Well, it's St. Patrick's Day, so I watched Parnell on TCM after getting home from work. The film is loaded with many of my favorite character actors - Donald Crisp, George Zucco, Murray Kinnell, Charles Irwin, Pat Flaherty, Wallis Cark, Leonard Mudie - on and on. Midway through the film, there is scene where Neil Fitzgerald (in white beard and hair) as Richard Pigott is exposed as a forger by lawyer Zucco, helping clear Clark Gable. Pigott excuses himself, exits the courtroom, and then commits suicide, where his body is discovered by Irwin, Gable, and the loyal Irish Party doctor (this time in red hair and beard), Neil Fitzgerald!
Now I know there are many films where a star tackles multiple roles as a tour de force - like Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove. And films where the same actor plays twins, siblings, or parent and child are probably too numerous to list. Plus there are examples - like Kirk Douglas in The List of Adrian Messenger - where an actor utilizes complex disguises to portray many identities. What I am referring to, however, is, for reasons of economy or whatever, a fairly significant character player takes on distinct parts within the same film that don't relate to the three previous examples.
Cecil B. DeMille used some of his regulars in this way. In The Sign of the Cross alone, count how many times you hear John Carradine's voice emanating from various characters. One of my favorites, William V. Mong, is seen early on (with a black wig) as the wicked Licinius, advisor to the even more vile Ian Keith. Later, as the Christians are being led to the slaughter, Mong (now in white wig and beard) is the kindly old man who comforts the young girl whose mother had earlier been killed by the Romans.
Yes, I know I focus on weird things, but I was wondering if others had examples of some classic players popping up twice or more as entirely different characters in the same motion picture.
Jim C.
Now I know there are many films where a star tackles multiple roles as a tour de force - like Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove. And films where the same actor plays twins, siblings, or parent and child are probably too numerous to list. Plus there are examples - like Kirk Douglas in The List of Adrian Messenger - where an actor utilizes complex disguises to portray many identities. What I am referring to, however, is, for reasons of economy or whatever, a fairly significant character player takes on distinct parts within the same film that don't relate to the three previous examples.
Cecil B. DeMille used some of his regulars in this way. In The Sign of the Cross alone, count how many times you hear John Carradine's voice emanating from various characters. One of my favorites, William V. Mong, is seen early on (with a black wig) as the wicked Licinius, advisor to the even more vile Ian Keith. Later, as the Christians are being led to the slaughter, Mong (now in white wig and beard) is the kindly old man who comforts the young girl whose mother had earlier been killed by the Romans.
Yes, I know I focus on weird things, but I was wondering if others had examples of some classic players popping up twice or more as entirely different characters in the same motion picture.
Jim C.
