How Many Movie Stars were multi Talented

[Uncle Stevie]

I wonder how many movie stars had other talents. I know many of them could truly play the piano and many were artist with a brush. Do you have any stories to tell? It would be nice to grandify some of these careers with true talent beyond what they were famous for.

Comments please.

[RedRiver]

This is fairly obvious, but I admire those who had musical, as well as acting talent. Liza Minnelli and Frank Sinatra could act as well as sing and dance. Gene Kelly too. Cagney wasn't what you'd call a singer. But he could hoof his way into your heart like nobody's business. Dick Van Dyke could do everything. Sing, dance. Not a bad dramatic actor. And just about the funniest person I've ever seen!

[pvitari]

Dick Van Dyke is one of my heroes. I'm watching Van Dyke and Company right now on DVD and it's a treasure of skit comedy.

Sammy Davis Jr had to be one of the most multitalented people ever. Incredible singing voice, fabulous and influential dancer, a terrific actor, could play numerous instruments, jawdropping ability for fancy trick gun handling and spinning, could do amazing impersonations and impressions -- a truly astonishing human being.

Buck Taylor is not only a very fine actor (Newly in Gunsmoke) but one of the top Western artists working today.

Janet Gaynor was also an accomplished artist.

William Haines, fine actor in silents and early talkies, became one of the top interior decorators to the stars.

Steve Martin -- comedian, actor, novelist, essayist, art collector.

[RedRiver]

Newly! I didn't know he was an artist. I like his character on the show. Julie Andrews is another who does it all. Quite the little actress. And that voice!

Van Dyke's short-lived variety show was quite creative. Very visual, as one might expect from this man.

[pvitari]

Red River, go here and enjoy some of Buck's work:

http://bucktaylor.com/

Also here: http://pendletonroundup.com/gallery/pos ... ck-taylor/

My favorite of course is his painting of Ben Johnson a-ridin' and a-ropin'... What I'd give to get a print of that. Unfortunately a copy of it is not on the website but I have seen it other places.

Dick Van Dyke was a huge fan of silent comedy -- ever see his film The Comic? He was a wonderful pantomimist and there are a lot of pantomime and silent routines on Van Dyke and Company. And Andy Kaufman fans must be in heaven with this release as he is a member of the company and does some really hilarious stuff which Dick must have really appreciated since his early act also incorporated miming to records.

Now if only they'd release the New Dick Van Dyke Show and the rest of those Diagnosis Murder seasons. I'd love a box set of his Murder 101 TV movies too, though they do air on TV a lot for anyone who needs a fix of Van Dyke as criminologist Jonathan Maxwell. ;) And I'm always happy to see his son Barry, who I think is a great big hunk. ;)

[RedRiver]

Van Dyke is outstanding in THE COMIC, Carl Reiner's sad, hilarious tribute. Whenever I hear Barry Van Dyke speak, I close my eyes and think, Wow! Rob Petrie!

[CineMaven]

I would go with these three actors:



Anthony Quinn, Kim Novak and Tony Curtis.

Paula, I wholeheartedly agree with you that Sammy Davis, Jr. was amazingly talented. I think he and Mickey Rooney were the Ninth Wonders of the World.

( We know who was the eighth! )