Your Pick for the All-time Most Famous Movie Character?

Still, the thread says "characters", not "humans".

 

Godzilla
James Bond
Charlie Chan
Scarlett O'Hara
Horace Debussy Jones (a/k/a) Sach from the Bowery Boys

 

Ah, of course. There are small villages in Mali where the inhabitants can name all 13 Bowery Boys.

 

I think it's James Bond, but Clint Eastwood's ''Man With No Name'' is not far behind, at least overseas IMO.

 

Y'know, I didn't put that much thought into it!

I guess I really thought of it in terms of feature film characters, but I can't really quibble with the inclusion of Mickey. Heck, he probably has more claim to fame as a "movie character" than Bond since Mickey started out as a film character, unlike Bond who came from books.

I agree that if we include animated/short film characters, Mickey clearly wins - and it's not even close.

To keep things more interesting, let's stick with FEATURE FILM characters the rest of the way. Animated characters are still fine, but they have to appear primarily in full-length movies, so no Donald Duck, Mickey or whoever.

Mickey's TOO good a pick - we need to make things more interesting!

 

I'm not sure it qualifies as a character but similar to Godzilla, King Kong is fairly iconic.

Aaron

 

I think it really all depends on the era in which you ask that question. For example in the early days of film you could have said Rudolph Valentino or Zasu Pitts and been right, but as the decades roll on, new personalties appear equal or greater in popularity to their predecessors. So the Chaplins and Mickey Mouses get pushed aside for the Bonds and the Rockys. But I will say it's definitely Chaplin. He has simply stood the test of time. 100 years after he appeared, people still recognize the little tramp. 100 years from now, people will probably say "What's a Terminator?"

Come to think of it, I say that now.

 

Michael Corleone or Darth Vader

 

James Bond -- though to some extent I feel as if there should be one face attached to this one character. (Obviously if we pick one it's Connery.)

Chaplin's tramp character.

Any of the principal characters from the original Star Wars -- Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Darth Vader, C-3PO, R2-D2, Obi-Wan Kenobi. They're all equally famous really.

Though the name "Rick Blaine" may not be so familiar to everyone -- I had to look up his last name! -- as an image, Bogart's character from Casablanca is certainly up there. Perhaps he belongs more in the "most famous movie actors" list though as an icon in general (alongside someone like Cary Grant, for whom you'd have trouble picking a specific character).

Norman Bates might be in the top 10.

Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler.

The Godfather -- Vito Corleone.

 

Another vote for James Bond with a close second of Darth Vader.

 

Also -- the Wicked Witch of the West.

 

Charles Foster Kane

 

Second mention of the witch, I would think her nemesis w/b more popular.

 

Well, any of the main characters of Wizard of Oz would be in a list of most iconic movie characters. I think the Witch is a more distinctive image than Dorothy, though.

 

I agree with James Bond, but I think Laurel & Hardy are certainly up there in recognition (even those under 20, who may not have seen their movies, know who they are).

 

If you were to calculate the degree of fame achieved within the individual's own time, Charlie Chaplin (who's fame was inseparatable from his 'Tramp' persona) is probably the most famous person to have ever lived.

All-time Most Famous Movie Character? I would agree that it's a toss-up between Chaplin's the Tramp, James Bond and Mickey Mouse.

 

I would guess Scarlett O'Hara.

 

Everyone knows Rambo even if they have never seen the movies. Same with Bond.

 

Are we talking about well known to OLD people or the population in general???


I dont think Mickey mouse counts as thats really a cartoon character and theme park mainstay. You might as well add popeye and bullwinkle..



Human actual characters
( in no particular order )

1. Terminator
2. James bond
3. Darth vader
4. Captain Kirk
5. Indiana jones
6. Rocky
7. Three stooges
8. Wicked witch

 

You must be kidding.......to people over 50 years old even MAYBE...to be most famous, everyone must know who it is, trust me...not many people under 35 even care about Gone with the wind

 

In GENERAL more popular, not just in nursing homes....


That means the overall population would know and recognize them....Trust me.....no kids I know even know what horace jones or charlie chan ARE, let alone have seen them.....

 

James Bond

close seconds Darth Vader and Indiana Jones (the Indy name is so strong that despite a 20 years gap between movies, "The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" was the 2nd most successful movie of 2008)

 

Actually, if we're talking world-wide famous, mute characters such as the Little Tramp and Harpo are much more well known because their comedy needs no translation. More people can watch, understand and appreciate a Chaplin routine than a Bond flick or Rambo shoot-em-up.

 

Dorothy
Scarecrow
Tinman
Toto
Wicked Witch of the West
Lion

Oh, now, come on! Who hasn't seen that movie?

edit: On second thoughts, I'll just put down The Munchkins and be done with it!

 

But Harpo's antics were always conjoined to the extremely verbal comedy of Groucho and Chico, which doesn't translate well at all. I've seen Horse Feathers with Japanese subs, and the subtitlers didn't even make an attempt at half of the jokes. Chaplin is probably much more famous internationally than the Marx Brothers; that's certainly the case in Japan and France.

No one's mentioned Superman yet. Yeah, there are also the TV shows, the cartoons, and of course the comic books. But a lot of people, especially in non-English-speaking areas, know him best from the feature films.