Is there an actor out there with two more iconic roles than...

[saldana]

dola, this thread has completely destroyed the chances of me getting any work done this afternoon.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Alan T

I think Tom Cruise's problem is he has had too many roles that feel fairly identical that it is hard to identify him as any of them. I loved Days of Thunder but don't really think of Cole Trickle when I think of Tom Cruise.

In fact, the role I most think of when I think Tom Cruise is actually that bartending movie (whatever the name of it was) for some stupid reason

To me, Tom Cruise is Maverick and Jerry Maguire.

[Logan]

I think the Pacino one is pretty good call, especially once you consider the Scarface effect on a completely separate generation years later.

[Landshark44]

bobby bouchet, and happy gilmour

adam sandler

[rjolley]

Jim Carey as Ace Ventura, Edward Nigma/The Riddler, Fire Marshall Bill, and Truman

[MJ4H]

Stallone for Rambo + Rocky
Schwarzenegger for Conan + Terminator

These are the only ones I've seen remotely close to Ford.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

I think Stallone and Heston are the only two you could argue, but unsuccessfully.

[johnnyshaka]

How about Redford?

EDIT: Roy Hobbs and The Sundance Kid.

[Raiders Army]

Brad Pitt as Jennifer's Husband and Angelina's Husband.

[KWhit]

Dan Aykroyd for Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters.

John Belushi for Animal House and Blues Brothers.

Bill Murray for Caddyshack and Ghostbusters.

[Danny]

Originally Posted by KWhit

Dan Aykroyd for Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters.

John Belushi for Animal House and Blues Brothers.

Bill Murray for Caddyshack and Ghostbusters.

Considering you couldn't think (or just didn't mention) of the character names, I don't think these are very good choices.

[Raiders Army]

Ron Howard: Opie and Richie Cunningham

[DataKing]

I too am having a hard time coming up with a single actor who portrays two different characters that I would consider "iconic." There are a number of actors with one iconic character (Mel Gibson as Riggs, Al Pacino as Michael Corleone), but two have two separate ones does appear to be a bit of a rarity. Then there are those actors who I don't feel have individual iconic roles, because they actually overpower the characters that they portray (Nicholson comes to mind).

The closest I can come up with (and props to whoever mentioned it first) is Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry and The Man With No Name. Dirty Harry is definitely an iconic character, and I think the second qualifies as well, though perhaps only tenuously (since no concerted effort was ever made by Leone to show that it was indeed the same character from one movie to the next).

That's my take, anyway.

Edit: Actually I'd have to agree with Stallone as well. Rambo and Rocky are definitely both iconic characters (even if some of the movies they were portrayed in sucked).

[larrymcg421]

I think Stallone is certainly the closest, but Indy + Han Solo > Rocky + Rambo

We're all coming up with good secondary choices, but none of them really compare to Indiana Jones and Han Solo.

[Raiders Army]

JaMarcus Russell: Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man and ex-Raiders QB

[DataKing]

I've got one:

Kurt Russell: Snake Pliskin and Jack Burton.

[johnnyshaka]

Acutally, Dustin Hoffman really belongs here...The Graduate, Tootsie, Rainman, and even Hook were all iconic performances as characters most everybody knows and easily identify him with those great movies. I'd even throw Papillon in there but he was more of a supporting actor in that one.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

Acutally, Dustin Hoffman really belongs here...The Graduate, Tootsie, Rainman, and even Hook were all iconic performances as characters most everybody knows and easily identify him with those great movies. I'd even throw Papillon in there but he was more of a supporting actor in that one.

None of those approach Han Solo/Indiana Jones.

And if we're gonna start throwing in more than two, then we can add Jack Ryan for Ford.

[revrew]

I'd put them in this order:

#4 - Charlton Heston - Moses + Ben-Hur
#3 - Stallone for Rambo + Rocky
#2 - Harrison Ford for Han Solo + Indiana Jones

But at the top of the list, I think we ought to dig a little deeper in the history books, for an actor whose biggest two roles got him ranked as portraying film history's No. 1 worst bad guy AND film history's No. 1 best good guy. THAT'S an accomplishment that deserves some props (even if it is a stretch to place him higher than #3 or #2 on the list above):

#1 Gregory Peck - Captain Ahab and Atticus Finch

[Antmeister]

Ian McKellen

Gandalf (Lord of the Rings) and Magneto (The X-Men)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by revrew

whose biggest two roles got him ranked as portraying film history's No. 1 worst bad guy AND film history's No. 1 best good guy. ... #1 Gregory Peck - Captain Ahab and Atticus Finch

What the hell list ranked Ahab as the #1 worst bad guy in film history? And what were they smoking at the time?

[DataKing]

Possible revision to my first statement:

Mel Gibson: Riggs and Mad Max

[Antmeister]

While I can easily identify with the Harrison Ford pick, Alan Rickman has been in a number of memorable roles in good movies:

Severus Snape (Harry Potter Series)
Sheriff of Nottingham (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves)
Hans Gruber (Die Hard)
Dr. Lazerus (Galaxy Quest)

[boberot]

I think Ford & Stallone, for iconic status in a mainstream audience, are a solid 1/2.

