Burgess Meredith (1907-1997) was an Oscar®-nominated American actor, director, producer, and writer. Meredith appeared in movies in 7 different decades. From his leading man days in the 1930s and 1940s to his stellar supporting roles in second half of his career. His IMDb page shows 183 acting credits from 1935 to 1996. This page ranks 58 Burgess Meredith movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows, some of his early British movies and his movies not released in North America theaters are not included in the rankings.
From Joel Hirschhorn’s Rating The Movie Stars Book…..”Short, slight, and nondescriptive-looking, Burgess Meredith still manages to fill the screen with power. Part of the reason is his intensity: another is his raspy distinctive voice.”
Burgess Meredith Movies Ranked By Combination of Box Office, Reviews and Awards (UMR Score) *Classic UMR Table (the one with all the stats is the second table)
Burgess Meredith Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort Burgess Meredith movies by co-stars of his movies.
- Sort Burgess Meredith movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Burgess Meredith movies by yearly domestic box office rank
- Sort Burgess Meredith movies how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations each Burgess Meredith movie received and how many Oscar® wins each Burgess Meredith movie won.
- Sort Burgess Meredith movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
- Use the search and sort button to make this page very interactive.
I saw 13 of top 16. in harms way a 10, a favourite, a hidden gem. watched rocky and rocky 2 two weeks ago. did not age well. stallone wrote his part and was perfectly type cast and still could not act. the supporting cast including Meredith carried it.
Burgess is no longer on the Oracle of Bacon Top 1000 Center of the Hollywood Universe list. He was however # 41 back in 2000 (how he has fallen). He acted with the best actor of 1933 Charles Laughton and the best actor of 2017 Gary Oldman an 84 year swing. These are the actors on the 2016 list he appeared with.
6 ROBERT DE NIRO True Confessions (1981)
9 DONALD SUTHERLAND The Day of the Locust (1975)
10 MICHAEL CAINE Hurry Sundown (1967)
28 CHRISTOPHER WALKEN The Sentinel (1977)
31 JOHN TURTURRO State of Grace (1990)
32 ANTHONY HOPKINS Magic (1978)
40 HARRY DEAN STANTON 92 in the Shade (1975)
41 GARY OLDMAN State of Grace (1990)
42 LLOYD KAUFMAN Rocky (1976)
42 LLOYD KAUFMAN Rocky V (1990)
63 ED HARRIS State of Grace (1990)
64 JEFF GOLDBLUM The Sentinel (1977)
67 JAMES HONG Hot to Trot (1988)
67 JAMES HONG True Confessions (1981)
71 ROBERT DUVALL True Confessions (1981)
77 KAREN BLACK Burnt Offerings (1976)
77 KAREN BLACK Hard Contract (1969)
77 KAREN BLACK The Day of the Locust (1975)
82 JAMES RUSSO State of Grace (1990)
86 DAN AYKROYD Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
97 CHARLES DURNING The Hindenburg (1975)
97 CHARLES DURNING True Confessions (1981)
105 ED LAUTER Magic (1978)
107 CHRISTOPHER MCDONALD Grumpy Old Men (1993)
115 M. EMMET WALSH Camp Nowhere (1994)
127 GENE HACKMAN Full Moon in Blue Water (1988)
134 FAYE DUNAWAY Hurry Sundown (1967)
142 ERNEST BORGNINE When Time Ran Out… (1980)
149 OLIVER PLATT Tall Tale (1995)
150 SYLVESTER STALLONE Rocky (1976)
150 SYLVESTER STALLONE Rocky II (1979)
