He's made some good movies but I wouldn't put him in the top 20 in terms of influence and importance in Hollywood history.

I would definitely consider him one of the most important figures in movie history. His influence is bigger than some of you realize. Marty McFly even used his name in Back to the Future III.

We're talking about a cinematic icon who has created such memorable characters as Dirty Harry and "the man with no name". He has successfully done Westerns, Action, Comedy, and Drama. He's had a better career longevitywise, than just about anybody in the history of the biz.

His directing has been top notch. He doesn't do a bad movie very often at all, and he always gets performances out of his actors. He's also very efficient, and doesn't spend months in the editing room because of it.

How many actors in history have ever been able to consistantly headline a film , even now, while in their 70's, after doing it for a career that has spanned for over 40 years? I can only think of Sean Connery, off the top of my head, but there aren't many others that have had that kind of staying power.

Eastwood is really on a roll of late, with Oscar caliber movies coming from him in the form of Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby, and any movie talent that can still produce the quality at the levels that he does, is definitely one of the best of all time. Most of his contemporaries dried up long ago, and here he is, still going strong. The productive career that he has had can't be underscored, because you would find it very difficult to find somebody that could match what he has accomplished.

Love that Clint!

http://www.dvdempire.com/exec/v5_catego ... ef_id=5587

Without demeaning Eastwood in the slightest, I'd have to say that Charlie Chaplin is still the biggest star ever to come out of Hollywood. He was the first Hollywood star to get a million dollar contract (which was huge 100 years ago!), people clamored to see each of his films, he was on the cover of countless magazines, people held Chaplin look-alike contests, his films were hits all over the world, his movies influenced filmmakers for years to come, and DVDs of his films still can be found in almost every good DVD store. I can't think of anyone who comes close in terms of being influential AND popular to the masses.

Clints okay. Nothing that special though. What about Marlon Brando there goldie. I'd put Marlon ahead of Clint anyday.

Didn;t Brando stop acting for like 20 + years.

I think Clint has a better record from the 50 (tv) or 60 to the 90's.

But Brando still isn't a bad choice, it is just too bad he stop acting for that period.

Without demeaning Eastwood in the slightest, I'd have to say that Charlie Chaplin is still the biggest star ever to come out of Hollywood. He was the first Hollywood star to get a million dollar contract (which was huge 100 years ago!), people clamored to see each of his films, he was on the cover of countless magazines, people held Chaplin look-alike contests, his films were hits all over the world, his movies influenced filmmakers for years to come, and DVDs of his films still can be found in almost every good DVD store. I can't think of anyone who comes close in terms of being influential AND popular to the masses.

Come on , Mike...Charlie Chaplan? Guys like him and Groucho are worshipped by the AFI and all, but you're giving him way too much credit here. Charlie Chaplan was blown past long ago, as if he was driving a model T at a NASCAR race. He didn't stand the test of time, unlike such greats as Abbott and Costello have, and his failure to do that definitely kill his legacy as anyone who could be considered the biggest star ever.

He's made some good movies but I wouldn't put him in the top 20 in terms of influence and importance in Hollywood history.

That is, unless he goes to Hell.

ABBOT AND COSTELLO?

Not in the same league, my misinformed friend. I am speaking of history. You cannot deny how Chaplin was seen at the peak of his popularity, and no actor has come anywhere close since. Well, I guess you can deny it, if you want to ignore facts.