They're ranked in order of number of nominated characters, but since quality matters more than quantity, which of these actors or actress, in your opinion, deserves the title of most iconic American Cinema's actor of the last century?
In bold letters, the characters who made the AFI's Top 100 list.
Captain Nathan Brittles (Hero) in SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn (Hero) in TRUE GRIT Davy Crockett (Hero) in THE ALAMO Tom Doniphon (Hero) in THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE The Ringo Kid (Hero) in STAGECOACH Sgt. John M. Stryker (Hero) in SANDS OF IWO JIMA Ethan Edwards (Hero) in THE SEARCHERS
Henry "Lou" Gehrig (Hero) in THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES Michael "Beau" Geste (Hero) in BEAU GESTE Will Kane (Hero) in HIGH NOON The Virginian (Hero) in THE VIRGINIAN John Willoughby (Hero) in MEET JOHN DOE Alvin C. York (Hero) in SERGEANT YORK
Lt. Colonel Daniel Kiley (Hero) in BATTLE OF THE BULGE Abraham Lincoln (Hero) in Young Mr. Lincoln Wyatt Earp (Hero) in MY DARLING CLEMENTINE Frank (Villain) in ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST Tom Joad (Hero) in THE GRAPES OF WRATH Juror #8 (Mr. Davis) (Hero) in 12 ANGRY MEN
John Book (Hero) in WITNESS Rick Deckard (Hero) in BLADE RUNNER Han Solo (Hero) in STAR WARS Indiana Jones (Hero) in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK Dr. Richard Kimble (Hero) in THE FUGITIVE Jack Ryan (Hero) in PATRIOT GAMES
Rick Blaine (Hero) in CASABLANCA Fred C. Dobbs (Villain) in THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE Duke Mantee (Villain) in THE PETRIFIED FOREST Philip Marlowe (Hero) in THE BIG SLEEP Lt. Commander Philip Francis Queeg (Villain) in THE CAINE MUTINY
J.J. "Jake" Gittes (Hero) in CHINATOWN Colonel Nathan R. Jessep (Villain) in A FEW GOOD MEN The Joker (Villain) in BATMAN Randle Patrick McMurphy (Hero) in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO's NEST Jack Torrance (Villain) in THE SHINING
Atticus Finch (Hero) in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Phil Green (Hero) in GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT General Douglas MacArthur (Hero) in MACARTHUR Dr. Josef Mengele (Villain) in THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL Brig. General Frank Savage (Hero) in TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH
George Bailey (Hero) in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE Thomas J. Destry, Jr. (Hero) in DESTRY RIDES AGAIN L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries (Hero) in REAR WINDOW Jefferson Smith (Hero) in MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON
Leslie Crosbie (Villain) in THE LETTER Regina Giddens (Villain) in THE LITTLE FOXES "Baby" Jane Hudson (Villain) in WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? Julie Marsden (Hero) in JEZEBEL
James Allen (Hero) in I AM FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG Tony Camonte (Villain) in SCARFACE: THE SHAME OF A NATION Louis Pasteur (Hero) in THE STORY OF LOUIS PASTEUR Emile Zola (Malcolm Little) (Hero) in THE LIFE OF EMILE ZOLA
Vito Corleone (Villain) in THE GODFATHER Stanley Kowalski (Villain) in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Colonel Walter E. Kurtz (Villain) in APOCALYPSE NOW Terry Malloy (Hero) in ON THE WATERFRONT
Judah Ben-Hur (Hero) in BEN-HUR Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (Hero) in EL CID Moses (Hero) in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Colonel George Taylor (Hero) in PLANET OF THE APES
Sheriff "Little Bill" Dagget (Villain) in UNFORGIVEN Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Hero) in THE FRENCH CONNECTION Lex Luthor (Villain) in SUPERMAN Reverend Frank Scott (Hero) in THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE
Clyde Barrow (Villain) in BONNIE AND CLYDE Joseph Frady (Hero) in THE PARALLAX VIEW Bugsy Siegel (Villain) in BUSGY Dick Tracy (Hero) in DICK TRACY
Andrew Beckett (Hero) in PHILADELPHIA Forrest Gump (Hero) in FORREST GUMP Jim Lovell (Hero) in APOLLO 13 Captain John H. Miller (Hero) in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
