Actors, CHR-DAV
Acting is a performing art that involves much more than just being able to cry on command. Actors exercise supreme control over their voice, body, and facial movements so as to effectively and believably convey the emotional experience of the characters they represent. Although theatrical productions, television, and movies each carry unique technical demands for the actor, skilled actors can move from one medium to another without a diminution of talent, as is borne out by celebrated actors such as Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench, Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, and Viola Davis.
Actors Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Christensen, Benjamin
Benjamin Christensen was a Danish motion-picture director known for his exploration of the macabre. Christensen......
Christie, Julie
Julie Christie is a British film actress renowned for a wide range of roles in English and American films of the......
Cibber, Colley
Colley Cibber was an English actor, theatre manager, playwright, and poet laureate of England, whose play Love’s......
Cibber, Theophilus
Theophilus Cibber was an actor and playwright, a figure of general disrepute in the English theatre. The son of......
Clairon, Mlle
Mlle Clairon was a leading actress of the Comédie-Française who created many parts in the plays of Voltaire, Jean-François......
Clare, Ada
Ada Clare was an American writer and actress remembered for her charm and wit and for her lively journalistic contributions.......
Clark, Marguerite
Marguerite Clark was an American actress whose tiny figure and air of sweet youthful innocence made her enormously......
Clarke, Emilia
Emilia Clarke is an English actress who is best known for playing Daenerys Targaryen on the hugely popular TV series......
Cleese, John
John Cleese is a British comic actor best known for his television work as a member of the comedy troupe Monty......
Cliff, Jimmy
Jimmy Cliff was a Jamaican singer and songwriter who was instrumental in introducing reggae to an international......
Clift, Montgomery
Montgomery Clift was an American motion-picture actor noted for the emotional depth and sense of vulnerability......
Clive, Kitty
Kitty Clive was one of David Garrick’s leading ladies, the outstanding comedic actress of her day in England. About......
Clooney, George
George Clooney is an American-born actor and filmmaker who emerged in the 1990s as a popular leading man, known......
Close, Glenn
Glenn Close is an American actress who has drawn acclaim for her considerable range and versatility. Over a career......
Coel, Michaela
Michaela Coel is a British screenwriter, actress, and producer who gained acclaim for the award-winning television......
Cohan, George M.
George M. Cohan was an American actor, composer, playwright, and producer, especially of musical comedies, who......
Colbert, Claudette
Claudette Colbert was an American stage and motion-picture actress known for her trademark bangs, her velvety purring......
Colbert, Stephen
Stephen Colbert is an American actor and comedian who was best known as the host of The Colbert Report (2005–14),......
Coleman, Gary
Gary Coleman was an American child star known for his small stature. He was best known for starring in the situation......
Collette, Toni
Toni Collette is an Australian actress known for her metamorphic performances in a wide range of roles. Collette......
Collins, Joan
Joan Collins is an English actress known for her portrayals of bombshells and sexpots, notably the scheming seductress......
Collins, Lily
Lily Collins is a British-American actress and model known for her performance as the lead in Netflix’s popular......
Colman, Olivia
Olivia Colman is a British actress who first garnered attention for her comedic work on television and who later......
Colman, Ronald
Ronald Colman was a Hollywood film actor whose screen image embodied the archetypal English gentleman. His elegant......
Comer, Jodie
Jodie Comer is an English actress who became widely known for playing the psychopathic assassin Villanelle on the......
Common
Common is an American hip-hop artist, actor, and activist who became a mainstream success in the early 21st century,......
Condell, Henry
Henry Condell was an English actor who was one of the chief movers in sponsoring and preparing the First Folio......
Connelly, Jennifer
Jennifer Connelly is an American actress who won an Academy Award for her moving and complex portrayal of Alicia......
Connery, Sean
Sean Connery was a Scottish-born actor whose popularity in James Bond spy thrillers led to a successful decades-long......
Connick, Harry, Jr.
Harry Connick, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor who was known musically for his explorations......
Coogan, Jackie
Jackie Coogan was the first major Hollywood child star, who rose to fame in the silent-film era and was best known......
Cook, Peter
Peter Cook was a British entertainer who gained international fame in the 1960s in the hit satirical revue Beyond......
