Actors, KAR-LEB
Acting is a performing art that involves much more than just being able to cry on command. Actors exercise supreme control over their voice, body, and facial movements so as to effectively and believably convey the emotional experience of the characters they represent. Although theatrical productions, television, and movies each carry unique technical demands for the actor, skilled actors can move from one medium to another without a diminution of talent, as is borne out by celebrated actors such as Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench, Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, and Viola Davis.
Actors Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Boris Karloff was an English actor who became internationally famous for his sympathetic and chilling portrayal......
Girish Karnad was an Indian playwright, author, actor, and film director whose movies and plays, written largely......
Katsu Shintarō was a Japanese actor whose portrayal of Zatoichi, a blind master swordsman, in a series of motion......
Andy Kaufman was an American comedian, actor, and performance artist. His groundbreaking and experimental comedic......
Danny Kaye was an energetic, multitalented American actor and comedian who later became known for his involvement......
Charles Kean was an English actor-manager best known for his revivals of Shakespearean plays. The son of the famed......
Edmund Kean was one of the greatest of English tragic actors, a turbulent genius noted as much for his megalomania......
Ellen Kean was one of the finest English actresses of her day and the wife of the actor Charles Kean, with whom......
Buster Keaton was an American film comedian and director, known as the “Great Stone Face” of the silent screen.......
Diane Keaton is an American film actress and director who achieved fame in quirky comic roles prior to gaining......
Michael Keaton is an American actor who began his career in mostly comedic roles but later found success in dramas.......
Ruby Keeler was a Canadian-born American actor and dancer who starred as a fresh-faced ingenue who would triumphantly......
Laura Keene was an actress and the first notable female theatre manager in the United States. Mary Moss, as her......
Bob Keeshan was an American television producer and entertainer who was best known for his role as Captain Kangaroo......
Harvey Keitel is an American film actor known for his swaggering tough-guy persona and wryly gruff delivery. Keitel......
Emmett Kelly was one of the great American circus clowns, best known for his role as Weary Willie, a mournful tramp......
Gene Kelly was an American dancer, actor, choreographer, and motion-picture director whose athletic style of dancing,......
Grace Kelly was an American actress of films and television, known for her stately beauty and reserve. She starred......
Charles Kemble was a theatrical manager, the first to use appropriately detailed historical sets and costumes on......
Elizabeth Kemble was an English actress of great ability whose career was subordinated to that of her husband,......
Fanny Kemble was a popular English actress who is also remembered as the author of plays, poems, and reminiscences,......
George Stephen Kemble was an English actor and theatrical manager. Kemble’s mother, the actress Sarah Kemble, acted......
Henry Stephen Kemble was an English actor of popularity but modest attainments, a member of the famous Kemble theatrical......
John Philip Kemble was a popular English actor and manager of the Drury Lane and Covent Garden theatres in London,......
Maria Theresa Kemble was an English singer, dancer, and actress who married the actor and theatrical manager Charles......
Priscilla Kemble was a noted English actress and wife of the actor and theatrical manager John Philip Kemble. Born......
Roger Kemble was an English actor and theatre manager and founder of the famous Kemble family. Kemble’s fancy was......
William Kempe was one of the most famous clowns of the Elizabethan era. Much of his reputation as a clown grew......
Dame Margaret Kendal and William Hunter Kendal were English actor-managers, husband and wife, who, by their personal......
Arthur Kennedy was an American character actor featured in many films and nominated for five Academy Awards. Kennedy,......
Barry Keoghan is an Irish actor known for his idiosyncratic, sometimes unsettling performances in such films as......
Deborah Kerr was a British film and stage actress known for the poise and serenity she exhibited in portraying......
Keegan-Michael Key is an American actor, comedian, and screenwriter best known as one half of the comedic duo Key......
Alicia Keys is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress who achieved enormous success in the early 2000s......
Aamir Khan is an Indian film actor who is known for his consistent performances. His insistence on a complete script......
Chaka Khan is an American singer whose incredible vocal range and dynamic stage presence helped make her the “Queen......
Salman Khan is an Indian actor, film producer, and television host whose iconic roles, blockbuster hits, and mass......
Shah Rukh Khan is an Indian actor known for his powerful screen presence and global appeal. Commonly known as SRK......
Nicole Kidman is an American-born Australian actress known for her considerable range and versatility as well as......
Dorothy Kilgallen was an American journalist and TV personality whose work ranged from covering high-profile murder......
Val Kilmer was an American actor known for his charisma and unpredictability, which he used to great effect in......
Jimmy Kimmel is an American late-night talk-show personality, producer, and comedian best known as the host of......
Regina King is an American actress and director who was known for her depth and versatility, earning acclaim for......
Ben Kingsley is a British actor recognized for playing a wide range of roles, including that of the title character......
Klaus Kinski was an intense, eccentric German actor of Polish descent who had a stage and film career of more than......
Vanessa Kirby is a British stage and screen actress who gained fame for her nuanced portrayal of the young Princess......
James Kirkwood was an American librettist, actor, author, and playwright who, together with Nicholas Dante, wrote......
Kitano Takeshi is a Japanese actor, director, writer, and television personality who is known for his dexterity......
