Adam Roarke

Maybe it was the large number of B-movies he was in, or perhaps it was the fact that his roles often ranged from leading to uncredited. Whatever the reason, Adam Roarke was a good working actor whose large body of work was never fully recognized by the mainstream crowd.

Not that he hasn't been seen, as his supporting work in the critically acclaimed, The Stunt Man, as well as the cult, car chase movie of the 1970's, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, gave this talented actor a lot of exposure. And even though he worked steady for nearly twenty five years, Adam Roarke seemed to go unnoticed.

Often cast as the likeable tough guy, he's the actor you want to find out more about after you've seen one of his films. And even though many of his films like Hells Angels on Wheels, Hell's Belle's, The Savage Seven, Psych-Out and Frogs may not be the worlds greatest movies, there is a charisma about his performances that makes one take notice.

Sadly, Adam Roarke passed away in 1996 at the young age of 58. Had he lived, he seemed like a good candidate for Quentin Tarantino to have rediscovered. Of course we'll never know, making Adam Roarke the pick of the day for Not Very Famous...but should be.

Bradford Dillman

Bradford Dillman was one of those actors that at the beginning of his career looked to be on the path to movie stardom. While first noticed on the Broadway stage, he hit Hollywood running with back-to-back early break through performances in A Certain Smile from 1958 and his Best Actor winning role at the Cannes Film Festival a year later for his work in the powerful drama, Compulsion.

And while he continued to work, his next several films like Circle of Deception and Francis of Assisi we're not of the caliber of his first attempts and he soon found himself in television guest starring in everything from Kraft Mystery Theatre to the Christian anthology show, Insight.

By the 1970's and into the '80's, Bradford Dillman's early success in motion pictures was forgotten and replaced with endless television appearances as well as B-movie work in such films as Bug and Piranha. He did manage to still pop up in A-list movies like The Enforcer and The Way We Were, but his star had faded and he was regulated to forgettable supporting roles.

All one has to do is watch, Compulsion, to see the career that he should have had. But like so many talented actors before and after him, success in Hollywood is not determined by talent. Bradford Dillman had what it takes to have earned an Oscar, but instead, and to no fault of his own, he joins the ranks of the Not Very Famous...but should be.

Helen Hovey

In the early 1960's, veteran cowboy actor, Arch Hall, wrote and produced several ultra low budget movies aimed towards the younger "hip" generation. These films, such as the rock 'n roll saga, Wild Guitar, and the teens versus caveman fiasco, Eegah, uneventfully played the drive-in circuit. Today, these oddities have gotten somewhat of a cult following due to their awkwardly bad and equally fun plots and dialog.

One of those films, The Sadist, stands out from the rest because it is actually pretty good and still holds up today. It features Helen Hovey, as a young teacher held hostage by two on-the-run teenage killers. It would be her only film.

At the time, the Hollywood A-list didn't pay much attention to the drive-in pictures. And that is a true shame, for if they had, Helen Hovey could have gone far. In just one movie she proved that she had all of the qualities that Alfred Hitchcock looked for in his female stars. She was attractive, strong-willed, emotionally tough and wasn't afraid to get her face dirty. Not to mention she was a pretty good actress.

Fortunately, Turner Classic Movies plays her only film, The Sadist, on a fairly regular basis. It's an intense and powerful thriller which has survived the test of time. Sadly, Helen Hovey passed away in 2009. Not much as been written about her, which makes her appeal even greater. I hope she knew that she had fans.

Albert Salmi

The 1950's and early '60's were an interesting time for movies and television. In film, typical Hollywood was still holding on to the melodramatic style of acting that had been the norm, while television was taking chances with fresh faces from the New York stage who brought realism and truth to the characters they played. This was a new form of acting and it set the stage for what we have today. And Albert Salmi was one of the early pioneers of the modern style.

In fact, he was one of the best of the lot. It's hard not to watch an old show from that era and not wonder why the work of Albert Salmi isn't more recognized. It's probably because he was a working actor guest starring in television shows instead of the actual star. He was never singled out for one particular role. Instead, he jumped from series to series creating memorable moments which helped make the golden age of television what it was.

With his non-actor look and sincere honest portrayals, he was able to bring us flawed good guys and human villains. While often cast as the heavy, Albert Salmi brought depth and insight to his roles, turning one dimensional characters into complicated individuals. A feat that many actors before and after him have often failed to do.

From Daniel Boone  to Combat, The Twilight Zone  to Knots Landing, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Judd for the Defense, Lost in Space and many other top-notch shows of its day, Albert Salmi consistantly delivered quality work. And while his name may not be on the lips of many, his talent and presence is hard to ignore for anyone who is fortunate enough to see his work.

Lennie James

Now that Lennie James has joined the cast of The Walking Dead as the conflicted Morgan, his days of being Not Very Famous could be quickly coming to an end. However, since Hollywood is rarely able to hold on to a good thing for very long, chances are his fifteen minutes of fame will soon expire and he'll continue doing quality work in little seen movies and television shows.