150 SYLVESTER STALLONE Rocky III (1982)
150 SYLVESTER STALLONE Rocky V (1990)
152 JAMES REMAR Across the Moon (1995)
157 BURT YOUNG Rocky (1976)
157 BURT YOUNG Rocky II (1979)
157 BURT YOUNG Rocky III (1982)
157 BURT YOUNG Rocky V (1990)
170 SCOTT GLENN Tall Tale (1995)
172 MICHAEL YORK Final Assignment (1980)
177 WILLIAM H. MACY Tall Tale (1995)
187 DARYL HANNAH Grumpier Old Men (1995)
187 DARYL HANNAH Grumpy Old Men (1993)
196 RICHARD PORTNOW Across the Moon (1995)
197 ELIAS KOTEAS Full Moon in Blue Water (1988)
218 JOHN C. REILLY State of Grace (1990)
220 ELI WALLACH Mackenna’s Gold (1969)
220 ELI WALLACH The Sentinel (1977)
225 NED BEATTY The Great Bank Hoax (1978)
228 SEAN PENN State of Grace (1990)
229 BOB PEPPER Camp Nowhere (1994)
240 SCOTT WILSON Tall Tale (1995)
245 MICKEY ROONEY Skidoo (1968)
265 TOM BERENGER The Sentinel (1977)
282 CHRISTOPHER LLOYD Camp Nowhere (1994)
305 JEFF BRIDGES The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970)
313 GEORGE KENNEDY Hurry Sundown (1967)
313 GEORGE KENNEDY In Harm’s Way (1965)
316 AUSTIN PENDLETON Skidoo (1968)
317 PETER FONDA 92 in the Shade (1975)
318 DAN HEDAYA True Confessions (1981)
340 KEVIN POLLAK Grumpier Old Men (1995)
340 KEVIN POLLAK Grumpy Old Men (1993)
342 BEVERLY D’ANGELO The Sentinel (1977)
363 JARED HARRIS Tall Tale (1995)
364 ROBERT VAUGHN Clay Pigeon (1971)
390 JACK KEHLER Across the Moon (1995)
391 JACQUELINE BISSET When Time Ran Out… (1980)
394 JOHN LITHGOW Santa Claus (1985)
394 JOHN LITHGOW Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
413 JAMES COBURN Hard Contract (1969)
447 RICHARD DREYFUSS The Sentinel (1977)
460 BRIAN DENNEHY Foul Play (1978)
468 JASON ROBARDS A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)
478 JOHN SAXON The Cardinal (1963)
490 VIRGINIA MADSEN Hot to Trot (1988)
542 MICHAEL MCKEAN Across the Moon (1995)
545 ROBIN WRIGHT State of Grace (1990)
568 FRANK PESCE Rocky (1976)
660 ANN-MARGRET Grumpier Old Men (1995)
660 ANN-MARGRET Grumpy Old Men (1993)
660 ANN-MARGRET Magic (1978)
674 STEPHEN LANG TALL TALE (1995)
676 DIANE LADD The Reivers (1969)
688 KEVIN COONEY FULL MOON IN BLUE WATER (1988)
714 JOHN CARROLL LYNCH GRUMPY OLD MEN (1993)
722 SID HAIG BEWARE! THE BLOB (1972)
733 PEPE SERNA The Day of the Locust (1975)
736 OMAR SHARIFF Mackenna’s Gold (1969)
767 ROBERT RIETTY MACKENNA’S GOLD (1969)
770 JOE GRIFASI Tall Tale (1995)
772 DICK MILLER Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
778 LARRY CEDAR TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE (1983)
786 MICHAEL MURPHY The Great Bank Hoax (1978)
788 CHEVY CHASE Foul Play (1978)
798 JULIE DELPY King Lear (1987)
805 JANE FONDA Hurry Sundown (1967)
807 TERI GARR Full Moon in Blue Water (1988)
809 ROBERT MITCHUM Story of G.I. Joe (1945)
841 WOODY ALLEN King Lear (1987)
846 BOB MINOR Rocky III (1982)
897 TONY CURTIS The Manitou (1978)
900 JOE DON BAKER Golden Needles (1974)
904 NORBERT WEISSER Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
912 ARTHUR TOVEY Batman (1966)
912 ARTHUR TOVEY Rocky (1976)
919 PAT MORITA When Time Ran Out… (1980)
933 MARGOT KIDDER 92 in the Shade (1975)
944 MARCO ST. JOHN STATE OF GRACE (1990)
You would think he would still be on with that resume. The following actors appearing on the 2000 list and who since fallen off appeared with him.
