Better things to do

I'm watching Charade, which stars Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. This has inspired me to create an all-time favorite list of actors and actresses. Yes, I have better things to do, but I'm simply not inclined to do them at the moment.

Let's start with the classics. Since I've already mentioned him, I will start off with:

Cary Grant - He's the good-looking, polished image of class (Charade), but also manages to portray bumbling comical characters with the same effectiveness (Arsenic and Old Lace). He never bores me.

Gregory Peck - I don't think I could ever tire of his rich voice, or the handsomely etched features that cover some of Hollywood's most notable roles. His portrayal of Atticus Finch alone is enough to put Gregory Peck at the top of my list.

Humphrey Bogart - While not as striking feature wise, there's a rough charm to Bogie's characters that make his performances some of my favorite on the big screen. Everyone should see Casablanca at least once. "Here's looking at you, kid."

James Stewart - because of his roles in "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Harvey." However, I hate seeing the occasional western, featuring Jimmy Stewart as a cowboy. For me, he's only ever your average, loveable, boy-next-door George Bailey.

The occasional Yul Brynner...mostly for the voice. Oh, and the occasional Gene Kelly, simply because I'm a sucker for tap dancing.

Oh dear. This is already becoming too long. Perhaps I will simply stick with my favorite classics for now and forego explaining why I prefer Christian Bale, Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman, Morgan Freeman, Val Kilmer, Matthew Broderick, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Anthony Hopkins. Oh...the occasional Christopher Plummer, Gabriel Byrne, and Christopher Walken. Jeremy Irons, Sean Connery, and Michael Wincott can just talk to me for a while.

The girls list is considerably shorter...

Audrey Hepburn - No one comes close to Audrey Hepburn. She redefined fashion and beauty in ways that had never been seen. Her roles are energetic, graceful, and enchanting, and she was a renowned humanitarian. Ms. Hepburn has always been at the top of my list.

Ingrid Bergman - From the time I was very young, I wished that I was as beautiful as Ingrid Bergman. She's the picture of the classic Hollywood woman...with a gentle Swedish accent and kind features. I'm also quite fond of her name.

Judy Garland - One of the best known entertainers of all time. As a child, I thought she was beautiful. I loved watching her dance and sing, and wished that I were capable of the same. "Meet me in St. Louis" will always be one of my favorite musicals.

Once again, I will stick to the classics and spare readers from my ramblings about Kate Winslet, Jennifer Aniston, and Julia Roberts.

I have no idea why I just wasted time on something so frivolous, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I suppose that's all that matters.