Uncredited actors??

[cully]

I'm not sure if this is the correct Britmovie thread but here goes..

I'm sure we've all occasionally seen a film/television programme, wondered who a certain actor/actress was in it and then found they were not credited at the end so were left not knowing their identity.

How does one find out who the actor was? I THINK I read somewhere (perhaps here) that everybody who takes part in a programme, be they credited or uncredited, HAS to have a ...mention/"credit" of some kind somewhere by law. If this is correct, how does one access this information?

[batman]

Originally Posted by cully I'm not sure if this is the correct Britmovie thread but here goes.. I'm sure we've all occasionally seen a film/television programme, wondered who a certain actor/actress was in it and then found they were not credited at the end so were left not knowing their identity. How does one find out who the actor was? I THINK I read somewhere (perhaps here) that everybody who takes part in a programme, be they credited or uncredited, HAS to have a ...mention/"credit" of some kind somewhere by law. If this is correct, how does one access this information?

Do you mean on screen credits?

There are certain jobs on a film that do have to be credited on screen ... but that doesn't include extras and walk-ons.

[earlb]

if you go to The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) and type in the title of film it'll display main cast. To the left is a link 'Full credit cast and crew. Hope this helps.

[cully]

Originally Posted by batman Do you mean on screen credits? There are certain jobs on a film that do have to be credited on screen ... but that doesn't include extras and walk-ons.

Ah...it WAS extras and walk-ons I meant. So I suppose the answer to my question is NO!

[cully]

Originally Posted by earlb if you go to The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) and type in the title of film it'll display main cast. To the left is a link 'Full credit cast and crew. Hope this helps.

Thanks, earlb, it was the actors NOT credited either at the beginning or the end of shows I meant. Those with small speaking parts, extras etc.

[Moor Larkin]

Harry H - Aitch knows about this stuff:
Harry Fielder - My career in British films and TV

He said once some guy is doing a book that will have all these guys and guyesses in it, but I haven't seen Harry here recently. Maybe I've been on the worng threads. Mind you, he underplays himself, I've found him to be a bit of a star in some stuff I've been reading recently......... except I realised later it was Harry Fowler......

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by earlb if you go to The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) and type in the title of film it'll display main cast. To the left is a link 'Full credit cast and crew. Hope this helps.

They do their best, but they don't claim it's a complete list. And they've tightened up the rules over the years. Now, to get listed on the IMDb you have to have at least one on-screen credit. Once you have that on-screen credit and can be listed then you can be listed for any uncredited work, but you must be recognisable in the film or TV show.

By "on-screen credit" they mean that you must be mentioned by name (your name, not a character's name) in the credits list. Although for documentaries and interviews they also accept it if you're identified by an on-screen caption or by name in the commentary.


So, to answer cully's original question, there is certainly no law, written or unwritten, that everyone involved in a film or TV show has to have a credit. Not even for those that appear on screen. But the IMDb is probably the place that will list most people that don't get an on-screen credit

Steve

[Lord Brett]

I saw an example last night, Cieran Hinds uncredited as a priest in In Bruges.

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Lord Brett I saw an example last night, Cieran Hinds uncredited as a priest in In Bruges.

And he's listed on the IMDb page about the film:
Ciarán Hinds ... Priest (uncredited)

Although you do have to be wary of "Elvis sightings" when you're looking at uncredited actors. We've all probably been fooled at least once. You see someone in a film and you're sure you recognise them and know who it is. But no reference source, not even the IMDb, seems to acknowledge them in it.

But then you find out that it was someone else who just happened to look like the person you thought it was

Steve

[batman]

Max used to be credited on IMDB with an appearance in the Charles Bronson Mr Majestyk. That MR is now listed separately.

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by batman Max used to be credited on IMDB with an appearance in the Charles Bronson Mr Majestyk. That MR is now listed separately.

It does happen that two or more people appear in films or TV shows that have the same names. Despite any union rules to try to prevent it.

Some of them are "real" people who are interviewed in documentaries.
Sometimes it's actors in different countries or who are working at different times with long gaps between their careers.

The IMDb distinguishes between them by adding a Roman numeral after their name. So you have Maxwell Reed (I) and Maxwell Reed (II).
The Roman numeral doesn't indicate any level of importance. It's purely the order in which they were added to the database. Some quite famous people have a (II) or even a (III) after their names in the IMDb

Although I would think that it would have been a great honour to be in any way involved in such a great film as Mr. Majestyk
"Vietnam veteran Vince Majestyk just wants to grow his watermelons and live in peace on his farm. But the local mob boss has different ideas. When his workers are threatened, Mr. Majestyk decides to lend them a hand but then the wrath of the mob is turned onto Mr. Majestyk himself. The poor mobsters don't stand a chance."

Steve

[batman]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook It does happen that two or more people appear in films or TV shows that have the same names. Despite any union rules to try to prevent it. Some of them are "real" people who are interviewed in documentaries. Sometimes it's actors in different countries or who are working at different times with long gaps between their careers. The IMDb distinguishes between them by adding a Roman numeral after their name. So you have Maxwell Reed (I) and Maxwell Reed (II). The Roman numeral doesn't indicate any level of importance. It's purely the order in which they were added to the database. Some quite famous people have a (II) or even a (III) after their names in the IMDb Although I would think that it would have been a great honour to be in any way involved in such a great film as Mr. Majestyk "Vietnam veteran Vince Majestyk just wants to grow his watermelons and live in peace on his farm. But the local mob boss has different ideas. When his workers are threatened, Mr. Majestyk decides to lend them a hand but then the wrath of the mob is turned onto Mr. Majestyk himself. The poor mobsters don't stand a chance." Steve

I like Mr Majestyk (the novel is good too). The great Al Lettieri is nearly as 'orrible in this as he was in The Getaway and Linda Cristal is gorgeous. I tried to keep an eye out for Max (II) and there is a bloke who looks a little like Max (I) in a scene where loads of press are surrounding a character. This guy's hair is almost totally grey but he looks too young to be my Max.

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by batman I like Mr Majestyk (the novel is good too). The great Al Lettieri is nearly as 'orrible in this as he was in The Getaway and Linda Cristal is gorgeous. I tried to keep an eye out for Max (II) and there is a bloke who looks a little like Max (I) in a scene where loads of press are surrounding a character. This guy's hair is almost totally grey but he looks too young to be my Max.

He's listed as playing a Press Photographer on the IMDb.
But that is his only entry, and for that one he doesn't have an on-screen credit so you couldn't add that as a new listing under their recently tightened rules

Steve

[Brief Encounter]

My elderly next-door neighbour's dad was the violinist in Hitchcock's Lady Vanishes. No credit, but I'm informed it is him!

[dremble wedge]

It's many years since I've seen it but I'm certain Oliver Reed has a quick cameo as a blind violin player in Savage Messiah.

I've never seen it credited anywhere though.