14 JOHN CARRADINE Golden Rendezvous (1977)
14 JOHN CARRADINE The Sentinel (1977)
14 JOHN CARRADINE Winterset (1936)
26 JACK PALANCE Torture Garden (1967)
27 MARC LAWRENCE Foul Play (1978)
27 MARC LAWRENCE Jigsaw (1949)
32 KIRK DOUGLAS In Harm’s Way (1965)
32 KIRK DOUGLAS There Was a Crooked Man… (1970)
43 KEENAN WYNN Joe Butterfly (1957)
43 KEENAN WYNN Mackenna’s Gold (1969)
48 MARTIN BALSAM The Sentinel (1977)
50 JEFF COREY Clay Pigeon (1971)
52 JAMES MASON The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970)
56 HENRY FONDA A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)
56 HENRY FONDA Advise & Consent (1962)
56 HENRY FONDA In Harm’s Way (1965)
56 HENRY FONDA Jigsaw (1949)
56 HENRY FONDA On Our Merry Way (1948)
56 HENRY FONDA There Was a Crooked Man… (1970)
58 JACK LEMMON Grumpier Old Men (1995)
58 JACK LEMMON Grumpy Old Men (1993)
67 PAUL NEWMAN When Time Ran Out… (1980)
77 JOSE FERRER The Sentinel (1977)
81 LIONEL STANDER The Scoundrel (1935)
90 JOHN IRELAND A Walk in the Sun (1945)
101 RICHARD HARRIS Golden Rendezvous (1977)
102 DAVID NIVEN Magnificent Doll (1946)
108 DUB TAYLOR Burnt Offerings (1976)
108 DUB TAYLOR The Reivers (1969)
109 OLIVER REED Burnt Offerings (1976)
133 WALTER MATTHAU Grumpier Old Men (1995)
133 WALTER MATTHAU Grumpy Old Men (1993)
141 ANNE BANCROFT The Hindenburg (1975)
142 JOHN HUSTON The Cardinal (1963)
147 LLOYD BRIDGES A Walk in the Sun (1945)
149 TELLY SAVALAS Mackenna’s Gold (1969)
151 CESAR ROMERO Batman (1966)
151 CESAR ROMERO Skidoo (1968)
156 GREGORY PECK Mackenna’s Gold (1969)
166 SOPHIA LOREN Grumpier Old Men (1995)
175 MICHAEL HORDERN Mine Own Executioner (1947)
179 JOHN WAYNE In Harm’s Way (1965)
185 KEVIN MCCARTHY A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)
185 KEVIN MCCARTHY Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
186 AVA GARDNER The Sentinel (1977)
194 LAWRENCE TIERNEY Such Good Friends (1971)
200 JOHN VERNON Golden Rendezvous (1977)
203 JOE SPINELL 92 in the Shade (1975)
203 JOE SPINELL Rocky (1976)
203 JOE SPINELL Rocky II (1979)
207 WILLIAM HOLDEN When Time Ran Out… (1980)
215 WOLFGANG PREISS The Cardinal (1963)
216 LAURENCE OLIVIER Clash of the Titans (1981)
220 RAF VALLONE The Cardinal (1963)
222 BESS FLOWERS That Uncertain Feeling (1941)
222 BESS FLOWERS Tom Dick and Harry (1941)
237 PETER LAWFORD Advise & Consent (1962)
237 PETER LAWFORD Clay Pigeon (1971)
237 PETER LAWFORD Skidoo (1968)
238 PATRICK O’NEAL In Harm’s Way (1965)
238 PATRICK O’NEAL The Cardinal (1963)
241 BRODERICK CRAWFORD The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970)
245 SLIM PICKENS In Harm’s Way (1965)
245 SLIM PICKENS Skidoo (1968)
247 JOHN CANDY Hot to Trot (1988)
248 ARTHUR KENNEDY The Sentinel (1977)
252 WILLIAM HICKEY 92 in the Shade (1975)
252 WILLIAM HICKEY The Sentinel (1977)
258 DABNEY COLEMAN Hot to Trot (1988)
271 PETER BROCCO Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
280 BILLY BARTY Foul Play (1978)
280 BILLY BARTY The Day of the Locust (1975)
290 GEORGE WALLACE Hot to Trot (1988)