I'll just throw out Mel Gibson as Mad Max and Riggs -- both pretty iconic, on a smaller scale, in their own right.

[boberot]

Oops, DataKing beat me to the draw.

[boberot]

How about Michael J Fox -- Alex P Keaton / Marty McFly

[PurdueBrad]

I don't know how high he gets on the list but Denzel Washington probably belongs in the discussion. The biggest role is Alonzo in Training Day and then Creasy in Man on Fire, Joe Miller in Philadelpiha, or Malcolm X in Malcolm X is a fairly iconic collection I would think. Maybe even the coach from Remember the Titans but I can't recall the character's name.

[Antmeister]

Al Pacino has to be to be up there for #1 guy in iconic movies.

Michael Corleone (Godfather)
Frank Serpico (Serpico)
Tony Montana (Scarface)

Other notable films
Glengarry Glen Ross, Carlito's Way, Heat

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Not everyone defines iconic the same way I do.

[Antmeister]

Originally Posted by PurdueBrad

I don't know how high he gets on the list but Denzel Washington probably belongs in the discussion. The biggest role is Alonzo in Training Day and then Creasy in Man on Fire, Joe Miller in Philadelpiha, or Malcolm X in Malcolm X is a fairly iconic collection I would think. Maybe even the coach from Remember the Titans but I can't recall the character's name.

Oh and let's not forget Glory.

[Travis]

Not sure I can lobby this to pass Ford or Stallone, but what about Swayze for Roadhouse, Ghost and Dirty Dancing? I'm awful with names so penalize him there if you want, and while he's probably bigger overall for the latter two movies, probably worth consideration.

What about Bruce Willis for Die Hard and Moonlighting?

[PurdueBrad]

Originally Posted by Antmeister

Oh and let's not forget Glory.

And I guess Ruben Carter from Hurricane as well. Like I said, I'm not sure he cracks the top 3 or maybe even top 5 but he's got some pretty big roles up there that I would consider iconic.

[Sun Tzu]

Originally Posted by Alan T

In fact, the role I most think of when I think Tom Cruise is actually that bartending movie (whatever the name of it was) for some stupid reason

Cocktail!

Actually, after reading this whole thing over, I'm going to go with Stallone in a tie, with Travolta pulling in a distance second. Everyone knows Rambo, and everyone knows Rocky. Combine the two and you've got 10 movies...ten movies. Regardless of what you thought of the Rambo series, the original film "First Blood" was actually quite good, with relatively little action and solid character development. Rocky won best picture, and despite the immense commercialization of the series, every one of the movies still holds up to this day.

I thought Ford was great in both series, and I'm a big Star Wars fan, but sitting on my shelf right next to Star Wars Ep IV - VI is the Rocky Anthology.

[Travis]

Julie Andrews for The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins?

Chevy Chase - Clark Griswold and Fletch

[Marmel]

Ford wins hands down, but here are a couple that I haven't seen mentioned

Shatner for Kirk and TJ Hooker
Michael Keaton for Batman and Beetlejuice
Bob Newhart for his 2 TV characters

[DataKing]

Originally Posted by Travis

Chevy Chase - Clark Griswold and Fletch

I generally have a hard time considering comic characters to be iconic, but I like this one. But if you're going to consider this, then you probably have to include Bill Murray as was mentioned earlier in the thread (for Carl Spackler and Peter Venkman).

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Julie Andrews is an excellent answer.

[Marmel]

Originally Posted by Raiders Army

Ron Howard: Opie and Richie Cunningham

Best one to rival Stallone and Ford!

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs2

Julie Andrews is an excellent answer.

Yeah, actually this one completely slipped my mind, but has to be a top 5 easily.

[PraetorianX]

Patrick Stewart for Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier. Not quite Indy/Han but still..

[stevew]

With Ford you also get Jack Ryan. He's not super iconic, but he's on par with many of the people's 2nd character.

[Sun Tzu]

Originally Posted by PraetorianX

Patrick Stewart for Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier. Not quite Indy/Han but still..

I think Picard has reached Kirk/Spock status in the ST Icon world. Still I don't think the X-men series is nearly popular (or quality) enough to warrant discussion in this thread.

I love Picard though.

[Comey]

Could Shatner work for Denny Crane, as well?

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Originally Posted by Comey

Could Shatner work for Denny Crane, as well?

Of course, and also the iconic Priceline Negotiator.

[Coffee Warlord]

Seems like most actors really are iconic for a single role, and it's the rare one who gets Two Major Defining Roles.

[spleen1015]

Harrison Ford wins.

He's the only person to have 2 of his characters featured in LEGO video games.

Game. Set. Match.

[Neuqua]

Christian Bale might belong on the list in a few years if they continue on with the Terminators.

[Swaggs]

How about Paul Newman with Cool Hand Luke and Butch Cassidy?

[Subby]

Travis Bickle and Jake LaMotta are pretty strong entries for Bobby D.

[Sun Tzu]

Originally Posted by Neuqua

Christian Bale might belong on the list in a few years if they continue on with the Terminators.

Nah...The Terminator will always be AHNULD