Top 20 Movies With the Greatest Casts but We Didn't Know at the Time

[@MsMojo]

Do YOU Think we forget another great cast? Let us know below, and check out our video of the Top 10 Stars Who Appeared in Teen Movies BEFORE They Were Famous - kzbin.info/www/bejne/in6WkJ2KgLl7erc

[@DanellePainter]

You didn’t include “Stand By Me”

[@johnanderson9765]

You did forget quite a few, like Stand by Me, The Faculty, Reservoir Dogs and Can't Hardly Wait.

[@Mehitabel9]

Not a single mention of an Altman film? MASH? Nashville? Gosford Park? Good lord.

[@sharipotter-i8g]

you confused a great movie with casring going on to future - like Gosforf Park

[@sharipotter-i8g]

#5 was rated waaaay too high and #3 - if it wasnt popular or critically acclaimed at the time it didn't promote a career

[@trinaq]

I immediately thought of "The Outsiders." It's always been one of my book adaptations, and the stellar cast do a remarkable job of bringing S.E. Hinton's characters to life. Nobody knew how well known they'd soon become.

[@SaraClark-lw3oh]

My favorite novel and book-to-movie adaptation is The Outsiders

[@jeanninelockridge5235]

Agreed. This was an amazing movie❤

[@josephpahl5833]

Wow you're a genius. LOL

[@annacantu7670]

I literally thought the same thing, however your comment is 100% better written than mine would have been!

[@DesMathews-s5k]

I was hoping that Boys in the Hood, would've been on there. Lawrence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr, Regina King, Nia Long, Ice Cube, and Morris Chestnut. A 1991 all star cast, that didn't know it at the time

[@jeanninelockridge5235]

@@DesMathews-s5k Another excellent movie.

[@RodneyBettis]

Also "A Knight's Tale" had a great cast of relative unknowns at the time, but Heath Ledger, Paul Bettany, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk and Rufus Sewell were all great. Paul Bettany's Geoffrey Chaucer was my favorite.

[@IslesYankeeLady]

Agreed. Don’t forget Laura Fraser too.

[@MrFCoff]

And James Purefoy

[@ejgoldlust]

This was the first thing I thought of when I saw the thumbnail

[@thommccormick8414]

Ya missed "Stand by Me". Ya also mixed up Cindy Williams with Penny Marshall standing with the Fonz

[@NicoleTunis]

I'm glad someone else spotted that too

[@JennCampbell]

Yes!!! I'm so glad other people caught this!!!

[@dkuntz]

Stand by Me definitely! You get 2 longish time actors out of that, both who wound up on Star Trek shows (Jerry O'Connell is Commander Ransom on Lower Decks, and is married to Rebecca Romijn, who is also the first officer on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds...)

[@tattales9262]

It's typical here. You should see what they do with music. oof.

[@carolynhunt7333]

Little Women with Winona Ryder, Clare Danes, Kirsten Dunst, Christian Bale, Eric Stoltz, and Gabriel Byrne.

[@ValpCreates]

The fact that Winona Ryder was in Heathers and Christian Bale was in Newsies is enough for me to be any bit invested

[@shannyk75]

St. Elmo’s Fire

[@LucienSabre]

Winona Ryder, Gabriel Byrne and Susan Sarandon (as well as Samantha Mathis and Christian Bale in part too) were already big stars when they starred in 1994 Little Women…everybody knew that movie’s cast was great.

[@cazia9]

1996's A Time to Kill was the first film I thought of - Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, both Donald and Kiefer Sutherland, Samuel L Jackson, Chris Cooper, Oliver Platt, Patrick McGoohan, Ashley Judd, and more

[@tanyaalexander9392]

My favorite movie

[@deborahblackvideoediting8697]

The Big Chill is one of those fantastic films that seems to have been forgotten over time. Almost like The Breakfast Club, but for adults. Helluva cast. Glad to hear it mentioned here.

[@weikel2000]

It's one of my favorites, but is often maligned for being peak Regan era well off white american boomers with first world problems. But it's also remarkably self aware with lines like "back when money was a sin" and "nobody had a cushier berth than us". But as far as I'm concerned, it has the best ensemble acting ever.