291 LEE GRANT There Was a Crooked Man… (1970)
299 FRITZ FELD Idiot’s Delight (1939)
301 LEE J. COBB Mackenna’s Gold (1969)
315 JEAN-PIERRE AUMONT Golden Arrow (1949)
317 CLIFTON JAMES The Reivers (1969)
343 GEORGE C. SCOTT The Hindenburg (1975)
344 JAMES STEWART On Our Merry Way (1948)
350 L.Q. JONES Stay Away, Joe (1968)
354 CYRIL CUSACK True Confessions (1981)
358 CLAIRE BLOOM Clash of the Titans (1981)
365 STEPHANIE AUDRAN Hay que matar a B. (1975)
375 PETER CUSHING Torture Garden (1967)
376 STELLA STEVENS The Manitou (1978)
379 ANN DORAN Street of Chance (1942)
379 ANN DORAN There Was a Crooked Man… (1970)
380 STERLING HAYDEN Hard Contract (1969)
390 BUCK HENRY Grumpy Old Men (1993)
395 WALTER PIDGEON Advise & Consent (1962)
410 GEORGE RAFT Skidoo (1968)
421 MICHAEL ANSARA The Manitou (1978)
428 JOHN PHILLIP LAW Hurry Sundown (1967)
428 JOHN PHILLIP LAW Skidoo (1968)
451 DANA ANDREWS A Walk in the Sun (1945)
451 DANA ANDREWS In Harm’s Way (1965)
453 WARREN OATES 92 in the Shade (1975)
453 WARREN OATES There Was a Crooked Man… (1970)
454 LUIS BARBOO Hay que matar a B. (1975)
460 SCATMAN CROTHERS Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
461 FRANK MCRAE Rocky II (1979)
463 EDWARD G. ROBINSON Mackenna’s Gold (1969)
466 KENNETH MCMILLAN True Confessions (1981)
471 GENEVIEVE BUJOLD Final Assignment (1980)
473 RENE AUBERJONOIS The Hindenburg (1975)
481 LILLI PALMER Hard Contract (1969)
483 MURRAY HAMILTON The Cardinal (1963)
490 JOHN P. RYAN Tall Tale (1995)
503 RICHARD CONTE A Walk in the Sun (1945)
517 WILFRID HYDE-WHITE The Man on the Eiffel Tower (1949)
518 HOWARD VERNON The Man on the Eiffel Tower (1949)
520 WILLIAM SCHALLERT Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
522 RED BUTTONS When Time Ran Out… (1980)
529 NORMAN ALDEN The Hindenburg (1975)
532 JIM BACKUS Hurry Sundown (1967)
542 PAUL FIX Winterset (1936)
548 VALENTINA CORTESE When Time Ran Out… (1980)
550 ALEXANDRA STEWART Final Assignment (1980)
550 ALEXANDRA STEWART The Last Chase (1981)
554 BUD CORT Beware! The Blob (1972)
555 HUME CRONYN There Was a Crooked Man… (1970)
560 RICHARD KIEL Skidoo (1968)
577 OSSIE DAVIS Grumpy Old Men (1993)
577 OSSIE DAVIS The Cardinal (1963)
578 KATHLEEN QUINLAN Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
583 PAUL STEWART The Day of the Locust (1975)
598 DON CALFA Foul Play (1978)
602 MAGGIE SMITH Clash of the Titans (1981)
609 JOHN MARLEY Clay Pigeon (1971)
616 MICHAEL CONSTANTINE Skidoo (1968)
616 MICHAEL CONSTANTINE The Reivers (1969)
639 FRANCES BAY Foul Play (1978)
651 MELVYN DOUGLAS That Uncertain Feeling (1941)
670 EDWARD ALBERT When Time Ran Out… (1980)
671 EDUARDO CIANELLI Mackenna’s Gold (1969)
671 EDUARDO CIANELLI On Our Merry Way (1948)
671 EDUARDO CIANELLI The Scoundrel (1935)
671 EDUARDO CIANELLI Winterset (1936)
707 DARREN MCGAVIN Hay que matar a B. (1975)
732 ARTHUR O’CONNELL There Was a Crooked Man… (1970)
742 RICARDO MONTALBAN Madame X (1966)
745 RICHARD BASEHART The Great Bank Hoax (1978)
753 MAURICE DENHAM Torture Garden (1967)
770 GOLDIE HAWN Foul Play (1978)
