Actors you can't stand (mannerisms, voice, looks, roles chosen, etc.)

[+ sync]

I agree, but it solidify her public image as a bitch.

 

She was that. Her bitter marriage (of only 32 days) to actor Ernest Borgnine was well publicized. Merman once remarked that she attended a showing of the movie "Willard" just to see Borgnine eaten by rats.

Several years ago I was acquainted with a waiter, whom I shall refer to as Ray, who worked at a restaurant frequented by Ethel Merman. One evening during one of her rants she bellowed to Ray, "do you know who I am?" In his characteristic "don't fuck with me" style, Ray calmly replied "yes, I certainly do Mrs. Borgnine." Ray told me she then really lit up the place, bringing the head waiter, the manager, and one of the owners to her table. Having done nothing improper, Ray came away from it all unscathed.

[+ WilliamM]

She was that. Her bitter marriage (of only 32 days) to actor Ernest Borgnine was well publicized. Merman once remarked that she attended a showing of the movie "Willard" just to see Borgnine eaten by rats.

Several years ago I was acquainted with a waiter, whom I shall refer to as Ray, who worked at a restaurant frequented by Ethel Merman. One evening during one of her rants she bellowed to Ray, "do you know who I am?" In his characteristic "don't fuck with me" style, Ray calmly replied "yes, I certainly do Mrs. Borgnine." Ray told me she then really lit up the place, bringing the head waiter, the manager, and one of the owners to her table. Having done nothing improper, Ray came away from it all unscathed.

 

Merman was a tiny woman with a fog horn voice Ethel changed her last name from Zimmermann to Merman without thinking that some people might think she was Jewish. That is why Ethel often told everyone she was a happy Episcopalian.

 

She thought Zimmermann was too long for theater lights.

 

Ethel Merman was a great theater star, who wasn't particularly smart or sophisticated.

 

Yet "Annie Get Your Gun" and "Gypsy" were specifically written for Merman..

[TruthBTold]

Nathan Lane in almost everything I see him in. Every once in a while I do not mind him in a comedy however imagine having to sit through a 4 hour production of Nathan Lane in The Iceman Cometh. I really wanted to kill myself.

[+ g56whiz]

Nathan Lane in almost everything I see him in. Every once in a while I do not mind him in a comedy however imagine having to sit through a 4 hour production of Nathan Lane in The Iceman Cometh. I really wanted to kill myself.

Maybe 15 years ago I was walking midday down a deserted street in SOHO NYC. A fellow was standing in a doorway facing in the direction I was headed speaking loudly into his cellphone. The grating voice was vague familiar. As I passed I looked around and there he was: Nathan Lane. I can’t imagine 4 hours with that voice.

[KrisParr]

Nathan Lane in almost everything I see him in. Every once in a while I do not mind him in a comedy however imagine having to sit through a 4 hour production of Nathan Lane in The Iceman Cometh. I really wanted to kill myself.

Completely agree, however ... in the current Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, he’s playing a detective quite well - long stretch from previous roles.

[+ WilliamM]

I have liked Nathan Lane in every musical and play I have seen him. Merman was and Lane is bigger than life on stage.

[Ajac]

Vince Vaughn Always the same Smarmy asshole vibe. Remake of Psycho nailed that coffin for me. As much as I had a crush on her back in the day and I feel she is a good actress when I recently watched "I saw you" starring Helen Hunt. It was actually hard to look at her mouth, what was going on there? I feel bad saying it she probably looks OK smiling but this was not a smiling kind of movie.

[RealAvalon]

Winona Ryder. Almost ruined Mermaids, Cher and Bob Hoskins (so funny) saved it.

[+ sync]

My gripe goes back awhile: I submit Garrett Wang. It's not about his acting abilities, it's a personality thing. I was smitten by his portrayal of fantasy dreamboat Ensign Harry Kim in the StarTrek: Voyager television series.