One of those little seen shows was the short-lived, Jericho, where he played the mysterious Robert Hawkins, the new guy in town who knew much more about the nuclear disaster than he let on. And although his work on that show didn't always showcase his dramatic talent, he was likeable enough to want to see more.

Add to the mix his recurring role as Charlie the pimp in Hung, and it would appear that Lennie James is steadily working his way into American audiences. I say American because many viewers don't realize he's one of those "English" actors. And if you don't believe me, check out his wonderful work in Snatch.

Being one of those American audience members, I'm sorry to say that I haven't seen anything else that he's done, but if his work in the aforementioned productions is just a small glimpse of what he can bring to a character, then Lennie James is one of the most over looked actors working today, and also why he's my pick for Not Very Famous...but should be.

Clint Howard

If you're a Ron Howard fan then you probably think that the famous director cast his little brother in small, insignificant roles in his movies just as a family obligation. However, if you are a fan of low budget cinema, then you know this is not the case, for Clint Howard has proven that as an actor he can act rings around his famous director brother.

Like his more famous sibling, he started out as a child actor. His big break was in the family show, Gentle Ben, but that didn't prove to be the hit that the Andy Griffith Show was for his brother. As he aged, Clint Howard guest starred in a wide variety of television shows like Family Affair, The Virginian and Night Gallery  just to name a few.

And while he often appears in many of his brothers films, like Apollo 13 and Cocoon, it's his low budget career with unknown directors that has proven to be the calling card of Clint Howard. Check out his work in Rock 'n Roll High School, Evilspeak  or The Ice Cream Man  if you don't believe me.

Even though his work in everything he does is quite good, the words, "award winning" will most likely never come before his name. As actors go, though, Clint Howard works steady and for an actor that's all that really matters. Congratulations Mister Howard for being the pick of the day for Not Very Famous...but should be.

Betty Buckley

Even though she's been in television and the movies for over three decades, Betty Buckley is more well known in the world of stage and music than she is with the other mediums. And while she's a Broadway star, she's never quite managed to transition herself to that level on the large and small screens.

After a small role in Carrie, she landed a high-profile job in the television show, Eight is Enough, where she replaced Diana Hyland who had died after the fourth episode. And while that is certainly a way to get noticed, she was known more at the time as the replacement actress than she was as an actress.

This lead to more television work and a noticeable role in the movie, Tender Mercies, where she was finally able to show off her singing abilities. And while that film gave Robert Duvall an Oscar, it did nothing at the box office and Betty Buckley was once again a Broadway star working in film and television obscurity.

She's still a working actress and has done solid work in everything from the movie Frantic to the television show, Oz. Even though she has the talent to have it all, she never had that breakthrough role to change her destiny, making Betty Buckley my pick of the day for Not Very Famous...but should be.

Bruno Kirby

Bruno Kirby was never a household name, but every time he appeared in a movie one couldn't help but wonder if that particular role would be the one that finally got him noticed. Often cast as the fast-talking best friend, this likeable actor helped make many a film better just by his mere presence.

Film buffs probably know him best as Young Clemenza  in The Godfather Part II  and mainstream audiences will remember him as Billy Crystal's best friend in both When Harry Met Sally  and City Slickers. Any supporting actor would be proud to have those films on their resume, but for Bruno Kirby those movies were just icing on the cake.

With over thirty years of memorable performances in films like Almost Summer, Where the Buffalo Roam, This Is Spinal Tap, Good Morning Vietnam, The Freshman, Sleepers and Donnie Brasco, he proved to be a major Hollywood talent capable of both comedy and drama, as well as an actor that could steal a scene away from its star with ease.

Sadly, Bruno Kirby passed away in 2006 at the young age of 57, just three weeks after being diagnosed with Leukemia. His passing leaves an unfinished legacy to what might have been. But unlike many other actors, due to his charm and ever-present talent, his fifteen minutes of fame will last forever as his movies will live on for generations.

Nick Mancuso

If I were the king of Hollywood, I would gather up every casting director, agent, studio head and anyone else that carries any sort of clout in that town and make them all watch the movie, Ticket to Heaven from 1981 starring Nick Mancuso.

Then I would scream at these so-called Hollywood know-it-all's for letting this phenomenal talent slip away without giving him another opportunity to top that performance. The sad part is that Nick Mancuso has not disappeared. In fact, he's been a working actor for almost forty years.

He's had many leading parts, like in Heartbreakers and Blame It on the Night and even the title role in the television series Stingray, but those characters never gave him the depth and range that Ticket to Heaven proved he could handle.

With age his roles have gotten smaller and his movies less mainstream. And all I can say is shame on you Hollywood. You let a great actor get away. But then again, you've been doing that for years.