776 ROMY SCHNEIDER The Cardinal (1963)
780 PATRICK MAGEE Hard Contract (1969)
783 JAMES FLAVIN Castle on the Hudson (1940)
806 NINA FOCH Such Good Friends (1971)
828 RUTANYA ALDA Rocky II (1979)
830 SUSAN STRASBERG The Manitou (1978)
832 DON BRODIE Second Chorus (1940)
834 GERRIT GRAHAM Beware! The Blob (1972)
836 CURT LOWENS The Hindenburg (1975)
840 FRANK GORSHIN Batman (1966)
840 FRANK GORSHIN Skidoo (1968)
853 JOHN DENNIS JOHNSTON Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
863 ALAN HALE JR. There Was a Crooked Man… (1970)
864 JERRY ORBACH A Fan’s Notes (1972)
864 JERRY ORBACH The Sentinel (1977)
893 RAY BAKER Camp Nowhere (1994)
897 PETER DONAT The Hindenburg (1975)
915 IVAN TRIESAULT Batman (1966)
918 BETTE DAVIS Burnt Offerings (1976)
919 LARRY HAGMAN Beware! The Blob (1972)
919 LARRY HAGMAN In Harm’s Way (1965)
930 BING RUSSELL Madame X (1966)
936 JOSE NIETO Hay que matar a B. (1975)
949 JOHN HANCOCK Foul Play (1978)
961 NICKY BLAIR Rocky V (1990)
969 BYRON FOULGER Magnificent Doll (1946)
969 BYRON FOULGER There Was a Crooked Man… (1970)
970 GARRY GOODROW Foul Play (1978)
971 DYAN CANNON Such Good Friends (1971)
977 ANTHONY QUAYLE Mackenna’s Gold (1969)
981 DUDLEY MOORE Foul Play (1978)
981 DUDLEY MOORE Santa Claus (1985)
982 BILLY BENEDICT Second Chorus (1940)
982 BILLY BENEDICT Story of G.I. Joe (1945)
985 NIALL MACGINNIS Torture Garden (1967)
989 BRUCE CABOT In Harm’s Way (1965)
993 JAMES W. GAVIN When Time Ran Out… (1980)
6 times with Henry Fonda. He was in The Cardinal in 1963 with Dorothy Gish whose first film was in 1912.
Burgess appeared with 52 Oscar winners.
ANNE BANCROFT The Hindenburg (1975)
ANTHONY HOPKINS Magic (1978)
BARRY FITZGERALD SAN FRANCISCO DOCKS (1940)
BETTE DAVIS Burnt Offerings (1976)
BRODERICK CRAWFORD The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970)
CHARLES COBURN Idiot’s Delight (1939)
CHARLES LAUGHTON Advise & Consent (1962)
CHARLES LAUGHTON On Our Merry Way (1948)
CHARLES LAUGHTON The Man on the Eiffel Tower (1949)
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN The Sentinel (1977)
CLAIRE TREVOR Street of Chance (1942)
CLARK GABLE Idiot’s Delight (1939)
DAVID NIVEN Magnificent Doll (1946)
DON AMECHE Oddball Hall (1990)
DOROTHY MALONE Golden Rendezvous (1977)
ERNEST BORGNINE When Time Ran Out… (1980)
FAYE DUNAWAY Hurry Sundown (1967)
GARY OLDMAN State of Grace (1990)
GENE HACKMAN Full Moon in Blue Water (1988)
GEORGE C. SCOTT The Hindenburg (1975)
GEORGE KENNEDY Hurry Sundown (1967)
GEORGE KENNEDY In Harm’s Way (1965)
GERALDINE PAGE The Day of the Locust (1975)
GIG YOUNG The Hindenburg (1975)
GINGER ROGERS Magnificent Doll (1946)
GINGER ROGERS Tom Dick and Harry (1941)
GOLDIE HAWN Foul Play (1978)
GREGORY PECK Mackenna’s Gold (1969)
HENRY FONDA A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)
HENRY FONDA Advise & Consent (1962)
HENRY FONDA In Harm’s Way (1965)
HENRY FONDA Jigsaw (1949)
HENRY FONDA On Our Merry Way (1948)
HENRY FONDA There Was a Crooked Man… (1970)
JACK LEMMON Grumpier Old Men (1995)
