Gentlemen: Actors who were your Boyhood Heroes?

[JagFarlane]

I was born in 1981 though. Plus we only had 4 channels back then.

I also played outside a lot more.

Yup yup good ol 1981 [born then as well] And heh don't ask me bout this generation stuff...I hear different years a lot. Anyways...heh the giant robots did rule...as did GI Joe...but you bring up a point. Kids don't play outside nearly as much as they used to. My brother and I were outside nearly every afternoon, when it got dark it was time to come in, do homework, eat dinner, then watch a show as a family and go to bed.

 

[kiba]

audie murphy and of course the aforementioned jimmy stewart

 

[DesertPirate]

Jimmy Stewart did a lot more than act. I'm remembering his service in the Air Corps during WWII.

Don't forget, he stayed in the reserves and retired as a Brigadier General. A man that did his share and a few others.

 

[Gizzmotick]

MacGyver [played by Richard Dean Anderson]...lol almost forgot about him. -chuckles- I remember as a kid running around playing as if I were him...saving the world with off the wall gadgets made with just a swiss army knife.

MacGyver... Definately.

I also absolutely adore Sean Connery in The Hunt For Red October.

 

[JagFarlane]

MacGyver... Definately.

I also absolutely adore Sean Connery in The Hunt For Red October.

Love that movie...Sean did the character in the book justice

 

[DesertPirate]

Yup yup good ol 1981 [born then as well] And heh don't ask me bout this generation stuff...I hear different years a lot. Anyways...heh the giant robots did rule...as did GI Joe...but you bring up a point. Kids don't play outside nearly as much as they used to. My brother and I were outside nearly every afternoon, when it got dark it was time to come in, do homework, eat dinner, then watch a show as a family and go to bed.

My oldest daughter was born in 81
Her birthday was Monday

 

[JagFarlane]

My oldest daughter was born in 81
Her birthday was Monday

She cute and single? hehe sorry had to ask

 

[DesertPirate]

She cute and single? hehe sorry had to ask

Married, 3 kids

 

[JagFarlane]

Married, 3 kids

LOL ah well

 

[Weird Harold]

I know it seems like that's true, and to some extent you're right, but I think that's more to do with the movies than the actor. What I mean is, that while some one who grew up in the 50's might be a John Wayne fan, and someone in the 80's a fan of Bruce Willis, are the two really all that different? Bruce Willis makes a lot more snide comments than Wayne, but he's a similar hero. A tough loner, usually spare in what he has to say, putting himself in danger to help people who don't fully appreciate it, living by his own code, etc.

Yeah, Bruce Willis' and John Wayne's characters were similar in many superficial ways, but in other, fundamental, ways, they were worlds apart. Despite the employment of Bruce Willis' Die Hard character as a cop, he's an "anti-hero" more than a "hero" -- on the model of Clint Eastwood's Spaghetti Western and Dirty Harry characters.

The difference is less in the type of hero he's playing than in the movies he gets to be in and what he is required to do in them. A viewer of 80's movies, used to the ridiculous excesses of Bruce Willis movies, would find John Wayne movies quaint by compare, but he might not find John Wayne, himself, laughable.

I've run into examples of younger viewers' comparisons of Clint Eastwood and John Wayne in late night barracks bull sessions, but not comparisons of Bruce Willis and the Duke becaue Bruce was still best known for the decidedly non-heroic, toungue-in-cheek Moonlighting series when I quit hanging around late-night barracks bull sessions.

The comparisons then were often distinctly unfavorable to John Wayne as an actor and unfavorable to his characters as Heroes -- with the notable exception of True Grit, which was a relatively recent movie at the time. But the character, Rooster Cogburn, was not exactly "heroic," just likeable. This is from airmen roughly twenty years my juniors and late teenagers, not too far removed from your proposed character age.

Henry Fonda and Lee Marvin were two of John Wayne's contemporaries who held onto their "hero" status a bit better than the Duke with that particular viewr demographic -- Jimmy Stewart was a favorite with them, too, but more because he was still a general in the reserves than because of his heroic screen image.

So, I'm not really sure the era matters that much. Now, admiring an actor outside of his acting, that's another kettle of fish. But if we're talking about male, heroic types, then I think there are types that reoccur era after era. Otherwise they couldn't keep making Batman, Superman or Zorro movies over and over again.

Superman is somewhat of a special case, because he's the prototype for almost all Superheroes. Still there are distinct differences in the 1940's and 50's screen versions of Superman later versions of Superman.

Batman and Zorro are basically the same character, literarily speaking, but even there there are distinctive differences in the way they're presented on film from era to era.

Those archetypal heros get remade over and over again in part because they are archetypal (super)-heroes but each generation of film-makers and viewers have slightly different visions of those archetypes -- and re-interpret the characters to suit their visions.

