The Sexiest Uk Actors

[samkydd]

Most men would like to be like their favourite actor whether it be for the idle lifestyle, good looks, money, cars, the women, the great films they were in, the fame or never having to queue up anywhere, so keeping things British, which one would you like to be or have been (dead ones count) either in TV or film? Not necessarily based on good looks either, my brother always wanted to be Alistair Sim so he could frighten people!

Personally I didn't want to be anyone in particular but as a kid I always wanted to be like Hywel Bennett, Peter Cook, David Hemmings, Terrence Stamp, living as young men in that decadent 1960s era when everyone supposedly went to Chelsea penthouse apartment parties all the time, and got off with glamourous would-be models/actresses who drove around in trendy Minis, and wore them too! And of course you only had to get up early if you were filming!

The fashions and hair styles were much better then too, and most young people still dressed up smart to go out!

[Fellwanderer]

Originally posted by samkydd@Aug 14 2005, 08:42 AM Most men would like to be like their favourite actor whether it be for the idle lifestyle, good looks, money, cars, the women, the great films they were in, the fame or never having to queue up anywhere, so keeping things British, which one would you like to be or have been (dead ones count) either in TV or film? Not necessarily based on good looks either, my brother always wanted to be Alistair Sim so he could frighten people!

Anyone - as long as Jenny Agutter is my leading lady

[Jennie_Kermode]

I wouldn't be an actor for an idle lifestyle. That may be how the press present it, but it's far from the truth - especially for the famous ones.

Jennie

[smudge]

When I was growing up, I always wanted to be Christopher Lee ; but these days I am just small, dark and gruesome....

If I would ever want an actor's attribute now, it would simply be the voice of Richard Burton. Now that really WAS a voice !

SMUDGE

[samkydd]

Originally posted by smudge@Aug 14 2005, 12:18 PM When I was growing up, I always wanted to be Christopher Lee ; but these days I am just small, dark and gruesome.... If I would ever want an actor's attribute now, it would simply be the voice of Richard Burton. Now that really WAS a voice ! SMUDGE

Yes I've just bought the War of the Worlds CD from 1978 and his narrative is excellent. I never rated him much in movies because he shouted a lot, but you're right, it's a good voice. You could sweet talk the barmaid at the pub or your local bank manager with those rich tones.

I think Martin Clunes and Stephen Fry have got very good acting voices too.

[smudge]

I agree - as has Robert Powell !

I just bought my FOURTH copy of WOTW yesterday at memorabilia in Brum, 'cos Jeff Wayne was there signing them. Every other copy I have had has been nicked - usually be me bruvver !
SMUDGE

[A Pemberton]

If its lifestyle and rugged looks then its Oliver Reed ,live life as you want, and a talented but underrated actor ,got to be one of the best supporting actors there ever was,never the star,and If I remember correctly died in a pub ,a great way to go.

[Steve Crook]

Originally posted by A Pemberton@Aug 15 2005, 08:50 PM If its lifestyle and rugged looks then its Oliver Reed ,live life as you want, and a talented but underrated actor ,got to be one of the best supporting actors there ever was,never the star,and If I remember correctly died in a pub ,a great way to go.

Yes, after downing three bottles of rum and beating five sailors at arm-wrestling.

Steve

[Moor Larkin]

Curious things: Looks.

In 1957 British picture magazines were commenting that Patrick McGoohan was 'all wrong' for the cinema. He had crooked, blue-white teeth; freckles, his nose was too broad. Ten years later his face was on the cover of "Weekend" magazine under the headline: "Can a Man be Too Handsome?".......

He was possibly filmed at his peak of good looks by Disney, in "Dr. Syn", yet half the film had him in a horror mask.........

In the 1996 Phantom, he looked half dead (in the movie he was a ghost I suppose), yet in the same year he looked fit as a flea, with outrageously flyaway hair, in "Time to Kill"

[MikeA]

When I was a kid growing up in the 1950s and 60s I often identified with action heroes - early examples being Richard Greene in Robin Hood, Robert Shaw in The Buccaneers and Terence Longdon in Garry Halliday. But as I grew a little older two actors who were to become big stars of the sixties became great favourites and remain so to this day. They were very different types of hero, and curiously enough both had similar names. Yes, I'm talking about Patrick McGoohan (should please Moor Larkin!) and Patrick MacNee. I loved the first, early series of Danger Man and have enjoyed watching it again on DVD in more recent times. I'm particularly struck by how the tight writing and direction packed so much into 25 minutes - makes you realise how unnecessarily drawn-out certain TV dramas are today. I certainly saw myself as McGoohan (or perhaps it was John Drake) and thought he was the bees' knees. From that point on I always made an effort to watch anything he was in - I remember being terrifically excited by him in Hell Drivers.

