70s Actors
The 70s decade was all about change. People questioned authority. Men grew their
hair long and explored their female sides.
The movie industry changed, as well. Studios began looking for blockbuster hits, and
actors that could consistently deliver, wrote their own tickets. Whether they were
big and tough or soft and introspective, the 70s actor had to learn how to sing and
dance, fly and box.
Here, we look at 16 of our favorite matinee idols from that great decade.
John Travolta-It wasn’t much of a stretch for Travolta to become a Sweathog on Gabe
Kaplan’s Welcome Back, Kotter. He parlayed his 1970s TV fame into starring roles as
Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever and then Danny Zuko in Grease. The 80s were
not as friendly until he landed a part in 1989’s Look Who’s Talking, and then scored
big as a scary hit man in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994). Since then, his
association with Scientology and some truly bad movies has put the breaks on this
dancing Italian
Jack Nicholson-After a string of forgettable films, Nicholson demanded we notice him
when he was cast in Easy Rider, one of the counter-culture’s landmark films. From
there, he won an Oscar nomination for his role as the brooding outsider in Five Easy
Pieces (1970). But it was his Academy Award winning portrayal of crazy-like-a-fox
Randal P. McMurphy in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) that
people began calling him the best American actor. He followed with a truly shivering
starring role in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980), and later a stellar performance
as Col. Nathan R. Jessup in A Few Good Men (1992). “You can’t handle the truth!”
Clint Eastwood-After paying his dues as a TV cowboy on TV’s Rawhide, and a string
of spaghetti Westerns by Sergio Leone, Eastwood gave up the saddle for a Smith and
Wesson revolver in the Dirty Harry series. He followed up with more thoughtful
performances, and gained critical acclaim when he began directing, as well.
Burt Reynolds-Reynolds was never guilty of taking himself too seriously. With his
signature wry smile, he took on a string of lightweight action comedies until his
breakout performance in Deliverance (1972), where he played the man’s man
dealing with human savagery. He famously passed on playing the roles of both
James Bond and Han Solo in the Star Wars juggernaut, relegating his career to much
less successful fare.
Michael Caine-The British actor has appeared in more films than most anyone. He
gained initial attention through his appearances in classic English movies, including
Zulu (1964), The Ipcress File (1965) and Alfie (1966). By the 70s, he was a certifiable
star. He’s one of only two actors to have received Academy Award nominations in
every decade from the 1960s to the 2000s (the other being Jack Nicholson).
Al Pacino-One of the country’s most distinguished actors, Pacino’s star really rose
when he played the part of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972). He played a
ambivalent bank robber in Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and once again a gangland
bad guy in Brian De Palma’s Scarface (1983). He continued hitting his mark with
memorable characters in Scent of a Woman (1992) and Carlito’s Way (1993).
Dustin Hoffman-Hoffman burst onto the scene with a series of great movies in the
60s: The Graduate (1967), and as Ratso Rizzo in the classic Midnight Cowboy (1969).
The classically trained actor hit his stride in the 70s, with his films Little Big Man
(1970), Papillon 1973), Lenny (1974), All the Presidents Men (1976), Marathon Man
(1976) and Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). His string of hits continued with Tootsie
(1982) and Rain Man (1988). Oh, and the major flop, Elaine May’s Ishtar (1987).
Robert Redford-The creator of the Sundance Film Festival and Academy Award
director for Ordinary People (1981), Redford is the consummate 70s actor. He
starred in The Candidate (1972), The Way We Were (1973) with Barbra Streisand;
and the biggest hit of his career; the blockbuster crime caper The Sting (1973), with
Paul Newman. He teamed with Dustin Hoffman in the political thriller All the
President's Men (1976).
Paul Newman-America lost this beloved actor and philanthropist in 2008, but not
before his good looks and understated acting style electrified audiences. His early
career included hits like Exodus (1960), The Hustler (1961), Hud (1963), Cool Hand
Luke (1967) and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). In the 70s, he was busy
with The Towering Inferno (1974), Slap Shot (1977). He teamed up with Robert
Redford again in George Roy Hill’s The Sting (1973).
Bruce Lee-The martial artist expert never received credit for his TV concept that
became the show Kung Fu, but beginning in 1971 with The Big Boss followed by his
box-office breaking Fists of Fury (1972), Lee proved that was gold in those karate
slippers. His death in 1973 remains a mystery, to many.
Gene Hackman-Hackman became a bone fide leading man after his Oscar winning
performance as NYC detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle (1972). Many remember him
as Superman’s archenemy, Lex Luthor in Superman: The Movie (1978). The actor has
never slowed down, yet found time to pen three books
Charles Bronson-The brawny tough-guy actor had already gained acclaim in the 60s
for his part in ensemble adventures, like The Magnificent Seven and The Great
Escape. The 70s were his time to step up as a film lead. In 1974, he played Paul
Kersey, a New York architect who took the law into his own hands when his family
was brutally murdered, in Death Wish. The film’s success led to several highgrossing sequels.
Robert DeNiro-The man who many consider to be the greatest living actor, DeNiro
has starred in more than 90 films. His early work included Band the Drum Slowly
and Mean Streets (both 1973). After passing on the part of Michael Corleone in The
Godfather, he accepted the role of the young Vito Corleone in Godfather II (1974),
thus building the feud over which installment was better. While younger movie
watchers are familiar with his more recent comedic forays, DeNiro has a treasure
trove of spectacular performances in such classics as Taxi Driver (1976 ), The Deer
Hunter (1978), Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull (1980), A Bronx Tale (1983) and Cape
Fear (1991). He worked with Scorsese again in Goodfellas (1990).
Sylvester Stallone-Despite an early career that included a role in a soft-core porn
movie, Stallone remained true to his dream, and became a cultural icon with the
movie he wrote and starred in, Rocky (1976). A slew of high-grossing sequels
followed. Then Sly created a new franchise in the 80s, by playing John Rambo, a
discharged Viet Nam Green Beret with a nasty attitude. His early successes gave him
plenty of room to dabble in projects that failed to come close to his more well
known work.
Marlon Brando-Brando is generally considered one of filmdom’s all-time greatest
actors, capable of bringing a level of intensity and realism to any part he undertakes.
He was already a mythic star by the 1970s, having achieved fame for his theatrical
performance of Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire
(1947), followed up by the movie, in 1951. His reputation grew through On the
Waterfront (1954) and other strong male leads. In 1972, he made filmgoers an offer
they couldn’t refuse as mob boss Vito Corleone in The Godfather (1972), followed
by Last Tango in Paris (1972). His mad genius bubbled to the surface in his role of
Colonel Walter E. Kurtz in Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam epic Apocalypse
Now (1979).
Woody Allen-Allen was a successful TV comedy writer and stand-up performer
before he began directing and starring in his own auteur productions of lowgrossing but critically acclaimed films. The 70s began with his Bananas
(1971), Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (1972)
and Sleeper (1973). His big hit was Annie Hall (1977), starring Diane Keaton. Allen
has continued to make his movies, despite his frequent appearances in the tabloids,
over his divorcing actress Mia Farrow to marry his child’s much younger nanny.