Top 5 80’s Actors/Actresses who never get leading roles anymore

In the 1980’s, there were many actors that seemed to appear everywhere, and be in a movie almost every year. After 1990, these actors still made films, but lost the top billings that they once held. Many of them still act, but mostly in TV shows or as voice actors in cartoons. Honestly, I wish some of them would return to the big screen to recapture their glory.

1. Steve Guttenberg – With a stunning list of 80’s movies like Diner (‘82), Police Academy 1, 2, &3 (‘84-’87), Cocoon 1 & 2 (‘85-’88), Short Circuit (‘86), and 3 Men and a Baby (‘87), he tops my list. I honestly cannot think of another 80’s actor who disappeared so quickly at the turn of the decade. His last starring role is 1990’s 3 Men and a Little Lady but has since starred in many small roles on TV, Film and as a voice actor.

2. Michael Keaton – He still stands as one of my favorite actors. He is also the original, and the best movie Batman ever (Christian Bale sucks because of the stupid voice he does as Batman). His output during the 80’s was amazing: Night Shift (‘82), Mr. Mom (‘83), Johnny Dangerously (‘84), Gung Ho (‘86), The Squeeze (‘87), Beetle Juice (‘88), and Batman (‘89). Since 1990, Keaton has had a few roles as a leading man: Batman Returns (‘92), Multiplicity (‘96) and Desperate Measures (‘98), so that is why he does not top the list. However, if I ever directed a movie, he would be the second person I would want to star in it, with the first being Bill Murray.

3. Fred Savage – The Wonder Years may have been one of the greatest shows ever made. Anyone ages 25-32 can remember all the lessons learned from little Kevin Arnold. Fred Savage also made a stream of hit movies such as The Princess Bride (‘87), Vice Versa (‘88), Little Monsters (‘89), and The Wizard (‘89). Although his career with The Wonder Years spanned into the next decade, after the show was cancelled, little was heard from Mr. Savage. More recently, he has appeared as a character in Austin Powers: Goldmember (‘02) and Welcome to Mooseport (‘04). Perhaps we are witnessing a re-emergence of Fred Savage, and only one could hope this is true.

4. Ally Sheedy – Why not Molly Ringwold you ask? Well, for one, Ally Sheedy is much more attractive than Molly Ringwold, at least in my opinion. Sheedy was the other darling of the screen in the 1980’s, losing out to Ringwold’s pouty lips. However, Ally Sheedy’s roles were much more diverse, and spanned the entire decade. WarGames (‘83), Oxford Blues (‘84), The Breakfast Club (‘85), St. Elmo’s Fire (‘85), Short Circuit 1&2 (‘86-’88), and Heart of Dixie (‘89). Since then, she has had many small roles but nothing like the leading/supporting roles she had in the 80’s.

5. G. W. Bailey – Mr. Bailey once said of his career “So much for ten years of education, years of training in Shakespeare… being remembered for a dog peeing in your eye!” And how we do remember that scene in Police Academy. Bailey seemed to show up all over the ’80s, and always played the same type of character. He always got cast as the ornary captain/chief/officer and the antagonist of the film. In M*A*S*H (‘79-83), Police Academy 1-7 (‘84-’94), Short Circuit (‘86), and Mannequin (‘87) he was always the jerk who yelled and bossed people around, only for the protagonist to enact their revenge at the end of the film. Since the ’80s, G.W. Bailey has played many roles on TV and some small films. But if Police Academy 8 is really in the works, we could see him again soon….

H.M. There are others who should be noted, but will not be in my top 5:
- Andrew McCarthy
- Corey Feldman
- Corey Haim
- Emilio Estevez

- Steve R.

~ by thekillertouch on March 10, 2009.