Many parents would love to see their children following in their footsteps so why would it be any different as far as movie stars are concerned? There is, of course, the question of talent and being the child of a great actor is no guarantee. It might be that talent runs in the family or it might just skip a generation. Another sensitive issue - how do you compete with a parent who is a film legend? Can you measure up to it or are you doomed to be forever in their shadow - ‘the son of X’. For this post in our Hollywood Movie Legends, let’s take a look at some of the most famous acting families in cinema history.
It seems only fair to start with the Douglas clan, after all Kirk Douglas is one of the last icons of Hollywood’s Golden Era still alive. Just a few months ago, in November 2018, a proud Kirk Douglas watched as his son Michael joined him in the select club of actors who have earned their star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Kirk Douglas, whom many remember for his outstanding performance in ’Spartacus’ had his own star unveiled back in 1960.
Michael Douglas, known for movies like ’Wall Street’ (which brought him an Oscar), ’Basic Instinct’ or ’Fatal Attraction’ was recognized for his 50-years career in the film industry.
In this case, I think it’s very hard to say which of the two is the greater actor and, considering the wonderful father-son relation they share I don’t think it even matters. Just take a look at the heartfelt words Michael had for his father: "I thank you for your advice, your inspiration...I'm so proud to be your son".
Jane Fonda was born Hollywood royalty, daughter of Henry Fonda, but as she said in many interviews, her father never encouraged her, or her brother, Peter, to take up acting. Yet, they both did well in the world of cinema and now their children are also actors.
One of Henry Fonda’s first major performances was in the 1938 classic movie ’Jezebel’, followed by memorable parts in ’Twelve Angry Men’(1957) or the 1968 epic Western ’How The West Was Won’, in which he was cast against his type and played the villain. His last appearance on screen was the ’On the Golden Pond’ (1981) and this movie has a particular significance for the Fonda clan, as it was produced especially for him by his daughter Jane Fonda, who went on to accept the Oscar in his stead as Henry Fonda was too sick at the time. Jane Fonda lived up to her father’s fame and won two Oscars of her own (’Klute’ and ’Coming Home’), although many of you might remember her for the movie which failed to deliver her the Academy Award, ’They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?’. As opposed to her father, Jane strongly encouraged her son Troy Garity to become an actor. Peter Fonda, known for movies like ’Easy Rider’ and ’Ulee’s Gold’ is also the father of actress Bridget Fonda, who’s breakthrough role was in ‘Godfather 3’, where she played a journalist.
It would take a whole post to describe even briefly all the actors in the Chaplin dynasty - there’s 12 of them. And it doesn’t even start with the famous Charlie Chaplin, but with his father Charles Spencer Chaplin, a British music hall entertainer, who probably could have been a movie star, only cinema was not yet a thing in 1901 when he died. As we’ve already spoken about Charlie Chaplin in this ADSactly series, we can skip to his children. In fact, most of his eight children from his marriage to Oona O’Neill have chosen acting careers. The most famous of them all is Geraldine Chaplin, who did relatively few movies in Hollywood, choosing to move to Europe where she appeared in films directed by Claude Lelouch, Pedro Almodovar or Franco Zeffirelli. In the 1992 ’Chaplin’ biopic she got to play the part of her own grandmother. Geraldine’s daughter, Oona Castilla Chaplin, made a name for herself by appearing in series like ‘Game of Thrones’ and ’The Crimson Field’. None of the later Chaplins can measure up to the great Charlie Chaplin, but they had acting in their blood.
As this post is about legacies, please read the following lines, taken from a letter Charlie Chaplin wrote to Geraldine in 1965.
“I have seen your dreams, Geraldine, have seen your future and your date. I saw a girl dancing on stage, fairy, moving across the sky. Heard the public say, “See that girl?She is the daughter of the old fool. Remember, his name was Charlie? “Yes, I’m Charlie! I’m an old fool!Today is your turn. Dance! I danced in large ragged pants, and you dance in a silk dress, princess. These dances and applause at times will offer you to heaven.”
Lionel, Ethel and John Barrymore
source
Much like the Chaplins, the Barrymore clan starts with a distant stage actor called Maurice, of which little is known today. But he was the father of one of cinema’s earliest stars, Lionel Barrymore, who won an Academy Award in 1931 for his performance in ’A Free Soul’. His sister Ethel was nicknamed ‘The First Lady of American Theatre’ for her outstanding stage career. Then there’s their younger brother John, also an actor and grandfather to Drew Barrymore, famous for such movies as ‘Charlie’s Angels or ’Donnie Darko’
Although many American sites speak of Vanessa Redgrave as matriarch of her clan, the dynasty begins in fact with Sir Michael Redgrave, famous British actor and winner of two BAFTA awards. Vanessa Redgrave, known for films like ’Atonement’ and Julia’ is also the mother of Joely Richardson and Natasha Richardson.
Still in the Hollywood royalty class we have the Coppola clan, led by the legendary director Francis Ford Coppola of ’The Godfather’ fame. The Coppola clan is almost as impressive as the Corleone family. His sister, Rose, played Connie Corleone, the Don’s only daughter. Sofia Coppola is Francis Ford Coppola’s daughter and although she tried her luck at acting, she ended up as a director and a quite successful one. Of the many nieces and nephews who went into acting the most famous one is, undoubtedly, Nicolas Cage, who gave up the family name because he wanted to make it on his own. It is a very valid concern as many children of movie personalities are afraid to have their careers marred by accusations of nepotism.
The present generation of Hollywood stars is filled with acting families all aspiring to become cinema royalty, which is not that easy.
We have, for instance, the Sheen family, headed by Martin Sheen, who’s two sons Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez have their own successful careers.
Although they have been estranged for a good part of their lives, in recent years Angelina Jolie has made up with her famous father Jon Voight, winner of an Academy Award for ’Coming Home’(1978), although my personal favorite movie of his is The Champ’. Given the large number of kids in the Jolie-Pitt family, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them turned to acting.
Then there’s the Sutherlands, the father Donald and his equally talented son Kiefer, currently star of the ’Designated Survivor’ Netflix series. I prefer Kiefer of the two, but you might like to know his half-brothers are also in the movie industry. So is his daughter, Sarah, which you might have seen in the ’Veep’ series.
Technically they are not a dynasty, but they’re living proof that talent does run in some families. I’m talking, obviously, about the Baldwin Brothers: Alec, Daniel, William and Stephen. Of the four, Alec Baldwin is the most successful, having played in dozens of movie, from action films like ‘Mission Impossible’ to the romantic comedy hit ’It’s Complicated’, not to mention the highly-acclaimed ’30 Rock’ TV series. Even if the others are less famous, it’s impossible not to recognize them as one of the clan, as they all have the Baldwin eyes.
Equally deserving of a mention in the siblings category are the very talented Fanning sisters, Elle and Dakota, still young both of them and with so much potential.
If you google the subject you will find lists where legendary acting families are mixed with modern day celebrities pushing their children into a lucrative career in the film industry, which doesn’t mean the kids have talent. But times have changed and modern celebrities see their families as a brand they need to sell. No doubt many will make good money, but fame, I wouldn’t bet on that.
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