[@CAP198462]

TAPS: Tom Cruise(in only his second role), Sean Penn, George C. Scott, Timothy Hutton.

[@Kktienlegos]

TAPS is an outstanding film

[@CAP198462]

@@Kktienlegos Ngl, I’m thrilled to read that. It seemed to me the movie is forgotten. I’ve watched shows do Tom Cruise or Sean Penn retrospectives and it’s the one movie they always leave off. 🙌

[@gerarddonaldson7631]

It’s hard to go past “Diner” 1982 with Steve Guttenburg, Mickey Rourke, Daniel Stern, Kevin Bacon, Tim Daly and Paul Reiser A classic

[@nita409]

So shocked and happy to see The Outsiders at #1.

[@upfrontbear74]

Lucas with Cory Haim, Winona Ryder (film debut), Charlie Sheen, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Jeremy Piven (film debut). Red Dawn with Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen & Jennifer Grey. Class with Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, John Cusack (film debut), Alan Ruck, Casey Siemaszko, Joan Cusack. Virginia Madsen (film debut). Stand b/y Me with Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, Casey Siemaszko, John Cusack to name but 3

[@CuteAnimalVideos2580]

John Cusacks film debut was Class in 1983

[@upfrontbear74]

@@CuteAnimalVideos2580 I put that didn't I?

[@icame4theeggs]

Can I add Gosford Park? Fantastic cast and fantastic plot. Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon, Clive Owen and Kelly Macdonald joining the likes of established heavyweights Maggie Smith, Charles Dance, Derek Jacobi, and Ryan Phillippe.... everyone in it has gone on to something else you've seen in the 20 plus years since it was released. Love it!

[@williamsummerson1204]

Amazing job watchmojo. I would have added Stand by me, or Lost Boys.

[@randybliss6480]

Carrie - Sissy Spacek, Amy Irving, Nancy Allen, P.J.Soles, John Travolta, William Katt, Edie McClurg...

[@pequena_ninera]

Stand By Me had a stellar cast and should of been on the list.

[@michaelmonthey5974]

Let’s not forget that “The Goonies” was executive produced by Steven Spielberg and under the direction of the late Richard Donner, the man behind a number of classic films such as “Superman”, “The Omen”, and the “Lethal Weapon” series.

[@Fincoolman68]

did you watch that video,what is number 18?

[@michaelmonthey5974]

@@Fincoolman68 Yes I watched the video. If you wanna know what number 18 is, why not watch it yourself?

[@stephaniehight2771]

I can't believe The Princess Bride isn't on your list. Also, you didn't mention Suzanne Somers, Mackensie Phillips and several other actors from American Graffiti, which I was happy to see at #2.

[@trinaq]

"Dead Poet's Society" never fails to make me bawl like a baby, especially after the death of Robin Williams. It was so perfectly cast.

[@Terahnee]

Yep. I was more listening than watching but the moment I heard that end scene tears started.

[@Kktienlegos]

Ryan Hawke often shares a touching story about the film and working with Robin Williams.

[@Travlr013]

The Dirty Dozen, while having a number of fairly well-known TV stars in the cast -- Clint Walker, Richard Jaekel, John Cassavettes -- we also got "newcomers" Jim Brown, Donald Sutherland, and Telly Savales to go alongside veterans Ernest Borgnine, Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, Robert Webber and George Kennedy (although Kennedy would really come into his own a few years later in "Airport"). I often consider it to be the 2nd chronological "before they were famous" movies, the first being "The Magnificent Seven". It seems like there is one of these movies every 7-10 years where the a set newcomers get their chances and they all hit the ground running. Good list, although I'd rearrange some of the rankings ("The Big Chill" really does need to be higher, given the number of Oscars, Emmys and Tonys that eventually ended up in those hands).