Coon, Carrie
Carrie Coon is an American stage, television, and film actress known for her roles in the television series The......
Cooper, Bradley
Bradley Cooper is an American actor who first gained fame in comedic films and later had success in action and......
Cooper, Chris
Chris Cooper is an American character actor who, because of his rugged visage and calm yet tough demeanour, is......
Cooper, Dame Gladys
Dame Gladys Cooper was a popular British actress-manager who started her 66-year theatrical career as a Gaiety......
Cooper, Gary
Gary Cooper was an American motion-picture actor whose portrayal of homespun characters established him as a glamorized......
Copeau, Jacques
Jacques Copeau was a French actor, literary critic, stage director, and dramatic coach who led a reaction against......
Coppola, Sofia
Sofia Coppola is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and fashion designer known best for her films......
Coquelin, Benoît-Constant
Benoît-Constant Coquelin was a French actor of unusual range and versatility. Coquelin studied acting at the Conservatoire......
Corden, James
James Corden is a British comic actor, writer, and television personality known for his likability and self-deprecating......
Corenswet, David
David Corenswet is an American actor who rocketed to stardom after being cast as the titular DC Comics superhero......
Corey, Irwin
Irwin Corey was an American comedian who, presenting himself as “Professor Irwin Corey, the world’s foremost authority,”......
Corman, Roger
Roger Corman was an American motion picture director, producer, and distributor known for his highly successful......
Cornell, Katharine
Katharine Cornell was one of the most celebrated American stage actresses from the 1920s to the 1950s. Cornell......
Cornysh, William
William Cornysh was an English composer, poet, playwright, and actor, a favourite court musician of Henry VIII,......
Cosby, Bill
Bill Cosby is an American comedian, actor, and producer who played a major role in the development of a more-positive......
Costner, Kevin
Kevin Costner is an American film actor and director known for his portrayals of rugged individualists with sensitive......
Cotillard, Marion
Marion Cotillard is a French actress whose Academy Award-winning performance as Edith Piaf in La Môme (2007; also......
Cotten, Joseph
Joseph Cotten was an American actor whose elegant mannerisms, handsome looks, and low-key yet compelling dramatic......
Coulouris, George
George Coulouris was a British actor known for his portrayals of villainous characters such as Count Teck de Brancovis......
Courtneidge, Dame Cicely
Dame Cicely Courtneidge was a British actress who played musical comedy and revue, both in a celebrated partnership......
Coward, Noël
Noël Coward was an English playwright, actor, and composer best known for his highly polished comedies of manners.......
Cowl, Jane
Jane Cowl was a highly successful American playwright and actress of the first half of the 20th century. Grace......
Cox, Brian
Brian Cox is a Scottish actor best known for playing the tyrannical media mogul Logan Roy in the comedy-drama television......
Cox, Laverne
Laverne Cox is an American actress and activist who achieved a number of “firsts” as an openly transgender woman......
Crabbe, Buster
Buster Crabbe was a swimmer from the United States whose Olympic gold medal led to a long and successful acting......
Crabtree, Lotta
Lotta Crabtree was an American actress whose early days as an entertainer during the California Gold Rush led to......
Craig, Daniel
Daniel Craig is an English actor known for his restrained gravitas and ruggedly handsome features. Craig achieved......
Craig, Edward Gordon
Edward Gordon Craig was an English actor, theatre director-designer, producer, and theorist who influenced the......
Cranston, Bryan
Bryan Cranston is an American actor best known for his intense portrayal of Walter White, a chemistry teacher turned......
Craven, Frank
Frank Craven was an American actor, director, playwright, and producer who was best known for his performance as......
Crawford, Cheryl
Cheryl Crawford was an American actress and theatre producer. She acted with the Theatre Guild from 1923 and became......
Crawford, Joan
Joan Crawford was an American motion-picture actress who made her initial impact as a vivacious Jazz Age flapper......
Cromwell, John
John Cromwell was an American actor and director of stage and screen who, during a career that spanned more than......
Cronyn, Hume
Hume Cronyn was a Canadian-born actor who earned acclaim for his convincing portrayals of diverse characters and......
