Most Hollywood actors are ever happy to take short breaks between projects. However, some never rest and as a result, they have a large body of work.
Since filming can be a grueling process, most popular Hollywood directors are known to take a break before signing up for a new project. Others are choosy, hence it takes a while before they find something they like whereas others are simply not lucky enough to get calls from directors on a regular basis.
However, there are a few actors that consistently managed to appear in a couple of movies each year. Thanks to their incredible work ethic and willingness to show up to every set they were invited to, these actors have large bodies of work. As a result, their fans never felt abandoned or disappointed.
Hong’s most notable role is that of Hannibal Chew in the original Blade Runner. Moreover, he has numerous TV and voice roles, with his total credits summing up to 650.
Hong isn’t all about acting and going home. He is the co-founder of East West Players, the first theatre organization for Asian-Americans. Additionally, Hong is one of few individuals to have found their passion later in life. Having started out as a civil engineer, he began acting during his leave days and realized its what he loved the most. Thanks to Hong’s prolific nature, he has starred in the most remade projects. These include Blade Runner, Hawaii Five-0, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Ernest Borgnine won an Oscar for Marty and also accumulated several Emmy nominations. And prior to his death in 2012, he was the voice of Mermaid Man in the popular kids’ animated show, SpongeBob SquarePants.
Though most of Borgnine’s roles were comedic ones, he found himself in more serious circumstances in real life as he was a Naval officer during World War II. Age never slowed him down either, At the age of 92, he became one of the oldest ever people to win an Emmy, an award he got because of his performance in ER.
Anthony Quinn starred in numerous movies and TV shows in a career that spanned over 4 decades. He also won 2 Academy awards for Best Supporting Actor.
Acting by itself is too tasking a career, but Quinn further showcased his work ethic by also dedicating his time to drawing and writing. And these weren’t just mere hobbies Most of his works were featured in art galleries. Additionally, he is one of few actors to have changed their names. His birth name is Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca.
Jackie Chan has always been known as the person who takes the seriousness out of action movies. He is also one of the few actors that perform their own stunts.
Chan’s vast filmography is more impressive than that of others, considering how physically intensive his performances are. While most action stars take up laid-back roles occasionally, Chan rarely does that, preferring to kick and run in every project. Even more impressive is that no serious injuries have resulted from the numerous stunts he personally performs.
Having started out in the silent era, Mickey Rooney is one of the few actors to have a career that spanned over 9 decades. He is best known for playing the character Andy Hardy, who made an appearance in 16 different movies.
Rooney’s figures are high because he made good use of his peak years, starring in a whopping 43 movies between the ages of 15 and 25. He could be considered one of Hollywood’s best comeback kings too since his career took a seesaw pattern of declines before shooting back up. Having received the now-defunct Academy Juvenile Award, he also does qualify as one of the best child actors ever.
Richard Riehle was in numerous iconic movies at the height of his stardom, including Casino and The Fugitive. However, most of his roles tend to be minor ones.
Richard Riehle’s appearance and demeanor mirror that of a responsible elderly man and as such, he has been typecast as either a law enforcement officer or a small-town mayor for most of his career. And despite having been around for a long time, Riehle has no intentions of slowing down. In 2018 alone, he appeared in a whopping 12 movies.
Christopher Lee is best remembered for playing the vampire Count Dracula as well as one of the best Bond villains, Francisco Scaramanga in The Man With The Golden Gun. His final role in The Time War was a posthumous one.
Getting typecast in villainous roles was no problem for Lee. Thanks to his incredible performances, most directors looked in his direction when thinking of someone to cast for a movie’s baddie-in-chief. Aware of his cool voice, Lee didn’t limit himself to acting either as he recorded 2 metal albums later in his life.
The amount of work Danny Trejo has put in is impressive, considering he only started in 1985. And since he is still very much active, the number is expected to rise.
To modern-day audiences, Trejo is the most recognizable face on the list. His tough look has always made him a perfect pick for gangster roles, though he’s been a protagonist on a couple of occasions too. Thanks to his striking appearance and incredible personality, Trejo has managed to remain an A-list star despite mostly taking up supporting roles.
During his long career, John Carradine mostly starred in Westerns and Horror B-movies. He was also heavily involved in Shakespearean theater.
Carradine distinguished himself from other actors by mostly playing diabolical and eccentric characters. Like Morgan Freeman, Christopher Lee, and Alan Rickman, he is also one of few actors to be known for their commanding voices. Consequently, he earned himself the nickname, “The Voice.”
Eric’s sister Julia Roberts and daughter Emma Roberts are more famous than him but he works harder. Being a leading actor has never interested him. So long as the roles keep coming, he is okay.
With a resume like Eric’s, it’s impossible not to land a new gig. Since the actor is only 65 with no plans to retire, a lot more can be expected from Eric in the coming years. Apart from acting, Eric has been heavily involved in activism too, He is a staunch supporter of animal rights and is a proud vegan.
Philip Etemesi is an author, journalist, screenwriter and film critic based in Nairobi. Kenya. As a child, he preferred watching movies like The Goodfellas instead of Home Alone. His girlfriend constantly has to pull him from the front of the TV but he just keeps returning. Stubborn dude! An animal lover, Philip also has a pet giraffe called Refu.