Disney's version of Zorro from 50's television is a much different person with much purer principles than either George Hamilton's tongue-in-cheek 70's version or Antonio Banderas' darker 90's version -- (or the lusty spanish language soap opera version with close-captioned English subtitles that I catch every so often on Univision or Telemundo.)

 

[3113]

I've run into examples of younger viewers' comparisons of Clint Eastwood and John Wayne in late night barracks bull sessions, but not comparisons of Bruce Willis and the Duke becaue Bruce was still best known for the decidedly non-heroic, toungue-in-cheek Moonlighting series when I quit hanging around late-night barracks bull sessions.

The comparison with Wayne is what popped to mind as a general example. I didn't expect it to be taken so literally, but that's fine. We'll agree, Willis is more Eastwood than Wayne.

Superman is somewhat of a special case, because he's the prototype for almost all Superheroes. Still there are distinct differences in the 1940's and 50's screen versions of Superman later versions of Superman.

You're coming across as patronizing here, Harold. You really don't need to tell me this shit. I'm married to a man who's been reading Superman since he was 3 years old, and seen just about every Superman on screen available. I know there are differences.

Thing is, you're splitting hairs and missing my point. Which is, very simply: what goes around comes around and can be as popular in the present as it was in the past. Everything old is new again. 40's Superman may have been different from 50s Superman and from 70's Superman come to that, but he still flew, was still invulnerable, still had dorky Clark Kent as his alter ego, he was still on the side of of good and right, trying to save planet Earth, he still had a cape and an "S" on his chest, etc., and was still popular with kids. Hence, some of the same things that appealed to kids about Superman in the 40's appealed to kids in the 50's and in the 70's.

And that was the whole, entire point. Very simple. That there are differences is "Duh"--a no brainer. That they make no real difference to the essence of the character and what appeals, over and over again, to new audiences is the point. Ditto, I happen to humbly think, with certain essential elements that seem to be popular, such as the wise-cracking traits of loner rebels and cowboys, whether they be Clint Eastwood or Bruce Willis.

And do you really think it needs to be pointed out that Batman and Zorro are "basically the same character"? I mean...who doesn't know this? Especially since it's been part of the Batman mythology for years now to tip the hat to that similarity by having young Bruce Wayne and his parents leaving a theater showing Zorro when a robber guns down the parents.

In other words, yeah. I kinda knew that, too.

 

[Weird Harold]

You're coming across as patronizing here, Harold. You really don't need to tell me this shit. I'm married to a man who's been reading Superman since he was 3 years old, and seen just about every Superman on screen available. I know there are differences.

What I was trying to say was that Superman has a special kind of status because of people like your husband. Tinkering and reinterpreting that character has proven to be a sure disaster -- even the introduction of Kryptonite into that mythos was controversial among fans.

Everything old is new again. 40's Superman may have been different from 50s Superman and from 70's Superman come to that, but he still flew, was still invulnerable, still had dorky Clark Kent as his alter ego, he was still on the side of of good and right, trying to save planet Earth, he still had a cape and an "S" on his chest, etc., and was still popular with kids.

Superman is no longer invulnerable and Clark Kent has progressively gotten less "dorky" -- Superman HAS changed over the years (and even been killed off about once every decade) despite the outrage of dedicated fans.

And that was the whole, entire point. Very simple. That there are differences is "Duh"--a no brainer. That they make no real difference to the essence of the character and what appeals, over and over again, to new audiences is the point. Ditto, I happen to humbly think, with certain essential elements that seem to be popular, such as the wise-cracking traits of loner rebels and cowboys, whether they be Clint Eastwood or Bruce Willis.

In general, broad terms, Heroes haven't changed much since the days of Beowoulf or Odyseuss et al. But in the fine details that make the difference between 'Star' and 'Character Actor,' each generation has different points of emphasis.

What makes Eastwood and Willis best known roles 'anti-heroes' and what made Roy Rodgers and Hopalong Cassidy 'heroes' is a collection of minor differences in attitude and philosophy -- the nature of the wise cracks, for example.

 

[Belegon]

I grew up in the shadow of the anti-hero and Vietnam... my Dad is a Vietnam vet and I have clear memories of Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry and the other anti-heroes...

...then came Star Wars. I was eleven. I loved it. Then Superman starring Christopher Reeve the next year... then Raiders.

My movie heroes were Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Christopher Reeve. And Ford cemented the number one spot by being both Han Solo and Indiana Jones.

My other heroes were baseball and football players, like Dave Winfield and Dan Fouts. Or fictional characters like Aragorn and Faramir.

 

[patrick1]

then and now

Hi Will! Yes I' ve floated back to the surface. How is Perdita?

