Elsa is beside herself and so are we. It is bittersweet to see the last day arrive for our 4th annual WHAT A CHARACTER! Blogathon. We’ve come to realize you love this blogathon as much as we do. With good reason- why not celebrate those fun, quirky character actors that take those small roles and steal every scene? So here we have arrived to the third and final day to honor character actors of new and old.

Let’s kick it off with…

LOUISE BEAVERS, who according to GIRLS DO FILM, “imbued each role with subtlety and a certain dignity, forcing audiences to acknowledge her characters despite the stereotype.” A must-read on that character actor you may not know the name, but you undoubtedly know her.

MOVIE CLASSICS unravels the mystery behind the allusive “unnamed old woman” who starred on stage and over 70 films, ZEFFIE TILBURY. A fascinating read!

SHADOWS AND SATIN adds WILLIAM CONRAD into her month-long Noirvember event with a profile on the prolific star of radio and TV but as she scribes, “he should also be honored for the versatility that allowed him to wear the hats of producer, director, executive, and one of the greatest screen heavies of film noir.”

MOVIE FAN FARE! brings us a delightful look at MARIA OUSPENSKAYA: (Screen) Life Begins at 60, “whose passion for acting took her from the remotest regions of her native Russia to the Broadway stage and the highest accolades of Hollywood.” Talk about a true character.

CRITICA RETRO educates us on the great Brazilian character actor WILSON GREY who “is proof that it does not take the protagonist to be memorable – and leave their mark forever in the history of cinema.”

IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD goes deep with a tribute to the legendary ETHEL BARRYMORE: A PROMINENT STAPLE OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY who is “remembered as one of the brightest stars to ever have her presence grace the stage and screen.” We couldn’t agree more.

SMITTEN KITTEN VINTAGE takes a peek at the hilarious JOE E. BROWN who as Rhonda points out, “will always be remembered for his giant smile and his comedic timing. I will remember him as a man who could make me laugh by just being himself.”

WAC co-hostess with the most-ess Aurora of ONCE UPON A SCREEN provides us with fantastic insight on THE ROTUND and GRAVEL VOICED OL RELIABLE EUGENE PALLETTE . As she astutely observes, “the admiration for Pallette is warranted as his rotund frame and gravel-voiced delivery will reliably continue to entertain for as long as we have classic movies to enjoy.”

I SEE A DARK THEATER provides a insight into THE MARVELOUS MARSHA HUNT who has… “always been a fighter. In fact, she continues to be one to this day with the signature elegance and humility she’s possessed for the past 98 years.”

BLOG OF THE DARNED presents “When You Have To Shoot, Shoot, Don’t Talk- What a Character Blogathon: ELI WALLACH.” As he puts it, “I think that is the sign of really great actor, he makes whatever he’s in that much better. Old or young, that’s what Eli Wallach did.”

HOMETOWNS TO HOLLYWOOD gives us a career perspective on a character actor favorite… the beautiful, funny and sometimes troubled life of UNA MERKEL 

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I urge you to check back here throughout the day as more terrific posts come tumbling in. I will update as they come in.

*announcement post

*day one posts

*day two posts

In the meantime…

On behalf of my fellow co-hosts Aurora of Once Upon A Screen, Paula of Paula’s Cinema Club, and myself- we THANK YOU for joining in, reading on and celebrating with us this love and appreciation of those fabulous character actors!