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Actors are a dime a dozen. In Los Angeles you can't walk down the street without stepping on one. There are some, however, that just stick in your mind even after they have passed. For me, there are not a lot of dead actors I miss but there are a few.

I certainly miss Jimmy Stewart. Jimmy Stewart has been described as the every man of movies. He was the kind of actor that pretty much everyone could easily relate too. He was not overly good looking nor was he a superman physically. Even in those movies where he was a tougher than normal character it was easy to see that yes it could be you in his position. He was the every man.

If you were to list his best movies you would go on and on but I will limit it to just 2. Rear Window and Harvey are simply 2 must see James Stewart movies. I would honestly suggest that pretty much all of his movies should be required viewing for every movie fan but that's a little unrealistic. Or is it?

William Holden is perhaps my favorite actor ever. His performance in the war epic Bridge on the River Kwai is extraordinary. The Wild Bunch was another great movie about the end of a time and how those who had lived through that time reacted to the end of that time.

Paris When it Sizzles was a tender love story in which he starred opposite the lovely delicate flower Audrey Hepburn. She is another actor that I miss. She was petite and lovely, perhaps the most classically beautiful woman in the history of history. Maybe Helen of Troy was as beautiful because she did have a face to launch a thousand ships.

Audrey Hepburn was not simply beautiful but she could act too. Check out Funny Face or Charade or maybe Sabrina; whatever movie you happen to see you won't be disappointed with Audrey Hepburn.

This next man was never a handsome leading man but he was a great character actor and had quite the name, Chill Wills. Chill Wills never starred in his own movies as himself but his voice did. He was the voice of Francis the Talking Mule and was a whole lot of fun to watch.

When movie directors and casting agents had a light hearted role to fill, the buddy sort of role they could never go wrong with Chill Wills. Sure he goes back a long time but so do I and then my father loved movies so I watched a lot with him.

Just thinking of some of the movies I have seen with these actors is such a nostalgic trip but it's a good trip. There are so many other actors that I could include like Warren Oates, Richard Jaeckel, Lee Marvin and Robert Ryan.

If you have never heard of any of these actors and you consider yourself a movie buff then you owe it to yourself to find out who these actors are and why they are important. Don't be afraid because there are a ton of great movies amongst these actors so the choices are easy.

Did I mention Humphrey Bogart? Look for The Caine Mutiny. OK, I'll stop now . . . Jack Lemon (I just had to sneak that one in there.) I could go on and on listing movies and actors but I have to stop somewhere I suppose.

Learn more about this author, R.A. Scott.
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