Do you ever feel like certain actors are in almost every Hollywood movie you watch? That might be because they are. Some of the most prolific actors in the film industry have been acting for decades, meaning they have been racking up their credits.
Here is a list of 21 actors in Hollywood who have been in the most movies.
Anthony Hopkins, 147 Acting Credits
Known for his famous performances in films like Silence of the Lambs (1991) and its sequel, Hannibal (2001), Hopkins has been acting since the 1960s, and at 86 years old, he is still accepting movie roles.
Harry Strang, 520 Acting Credits
Best known for playing authoritative figures, mainly in Westerns, such as lawmen and sheriffs, Harry Strang had an amazing acting career. Gunsmoke (1931) and The Lone Ranger Rides Again (1939) were the movies that put Strang on the map, and from here, he became one of Hollywood’s most notorious and prolific hard men.
Michael Caine, 177 Acting Credits
Michael Caine has been nominated for an Academy Award every decade for five consecutive decades. His first on-screen appearance was in Zulu in 1964, followed by Alfie in 1966; both were a roaring success and catapulted Caine into the world of Hollywood.
Ray Milland, 175 Acting Credits
With an acting career from 1929 to 1985, this man acted throughout his entire life. His most famous role was in The Last Weekend (1945), for which he also won an Oscar. Milland was known for numerous box office hits such as The Flying Scotsman (1929), The Thief (1952), and Dial M for Murder (1954).
Jackie Chan, 147 Acting Credits
With his first movie credit in 1962, Jackie Chan has been chopping up the film industry for a long time, with too many movie roles to mention.
Donald Sutherland, 199 Acting Credits
Donald Sutherland’s film career began with a role in the famous film The Dirty Dozen in 1967. The movie and Donald’s acting were both such a hit that he was offered the starring role in the hit TV show M*A*S*H in 1970. This turned out to be one of the most famous movies of the 1970s.
James Earl Jones, 189 Acting Credits
Best known for his role as Darth Vader, Earl Jones is considered one of the best actors in America. Some of his best performances were in Soul Man (1986) and Coming to America (1988), not to mention his role as Mufasa in The Lion King (2019).
Danny Glover, 202 Acting Credits
Best known for his roles in films like Lethal Weapon (1987) and Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple (1985), Danny Glover has been acting for 35 years straight.
Samuel L. Jackson, 205 Acting Credits
Samuel L. Jackson has appeared in almost 200 movies, and he’s still going strong. With an acting career spanning more than 50 years, there seems to be no stopping Jackson. Whether he’s fighting Snakes on a Plane (2006) or wearing a dodgy perm in Pulp Fiction (1994), it looks like Samuel L. Jackson is going to be on our screens for many years to come.
Christopher Lee, 288 Acting Credits
One of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, Christopher Lee, is famous for playing villainous roles such as Count Dracula (1958) and Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974). Lee went on to appear in blockbuster after blockbuster with roles in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), Lord of the Rings (2001), The Hobbit (2012), and Charlie in the Chocolate Factory (2005).
Gertrude Astor, 350 Acting Credits
A true star of stage and screen, Gertrude Astor epitomizes the very meaning of Hollywood glamour. She began her career in the 1910s mainly on stage but then transitioned to silent movies, making over 350 films in the early sound and silent era.
Susan Sarandon, 167 Acting Credits
Susan Sarandon is one of Hollywood’s most prolific leading female actresses. She began her career in 1970 with a movie called Joe, followed by The Rocky Horror Picture Show in 1975. Susan has not stopped acting since she started and has entertained us all in famous movies like Thema & Louise (1991) and The Witches of Eastwick (1987).
Robert Loggia, 234 Acting Credits
Born in the 1930s, Robert Loggia had a prolific acting career across film, TV, and stage. He had notable performances in movies such as Big (1989) and starred in famous films like Scarface (1983), Jagged Edge (1985), and Independence Day (1996). More recently, he even had a role in the Sopranos.
James Hong, 456 Acting Credits
Famous for his roles in Big Trouble Little China (1986), Blade Runner (1982), and Kung Fu Panda (2008), Hong has also been starring in hit TV shows like Perry Mason (1963) and Bonanza (1960) since the 1950s.
Ward Bond, 278 Acting Credits
Famous for his roles within the Western genre, Ward was known for his performances as cowboys, lawmen, military officers, and general authoritative figures. Ward was recognizable for his commanding presence on screen and appeared in many TV and big-screen films, such as The Searchers (1956), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), and Stagecoach (1939).
Louis Gossett Jr., 209 Acting Credits
Gossett Jr.’s big break came in the famous 1982 movie, An Officer and a Gentleman, and his performance earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. This was groundbreaking, as Gossett Jr. was the first African-American man to win in the category. Since then he’s been unstoppable.
Michael Ironside, 285 Acting Credits
Michael Ironside has been a regular feature on our TV and film screens for decades. Some of his most famous performances include Scanner (1981), Total Recall (1990), Starship Troopers (1997), Top Gun (1986), and The Machinist (2004). Ironside appeared in 6 projects in 2023, so his acting career is still going strong.
Mickey Rooney, 344 Acting Credits
Mickey Rooney was one of MGM’s biggest and most celebrated stars, a true icon of Hollywood. Would you believe that Rooney began his career as a child actor in the 1920s in silent movies? Some of his most famous roles were in It’s a Mad Mad World (1963), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), and more recently, Night at the Museum (2006).
Bess Flowers, 1045 Acting Credits
Regarded as the Queen of Hollywood Extras, Bess Flowers became notorious for playing numerous background and extra parts throughout her prolific acting career, which spanned the 1920s and 1950s.
Eric Roberts, 725 Acting Credits
The older brother of Julia Roberts, and father of the up-and-coming Emma Roberts, Eric Roberts has been treading the boards for quite some time. His first role was in 1978 in the film King of the Gypsies. Since then, Roberts has appeared in numerous big hits, including The Dark Knight (2008) and The Expendables (2010).
Danny Trejo, 438 Acting Credits
Danny Trejo spent much of his youth in jail; born in L.A, the Mexican actor has an edgy look that is favorited by Directors such as Robert Rodriguez, who has cast Trejo in numerous films playing criminal and villainous roles such as Desperado (1995), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), and Machete (2010).
