Musicians who act, and actors who play/sing

[Doctor Jeff]

It's obvious what this thread is about.

As far as actors who play, Jeff Bridges does a good John Prine impersonation. He sure looks like an outlaw country musician. I have heard good things about Billy Bob Thornton and Kevin Bacon, but haven't actually seen them myself.

Eddie Murphy had some success as a singer. Meryl Streep has a good singing voice. Sissy Spacek did her own singing in Coal Miner's Daughter, to good effect. Of course, we all remember John Travolta's musical career, don't we?

Re' musicians acting, there are a lot out there who have dabbled in movies or TV, and several have been nominated or won Oscars, including Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand. Jared Leto is better known as an actor than a singer. Justin Timberlake started out with Disney (along with Britney, Christine and Ryan Gosling) but did some well-received movie roles. Interestingly, Dexter Gordon was nominated for an Oscar in Round Midnight--the only jazz instrumentalist ever nominated for acting?

Of course Keef and Mick have been known to show up onscreen from time to time, and Ringo has been in quite a few movies. My personal favorite is David Bowie, who brings a certain eccentricity and unpredictability to his roles. He was absolutely brilliant in The Man Who Fell to Earth, and very good in The Hunger and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. He's one of the few musicians I wish had devoted more time to making movies.

[Ukena]

Frank Sinatra actually was an extremely good actor. He didn't like it, though, because it was too much work. Barbra Streisand was an actor first, doing stage work. She was married to Elliott Gould. But the musical theatre has produced many, many singers who went on to have primarily musical careers.

Sting started out as an actor, and has had some very interesting movie roles.

Jack Lemmon was a very accomplished stride pianist; so was Fred Astaire, interestingly enough. In all the movies I can remember him playing piano, he was actually playing the piano. Which brings us to Harry Connick, Jr., although his acting is certainly ordinary.

Tom Waits is a member of the Actors Studio, and has acted in quite a number of films.

[Doctor Jeff]

Frank Sinatra actually was an extremely good actor. He didn't like it, though, because it was too much work. Barbra Streisand was an actor first, doing stage work. She was married to Elliott Gould. But the musical theatre has produced many, many singers who went on to have primarily musical careers.

Sting started out as an actor, and has had some very interesting movie roles.

Jack Lemmon was a very accomplished stride pianist; so was Fred Astaire, interestingly enough. In all the movies I can remember him playing piano, he was actually playing the piano. Which brings us to Harry Connick, Jr., although his acting is certainly ordinary.

Tom Waits is a member of the Actors Studio, and has acted in quite a number of films.

An awful lot of aspiring artists start out in musical theatre. Heck, 3 of my own kids were in a very successful show choir in high school--that's a good intro into the show biz world. A lot of musicians also went to art school and were as involved in visual arts, poetry, or acting as they were in their music.

I don't know that Sting started out as an actor. He was actually a teacher at a boys' school for a few years. I remember him from Dune--thought he was quite effective in that role. I also think he could have had a good career as an actor if he had wanted to.

Harry Connick is a jack of all trades. I think he's pretty good in his movies, but I'll tell you what--the ladies love this guy. My GF can't stop talking about seeing him in concert a few years ago. As far as music, he's the real deal too. It shouldn't be fair that some people have looks, chops and a great singing voice. They make the rest of us shlubs look bad.

[jameslovestal]

Louie Armstrong acted as a character in a few films. Of course he was Louie in many films.

In Paris Blues (1961) with Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier Armstrong plays a jazz musician that is clearly modeled after himself.

Nat King Cole is similar; He was himself in most films but did play W.C. Hardy in St. Louis Blues (1958).

PS: I highly recommend that jazz musicians watch Paris Blues; While Newman's screen persona isn't the best fit for a jazz musician, Poitier's is and the film is interesting in the Newman's character wishes to become a composer of "serious" music instead of just playing-the-changes and Poitier is like Dexter Gordon, in that he left the USA due to racism and found France to be a more welcoming place, where he is viewed mainly as a jazz musician instead of a black man.

[Ukena]

Most professional musicians are performers. A good director and film editor can make almost anyone look good in a film (and directors can, intentionally or not, also make good actors look bad in a film).

Dr. Jeff, you're right about Sting; he was in Brimstone and Treacle in 1982, by which time he had already had a successful music career; but that film was my first introduction to him, as I had not listened to the Police until their final album in 1983.

I find it more interesting to find actors who are actually pretty good musicians. And then there are those like Richard Gere, who had a very impressive collection of instruments and amps, but I have no idea of his musical ability.

