+4
Great list, Citizen! I wish I'd followed and commented along the way. There's plenty of names I don't recognize in the early part of the list, but almost all the faces look familiar. James Cagney is a great choice for #1. My admiration for the man has really grown after diving into some of his 30's roles. He could bust a move just as well as he could fire a tommy gun. Despite regularly being the shortest person on screen, he towers over everyone else. He's always likeable even when playing the most despicable characters. Whether he's starring in a comedy or a drama or a musical, whether he's bootlegging or producing stage shows, singing or shooting, charming women or shoving grapefruits in their faces, he's always a natural on screen. He's rising fast on my own list of favorite actors.
Your actors list features a ton of legends and personal favorites, but several of them had their best, most memorable roles in other decades. In terms of actual 1930's performances, I think your actress list is more impressive. Maybe it's because pre-code films allowed them to be more flirtatious and flaunt their sexuality, but I've been falling in love with a ton of 1930's actresses lately, and they've been the selling point over their male counterparts when deciding which films to watch. Lately I've been diving into the films of Jean Harlot -- er, I mean, Harlow -- and she's impressing me more with each film. She may not be the most talented actress, but she had a great screen presence, even with those hideous eyebrows. I'm also working on a time machine to go back and marry Ginger Rogers; and if she won't have me, I'm proposing to Joan Blondell. I love how sassy, quick-witted, spunky and outright hilarious many of those actresses were without sacrificing any of their sexuality.