Stardom follows one who rocks in front of the camera but the real star is the one behind it. Bitter but true, this fact had tempted many actors to try their hand with direction; some made it some didn’t.
Here’s a list of actors who made remarkable transition into direction. But before I begin, I’d like to make an honorable mention of Woody Allen and Orson Welles, who despite being great directors are not in the list because they, in fact, were directors turned actors.
Charlie Chaplin
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If any list of actors turning directors is to be made, Charlie Chaplin has to be placed right at the top.
Undoubtedly, this legendary comedian is quintessentially the first actor to make a successful transition into direction.
As an actor: Classic Hollywood giant, Charlie Chaplin developed his tramp character with films like Kid Auto Races at Venice and Mabel’s Strange Predicament. Chaplin’s most notable performances emerged only under his self-directed projects. Gradually, Easy Street, One AM, The Pawnshop and The Adventurer became best-known comedies made by him.
As a Director: A Woman of Paris (1923), The Gold Rush (1925)- widely regarded as his masterpiece, and The Circus (1928) were a few of his remarkable directorial works. Pioneer in the art of Pantomime, Chaplin gambled to make a genre shift with City Lights (1931)- a silent romantic comedy film. His gamble paid off and the movie not only proved to be a big hit, but is remembered as one of the highest accomplishments of Chaplin’s prolific career. Not to be forgotten, The Great Dictator released in 1940 was Chaplin’s first true talking picture. As a director, Chaplin did a commendable job depicting fearlessly the bitter side of Nazism and Adolf Hitler, when every voice that rose against them used to be suppressed.
Buster Keaton
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One of the superstars of the silent film era Buster Keaton had a fair share of contribution in innovative movie making. Entertainment Weekly acknowledged him as the seventh greatest director of all time.
As an Actor: Ranked as the 21st greatest male actor of all time by the American Film Institute, Keaton had a remarkable career as an actor. He made his first appearance in The Butcher Boy, which was a great success. His noted work as an actor came with films like Steam Boat Jr (1928), Our Hospitality (1923), The Navigator (1924), Sherlock Jr. (1924) and the General (1927).
As a Director: Buster co-directed most of the movies that he acted in. His most noted film as a director was The General, which is considered his masterpiece. The movie set during the American Civil War is regarded as Keaton’s proudest achievement.
Clint Eastwood
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Clint Eastwood is another name that deserves to be among the toppers in the list of successful actors-turned directors.
As an actor: Eastwood had an average career as an actor, his Spaghetti Westerns and the Dirty Harry series drew him significant popularity though. When even after acting for about 15 years, Clint didn’t grow beyond a typecast actor, he decided to move to direction.
As a Director: Direction too, was not an easy road for Eastwood to walk upon. Only after giving 15 flops in 20 years, Eastwood gave his first notable directorial hit – Unforgiven (1992). Then one after another, all his movies proved to be big box office hits and achieved significant degree of critical acclaim. Eastwood won Oscars for Best Director, producer of the Best Picture, and received nominations for Best Actor for Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby (2004).
Ron Howard
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Nobody would have ever thought, way back in 1974, that this likable “Buttoned Down” boy of Happy Days would become one of the most successful directors of Hollywood.
As an actor: Howard came into limelight in the 1960s while playing Opie Taylor, on The Andy Griffith Show and then Richie Cunningham, on Happy Days, the role he played from 1974 to 1980. Though his turn as a director came into prominence much later after he retired from acting in 1980, he made his directorial debut in 1977 with the long forgotten Grand Theft Auto.
As a director: Howard went on untiringly to take over the reins of film-making and gave his first directorial hit, Splash, in 1984. It was the first movie that gave the necessary edge to Howard???s directorial career. Later, Howard got nine Oscar nominations and won two awards for Apollo 13. A Beautiful Mind made him the ultimate winner in the Academy Awards’ Best Director’s category, followed by Cinderella Man and Da Vinci Code.
Rob Reiner
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Directorial contributions of Rob Reiner deserve a special mention, as his work was given due recognition by the Directors Guild of America.
As an actor: Playing Michael “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family, Reiner gained national prominence for his acting. He won two Emmy Awards during the 1970s for this role.
As a Director: More than actor, Reiner is known for his direction. His best-known works as a director came between 1980s and 1990s. The Princess Bride, Stand By Me, and This Is Spinal Tap were famous cult movies of that era. The Directors Guild of America appreciated him by nominating his Stand by Me, When Harry Met Sally…, and A Few Good Men among best films.
