My Top 14: Entertainers Who Are 80+

When I heard the news about Shirley Temple Black passing away recently, I began to think about other celebrities who are, well, um, you know... old. And because I love lists, I decided to make a list of entertainers/celebrities who are over 80, who are still with us. (So, obviously, not Shirley Temple Black. R.I.P.)

I started making this list on February 11th, 2014, and on February 12th, one of the people on it died.*

Yeeaahh.

DISCLAIMERS: If any of the following people die within the next few days or weeks, I didn't have anything to do with it. It was just an unlucky coincidence.

And about the rankings -- the numbers below are no reflection on how "important" I think the person is, or how good an entertainer they are, or anything beyond this: They mean something to me. So don't hurt me. Let's do this.

Note: Last updated 11/29/24.

MY TOP 14: ENTERTAINERS WHO ARE 80+

14.
Maureen O'Hara
Actress
b. 1920
(October, 2015: Escaped from the trappings of this mortal coil at age 95) 

One of my favorite movies as a kid was The Parent Trap, in which Maureen played the mom. She was so beautiful. Others may remember her from Miracle On 34th Street, McLintock!, or How Green Was My Valley. Maureen disappeared from the acting scene for nearly twenty years, but made a minor comeback in the 90s, including a starring role in the much-acclaimed TV-movie The Christmas Box, in which she plays an old lady who helps a young dad figure out what's important in life. 

13.
Betty White
Actress
b. 1922

(December, 2021: Had the last laugh at age 99)



Known for her many TV roles, Betty White has been stealing scenes and splitting sides since the 40's. Still going strong as of this writing, Betty recently starred on the TV series Hot In Cleveland, but is probably best known for playing Rose on Golden Girls. But I hardly ever watched Golden Girls. I know, I know... but I was just a kid when it was on. Still, I've seen her in other things over the years, including her hilarious turn on Community in 2010. Also, she's an advocate for animals, so I gotta love her for that!

12.
Debbie Reynolds
Actress
b. 1932
(December, 2016: Sang her swan song at age 84)

From Singin' In The Rain (1952) to In & Out (1997) and beyond, Debbie has been a force of high-spirited entertainment for more than 60 years. She voiced Charlotte in the 1970s cartoon classic Charlotte's Web, which I grew up on (of course, not having any idea at the time that she was famous.) Reading up on her years later, I learned she was married to Eddie Fisher (they had daugher Carrie, aka Princess Leia, in 1956) but that he left her for Elizabeth Taylor, citing true love (ha!). Well, who cares about them, you're the only one making this list, Debbie! (I know you care.)

11.
James Hong
Actor
b. 1929



James Hong may be the go-to guy any time any movie or TV show needs an older Asian dude, but it's for a good reason -- he's super good at what he does. James came to my attention appearing on many of my favorite TV shows over the years, including The Pretender, Lois & Clark, The Adventures Of Brisco County Jr., Friends... and only about a hundred others since 1955! He's even spry enough to still attend fan conventions -- I saw him last year at Wizard World in Portland. Not just a "hey, it's that guy!" anymore, James Hong is now a (somewhat underrated) Hollywood legend.


10.
Nancy Olson
Actress
b. 1928



When I was a kid, if you appeared in one kids' movie, you were just all right. But if you appeared in two, you were officially awesome. And Nancy Olson was in both Pollyanna and The Absent-Minded Professor, so, of course, I thought she was the cat's pajamas. One of the last surviving actresses from Pollyanna, Nancy earns a place on my list for being an icon from my childhood. (Which is not to say I don't still watch Pollyanna often, because I totally do.)


9.
John Williams
Composer
b. 1932

Superman, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Hook.

Yes, Hook.

John Williams is one of the most well-known film composers in the world, and even though some people will argue that he tends to re-use his own music, I challenge you to find a prolific composer who doesn't. Besides, even though I may slightly prefer the work of James Newton Howard and Alan Silvestri overall, I can't deny that John Williams' work is the most recognizable of any composer currently working today. (Plus, neither of them is over 80, so...)


8. James Tolkan
Actor
b. 1931



So, first of all: Mr. Strickland. I loved Back to the Future growing up, and heck, I still love it, and you can't help but love Mr. Strickland. Appearing in all three films in the franchise (in the third, as Mr. Strickland's ancestor, Marshal Strickland), James Tolkan/Mr. Strickland reminded us that we, no matter what we do, are slackers.

