Sunshine Boys)

Jack Lemmon (Days Of Wine And Roses, Glengarry Glen Ross, Save The Tiger, China Syndrome; Some Like It Hot, Odd Couple, Mister Roberts).

I can't think of any others off the top of my head. Jack Lemmon may be the all-time champ, IMO.

Any others worth noting? (I hope so, otherwise this thread will die a quick death).

[Pete C]

The ultimate switch hitting director was Billy Wilder.

If Jackie Gleason had done more dramatic roles I think he could have been a contender.

[Cem]

Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas)
Kevin Spacey (American Beauty)
Dennis Hopper(Apocalypse Now)

...where they were good at both.

Yeah, I thought Falling Down packed a punch for its time.

[GoodSpeak]

My favorites at this endeavor:

Katherine Hepburn
Leslie Nielson
Dean Martin
Charlie Sheen
Jack Nicholson
George Kennedy
Diane Keaton
James Gregory
Gregory Peck
Michael Caine
Sean Connery
Paul Newman


I am certain there are many others I'm not thinking of.


You see, I suffer from CRS**























**Can't Remember Shit.

[john williams]

Jack Lemmon is king!

[Pete C]

What were Gregory Peck's great comic roles?

[Pete C]

Giulietta Masina

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Jimmy Stewart
Fred MacMurray
Shirley McLaine
James Coburn
Lee Marvin
William Jefferson Clinton

[mke]

Ronald Reagan
Arnold Schwarzenegger

[stonemonkts]

Originally posted by Squaredancecalling Steve
Jimmy Stewart
Fred MacMurray
Shirley McLaine
James Coburn
Lee Marvin
William Jefferson Clinton

Watching "Cat Ballou" at the moment, an old favorite from my childhood. Stubby Kaye and Nat Cole providing the musical acompaniment, a very young Jane Fonda, Dwayne Hickman, and of course the hilarious Lee Marvin as the drunkard has-been gunfighter.

Another notable switch hitter is Gene Hackman. No need to praise his dramatic skills, but he deserves major credit for his comedic turns in such gems as "Get Shorty" and "The Royal Tenenbaums". The decision to insert false (buck) teeth in Get Shorty was brilliant.

Shades of my avatar when he donned teeth in that quickie scene where he posed as an Italian tourist. Reggie fans know what I'm talking about.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Originally posted by stonemonkts
Watching "Cat Ballou" at the moment, an old favorite from my childhood. Stubby Kaye and Nat Cole providing the musical acompaniment, a very young Jane Fonda, Dwayne Hickman, and of course the hilarious Lee Marvin as the drunkard has-been gunfighter.

Very funny! My recollection is that Lee Marvin won an oscar for it and said in his acceptance speech that he felt he should share the prize with his horse.

I'm not sure how much comedy Brando has done, but he did a deliciously funny self-parody in that movie (name is gone!) where he plays a mid-level mafia guy who looks and talks just like The Godfather, and everybody comments on it and it drives him nuts.

[stonemonkts]

Originally posted by Squaredancecalling Steve
Very funny! My recollection is that Lee Marvin won an oscar for it and said in his acceptance speech that he felt he should share the prize with his horse.

I'm not sure how much comedy Brando has done, but he did a deliciously funny self-parody in that movie (name is gone!) where he plays a mid-level mafia guy who looks and talks just like The Godfather, and everybody comments on it and it drives him nuts.

You're thinking of "The Freshman".

[HenryMc]

Brando Comedy

Try "Bedtime Story"(1964)with David Niven ...and even in that there is a vicious element of self parody where as an injured vet in a wheelchair he recalls his performance in 1949's "the Men"

[jeff54]

Tom Hanks
Robert DiNero (although those analyst movies absolutly suck at least the first one, I didn't see the second one)
Bill Murray

Jackie Gleason did some great work in serious roles. "Soldier in the Rain" "Requiem for a Heavyweight" "The Hustler" and the one where he plays a mute guy in France

[jeff54]

I just watched Peter Seller in the first Pink Panther movie. I don't know how I could have left him off my list. Granted his dramtic stuff can't touch Lemmon's, but
his comedy is right up there.

[RBS]

Sean Connery does/did both well.
Harrison Ford (The Fugitive/Working Girl/Star Wars/What Lies Beneath)

[Gordon B]

Jeff54, I disagree about DeNiro but like the rest of your choices. He's one of my favorite dramatic actors but I think he's a poor comedic actor.

Gleason and Hanks may each be #1 for their respective eras.

A good one for TV only is Larry Hagman.

[Pete C]

I can't believe we've all forgotten

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

[moneyp]

Originally posted by Pete C
I can't believe we've all forgotten

Amen!

[mjb]

Not quite in the Alec Guinness range but very good - Michael Keaton, Billy Bob Thornton, Tim Robbins, Bob Hoskins, John Cusack, Jim Broadbent, Jonathan Pryce and, of course, Sylvester Stallone.

[stonemonkts]

Alec Guinness was superb! I too can't believe he wasn't mentioned sooner.

Great read by the way...that's the cover of his autobiography.

[walto]

Emma Thompson
John Gielgud
Jeremy Irons
Glenda Jackson

[clinthopson]

Jean Arthur
Spencer Tracy
Cary Grant
Jimmy Cagney
Humphrey Bogart

Am I dating myself?

[Pete C]

Originally posted by clinthopson
Am I dating myself?

If you are, I hope you get lucky.

[Chris D]

Walt and clint got the two who sprung to mind for me:
Cary Grant, never has one been so commanding in both genres,
and Emma Thompson, who is so easily great that we take her for granted.