[sgosnell]

Not jazz, but Leonard Slye started out with the Sons of the Pioneers, then changed his name, became an actor, and became famous as Roy Rogers. Gene Autry kept his name and sang and acted. Lots of other singing cowboys back in the past, Bob Wills included, although he was more of a fiddle player than a singer. Steve Allen was a decent pianist. Groucho Marx could play guitar pretty well. Steve Martin has 5 Grammys as a banjo player, and tours with his band the Steep Canyon Rangers.

[sgosnell]

And while not strictly an actor, Martin Mull plays his L5 pretty well. He started out using it in his act, but as fame and fortune increased, his playing in public decreased.

[medblues]

[jameslovestal]

And while not strictly an actor, Martin Mull plays his L5 pretty well. He started out using it in his act, but as fame and fortune increased, his playing in public decreased.

On Fernwood Tonight Tommy Tedesco was the guitarist and sometimes during the ending one could see him play.

But yea, Mull was talented and could hang with the boys.

[Litterick]

Sting's first film appearances were in 1979, in Franc Roddam's Quadrophenia and Christopher Petit's road movie, Radio On.

[JohnoL]

Elvis?

[Peter C]

[Jonah]

Jeff Bridges (you already mentioned him but I could not resist) has had a really very solid rock/folk/country style project over the years and he is good at song-writing.

Tom Waits? - his acting is often very specific and based on his own personality but he is still very good actor. His last work with Cohens is just superb, real character, real drama going far beyond just using his own image.

Steve Martin is a real pro on banjo.

Then Chris Christopherson.

There is a whole bunch of actors singing in Woody Allen's 'Everybody Says I Love You' (not all that succefully but I like that idea of amateurish musical film anyway)...

But that leads me to the video with a few ladies singing)))
Goldie Hawn - she has gorgeeous voice - and then to Bett Midler (who does both very succesfully) and to fantastic Meryl (whom you mentioned).. and Cher - she is a good actress too.
I do not mention Olivia Newton-John (?) just because her acting is much realted to her singing career

[Michael Neverisky]

The series Lilyhammer on Netflix made it clear that while Steve Van Zandt can act, his buddy Bruce Springsteen can not. Steve was the star and Bruce had only a couple of poorly preformed scenes at the end of the series.

[alltunes]

Dumb and Dumber to this:

Jeff appears to have some fine acoustics. Great actor and an entertaining musician.

[CliffR]

Kylie Minogue acted in Australian soap Neighbours before her singing career.

Woody Allen of course plays jazz clarinet.

My old friend Jan Graveson, who used to sing in my mates' glam rock band before going on to have a successful music career.

[fep]

And this was way before the Who destroyed their equipment on stage:

[citizenk74]

I'm continually amazed at the number of A-list actors who keep working on their bands - Depp, Bacon, Reeves come to mind. Living their best lives apparently still demands plugging in and turning it up.

[alltunes]

Harry Dean Stanton

[Liarspoker]

Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga

[mr. beaumont]

Harry Dean Stanton

Here's Harry singing much later in life, in the movie "Lucky."

Which if you haven't seen it, you're in for a treat. If you like existential kind of stuff.

[Doctor Jeff]

Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga

His singing was surprisingly good. I think I read somewhere he had never sung before, not even in glee club or church choir.

Of course Lady Gaga can act. Anybody that theatrical can hang with the real thespians.

I’m surprised Springsteen and Dylan are not better actors, seeing as how their whole persona is/was an act. As was Elvis. He could act to an extent, since his parts didn’t really require much effort. He had a lot of natural charisma especially with his female costars.

Seems that musicians always want to be movie stars, and vice versa. If there was no competition, they’d probably do OK, but there are very talented people in the other world who do nothing but their craft 24/7.

[Doctor Jeff]

Might as well mention visual arts.

Bowie, Miles, Dylan and Joni were all very good painters. I think Joni started out as a painter before moving into folk. They all are quite effective, IMO, but I think Bowie takes the cake. I consider him the most “Renaissance Man”-ish performer of our lifetimes. Singer—musician—actor—painter—businessman� ��visionary.

Here is his painting of “JO”, James Osterberg, otherwise known as Iggy Pop.

[Litterick]

I'm continually amazed at the number of A-list actors who keep working on their bands - Depp, Bacon, Reeves come to mind. Living their best lives apparently still demands plugging in and turning it up.

Marie Antoinette worked on her farm.

[joelf]

Michael Moriarity played Bradley's in the '80s as singer-pianist. A more obscure figure, Med Flory (alto player and a founder of Supersax), doubles as an actor...