I happened to come upon a television interview of Garrett Wang in which he appeared dressed in grunge along with shoulder-length hair (as distant as he could get from the minty-fresh, preppy Ensign Harry Kim). While slouching in the chair, he rendered disinterest, arrogance, and a condescending dismissiveness. I was left traumatized knowing that I wouldn't give Garrett Wang a second look, but would crawl through broken glass to get to Ensign Harry Kim. Garrett Wang is now 51 years old (it seems like only yesterday).

[+ DERRIK]

I love Daniel Craig as James Bond but his "southern accept" in Knives Out really threw me for a loop.

 

I guess professionally - first class actors what to avoid being type cast - it speaks to his ability

Edited May 21, 2020 by DERRIK

[+ poolboy48220]

My gripe goes back awhile: I submit Garrett Wang. It's not about his acting abilities, it's a personality thing. I was smitten by his portrayal of fantasy dreamboat Ensign Harry Kim in the StarTrek: Voyager television series.

I happened to come upon a television interview of Garrett Wang in which he appeared dressed in grunge along with shoulder-length hair (as distant as he could get from the minty-fresh, preppy Ensign Harry Kim). While slouching in the chair, he rendered disinterest, arrogance, and a condescending dismissiveness. I was left traumatized knowing that I wouldn't give Garrett Wang a second look, but would crawl through broken glass to get to Ensign Harry Kim. Garrett Wang is now 51 years old (it seems like only yesterday).

I remember reading something about Manu Intiraymi, who played Icheb, the young Borg, on Voyager. He made an appearance at a Star Trek convention, and (if I remember correctly) he had much the same attitude - the part I remember most was him chain-smoking at the autograph table.

[+ WilliamM]

Merman concerning Mary Martin, "She's ok if you like talent."

[+ sync]

I remember reading something about Manu Intiraymi, who played Icheb, the young Borg, on Voyager. He made an appearance at a Star Trek convention, and (if I remember correctly) he had much the same attitude - the part I remember most was him chain-smoking at the autograph table.

Another disappointment. I guess it's sort of a credit for their acting abilities.

[+ jeezopete]

I don't think I ever found out why, but my mother strongly disliked Angela Lansbury and Kathie Lee Gifford. A couple of times when I was home for a visit I would find the weekly TV Guide magazine next to Mom's chair, with the magazine's cover missing. I knew right away that one of those two ladies had been featured on the cover that week.

[+ g56whiz]

Merman was a tiny woman with a fog horn voice Ethel changed her last name from Zimmermann to Merman without thinking that some people might think she was Jewish. That is why Ethel often told everyone she was a happy Episcopalian.

 

She thought Zimmermann was too long for theater lights.

 

Ethel Merman was a great theater star, who wasn't particularly smart or sophisticated.

 

Yet "Annie Get Your Gun" and "Gypsy" were specifically written for Merman..

There may still be a plaque near the railing around what was the historic operating theater attached to Roosevelt Hospital at the corner of 59th and Columbus citing the Zimmermann family as donors of that railing. St Michael's Church at 99th and Amsterdam has extensive Tiffany appointments. If memory serves, the mosaic behind the chapel altar was given by the Zimmermanns. They were her folk.

 

There's a story, probably legend, that some of her Jewish colleagues, not realizing she wasn't of the tribe, invited her to a Passover Seder. Not liking what was serves she supposedly reached into her purse, pulled out a ham sandwich and started to eat.

[+ WilliamM]

There may still be a plaque near the railing around what was the historic operating theater attached to Roosevelt Hospital at the corner of 59th and Columbus citing the Zimmermann family as donors of that railing. St Michael's Church at 99th and Amsterdam has extensive Tiffany appointments. If memory serves, the mosaic behind the chapel altar was given by the Zimmermanns. They were her folk.

 

There's a story, probably legend, that some of her Jewish colleagues, not realizing she wasn't of the tribe, invited her to a Passover Seder. Not liking what was serves she supposedly reached into her purse, pulled out a ham sandwich and started to eat.

 

Mary Martin asked Ethel late in their lives if she really said, "Mary Martin is ok, if you like talent.". Ethel, "of course not. My press agents made those things up."

