Top 30 Actors from the 1970s

The top 30 actors from the 1970s helped to further cement the different genres present in Hollywood at this time. And they looked good while doing it.

David Carradine

While he wasn’t a total standout in the movies, Carradine’s role in Kung Fu was one of the best TV roles of the time. Unfortunately, this was kind of the epitome of his career.

Sigourney Weaver

While her time on screen has been kind of muted over the last several years, in the 1970s she was on fire. Her role in Alien catapulted her to a whole new level that she rode for years after.

Harrison Ford

This was the decade in which Ford managed to stand out and become one of the most memorable actors of all time. While he was in several movies in the 1970s, Star Wars was by far the one that made him iconic.

John Travolta

A minor bit in the horror movie, Carrie, helped people to recognize him a little better. But Grease and Saturday Night Fever drove home the point that he was a star on the rise.

Donald Sutherland

He did plenty of work on TV and in various movies, but in the 1970s Donald Sutherland did a lot that made his fame rise in a big way. The horrific ending of Invasion of The Body Snatchers is one reason a lot of people know who he is.

Liv Ullman

As one of Ingmar Bergman’s favorite actors, she had plenty of chances to show people what she could do. She even won an honorary Academy Award just a couple of years ago.

Burt Reynolds

He was the man’s man back in the 1970s, no doubt about it. From Deliverance to Smokey and the Bandit, he was the guy that men looked up to and women simply wanted.

Kris Kristofferson

This guy appeared grizzled and tough before he started to age. But after his country music career, he decided to get into movies and went on to do quite well.

Diana Ross

Her music career was her calling card, there’s no doubt of this. But Diana Ross did just fine on screen as well.

Madeline Kahn

Her time in Blazing Saddles and What’s Up Doc? made it evident that she was great with comedy. But she was also a talented opera singer if people recall.

James Caan

He might not have made it past the first movie, but James’s portrayal of Sonny Corleone helped his career immensely. The hotheaded Corleone brother became an icon remembered by many.

Roy Scheider

His time in Jaws helped his career in a big way. Plus, the line that so many remember wasn’t even part of the script originally.

Carrie Fisher

She starred in other productions, to be honest, but there’s one that many will always remember her for. Princess Leia became a standout success for her that is bound to last for a while.

Barbara Streisand

Comedy, music, drama, she can do almost anything as she’s proved throughout her career. While she’s slowed down a lot today, she was a hot commodity in the 70s.

Ellen Burstyn

As the mother in The Exorcist, she was a vital component of the story. But she’s been seen as a serious talent in other productions as well.

Richard Pryor

Dubbed one of the most raw comedians of his time, Pryor was without any doubt the type who said what he wanted. Along with fellow actor Gene Wilder, he ended up contributing to several great movies that are still enjoyable now.

Diane Keaton

At some point, Keaton became a constant presence in Woody Allen’s movies. But she’s done her own thing for many years and has done it well.

Faye Dunaway

She was having a bit of a rough time in the 70s up until she starred in Chinatown. From that point forward she did quite well and only slowed down a little as time went on.

Richard Harris

A Man Called Horse is one of the easiest of his movies to remember. As many recall he continued to be a solid actor up until his end, shortly after his stint as Professor Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies.

Lily Tomlin

She’s always been a lot of fun to watch thanks to her overall attitude and acting skills. While she’s not the most well-known person in Hollywood, it’s tough to forget her once you’ve watched one of her movies.

Jodie Foster

Considering that she played such a controversial role in Taxi Driver it’s fair to say that her career could have gone several ways. But as it’s been seen, she’s remained one of the most noted actors for decades.

Jane Fonda

Whether you like her or not, depending on your view of her past, Jane Fonda has been a very prominent actress in Hollywood. She rose to fame in the 60s, did well in the 70s, and went on to have many other roles in later decades.

Bruce Lee

The guy was, and still is, a legend despite his passing in the early 70s. Enter the Dragon helped to cement his already impressive resume.

Gene Hackman

The French Connection helped to push his career in a big way, but so did his role as Lex Luthor in Superman. From that point, he continued to be a solid actor right up until his retirement in the 2000s.

Clint Eastwood

Many are still convinced that when Eastwood passes away he’ll mark the end of an era in which men were still men. The thing is that as he grew older and more established he took on many different roles.

Robert De Niro

Much of his career is dominated by the fact that he’s played a criminal or mob-affiliated individual in several movies. But his time in other movies such as The Deer Hunter are still great examples of what he’s done.

Dustin Hoffman

Hoffman made the 70s his time to shine, at least for that decade. Ever since then, he’s only gotten better as the years have rolled on.

Robert Redford

Did anyone ever think that Redford would show up in a comic book movie? Given the movies that he starred in back in the 70s, it didn’t feel likely, but things happen.

Jack Nicholson

Chinatown and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest helped to immortalize Nicholson, who didn’t do quite as well in the 60s. Since that time he’s been considered as one of the best actors to ever come out of the 1970s.

Al Pacino

The Godfather is a movie that he’ll always be remembered for, but there are many other titles to his name that are insanely popular. As he gets older, Pacino is seen less and less on the big screen, but he’s remembered fondly.