JACK LEMMON Grumpy Old Men (1993)
JACK PALANCE Torture Garden (1967)
JAMES COBURN Hard Contract (1969)
JAMES STEWART On Our Merry Way (1948)
JANE FONDA Hurry Sundown (1967)
JASON ROBARDS A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)
JEFF BRIDGES The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970)
JOANNE WOODWARD A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)
JOHN WAYNE In Harm’s Way (1965)
JOSE FERRER The Sentinel (1977)
JOSEPH SCHILDKRAUT IDIOT’S DELIGHT (1939)
KATY JURADO Stay Away, Joe (1968)
LAURENCE OLIVIER Clash of the Titans (1981)
LEE GRANT There Was a Crooked Man… (1970)
MAGGIE SMITH Clash of the Titans (1981)
MELVYN DOUGLAS That Uncertain Feeling (1941)
MICHAEL CAINE Hurry Sundown (1967)
NORMA SHEARER Idiot’s Delight (1939)
PATRICIA NEAL Hay que matar a B. (1975)
PATRICIA NEAL In Harm’s Way (1965)
PAUL NEWMAN When Time Ran Out… (1980)
RED BUTTONS When Time Ran Out… (1980)
ROBERT DE NIRO True Confessions (1981)
ROBERT DUVALL True Confessions (1981)
SEAN PENN State of Grace (1990)
SOPHIA LOREN Grumpier Old Men (1995)
WALTER MATTHAU Grumpier Old Men (1995)
WALTER MATTHAU Grumpy Old Men (1993)
WILLIAM HOLDEN When Time Ran Out… (1980)
No Longest Day, How the West Was Won, Greatest Story Ever Told or any musicals with everybody under studio contract, wild.
Hey Dan
1. Thanks for the epic lists.
2. So good old Burgess was in the Top 50 in 2000….and now he is gone.
3. All three lists are massive….on the first list..almost 20% of the Top 50…pretty good for a guy that has not made a movie in 20 or so years.
4. That is indeed a long time span between Laughton and Oldman….might even be a record.
5. Bess Flowers getting no mentions…I like that.
6. 55 Oscar-winning co-stars….with Oldman just joining that list….pretty impressive…and one of the highest totals yet.
7. I agree….these stellar numbers and he did not appear in some of those major credit getting movies like the Longest Day and such.
As always….thanks for sharing this information. Good stuff.
I have seen 17 Burgess Meredith movies. So you and Steve beat me by two movies. I’m a big fan of his Twilight Zone episode too.
The HIGHEST rated movie I have seen is The Story of G.I. Joe.
The highest rated movie I have NOT seen is Rocky.
The LOWEST rated movie I have seen is MacKenna’s Gold.
Favourite Burgess Meredith Movies:
The Reivers
The Story of G.I. Joe
MacKenna’s Gold
Batman The Movie
A Big Hand For the Little Lady
Clash of the Titans
Tom. Dick, and Harry
That Uncertain Feeling
There Was A Crooked Man
Idiot’s Delight
The Other Films I Have Seen:
Foul Play
The Hindenburg
Grumpy Old Men
In Harm’s Way
Castle on the Hudson
Spring Madness
Second Chorus
Hey Flora….well this is a tight tally contest…me and Steve at 19 and you at 17. Good to know you have seen his famous Twilight Zone episode…classic tv there. I have seen 6 of your favorites. A little surprised that Foul Play was not on your favorites list…..that is almost like a Hitch movie. MacKenna’s Gold was a nice surprise. Good feedback…..keep up the good work.