A dozen years later, James showed up on The Pretender, which had become one of my favorite shows. The double-length episode he appeared in would, coincidentally, become one of my favorite episodes. And so Mr. Strickland, uh, I mean James Tolkan, goes down in my book as being immensely cool.


7.
Dick Van Patten
Actor
b. 1928
(June, 2015: Decided 86 was enough)



I never watched Eight Is Enough (on which Dick Van Patten played the dad), but growing up, I knew of him from his small role in Freaky Friday and from his guest appearence on Lois & Clark in 1994. A few years ago, when I found out he'd written a book (Eighty Is Not Enough) I checked it out and really enjoyed it. The man has led a fascinating life, and he seems genuine and sweet.


6.
Sean Connery
Actor
b. 1930

(October, 2020: Broke away from the bonds of mortality at age 90) 



Sean Connery may be retired now, but his past speaks for itself: James Bond. Indiana Jones's dad. Surprise cameos in Kevin Costner movies that send me through the roof. And that accent! It's beautiful. He's awesome. Long live Sean Connery.


5.
 James Earl Jones
Actor
b. 1931 (September, 2024: Completed his circle of life at age 93)



James Earl Jones and Sean Connery could have a badassery contest, and I really don't know who'd win. But let's talk about James. The man's career has spanned television, film, stage, and, of course, voiceover work (he's both Darth Vader and Mufasa (Darthfasa!)) Other JEJ credits include The Sandlot, Field Of Dreams, and at least five episodes of Mathnet. And if you don't know what Mathnet is, just... go.


4.
  Angela Lansbury
Actress
b. 1925

(October 2022: Took her final ride through the sky at age 96)



All right, so I love Beauty and the Beast, and Angela having played Mrs. Potts, well, she automatically gets a spot on this list. But I was well aware of Angela Lansbury growing up, sitting in on the old folks' viewings of Murder, She Wrote and catching her in Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I, personally, would love to sit down and chat with Angela Lansbury over a spot of tea.


3.
Dick Van Dyke
Actor
b. 1925

Dick Van Dyke first came to my attention playing Bert in Mary Poppins. Some years later, my parents & I watched him on his long-running TV series Diagnosis Murder. (They probably remembered  him from The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-66)). With his long career of being funny and charming, I can't help but hope that my favorite chimney sweep/sidewalk-chalk artist/kite seller/mystery-solving doctor never goes away.


2.
Alan Young
Actor
b. 1919
(May, 2016: Went to that big money bin in the sky at age 96)



Mr. Ed was before my time, but DuckTales (in which Alan voiced Scrooge McDuck) came at exactly the right time for me to appreciate Mr. Young's talent. I also grew up watching Mickey's Christmas Carol and have seen The Time Machine several times. A few years ago, I found out he'd written a memoir, Mr. Ed and Me (later updated to Mr. Ed and Me and More), which I read, and which I loved. Like Dick Van Patten, Alan's memoir is interesting and funny and just a great read. He's written another book about show business, too, which I'm about to read. And perhaps the coolest thing of all? He voiced Scrooge McDuck in last year's video game DuckTales: Remastered! (Which I totally bought, you know I did.) And you know that adorable Scottish accent? He's still got it.

1.
  Beverly Cleary
Author
b. 1916

(March, 2021: Closed her final chapter at age 104)



Oh my freaking goodness, if this woman ever dies, I'm going to cry my eyes out. (ETA: WAHHH.) Even though she hasn't written anything in years, her past work is more than enough to put her at #1.

Reasons I Love Beverly Cleary

1. Ramona Quimby
First appearing as a minor (but hilariously naughty) character in the Henry Huggins books, Ramona soon branched out into a series of her own, and became one of the most relatable, sympathetic heroines in kid literature. She had fears -- of the usual things like dogs and the dark, but also of deeper things, like her parents' happiness and whether or not anyone loved her. She struggled to understand the adults in her life and often found things confusing and unfair. She was every kid, put into typewritten form.

2. Leigh Botts
Beverly Cleary won the Newbery Award for Dear Mr. Henshaw in the 80's, and for good reason -- it is excellent. So is its lesser-known sequel, Strider. Cleary captures the trials and angst of a boy who, over the course of the two books, goes from being a naive little kid, writing to his favorite author, to navigating high school and the world of girls.