[@kriscynical]

Back when I was in junior high in the late '90s, we had required summer reading lists. The summer before 8th grade, one of the books I chose was _The Outsiders_ and I ended up LOVING it. It was the only summer reading choice I ever enjoyed (save for _I Know What You Did Last Summer_ which is SO much better than the damn bastardized movie it's shameful)... And then my 8th grade English teacher quickly killed any love I had for it by giving us _every single possible project for it_ from her teaching materials just so she could "weed out" which projects she didn't want to assign in the future. It was seriously like SIX PROJECTS and it suffocated ANY love I ever had for that book. So, aspiring teachers? DON'T DO THAT SHIT. I still struggle to enjoy reading for leisure because every English teacher I ever had from upper elementary through high school turned reading into homework-laden boring drudgery and a part of me still resents each and every one of them for it. I'm an illustrator now and I can fortunately consume some books via audiobook while I'm working, but I feel like I've been robbed of one of life's simple pleasures. This turned into a rambling rant of sorts that I didn't intend to do, but I'm leaving it as-is in the off chance I could influence even ONE future teacher to not repeat the sins of their predecessors. 😮‍💨

[@tiffanyaustin1681]

Hackers is never mentioned on any list. There should be an honorable mention on here. I bet the movies we all think are missing would be on here.

[@jennifer_m.8613]

It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Watched it once, laughing so hard that I ended up on the floor That was Penny Marshall in the shot when you mentioned Cindy Williams in "American Graffitti"

[@tawnydi]

“Taps” comes to mind…. And “Stand by me”.

[@98nh3609]

The Outsiders was the first book assigned in English my freshman year and we read a chapter in class. I went home and locked myself in my room until finished reading it. I was totally enthralled by it. Memorized the poem Nothing Gold can Stay for extra credit. One of the last books I threw myself into before a series of concussions ih high school.

[@rhubarb_runner2]

Buckaroo Banzai! And, surprisingly, The Burning had three pretty important film debuts as well.

[@vincentkrommenhoek7431]

Red Dawn (1984)! Got a lot of new talent. Patrick Swayze, C Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charley Sheen, Jennifer Grey. Or didn't it qualify?

[@mkz9339]

I came for this comment! Was my 2nd pick after The Outsiders...

[@CanesFan88]

Blackhawk Down has the absolute GOATed cast, I guess it's a question of how many did we know we're stars at the time. Probably not many and I'd bet most don't even remember Tom Hardy being in it.

[@clothilde1623]

Was he?! Lol, think it’s time for a rewatch!

[@geraldmulleady6653]

Two movies, Stand by Me and Red Dawn " original ".

[@TianaSidhe]

The Outsiders was filmed here in Tulsa and Owasso, OK, and we are still very proud to have hosted such a legendary cast and important film.

[@CassandraElkin]

The Outsiders was my first thought - SO iconic! I even named my dog Sodapop. Met SE Hinton once and practically went catatonic for a second. Then they went and made a movie of it and those boys made it even more iconic

[@IslesYankeeLady]

For the UK, 2 especially come to mind- Bright Young Things has David Tennant, James McAvoy, Stephen Campbell Moore, Emily Mortimer, Michael Sheen, Fenella Woolgar, Jim Carter, and a whole host of established actors. One of my favorites is Starter for 10. James McAvoy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rebecca Hall, Alice Eve, Mark Gatiss, Catherine Tate, Guy Henry, James Corden, Dominic Cooper, Simon Woods, And Charles Dance and Lindsey Duncan History Boys has a number of future Doctor Who stars BBC period dramas tend to be full of up and coming stars. Including Austen adaptations, Cranford, North and South, Daniel Deronda, the Way We Live Now, Our Mutual Friend, Bleak House, and Little Dorrit. The TV show MI-5 has a ton too. Band of Brothers is a mini series with a ton. Another is “Shakespeare Re-Told.” Several modernized Shakespeare plays.

[@jewishcomixanthology2920]

The 1983 film The Outsiders definitely belongs on this list. However, 2 years earlier we got the film Taps which brought together Tom Cruise, Timothy Hutton, Sean Penn, Giancarlo Esposito, & Billy Van Zandt.

