Best Actors of the '30s

Chaplin at his best with Modern Times (1936) and City Lights (1931).
The Top Ten
1 James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer, both on stage and in film, though he had his greatest impact in film. Known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing, he won acclaim and major awards for ...read more.
2 Peter Lorre Peter Lorre, born László Löwenstein (26 June 1904 – 23 March 1964) was an Austro-Hungarian-American actor. In Austria, he began his stage career in Vienna before moving to Germany where he had his breakthrough, first on the stage, then in film in Berlin in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Lorre ...read more.
3 Jean Gabin
4 William Powell William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was an American actor. A major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the popular Thin Man series based on the Nick and Nora Charles characters created by Dashiell Hammett. Powell was nominated for the ...read more.
5 Warren William
6 Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 - June 10, 1967) was an American actor, noted for his natural style and versatility. During his career, Tracy appeared in 75 films and developed a reputation among his peers as one of the screen's greatest actors.
7 Charles Laughton
8 Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901 – November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood" or just simply as "The King". Gable is considered one of the most consistent box-office performers in history, appearing on Quigley Publishing's annual Top Ten Money ...read more.
9 Paul Muni
10 Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the silent era. He is considered one of the most important figures in the history of the film industry.
The Contenders
11 Edward G Robinson
12 Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor who was primarily known for his roles in horror films. He portrayed Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein (1931), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), and Son of Frankenstein (1939). He also appeared as Imhotep in The Mummy (1932). His best-known non-horror role is as the Grinch, as well as the narrator, in the animated television special of Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966). For his contribution to film and television, Boris Karloff was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Massive fan of old horror and this man was the best at his craft karloff the uncanny the mummy is my favorite of his and also targets a later film

13 Pat O'Brien
14 Edward Everett Horton
15 Basil Rathbone
16 Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart was an American screen actor whose performances in iconic 1940s films noir such as The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, and The Big Sleep earned him status as a cultural icon.
17 Groucho Marx Julius Henry Marx (October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977), known professionally as Groucho Marx, was an American comedian, film and television star. He was known as a master of quick wit and is widely considered one of the best comedians of the modern era. His rapid-fire, often impromptu delivery of innuendo-laden ...read more.
18 Jimmy Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 - July 2, 1997), also known as Jimmy Stewart (although he seldom used that name in formal credits), was an American actor and military officer, known for his distinctive drawl and down-to-earth persona. He starred in many films that are considered to be classics, ...read more.
19 Cary Grant Cary Grant, born Archibald Alexander Leach (January 18, 1904 – November 29, 1986) was a British-American actor, known as one of classic Hollywood's definitive leading men. He began a career in Hollywood in the early 1930s, and became known for his transatlantic accent, debonair demeanor, and light-hearted ...read more.
20 Walter Brennan
21 Frank McHugh
22 Claude Rains William Claude Rains (10 November 1889 – 30 May 1967) was an English film and stage actor whose career spanned 46 years. After his American film debut with The Invisible Man (1933) he played in classic films like The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), The Wolf Man ...read more.
23 Fredric March
24 Chico Marx Leonard Marx (March 22, 1887 – October 11, 1961), known professionally as Chico Marx, was an American comedian, musician, bandleader, actor and film star. He was a member of the Marx Brothers. His persona in the act was that of a charming, dim-witted albeit crafty con artist, seemingly of rural Italian ...read more.
25 Harpo Marx Arthur Marx, born Adolph Marx (November 23, 1888 – September 28, 1964), known professionally as Harpo Marx, was an American comedian, actor, mime artist, and musician, and the second-oldest of the Marx Brothers. ...read more.
8Load More
PSearch List