Crosby, Bing
Bing Crosby was an American singer, actor, and songwriter who achieved great popularity in radio, recordings, and......
Cross, David
David Cross is an American writer, stand-up comedian, and actor who is best known for playing Tobias Fünke in the......
Crowe, Russell
Russell Crowe is a New Zealand-born Australian actor known for his commitment, intensity, and ruggedly handsome......
Crudup, Billy
Billy Crudup is an American stage and screen actor who has had a long and steady career playing complex characters......
Cruise, Tom
Tom Cruise is an American actor who emerged in the 1980s as one of Hollywood’s most popular leading men. Since......
Cruz, Penélope
Penélope Cruz is a Spanish actress known for her emotionally rich portrayals of sultry characters. She achieved......
Cruze, James
James Cruze was an American film director and actor who was a giant in the days of silent films but became a minor......
Crystal, Billy
Billy Crystal is an American actor, writer, director, and comedian, known for a highly expressive manner that lent......
Culkin, Kieran
Kieran Culkin is an American actor known for portraying distasteful yet sympathetic characters, such as Igby Slocumb......
Culkin, Macaulay
Macaulay Culkin is an American actor who rose to fame in John Hughes’s 1990 box office hit Home Alone and quickly......
Cumberbatch, Benedict
Benedict Cumberbatch is an acclaimed British motion-picture, theater, and television actor known for his portrayals......
Cummings, Robert
Robert Cummings was an American actor who starred in motion pictures and television. Cummings studied at the Carnegie......
Curtis, Jamie Lee
Jamie Lee Curtis is an American actress and author who first rose to fame with a series of popular horror movies,......
Curtis, Tony
Tony Curtis was an American actor whose handsome looks first propelled him to fame in the 1950s. He won critical......
Cusack, John
John Cusack is an American actor known for his roles in movies across genres, such as the teen drama Say Anything......
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders
Charlotte Saunders Cushman was the first native-born star on the American stage. Cushman was encouraged by her......
Cyrus, Billy Ray
Billy Ray Cyrus is an American country singer and actor best known for his 1992 song “Achy Breaky Heart,” a smash......
Cyrus, Miley
Miley Cyrus catapulted into stardom with her performance on the television show Hannah Montana (2006–11) and its......
Dafoe, Willem
Willem Dafoe is an American actor known for his versatility and willingness to appear in controversial roles. His......
Dagover, Lil
Lil Dagover was an actress who was a prominent figure of German silent cinema. Although that was the era in which......
Damon, Matt
Matt Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and producer noted for his clean-cut good looks and intelligent......
Dancourt, Florent Carton
Florent Carton Dancourt was an actor and playwright who created the French comedy of manners and was one of the......
Dandridge, Dorothy
Dorothy Dandridge was an American singer and film actress who was the first black woman to be nominated for an......
Danes, Claire
Claire Danes is an American actress who is best known for her immersive portrayals of often complex characters,......
Dangerfield, Rodney
Rodney Dangerfield was a popular American comedian known for his wide-eyed, fidgety delivery style and his hapless,......
Danson, Ted
Ted Danson is an American television and film actor best known for his portrayal of bartender Sam Malone on the......
Darin, Bobby
Bobby Darin was an American singer and songwriter whose quest for success in several genres made him a ubiquitous......
Davenport, Edward Loomis
Edward Loomis Davenport was one of the most skilled and popular American actors of the mid-19th century. Three......
Davenport, Fanny Lily Gypsy
Fanny Lily Gypsy Davenport was an American actress who saw considerable success, especially with her own company,......
David, Larry
Larry David is an American comedian and actor best known as the cocreator of the television series Seinfeld (1989–98)......
Davies, Marion
Marion Davies was an American actor who was more renowned for her 34-year relationship with publishing giant William......
Davis, Bette
Bette Davis was a versatile, volatile American actress, whose raw, unbridled intensity kept her at the top of her......
Davis, Geena
Geena Davis is an American actress noted for her skilled performances in comedic roles and for the charm and likability......
Davis, Jim
Jim Davis was an American character actor who was best known for his portrayal of Jock Ewing, the tough gravel-voiced......