The Best People Who Happened To Make A Living From Film?

I'm not talking about people who do great things for attention, someone who needs a film crew to be there when they do a generous "deed" or charity by checkbook. I'm not talking someone who did something out of guilt, but someone who did the right thing for the right reason, and not just to feel good for 10 minutes.

Marlon Brando did quite a lot for minorities, with time, some say he wasn't being hired in the 60's even after the amazing work he did in the 50's, and you can judge for yourself the parts he played.

I think of Kirk Douglas, who did more for film just by breaking the blacklist. He hired Dalton Trumbo (the guy played by that teacher who sells meth) to write Spartacus, and for the first time, didn't use a fake name. That takes courage, and it's something to aspire to.

First person that comes to mind is Tom Hanks. From what I've heard, he's always a stand up guy and doesn't where the label of "celebrity" around his neck.

John Candy was said to have been someone who never let fame go to his head - he was kind & generous to everyone he met. "Lovable" was the word most used to describe him from people who didn't know who he was to fans & friends & family alike.

Jimmy Stewart was said to have a similar reputation, having a personality much akin to many of the good-hearted characters he played. He was also a patriot and WWII veteran.

I'd say charlie chaplin.

He was the only one in hollywood standing up against hitler before the world war.
It was very unpopular and caused him a lot of problems.

I've heard he had some personal issues with women .. but i don't know what is true or not. and no one is perfect. The fact is that he was using film to help promote acceptance of immigrants (he was an immigrant) and to stand up against the most evil dude in world history.

Richard Widmark who often played the heavy in films, was in real life a champion of civil rights and spoke out against McCarthyism and the 'communist' hearings. As a result his career was gray listed for awhile. He was also a dedicated family man.

She's hardly an A-lister, but Katharine Isabelle is meant to be extremely down to earth and friendly in real life and at conventions. I also remember watching a video on YouTube where someone interviews her and she was so so charming, polite and considerate, not diva-like whatsoever.

Kirk Douglas has been involved in a murder case... Not a model.

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Go-to bad guy Michael Madsen.


He's always getting the role of baddie, or someone who isn't to be trusted, but Madsen actually hates violence and guns, even to the point when in Reservoir Dogs when he's about to torch the cop and the actor ad-libbed the line "I got a little kid", it actually put Michael off carrying on with the scene and they had to stop shooting for a bit...


... he is a renowned nice guy, always polite and pleasant to everyone around him, writes poetry and has his own brand/line of chilli sauce and is a skilled photographer.
He's written numerous books on poetry, photography and his own biography as well.


Top bloke, and totally the opposite of the characters he plays.

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