3. A Girl From Yamhill and My Own Two Feet
Beverly Cleary's two memoirs are so vibrant, so compelling, so wonderful, that I've read them both multiple times. She was born in rural Oregon at the tail end of World War I. Later, her family moved to the suburbs, where they managed to make ends meet during the depression. In the second book, Beverly is off to college, then taking her first job, and meeting her future husband. Never dull, full of lively descriptions, and teeming with interesting glimpses into the lives of those in the early 20th century, these two memoirs show us that Mrs. Cleary wasn't just a children's book writer. She was a writer.

* * * * * * *

So that's my Top 14. You're probably thinking, hey, what about ---? Well, here's a list of some other people who are also 80+ and cool:

Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
Richard Sherman (1928-2024)
Fyvush Finkel (1922-2016)
Roy Dotrice (1923-2017)
 Ivy Bethune (1918-2019)
Al Molinaro (1919-2015)
Carol Channing (1921-2019)
Cloris Leachman (1926-2021)
Eva Marie Saint (1924-)
Lauren Bacall (1924-2014)
Ruby Dee (1922-2014)
June Lockhart (1925-)
Richard Erdman (1925-2019)
Katherine Helmond (1929-2019)
June Foray (1917-2017)
Ellen Albertini Dow (1913-2015)
Barbara Hale (1922-2017)
Robert Duvall (1931-)
William Goldman (1931-2018)
  James Garner (1928-2014)
Kirk Douglas (1916-)
Noel Neill (1920-2016)
Ed Asner (1929-2021)
Jerry Hardin (1929-)
Glynis Johns (1923-2024)
Florence Henderson (1934-2016)
Christopher Plummer (1929-)

Marsha Hunt (1917-2022)

Jean Marsh, Maggie Smith & Judi Dench were all 79 when I made this list.

*I started this list on February 11th, 2014, and before I could publish it, my original #13, Sid Caesar, died. :(

There's A Trope For That: Week of September 16th

This week's trope: Franchise Driven Retitling

"Sometimes people come up with a name that is perfectly reasonable for a work but is not reasonable for a franchise and with a new franchise being built, they have to go back and rename the work for all future promotional materials.

This can often come about because the title of the first work depends heavily on an element in that work but not in the others. Possibly, the executives have chosen a theme to market and name the series (such as the lead character's name) and the early installment is the odd man out.

Naturally this can be happening when you have a first work that nobody was sure was going to be popular and so they didn't think of a franchise when naming it. It can also happen during an adaptation process- book series often also only pick up a series name much further down the line, often unofficially, and often don't bother with this process. When they come to being adapted to another medium, somebody will have plans for a franchise but not a name."

---

I don't care if studios want to re-title their movies and franchises, but here's the thing... I will never be able to call an established movie by its "new" name. My brain just doesn't work that way. It's bad enough I have to get used to my friends having new last names when they marry. Half the time I write their maiden name on Christmas cards by mistake. I don't need any of this "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" stuff. How many words are in that title? TOO MANY! As far as I'm concerned, the Indiana Jones movie titles are as follows:

1. Raiders

2. Temple

3. Last Crusade

4. The one with the refrigerator

True Indy fans will know what you're referring to. And really, that's all that matters.

There's A Trope For That - Week of March 4

This week's trope: The Smurfette Principle

"The Smurfette Principle is the tendency for works of fiction to have exactly one female amongst an ensemble of male characters, in spite of the fact that roughly half of the human race is female. Unless a show is purposefully aimed at a female viewing audience, the main characters will tend to be disproportionately male. 

In many series, men will have various different personalities, but women will always be The Chick. Thus, by the Law of Conservation of Detail , you only need one."

Even as a little kid, I noticed this happening in a lot of the shows I watched. 

The Muppet Show: 

Males: Kermit, Fozzy, Rowlf, Animal, Gonzo, Skeeter, Waldorf and Statler, Swedish Chef, Beaker, Bunson

Female: Miss Piggy*

MASH:

(yeah I watched MASH!)

Males: Hawkeye, Klinger, B.J. Hunnicut, Major Winchester, Father Francis, Colonel Potter, Radar

Female: Hotlips Houlihan*

Ducktales:

Males: Scrooge, Launch Pad, Gyro, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Duckworth, The Beagle Boys, Flinthart Glomgold; later, Bubba and Fenton/Gizmoduck.

