Forrest Gump voted the 'greatest film character of all time’

The Telegraph ^ | 03/24/2011 | Paul Thompson

[rintense]

Hans Grueber. Die Hard.

[MamaB]

I did not care for Gump but my tastes in movies are kinda odd to say the least. I love movies like The Langoliers, Airport, the old James Bond movies, the old Debbie Reynolds movies, etc. I have not been to the movies in about 20 or 30 years.

[Tennessee Nana]

High Anxiety was a take off of High Society...Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby..

HS was a remake of the earlier Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant movie The Philadelphia Story..

[mass55th]

Jeez, E.T. and his “Phone Home” was a far better character than Gump and his “Life is just a box of chocolates...”

[SeekAndFind]

how about Rick from Casablanca?
There are a million which should come before Gump.

THIS CHARACTER DEFINED THE SIGNS OF HIS TIMES.

[GSWarrior]

I never get tired of watching High Anxiety. It's full of memorable lines.

"Too much bondage, not enough discipline!"

[70times7]

Oh please, He was MUCH better in Galaxy Quest.

[dfwgator]

High Anxiety was also a spoof of Hitchcock movies.

"HERE'S YOUR PAPER!!!"

[Red in Blue PA]

Wow!

Amazing that he showed up at post 85.

He is definitely in the top 5.

[wagglebee]

I agree that Michael's transformation is incredible and both his character and Vito's (Brando's, not so much DeNiro's) both should be in the top five. However, I've also been partial to Tom Hagen, he appears very timid and non-confrontational, but is actually cold as ice.

Other characters that should have been near the top of the list are definitely Darth Vader and Jaws.

[Afterguard]

Jake and Elwood Blues. Best dang movie ever.

[rintense]

Yep. Killer as Doc Holiday. Amazing. And Col. Hans Lands in Inglorious Bastards.

[JoeProBono]

[wbill]

Benny worked his whole life to set up that single punchline. It was worth it. :-)

Newhart was another good one that understood the whole "less is more" deal. With his "phone call" sketches, it wasn't what was said that was funny, it was the side of the call that you didn't hear.

Slapstick is OK, Sight gags are OK, but anyone can do physical comedy. Making people roll around on the floor with laughter, though, by not saying a word....... that's genius.

[dfwgator]

However, I've also been partial to Tom Hagen, he appears very timid and non-confrontational, but is actually cold as ice.

Fredo stole the movie in II, Cazale really was a fantastic actor who left us way too soon.

[dfwgator]

And how could you forget Ferris Bueller?

[catman67]

[SeekAndFind]

RE: He is definitely in the top 5.

---

And this man Gordon Gekko and his quote: GREED IS GOOD will always be remembered as long as people still trade stocks and other financial instruments...

[dfwgator]

Best TV character of all time: there are many. Archie Bunker is one

I would put Archie as Number One, Captain Kirk at Number two.

[wbill]

Yup, the scene were Abe Vigoda asks Tom for help "Can you do anything about this..... For old times' sake?" Classic. Duvall hits the response out of the park. Cold as ice, but still maintaining the veneer of goodwill and respectability.

Everyone knows exactly what's going on, but they might have been talking about something as benign as getting an extra ticket to the baseball game. Less is more.