Actors whose movie careers ended on a whimper, not a bang.

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

Joan Crawford in Trog.

 

[Jetfire]

Rita Hayworth's last movie was The Wrath Of God. I don't know if it was good or not...haven't seen it yet.

Glenn Ford is credited in being in Superman Returns...as last film...picture only. If this hold up.

 

[Nardpuncher]

Shawn Connery comes to mind. I wish he would make one last great movie.

YOU HAVE MISSPELLED THE NAME OF MY HERO!


His first name also happens to be mine, too. My mom's Scottish and she named me after him. Really

 

[TheBrew]

Does Chris Farley count as an actor?

'Cause there was that movie where he played a Davey Crockett type that came out after he died.

 

[Hermiod]

One actor who could be heading in that direction -- anyone remember this movie that came out last Christmas?

IMDB says he has three films finished and another in production so I wouldn't count on it.

 

[Kelso]

Laurence Olivier should have never done Sky Captain.

 

[Greg Cox]

Laurence Olivier should have never done Sky Captain.

Hah. Along the same lines, a computer-generated "Richard Burton" appeared on the gawdawful CONAN THE BARBARIAN tv series--as the great god Crom!

 

[propita]

Gregory Peck in a tv movie of Moby Dick.

Gregory Peck's Achab was awesome, tho.

You can't say bad things about Gregory Peck. The man was awesome onscreen (see "Roman Holiday" and of course "To Kill a Mockingbird). And to read that the role of Atticus Finch was the closest on screen to his real life persona? What a person!

 

[Lindley]

After John Candy died, his final two movies that came out were Wagons East and Canadian Bacon.

Wagons East! was a lot of fun.

 

[John Picard]

Lucille Ball, especially when she tried a comeback in 1986 with a show called "Life with Lucy".

 

[garamet]

So the body of work of a lifetime is judged only by the last project? Does this standard apply to everyone, or only to actors?

 

[Greg Cox]

So the body of work of a lifetime is judged only by the last project? Does this standard apply to everyone, or only to actors?

I don't think anyone is saying that. Just that it's shame that some careers don't end on a high note.

 

[Technobuilder]

"Sub-question: Is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, Is it better to burn out or fade away?"

-- Barry Jive (And the Uptown Five)

 

[John Picard]

So the body of work of a lifetime is judged only by the last project? Does this standard apply to everyone, or only to actors?

Did you bother to read the thread title and OP before making your *cough* contribution?

"Sub-question: Is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, Is it better to burn out or fade away?"

It is far better to fade away than burn out. Burning out just leaves a sour taste in the mouths of the fans. This can also have an effect on any potential future fans who are only familiar with the bad work.

 

[exodus]

Robin Williams w/ Worlds Greatest Dad & Old Dogs.

...soon to be followed by "Happy Feet 2".

Poor, poor Robin.

 

[Marc]

Laurence Olivier should have never done Sky Captain.

Hah. Along the same lines, a computer-generated "Richard Burton" appeared on the gawdawful CONAN THE BARBARIAN tv series--as the great god Crom!

If you want to go that far you could claim Burton's last appearance is the stage production of War Of The Worlds by Jeff Waye

there are two items that could be his last role - Elis Island or Nineteen Eightyfour though the later was his last production.

There's a possible reason for some of these actors going out with a whimper. Tax rates in the U.K jumped in the 70s and Olivier for example was advised by Michael Caine to either leave the country or do every film possilbe - Sir Lawrence chose the later.

 

[Smiley]

I would much rather that an actor does some bad films late in a career than have their career ended prematurely by choice or accident while they are near the top of their game.

What if Connery had retired before doing the third Indiana Jones movie? He would still be remembered as James Bond, but audiences would have missed a great performance. Something like that cancels out the lesser movies that an actor takes a part in.

 

[John Picard]

I would much rather that an actor does some bad films late in a career than have their career ended prematurely by choice or accident while they are near the top of their game.

What if Connery had retired before doing the third Indiana Jones movie? He would still be remembered as James Bond, but audiences would have missed a great performance. Something like that cancels out the lesser movies that an actor takes a part in.

Actually, audiences would probably have remembered him as Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez, or rather, that guy in Highlander.The Rock and Rising Sun are two other movies he would have been known for, but overall he would/will still be remembered as Bond.

 

[Winged Victory]

So the body of work of a lifetime is judged only by the last project? Does this standard apply to everyone, or only to actors?

Did you bother to read the thread title and OP before making your *cough* contribution?

"Sub-question: Is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, Is it better to burn out or fade away?"

It is far better to fade away than burn out. Burning out just leaves a sour taste in the mouths of the fans. This can also have an effect on any potential future fans who are only familiar with the bad work.

I have to agree. When Joaquin Phoenix just up and quit acting in films cause of the burn out, it made me angry and disappointed that he threw away his future in films. Not that he made horrible films or anything. I just hope he makes another movie in the future...

 

[DarthPipes]

I fear for Harrison Ford's future.

I do too.

Orson Welles went from Citizen Kane to voicing Transformers The Movie. I can't think of a sharper decline than that.

Errol Flynn's last movie was called Cuban Rebel Girls.