Favorite Classic Chracter Actor and why

[WS]

So who is your favorite character actor and why?  You know that person who usually isn't a star, but who shows up over and over in those unusual and interesting parts, like Jesse White the old Maytag repairman, or  Thelma Ritter, the wise-cracking insurance nurse in Rear Window (also the dresser in Al About Eve).

Here she is as a Mom looking for a toy in Miracle on 34th Street:

I love Thelma Ritter because she plays such smart-alecky, cynical, working class characters.

[Falcon]

Liked Lloyd Nolan a lot.  He was in a lot of films and was a sensational character actor.

[WS]

Yeah, he was a cool guy! He used to be on that show Julia about the nurse!

[Falcon]

Warren Oates supporting character (and good at it) actor in lots of films and tv too.

[WS]

Yeah, what a cool guy - there is a whole blog entry here called Stephanie Huettner hearts Warren Oates. Very fun to read. And who could forget Sgt Hulka on Stripes!

[Falcon]

Another great classic character actor......Martin Balsam. Can you name a couple of his movies?

[CaliforniaNow]

He was in Hombre.  That's the only one I know.

Who's this?

[CaliforniaNow]

I just realized I got this on the wrong post, but he is one of my favorite character actors too.

[WS]

I know, I know!  Harry Dean Stanton. Gotta love him!

[Falcon]

Loved him in "Escape from New York."  ....plus many others.

[WS]

He (Martin Balsam) was in Twelve Angry Men!

[Falcon]

Martin was also in Psycho.....the detective who got it on the top of the stairs.  And in "The Bedford Incident" with Sidney Poiter and Richard Widmark.

[WS]

Arbogast! I named my cat after him!