Charles Napier

The celluloid life of actor Charles Napier is an interesting one. It's not every actor that can say they started out in the films of Russ Meyer sharing the screen with many of his big busted regulars and ending up with a Hollywood career. In fact, he's the only actor that can say that.

He's already famous to anyone familiar with the work of Russ Meyer, from the title role in Cherry, Harry and Raquel to Baxter Wolfe in Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Charles Napier had an interesting look and an anything goes attitude that eventually caught the eye of Hollywood. And even though main stream audiences don't know his name, they too have noticed his work in everything from The Blues Brothers to Silence of the Lambs.

Often cast as the cop, sleazy villain or the over zealous military man, Charles Napier owned every role he played while taking stereo typical characters and making them fun and original. And while his performances were never Oscar caliber they were memorable in their own way.

Sadly, on October 5, 2011, Charles Napier passed away at the age of 75. His career went from underground star to Hollywood supporting actor to television, and in the end, straight to video movies, taking his career not only full circle, but full of life as well.

Thomas Jefferson Byrd

Some of the best actors past and present are ones that not only don't look like actors, but instead resemble a person that's lived life, not performed it. Thomas Jefferson Byrd is one of those types.

He is an actor, though, and a very good one at that. A Tony nomination for his role in the Broadway revival of August Wilson's, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom proved that he is respected among his theatre peers, while remaining invisible to the average movie goer.

One of the reasons for this is that many of his roles have been supporting the supporting actor in such films as Clockers, Set It Off, Bulworth and Ray, just to name a few. Spike Lee has given him his best roles in the ensemble drama, Get On The Bus and the brilliant satire Bamboozled, but those films played at art houses and sadly, the big movie crowds missed his wonderful work.

Thomas Jefferson Byrd continues to work in movies today and while he will most likely never become a household name, his crucial roles in smaller budget films has made him a true working actor and a very good one at that.

ADDENDUM

Thomas Jefferson Byrd was murdered in Atlanta on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Sadly, it's his death that will most likely give him more fame than his career. He was a wonderful actor that deserved more recognition. His work, though, will live on in the films he was in.

Jessica Walter

Younger audiences will recognize Jessica Walter as Lucille Bluth from the short-lived, but very popular television comedy Arrested Development. Few realize, though, how close she came to super stardom back in 1971 co-staring with Clint Eastwood in his directorial debut, Play Misty For Me.

Her performance as the obsessively dangerous fan not only set the stage for Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, but also gave Jessica Walter a much deserved Golden Globe nomination.

Her career to that point had been guest starring roles in television with an outstanding performance as Lorna Richmond in the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode, The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow. After Play Misty For Me, one would have thought that the motion picture industry would be calling, but instead she landed back on television guest starring in everything from Mannix to Joanie Loves Chachi. Today she's still doing wonderful work in television as the voice of Mallory Archer in the hit animated show Archer.

As to why she wasn't offered more quality roles in movies after Play Misty For Me, one can only speculate. Could it be because her frightening performance was so ahead its time that narrow minded Hollywood didn't have the imagination or courage to consider her for other films? We will never know. The only thing for sure is that Jessica Walter is Not Very Famous...but should be.

ADDENDUM

Jessica Walter passed away on Wednesday, March 24, 2021. She was a true working actress, giving her best in every role she played. This fine performer will be missed.