Eartha Kitt was an American singer and dancer noted for her sultry vocal style and slinky beauty who also achieved......
Robert Klein is an American comedian, actor, and singer who, along with Richard Pryor and George Carlin, transformed......
Kevin Kline is an American actor who was a well-rounded and respected stage actor before beginning a film career.......
Jack Klugman was an American actor who was best known for his work on television, most notably The Odd Couple (1970–75)......
Keira Knightley is an English actress who is best known for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and a number......
Olga Knipper-Chekhova was a world-renowned Russian actress and the wife of playwright Anton Chekhov. Knipper was......
Vera Komissarzhevskaya was a Russian actress and producer whose career linked the practice of the aristocratic......
Komparu Zempō was a nō dramatist and actor, grandson of nō actor and dramatist Komparu Zenchiku. Zempō was one......
Komparu Zenchiku was a nō actor and playwright who also wrote critical works on drama. Zenchiku, who married a......
Fritz Kortner was a famous stage and film actor of the 1920s German avant-garde who, after his return from exile......
Ernie Kovacs was an American television comedian. Kovacs created the television comedy variety show The Ernie Kovacs......
John Krasinski is an American actor, director, and screenwriter who first garnered attention for his portrayal......
Lenny Kravitz is an American musician known for his unique blend of rock, psychedelia, soul, funk, and hip-hop.......
Zoë Kravitz is an American actress and director known for portraying multifaceted, quietly powerful women in a......
Kris Kristofferson was an American singer-songwriter and actor known for his gravelly voice and rugged good looks......
Lisa Kudrow is an actress who excels at applying her keen comedic timing and delivery to offbeat, eccentric characters.......
Akshay Kumar is an Indian actor and producer, chiefly known for his work in Bollywood comedies and action films.......
Dilip Kumar was an Indian actor and one of the legendary stars of Bollywood. With his low-key, naturalistic acting......
Kishore Kumar was a legendary Indian playback singer, composer, actor, and director. Celebrated for his uniquely......
Ashton Kutcher is an American actor who first garnered fame for playing Michael Kelso in the hit sitcom That ’70s......
Edward Kynaston was probably the last and the best of English boy actors playing female roles. His last female......
Helmut Käutner was a German film director, actor, and screenwriter who was acclaimed as one of the most intelligent......
Alan Ladd was an American motion picture actor most noted for roles in which he portrayed detectives, cowboys,......
Lady Gaga is an American singer-songwriter and performance artist, known for her flamboyant costumes, provocative......
Bert Lahr was an American stage and screen actor who was best known for his dynamic portrayal of the Cowardly Lion......
Cleo Laine is a British singer and actress who mastered a variety of styles but is best known as the “Queen of......
Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-born American film star who was often typecast as a provocative femme fatale. Years......
Dorothy Lamour was an American actress who was best remembered by filmgoers as the sarong-clad object of Bob Hope’s......
Burt Lancaster was an American film actor who projected a unique combination of physical toughness and emotional......
Martin Landau was an American character actor who had a lengthy and prolific career, often playing unsettling villains,......
Michael Landon was an American television actor, director, and producer who was best known for his work on the......
Nathan Lane is an American stage, film, and television actor, best known for his work in musical comedies, notably......
Matheson Lang was an English romantic actor and dramatist whose imposing presence, commanding features, and fine......
Harry Langdon was an American motion picture actor and director whom many rank among the top tier of silent film......
Jessica Lange is an American actress known for her versatility and intelligent performances. Lange attended the......
Lillie Langtry was a British beauty and actress, known as the Jersey Lily. She was the daughter of the dean of......
Angela Lansbury was a British-born American character actress who achieved success and acclaim for her stage, film,......
Brie Larson is an American actress whose compelling and understated performance as a young woman who has been kidnapped......
Charles Laughton was a British actor and director who defied the Hollywood typecasting system to emerge as one......
Cyndi Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, and actress whose flamboyant style and catchy songs, most notably......
Stan Laurel was an English comedic film actor best known as half of the legendary Laurel and Hardy team. Although......
Hugh Laurie is a British comic actor perhaps best known for his role on the television series House (2004–12).......
John Laurie was a Scottish theatre and film actor probably best known for his performance as Private Frazer, a......
Ray Lawler is an actor, producer, and playwright whose Summer of the Seventeenth Doll is credited with changing......
Lucy Lawless is a New Zealand-born actress who became famous for her portrayal of the title character in the popular......
Gertrude Lawrence was an English actress noted for her performances in Noël Coward’s sophisticated comedies and......
Jennifer Lawrence is an American actress who is known for her versatility on-screen and her accessible, candid......
Martin Lawrence is a star who was featured in the hit television sitcom Martin from 1992 to 1997. He parlayed his......
Eva Le Gallienne was an actress, director, and producer, one of the outstanding figures of the 20th-century American......
Jean Le Poulain was a French actor and administrator who was celebrated primarily for his comedic interpretations......
Cloris Leachman was an American actress who was most widely known for her comic roles, perhaps most notably Phyllis......
Matt LeBlanc is an American actor best known for playing the dim-witted but lovable ladies’ man Joey Tribbiani......