Tim Robbins
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Tim Robbins has directed several films with strong social content, which had been highly acclaimed by critics, among them needless to mention is Dead Man Walking (1995).
As an Actor: Tim Robbins began his acting career with theater and playing small parts in Fraternity Vacation (1985) and Top Gun(1986). His iconic performance in Robert Altman’s The Player, got him the Best Actor Award at Cannes in 1992. The same year Tim also tried his hands in direction making Bob Roberts, a mockumentary about a right-wing senatorial candidate.
As a Director: In 1999, he directed Cradle Will Rock, a Depression-era musical, an effort worth noticing, as it was a well made remake of original 1937 musical The Cradle Will Rock by Marc Blitzstein.
His first directorial venture to receive critical acclaim was Dead Man Walking, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Director.
Robert Redford
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Robert Redford who was once famous for playing blonde male stereotype characters in the 60s made his directorial debut with a movie, which was quite vivid and had a lasting impression – Ordinary People.
As an Actor: Robert Redford made his debut in acting with Sydney Pollack and Tom Skerritt, together in a long forgotten movie, War Hunt (1962). First few big movies to feature Redford in the mainstream were, Inside Daisy Clover (1965), This Property Is Condemned and The Chase. With
George Roy Hill’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid he broke his stereotype image and made him the most popular star in 70s. Redford earned an Oscar nomination for The Sting (1973).
As a Director: Robert made most startling directorial debut with Ordinary People and fulfilled his long harbored ambition to work magic behind the camera. The movie depicted powerful yet entertaining drama about a suburban family that disintegrates after a terrible accident. Robert gets full credit for instilling strength in each of the movies’ character. Post Ordinary People, his The Milagro Beanfield War and A River Runs Through It, both received significant critical acclamation. In 2000, Redford directed Will Smith in The Legend of Bagger Vance.
George Clooney
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George Clooney is well-known for venturing into riskier projects while behind the cameras, but quite a few times has won critical acclaim for his unconventional work.
As an actor: From Dusk Till Dawn was one of the major breakthrough in his acting career. Thereafter, rather success followed him with One Fine Day and The Peacemaker. The Perfect Storm and O Brother, Where Art Thou? got him all the stardom he enjoys today. In 2001 came Ocean’s Eleven, which is till date Clooney’s most commercially successful movie.
As a Director: Clooney’s directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, though it was not a box office success, but it won the critics. In 2005, in Good Night, and Good Luck, Clooney made a terrific adaptation of the famous war of words between 1950s television journalist Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy. The movie was a hit among audiences and critics alike. He won Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for the movie.
Richard Attenborough
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The Oscar winning director, Richard Attenborough flourished in acting and direction almost alike.
As an Actor: Richard really evolved great as an actor from playing cowards in many films like London Belongs to Me (1948), Morning Departure (1950) to giving a breakthrough performance playing psychopathic gangster in Brighton Rock (1947). He won Golden Globe Award for The Sand Pebble and subsequently for Doctor Dolittle.
As a Director: Though he couldn???t win any Academy award for acting, he did win an Oscar for best director for his movie Gandhi (1982). Before this, his directorial work came into prominence with Young Winston (1972) and A Bridge Too Far (1977). After Gandhi too he continued giving notable direction in movies like Chaplin (1992) starring Robert Downey, Jr. as Charlie Chaplin and Shadowlands (1993).
Warren Beatty
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Best noted for Bonnie and Clyde, which earned 10 Oscar nominations, Warren Beatty made an impressive transition to direction with Dick Tracy.
As an Actor: McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), The Parallax View (1974), Shampoo (1975), and Heaven Can Wait (1978, besides Bonnie and Clyde are some of the movies that made Warren Beatty a big box office drawer.
As a Director: His long research and filming experience led him to direct a masterpiece- Reds in 1981. This historical epic about the Communist journalist John Reed got Beatty multiple Oscar nominations in the Best Picture, Actor, Directing and Writing categories. Beatty continued similar fervor in his direction further too and once again earned an Oscar nomination for Directing for his film Heaven Can Wait (1978).
Tags: Actors, Directors, Actor-turned directors, George Clooney, Robert, Redford, Tim Robbins, Rob Reiner, Ron Howard, Clint Eastwood, Charlie Ch
