Some actors and actresses struggle to get roles and only have a handful of titles to their credit. Others are very particular about the movies they agree to do and don’t jump at every opportunity that comes their way. But also, some actors have played so many roles in their lives that they have lost count.
Unlike what some might believe, these newcomers are not necessarily trying to find their breakthrough and, for this reason, agree to anything and everything.
On the contrary, most of the time, the movie stars whose filmography counts over a hundred titles are well-respected, famous actors. You may even find some of the highest-paid actors among them.
One fun idea for you and your movie-loving friends is to create a challenge in which you take one name from the actors who acted in the most movies and see which one of you has seen more of their movies. Make sure you let us know how that goes.
For this article, we collected some iconic celebrities with so many titles to their credit that it makes us wonder how they even found time to do all of it. Have you watched all their movies?
Vote for your favorite ones, and if you think there are other actors whose filmography makes them eligible to be a part of this list, let us know in the comments.
#1 Danny Trejo
Acting credits: 420
Started career: 1983, Project A
Prominent roles: Navajas (Desperado, 1995), Razor Charlie (From Dusk Till Dawn, 1996)
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50points
#2 Christopher Lee
Acting credits: 282
Started career: 1948, Corridor of Mirrors
Prominent roles: Saruman (The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit, 2001-2014), Pastor Galswells (Corpse Bride, 2005)
Outstanding achievement: Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, 2002)
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36points
#3 Eric Roberts
Acting credits: 666
Started career: 1978, King of the Gypsies
Prominent roles: Sal Maroni (The Dark Knight, 2008), James Munroe (The Expendables, 2010)
Outstanding achievement: Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, nominated (Runaway Train, 1985)
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36points
#4 Danny Glover
Acting credits: 201
Started career: 1979, Escape from Alcatraz
Prominent roles: Sergeant Roger Murtaugh (Lethal Weapon, 1987), Henry Sherman (The Royal Tenenbaums, 2001)
Outstanding achievement: Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (2021)
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34points
#5 Anthony Hopkins
Acting credits: 144
Started career: 1964, short film Changes
Prominent roles: Hannibal Lector (The Silence of the Lambs, 1991), Anthony Evans (The Father, 2020)
Outstanding achievement: Oscar for Best Actor (The Father, 2020)
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31points
#6 Richard Riehle
Acting credits: 415
Started career: 1977, Joyride
Prominent roles: Wade (Free Willy, 1993), Tom Smykowski (Office Space, 1999)
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31points
#7 Michael Caine
Acting credits: 176
Started career: 1950, Morning Departure
Prominent roles: Lt. Gonville Bromhead (Zulu, 1964), Alfred Pennyworth (The Dark Knight, 2008)
Outstanding achievement: BAFTA for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Educating Rita, 1983)
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29points
#8 James Earl Jones
Acting credits: 187
Started career: 1964, Dr. Strangelove
Prominent roles: Darth Vader (Star Wars, 1977-2019), Mufasa (The Lion King, 1994)
Outstanding achievement: Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama Film (The Great White Hope, 1970)
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27points
#9 Robert Loggia
Acting credits: 225
Started career: 1956, Somebody Up There Likes Me
Prominent roles: Frank Lopez (Scarface, 1983), General William Grey (Independence Day, 1996)
Outstanding achievement: Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor (Big, 1988)
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27points
#10 Michael Ironside
Acting credits: 247
Started career: 1977, Outrageous!
Prominent roles: Lieutenant Commander Richard “Jester” Heatherly (Top Gun, 1986), Dial (Free Willy, 1993)
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27points
#11 Susan Sarandon
Acting credits: 163
Started career: 1970, Joe
Prominent roles: Janet Weiss (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, 1975), Louise Sawyer (Thelma & Louise, 1991)
Outstanding achievement: Oscar for Best Actress (Dead Man Walking, 1996)
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26points
#12 John Carradine
Acting credits: 222
Started career: 1930, Bright Lights
Prominent roles: Jim Casy (The Grapes of Wrath, 1940), Count Dracula/Baron Latos (House of Dracula, 1945)
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26points
#13 Gertrude Astor
Acting credits: 276
Started career: 1915, Under Two Flags (short)
Prominent roles: Lillian Lyons (Stage Struck, 1925), Cecily (The Cat and the Canary, 1927)
25points
#14 Fred Willard
Acting credits: 291
Started career: 1967, Teenage Mother
Prominent roles: Ron Albertson (Waiting for Guffman, 1996), Mission Commander (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, 1999)
Outstanding achievement: Boston Film Critics Award (Best in Show, 2000)
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25points
#15 Robert Duvall
Acting credits: 145
Started career: 1962, To Kill A Mockingbird
Prominent roles: Boo Radley (To Kill A Mockingbird, 1962), Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore (Apocalypse Now, 1979)
Outstanding achievement: Oscar for Best Actor (Tender Mercies, 1984)
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23points
#16 Samuel L Jackson
Acting credits: 198
Started career: 1972, Together for Days
Prominent roles: Jules Winnfield (Pulp Fiction, 1994), Nick Fury (Marvel Universe, since 2008)
Outstanding achievement: BAFTA for Best Film Actor in a Supporting Role (Pulp Fiction, 1995)
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23points
#17 Donald Sutherland
Acting credits: 199
Started career: 1963, The World Ten Times Over
Prominent roles: Merrick Jamison-Smythe (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1992), Mr. Bennet (Pride and Prejudice, 2005)
Outstanding achievement: Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in Series, Miniseries or Television Film (Citizen X, 1995)
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23points
#18 Clint Eastwood
Acting credits: 82
Started career: 1955, Revenge of the Creature
Prominent roles: Blondie (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, 1966), Frankie Dunn (Million Dollar Baby, 2004)
Outstanding achievement: Oscar for Best Picture & Best Director (Million Dollar Baby, 2005)
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19points
#19 Stephen Tobolowsky
Acting credits: 251
Started career: 1977, Keep My Grave Open
Prominent roles: Max (Thelma & Louise, 1991), Sammy Jankis (Memento, 2000)
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19points
#20 Jackie Chan
Acting credits: 190
Started career: 1962, Big and Little Wong Tin Bar
Prominent roles: Chief Inspector Lee (Rush Hour, 1998), Master Monkey (Kung Fu Panda, 2008-2016)
Outstanding achievement: Golden Horse Award for Best Leading Actor (Crime Story, 1993)
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15points