 

From a biography of Merman by Bob Thomas

[Ajac]

I had a relative who hated Tom Hanks. Tom Hanks?...can you imagine.

[thickornotatall]

Vince Vaughn Always the same Smarmy asshole vibe. Remake of Psycho nailed that coffin for me. As much as I had a crush on her back in the day and I feel she is a good actress when I recently watched "I saw you" starring Helen Hunt. It was actually hard to look at her mouth, what was going on there? I feel bad saying it she probably looks OK smiling but this was not a smiling kind of movie.

Helen Hunt is playing a WWII correspondent in "World On Fire"...I didn't recognize her. You're correct her mouth has morphed in to a puppet trap mouth.. Very unnerving for us and probably for her.

[+ g56whiz]

Helen Hunt is playing a WWII correspondent in "World On Fire"...I didn't recognize her. You're correct her mouth has morphed in to a puppet trap mouth.. Very unnerving for us and probably for her.

True but I liked World on Fire anyway.

[harlow]

Kerry Washington's mouth gets on my nerves. All that trembling lol

[JayCeeKy]

This may seem like an odd one, and he's not really an actor. But Chuck Todd on NBC/MSNBC. His eyes constantly look upward to the heavens or he quickly glances off to his left side, like he's reaching for divine inspiration, or his thoughts are so deep that he must look away. It's become so distracting I can't even watch him anymore. Pretty trivial, but it's one of those mannerisms that drive you crazy once you notice.

 

Ari Melber also has his distracting habit of looking down (I guess at a monitor) whenever a guest is responding. Ari is so cool, though, I still watch him.

[+ poolboy48220]

I can't remember his name, but there was a DJ on Detroit radio in the 80's or 90's that had a habit of pausing briefly before he used a long word. They weren't even complicated words. It always made me think he was trying to impress people with his vocabulary.

 

Another DJ, Steve Dahl, one of the original shock jocks. He had a network going for a while, he broadcasted out of Chicago but they played his show in Milwaukee and Detroit. He had a 'sidekick' that he worked very well with, but apparently they had a falling out, and years later I heard him doing his show solo. There'd be LONG periods of silence. Apparently someone had called him on it, and his response was "I'm thinking. You want me to talk without thinking about it?" I wonder if he's still broadcasting.

[TruthBTold]

This may seem like an odd one, and he's not really an actor. But Chuck Todd on NBC/MSNBC. His eyes constantly look upward to the heavens or he quickly glances off to his left side, like he's reaching for divine inspiration, or his thoughts are so deep that he must look away. It's become so distracting I can't even watch him anymore. Pretty trivial, but it's one of those mannerisms that drive you crazy once you notice.

 

Ari Melber also has his distracting habit of looking down (I guess at a monitor) whenever a guest is responding. Ari is so cool, though, I still watch him.

 

Yeah, it always appears that Chuck Todd thinks he is so smart that he is going to trick his usually smarter guest into saying something dumb. Particularly Republican guests. Certainly there are some very dumb Republicans but many are not dumb. They do dumb things but in the end they are not dumb people. The thing I can't stand about Ari Melber is that while he is fairly good looking he acts as if he is black, particularly to his African American guests. He recites hip hop or rap lyrics and just can't pull it off. I find it really, really irritating.

[hornytwells]

Anderson Cooper for me is unwatchable-he is constantly stammering, and has an stilted, uncomfortable delivery. He frequently talks over his guests. Don Lemon also comes across as super patronising, and often delivers a line more than once, talking slowly and then having a long stare at the camera as if we are all idiots who didn't understand his point the first three times he made it, or as though we need extra time to process what he is saying. I much prefer John Berman or Wolf Blitzers calm focussed delivery. They are also less concerned with giving their personal views, and more on reporting the news

[TruthBTold]

For no reason whatsoever, I really can't abide Craig Melvin. I am so, so happy Chris Matthews resigned. There are too many reasons for that. And I don't like Joe Scarborough. I thought maybe I just don't like men but for years I had a crush on Chris Hayes (then he got married - fuck him) and I really like Lawrence O'Donnell. At least he apologizes for things he gets wrong.