My interest in Patrick MacNee was slightly different - I think I loved the fact that he was different - not, as it were, the typical action hero. And The Avengers was a very special series to me, particularly in its early days. He still looks pretty good for his age (saw his website recently) but I was always disappointed in his later work - while McGoohan has managed to participate in some interesting, if sometimes bizarre choices, MacNee's stuff has seemed pretty bland. But maybe once you've created a character like John Steed it's difficult to top it.

[MikeA]

Originally Posted by A Pemberton If its lifestyle and rugged looks then its Oliver Reed ,live life as you want, and a talented but underrated actor ,got to be one of the best supporting actors there ever was,never the star,and If I remember correctly died in a pub ,a great way to go.

I've been to the pub in Malta where Ollie collapsed. As Steve says, he'd had a bit of a session. They sell postcards and T-shirts commemorating him there - I can't help feeling he would have smiled at that!

[Moor Larkin]

Originally Posted by MikeA But as I grew a little older two actors who were to become big stars of the sixties became great favourites and remain so to this day. They were very different types of hero, and curiously enough both had similar names. Yes, I'm talking about Patrick McGoohan (should please Moor Larkin!) and Patrick MacNee.

You might be interested to know that those two may have met in Sheffield in 1948. In the January of that year Patrick Macnee was regenerating his acting career after his war service and had accepted a role in the Sheffield Repertory production of Julius Caesar. He played Marc Antony.

Whilst Mr. McGoohan was still (probably) a shy young 20 year-old working behind the scenes (he wasn't even mentioned as an Assistant Stage Manager at that point) Mr. Macnee was a recognised actor, pushing 30, from The Smoke. It is curious to wonder if they came into contact, (Hey lad! Get me a cup of tea, there's a love!) or if Mr. McGoohan watched the experienced thespian from the wings and wondered if maybe he could do that........ He was to join the thespians on stage in May of that year.

[Ascoyne D'Ascoyne]

As Moor Larkin says "Curious thing, looks." Watching a lot of older British films I'm amazed by the sort of men who the glamour girls seem to consider a catch. Often they're middle-aged, paunchy and bald (I've still got hair, so don't have to fight off the women yet) and wouldn't be considered at all sexy by today's standards.
I was watching "The Gentle Sex" (1943) recently and was astonished by one scene in which the eyes of two lovelies fasten on a vision in the distance and they cry "Ooh! Look at that." The camera then shows a pair of legs which would have disgraced a chicken dangling beneath a kilt and then pans up to reveal that the "Adonis" who has set all hearts a-flutter is John Laurie ...46 yrs. old at the time. Most of the rest of the male cast consists either of those with one foot in the grave or of "Niminy-piminy, je ne sais quoi young men" (to mis-quote W S Gilbert), so it's reasonable to suppose that the flower of British manhood was off fighting for the country at that time.

[Dave Rattigan]

Always thought Ian Hunter was quite dashingly handsome, especially as Lanyon in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

He was mainly in Hollywood films, of course, but he was British.

Wikipedia: Ian Hunter

[MikeA]

Originally Posted by Moor Larkin You might be interested to know that those two may have met in Sheffield in 1948. In the January of that year Patrick Macnee was regenerating his acting career after his war service and had accepted a role in the Sheffield Repertory production of Julius Caesar. He played Marc Antony. Whilst Mr. McGoohan was still (probably) a shy young 20 year-old working behind the scenes (he wasn't even mentioned as an Assistant Stage Manager at that point) Mr. Macnee was a recognised actor, pushing 30, from The Smoke. It is curious to wonder if they came into contact, (Hey lad! Get me a cup of tea, there's a love!) or if Mr. McGoohan watched the experienced thespian from the wings and wondered if maybe he could do that........ He was to join the thespians on stage in May of that year.

Thanks for that, Moor Larkin, wonderful stuff. I'm going to have to spend some time looking at your Patrick McGoohan site!