Females: Mrs. Beakley and Webbigail; Ma Beagle and Magica DeSpell occasionally.

But where was I? Oh yeah. So it never really bothered me. Having just one regular female on the show meant that that person was special. Translation: girls are special and awesome. They are SO awesome that if there was any more than one per show, the TV set would... um... explode, I guess.

Of course, there were exceptions. The Cosby Show was female-heavy, at least until Martin and Elvin joined the cast, evening things up a bit. Then, Martin also brought with him Olivia, so at that point the main cast included four males (Cliff, Theo, Martin, Elvin) and six females (Clair, Sondra, Denise, Vanessa, Rudy, Olivia). 4:6... not too bad of a ratio, there.
 

-MORE EXAMPLIFYING-

As a teenager, my favorite show, Lois & Clark, went crazily male-centric at the end of the first season after Tracy Scoggins (Cat) left the show. Lois, the lone female, was surrounded by Clark, Perry, Jimmy, Jack, and Lex Luthor (count: 1 female, 5 males.) By the beginning of season 2, Jack and Lex were gone, but that still left things at 3:1, and adding Clark's parents to the mix (they appeared in roughly 59% of the episodes) still put it at 4:2. And that's if you don't count Superman as an additional character, but then, why should we? All it is is a costume. Right? RIGHT?

Another favorite, The Pretender, had Jarod, Sydney, Broots, Mr. Raines, Mr. Parker and Mr. Lyle vs. Miss Parker (whose very presence, granted, was equivalent to several members of humankind) and occasionally the awful Brigitte. 6:2. I guess you could count Miss Parker's mother as another female, but then why not also count Angelo? Or Jacob? Or Sam the Sweeper? Or DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I'M EVEN TALKING ABOUT, no you probably do not, I am totally talking to myself, here.

SO ANYWAY!

Let's examine my current favorite shows for male/female proportionality!

Community: It was pretty even... four males, three females... until Chang and the Dean joined the regular cast; now it's 6:3.

Downton Abbey: Ha, I jest, this one is swarming with females. Lord Grantham's got all daughters. Plus a wife. Plus a mother. Plus there's Matthew's mother. And a slew of maids and things.

Oh crap! I just realized most of my favorite movies are male-heavy! (I don't know why I'm saying oh crap. I think I've already said I don't care if males outnumber the ladies. BUT ANYWAY...)

Beauty and the Beast

Males: Beast, Gaston, LeFou, Maurice, Cogsworth, Lumiere, Chip, Philippe, Monsieur D'Arque (Total: 9)

Females: Belle, Mrs. Potts, the wardrobe with six lines, the featherduster? I guess? (Total: 4, and that's being generous.)

Back to the Future

Males: Marty, Doc, Dave, George, Biff/Griff/Buford/Whoever, Biff's 3 cronies, Strickland (Total: 9)

Females: Lorraine, Clara (arguably a strong character, but only in the third film), Linda, and Jennifer, who is parked on a porch swing and left to rot for a movie & a half. (Total: 3.56)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Males: Indy, Henry, Salla, Marcus, Walter Donovan, the Nazi general, the grail knight, Kazim (Total: 8)

Females: Elsa. And, um, well the only others I can remember appearing in the movie at all are the Nazi who yells "alarm!" at the castle and the random extra who holds up her ticket on the zeppelin. (Total: 1.002)

Dang, that may be the worst one yet!

 In conclusion, NONE OF THIS MATTERS ONE IOTA, and goodnight.

*Yes, I know there were a few minor female characters who sometimes showed up and were all "hi, other female here," but let's face it, nobody cares about them.

Films... OF THE FYUTCHAH!

Good evening, friends and countrymen. It kind of seems like every other post on here is about Movies I'm Looking Forward To (But Possibly Dreading Also).  Last year we had Ramona, Robin Hood, and... um... stuff.  Oh yeah, and Tangled.  And they all turned out all right.