HI BRUCE To more modern audiences – ie post 1962 – Burgess will probably be most remembered as Steve indicates as The Penguin in the TV Batman series [1966-68] The Twilight Zone and/or for the Rocky franchise and although he was, at least from my own perspective, about the best thing in those Rocky films, I prefer to forget THEM and instead when Burgess’ name is mentioned I usually dwell on
1/1945’s Story of GI JOE. That was too “Americanised” a title for us over here [sounds like something Willis would be in!] and it was therefore called War Correspondent with Burgess playing the title role of Ernie Pyle. I remember it fondly because I saw it on a 1951 re-run and it was the first time I had ever seen Robert Mitchum who was just up-and-coming when the movie was made and had a 2nd billed supporting role to Burgess though Big Bob got a supporting Oscar nomination for his performance, sadly the only time he ever got near to Oscar love in his entire career.
The posters were “updated” when Mitch became an overnight star folowing the Oscar nom and he was billed over Meredith in the new versions [guys like Steve who can’t leave well enough alone do like to eschew billing!] Your table above has reminded me of the great coincidence of Burgess appearing years later in Presley’s Stay Away JOE!
2/1957’s Joe Butterfly a B movie faithfully credited to Burgess in your table . I went to see that one because of Murphy, whom as you know I Idolised in the 50s, but the book about Audie that you kindly gifted me recently, pointed out that Burgess in makeup in the title role was really a “poor man’s Sakini”[the Oriental character Brando played in the similarly themed big budget Teahouse the year before].
So your new page combined with your book gift have enabled me to wallow in another trip down Nostalgia Lane as I have described. However being an excellent character actor Burgess deserves this page in his own right in my opinion “Voted Up” therefore. Excellent stuff.
Hey Bob….good comment and thoughts on Burgess. I agree…his television roles seem to have brought him back. Growing up…he was “my” Penguin on the Batman show. Interesting trivia about Meredith’s two Joe movies. Glad that we were able to get Joe Butterfly for to look at…I have not seen…but I know Audie Murphy starred in it. I figure you gotta give these supporting character actors a moment in the UMR spotlight. Thanks for the kind words and the visit.
Mickey Goldmill gets a UMR page, nice!
I’ve seen 19 of the 58 films listed, less than I thought. Favorites include the Rocky films, The Sentinel, The Manitou, The Hindenburg, Clash of the Titans, Batman the Movie and Mackenna’s Gold.
I haven’t seen his two top rated movies – Of Mice and Men and Advise and Consent.
Before Rocky came along Burgess was famous as the Penguin in the 60s Batman tv series and was also in one of the best remembered Twilight Zone episodes – as the meek bank teller who loves reading, a nuclear war destroys the city, he somehow survives surrounded by books scattered from the local library, he rejoices… but his glasses slip off his face and he steps on them…”That’s not fair… that’s not fair at all… There was time now…. There was.. all the time I needed!.. It’s not fair”.
Good work Bruce. Vote Up!
Hey Steve With Two Names. Gotta admit sometimes I get confused between you and “Steve”…I know you always use two names…but each time I see a comment from Steve…I think…did Steve forget to add Lensman to his comment. Not that I am complaining…just slightly confusing. Pretty sure had that issue with all the “Bobs” running around here….lol.
We are tied with 19 Burgess Meredith movies seen. I thought you had me…..but bad movies The Last Chase and When Time Ran Out saved me at the end. Actually….I thought The Last Chase was interesting….granted I have not seen that low budget Lee Majors movie in decades…and the last time I saw it, I was 13 or 14. Think my judgement of quality movies is slightly better these days.
I have not seen Of Mice and Men either….Advise & Consent is a pretty good political drama. Lots of great performances in that one. It was Charles Laughton’s last great role. Of your favorites…I liked Rocky, Rocky III, Clash of the Titans and Mackenna’s Gold. I have not seen The Sentinel or The Manitou.
I thought about including his famous Twilight Zone episode…but in the end…this is a movie page….so it did not make the cut….but that is one of my favorite TZ episodes. Thanks for the vote up and the kind words.