3113, I do feel there's a shift over time, a discontinuity. Some of this is self-conscious: fictional heroes are written and acted in the knowledge of previous heroes. And some of this comes from and through the changing times. Once-innocent heroes are now risible. Corruption is assumed to be endemic. Chandler's old prescription for the hero of the mean streets 'a man not himself mean' doesn't seem to me to apply nowadays. (I think though that you US-folks should recognize: for others in the world, this corrupting, mean-making process isn't centered on Vietnam, which is a very American obsession, but on other matters, though of course they're your movies and tv shows we mostly watch, so we recognize how you guys see it)

patrick, still writing too many subordinate clauses

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Gary Cooper, Gregory Peck, John S.Mosby, Robert. E.Lee

 

[NoJo]

When I was a kid there was a great spectrum of comicbook heroes for us boys, mainly from the Marvel stable (D.C. was desperately out of touch with the 60's zeitgeist by comparison):

At various times I wanted to be

Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. -- Tough, cigar-chewing eyepatched ex-army type, who nevertheless dressed predominantly in skin-tight rubber, and looked like a wank-fantasy by Tom of Finland. Drawn by the incomparable Jim Steranko.

Doctor Strange, Master of The Mystic Arts -- Interdimensional traveller, Kung-fu and Zen master (David Carradine was ten years later). Only Marvel hero to be shown with a sexual partner. Mature. He even had grey sideboards!

But, more than any Marvel hero, I have always, and will always, identify with
Totor, erstwhile Boy Scout, now turned Eco Warrior.

 

[mansome]

As far as Actors or Characters when I was a kid.... I use to think Mr. Rourke/Ricardo Mantalban was a hero giving everyone their dreams but with a price.......... Alan Alda/Hawkeye Pierce insanely funny but courageous and compassionate..... Eric Estrada/ Frank Poncharello because he always got the women and even looked cool on roller skates..........


can ya tell I was a kid of the 70's who loved television?

 

[JagFarlane]

As far as Actors or Characters when I was a kid.... I use to think Mr. Rourke/Ricardo Mantalban was a hero giving everyone their dreams but with a price.......... Alan Alda/Hawkeye Pierce insanely funny but courageous and compassionate..... Eric Estrada/ Frank Poncharello because he always got the women and even looked cool on roller skates..........


can ya tell I was a kid of the 70's who loved television?

Mmmm Hawkeye Pierce was just one of those characters... brilliant, easy to get close to, and you knew you could count on him to do his absolute best in his job. Alan Alda played him to perfection

 

[mansome]

Mmmm Hawkeye Pierce was just one of those characters... brilliant, easy to get close to, and you knew you could count on him to do his absolute best in his job. Alan Alda played him to perfection

well this thread is about who we looked up to when we were kids..... that's who I remember.. I'm sure I could say David Banner, Matt Dillon, and Uncle Jesse too...

*laugh*

 

[Boxlicker101]

Superman is somewhat of a special case, because he's the prototype for almost all Superheroes. Still there are distinct differences in the 1940's and 50's screen versions of Superman later versions of Superman.

Batman and Zorro are basically the same character, literarily speaking, but even there there are distinctive differences in the way they're presented on film from era to era.

Those archetypal heros get remade over and over again in part because they are archetypal (super)-heroes but each generation of film-makers and viewers have slightly different visions of those archetypes -- and re-interpret the characters to suit their visions.

Disney's version of Zorro from 50's television is a much different person with much purer principles than either George Hamilton's tongue-in-cheek 70's version or Antonio Banderas' darker 90's version -- (or the lusty spanish language soap opera version with close-captioned English subtitles that I catch every so often on Univision or Telemundo.)

Actually, I believe Superman was something of a ripoff or Captain Marvel. The two were quite similar, at least in terms of what their powers were.

 

[JagFarlane]

well this thread is about who we looked up to when we were kids..... that's who I remember.. I'm sure I could say David Banner, Matt Dillon, and Uncle Jesse too...

*laugh*

lol well as it turns out M*A*S*H was still much around during my time in the 80's so I did well get my fill of it, particularly since my parents were damned near addicted

 

[mansome]

lol well as it turns out M*A*S*H was still much around during my time in the 80's so I did well get my fill of it, particularly since my parents were damned near addicted

I remember living with my grandparents for 5 years in the 70's... my grandfather use to watch "Gunsmoke" reruns all the time......... So Matt Dillon was quite the Hero.. you know what I swear to god I think James Arness is still alive too.... *laugh*

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Damn! Even the Pirate is a young sprout by my standards. My youngest was born in '74.

M.A.S.H.? Sorry, but after the movie, the TV show never lived up to the "real thing".

 

[mansome]

Damn! Even the Pirate is a young sprout by my standards. My youngest was born in '74.

M.A.S.H.? Sorry, but after the movie, the TV show never lived up to the "real thing".

yeah.. it was only one of the most popular tv shows for 13 years......

didn't catch on too well....

 

[JagFarlane]

yeah.. it was only one of the most popular tv shows for 13 years......

didn't catch on too well....

LOL and FX didn't run repeats of it over and over in the late 90's