As of today, I am looking forward to:

Batman 3: (aka The Dark Knight Rises)

Dear Christopher Nolan,
I know you have this thing about using actors you've used before.  I mean, Inception was a carnivale of Batman Begins actors, yes, har har, I get it.  And I see Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Thomas Hardy have already been cast in Batman 3.  But please, for the love of all things good, do not cast E. Page.  Not as Poison Ivy, not as Batgirl, not as anything.  I had a hard enough time sitting through Katie Holmes in the first one.  The trend of casting whiny, sarcastic thespians must end!  THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!
Thank you,
Me


Superman Reboots: (aka Superman: The Man Of Steel)
Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent!?!
(*ahem*)
Kehhh-vin Costner
Kehhh-vin Costner
Kevincostner
Kevincostner
Ke-vi-ihn Cost-NER!
I'm going to be so ticked if they change that.  So ticked.


Indiana Jones 5
Well, I'm torn on this one.  On one hand, I'd love for there to be this totally kickass 5th movie that would make everyone forget the 4th one even existed.  And I love Indy merchandise, so bring it on.  BUT... maybe they should just stop, because... yeah, really, they should just stop.


Tiger Eyes
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1748260/
Dude, I knew they were going to make this some time, but I had no idea it was already DONE!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!  I'm so excited. I wish I knew when it was coming out.  AUGH! *dies*


Harry Potter 7b (aka Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II)
Must find out how it ends, of course.
Will, or will not, Daniel Radcliffe don a mustache and play his "older self"? I MUST KNOW.
But then it will all be over and I will be sad.



And... I think that may be all.  For now.

indiana jones and the adventures of the holy sippy cup

I love Rifftrax, and I love Indiana Jones (well, Last Crusade, at least. Okay, the others are all right. Except for... oh, nevermind.)  So when the folks at Riffrax decided to run a contest for a remixed riff of... well, something, I decided to bask in the awesomeness that IS the "finding the grail" scene.  Once I had picked out the scene, I had to extract Riffs from various... uh, tracks... which meant I had to listen to them first, to decide what bits of audio would work for my project.  I ended up listening (or, in most cases, re-listening) to the audio tracks for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Titanic, Spider-Man, The Dark Knight, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Twilight, 300, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Heroes: Episode 1-2, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  All within the span of about 10 days.  Even after all that, I still didn't feel like I had enough, so I downloaded The Sixth Sense and Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and listened to those as well.  I'm not saying I'm not psychotic.  I'm just asking you not to judge.  I mean, it was for a contest, okay?  I could win.  Not that I even care anymore, now that my frain is bried.

Oh yeah, here's the video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7n2zKeQBYc
Enjoy, please.

10 Movie Characters I've Got A Crush On

Come on, admit it, at some point you, too, have crushed on a movie character.  Am I right?  Sitting there in the theater, eating your overpriced popcorn, you've nearly fallen out of your seat because suddenly there appears the most gorgeous, adorable, perfect character you've ever seen.  Right there in front of you.  Thirty feet tall.  Tall and beautiful.

And alas, they're not real.

And that hurts.

Thank goodness for DVD players and the ability to watch those movies over and over again.  And in the darkness of your own living room, you can close your eyes... and pretend....

Here are my top ten movie crushes, in no particular order...

1. Louis Connelly, August Rush

If you can, in fact, remove your jaw from the floor after witnessing any scene which involves Jonathan Rhys Meyers, you perhaps can then take the time to appreciate how absolutely adorable his character is.  Louis is a musician who meets The One.  When he loses her through circumstances beyond his control, he crashes.  But when he decides he's going to go out and find her, hope -- and music -- comes back into his life, and he takes up his guitar again.  And damn, he is good.  Pros: A nice guy, a great musician, very passionate.  Cons: Has some inner demons he needs to purge.

2. Clark Kent, Superman Returns

Some people think Lois Lane is kind of a moron.  Supposedly this is because she can not tell that Clark Kent is Superman, even though she has spent ample time with both of them.  But really, I think the main reason she is moronic because she is WITH ANOTHER GUY.  I mean sure, James Marsden's cute and all, but how can she ignore Brandon Routh's smoldering eyes?  How can she not see how completely beautiful a person he is?  Why is she still with James Marsden even, I don't know, ten seconds after Clark Kent's come back to Metropolis?  Really, Lois -- we need to have a talk.  Pros: Kind to children and animals.  Cons: Is kind of awkward and dweeby... OR IS HE? 

3. Gilbert Blythe, Anne Of Green Gables and Anne Of Green Gables: The Sequel

 

There is something to be said for a guy who truly loves just one girl, even when she gives him no hope whatsoever.  A guy who offers this girl rides to and from work.  Who offers a switcharoo so that she can have his job, because it's closer to her home.  And who stands by while she gets her act together, waiting as patiently as he can.  In some places, he'd be called a stalker.  But viewers know Gilbert Blythe's heart is true, and FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, ANNE, GET A CLUE!  (Whoa, did that just rhyme?  Go me!)  Pros: Sweet, patient, smart.  Cons: He does like to tease...

4. Mike Nelson, Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

Oh, Mike, Mike, Mike.  Mike's stuck on a spaceship called the Satellite of Love.  He lives with four robots.  They're forced to watch terrible, gut-wrenchingly awful movies, and yet -- he and his pals find humor in all of them.  Their riffs -- everything from obscure pop culture references to simply making fun of the stupidity on screen directly --  consistently leave me in stitches.  Pros: Mike is extremely witty and is patient with his robot friends, even though they give him a hard time.  Cons: He's sort of stuck... up in space.  Not much hope for a "life", really...

5. Benny Rodriguez,  

The Sandlot

I know, I know, the kid's like 13 years old and I should not be crushing on him at my age.  But considering I was about that age when I first saw the film, and considering the actor is, in fact, older than I am in real life, I see no wrongdoing.  So leave me alone, dangit!  Meanwhile, Benny is the most adorable member of the Sandlot squad.  He's the best at baseball, the fastest runner, and he's super sweet.  While the other Sandlot kids are cracking rude jokes about the new kid, Benny reaches out and invites him to play ball.  Pros: Total sweetheart, the only one brave enough to truly face "The Beast."  Cons: Has some personal fears he must overcome.  But hey, who doesn't?


6. Johnny Martin, Penelope

In this film, a twist on the "Beauty and the Beast" story, Johnny falls in love with Penelope, despite her fantastical disfigurement.  He sees her for her true beauty.  Now he's just got to get her to see that!  Pros: He's super sweet, and plays musical instruments like a pro.  Cons: He has some personal problems early on in the film, but he eventually cleans himself up.  Yay for reformation!

7. Indiana Jones, the first three Indiana Jones films

Brilliant, brave, and badass -- let's face it, Indiana Jones is the epitome of cool.  Pros: Good-looking, resourceful, can handle just about anything.  Cons: Except snakes.

8. Oliver Wood, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

It'd be one thing if Oliver Wood was just a good-looking Quidditch player... but no.  They had to go and cast a gorgeous Scottish actor (Sean Biggerstaff) in the role of the Gryffindor Quidditch captain.  Whenever Oliver goes about explaining the wizarding game to little Harry Potter, I tend to lose all sense of time and space.  Pros: The accent, omg the accent.  Cons: In the books, Oliver's kind of crazy.  But wait, who said anything about the books?  This list is about movie characters!  Forget that then -- Oliver is awesome.

9. Robin Hood, Disney's Robin Hood

I am not ashamed to admit I think an animated fox is kinda sexy.  Robin Hood is clever and brave and has an English accent, oh my.  Pros: He's a one-woman man, dutifully devoted to his childhood love, Maid Marion.  He would even die for her, which is totally romantic.  Cons: He's a little cocky, but at least he can back it up.  Have you seen him with a bow & arrow?

10. Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice (1995)

So he's prideful.  And prejudiced.  But only at first!  Elizabeth Bennet manages to warm & soften his heart like a yummy Tollhouse cookie.  Pros: Mr. Darcy is nice to his little sister, mean to anyone who'd try to hurt the women in his life, and looks great after a midday swim.  Cons: Always with the staring, the longing staring.  We're not Edward Cullen, here, Darcy!  And it's not polite to stare!  Oh, but it's okay... you're adorable, I forgive you!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Well, looks like I couldn't stop at just 10! Here are four more movie characters I've got a crush on.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

I hope you enjoyed this list, and maybe even agreed with me on a few of them.  If not, tell me about your movie crushes.  And if you're currently in a relationship now and couldn't possibly admit to having any current crushes -- tell me who you liked when you were a kid.  Was it Han Solo?  Marty McFly?  Charles Foster Kane?  (Hey, I don't know how old you are!)  Leave some comments and let me know!