[@paulwieder8981]

While you meant to show Cindy "Shirley" Williams at 20:56, you showed Penny "Laverne" Marshall-- the OTHER star of the show "Laverne & Shirley." While you did get most of those on my personal list of "star nurseries" as I call them (borrowing a term from astronomy), I would have included Barry Levinson's "Diner" (1982) with young Paul Reiser, Steve Guttenberg, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Daniel Stern, Tim Daly, & Ellen Barkin.

[@Omar-wq9dz]

It’s always great seeing well known actors and actresses now, work together in movies when they were not well known

[@robertharper1307]

St Elmo's Fire is an epic cast. Really surprised it didn't make this list.

[@unstepintime]

Many of the cast were in other movies on the list. Plus, imo - most were already established.

[@luckyrobinshomestead]

Because they weren't new talent. That was most of the Brat Pack, save the younger members. They were well on their way at the point of this movie.

[@hurricaneheta]

Mean Girls, Little Woman (1994), and don’t forget Renee Zellweger has a small, uncredited role in Dazed and Confused.

[@ajaiy]

almost a perfect list. missing Stand by Me for sure.

[@LuckyFarscape]

“Scott Pilgrim vs The World”, “Drop Dead Gorgeous”, “House Party”, “Hanging with the Homeboys”

[@michaelmonthey5974]

You forgot to mention that Forrest Whittaker also appeared in “Platoon”.

[@OscarMPG1]

The Social Network had Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Dakota Johnson, Armie Hammer Back to School had Rodney Dangerfield, William Zabka, Ned Beatty, Robert Downey Jr. The Italian Job had Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton, Donald Sutherland, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, Seth Green, Mos Def,

[@marycarroll9915]

You forgot to mention Eric Stolz and Anthony Edwards in Fast Times!

[@ChristChickAutistic]

Glad number one was The Outsiders, great movie of a great book I read countless times. It's actually one of the few times the movie was as good as the book.

[@quarionilphukiir3583]

Calling Ewan McGregor a Star Wars actor, while he has so many better rolls.

[@cmorris9494]

Stripes: Harold ramis (he directed caddyshack before this), John candy, John larroquette, Sean Young, judge reinhold, bill Paxton (cameo) and Joe flattery. I know i watched sctv but it wasn't that popular in America.

[@MrPhilbautista]

How is Scott Pilgrim v The World not on this list? It's got Superman, Captain Marvel, and The Human Torch/Captain America all before they became super heroes.

[@ILJ68]

Fast Times At Ridgemont High should be #1. Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Lee, but not only the cast, this was Cameron Corowe’s first film. Someone dropped the ball on this one.

[@Jimifan57]

King of New York (1990) had an unbelievable cast. Headlined by Christopher Walken, it also featured Wesley Snipes, Lawrence Fishburne, Steve Buscemi, Giancarlo Esposito, Theresa Randle, David Caruso, Harold Perrineau, Vanessa Angel, Paul Calderon, Roger Guenveur Smith and Victor Argo.

[@alexatucker611]

Shout out to Fred Roos who was the casting director for the top two spots and the Godfather!! That man had an excellent eye!!

[@jennyk360]

I would add Scott Pilgrim vs the World

[@mattcarter4681]

"Scott Pilgrim vs the World " Michael Cera, Mary Elisabeth Winstead, Keiran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, Allison Pill, Aubrey Plaza, and so many more

[@Idontwant1]

I remember after watching Animal House and feeling so let down when college life wasn’t anything like the movies. Then I got a little bit older and way more relaxed. And I saw a calmer version of the what the movie showed. We still played a lot of the music from 60’s and 70’s. And yes there was a lot of pot smoking and drinking. But I was in college during the 80’s during the scary beginning of AIDS so there wasn’t all the unprotected sex. But it was a fun time to be a college student.

[@KatInJapan-q2e]

Kevin Costner was in The Big Chill. You just didn’t see his face. He played the corpse. As a way of saying “sorry” Kasdan gave him the part in Silverado.

[@Emo-Is-Dad]

Angels In The Outfield (1994): Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Matthew McConaughey, Dermott Mulroney, Adrien Brody, Neal McDonough, Ben Johnson, Brenda Fricker, Christopher Lloyd, Danny Glover, and Tony Danza.

[@catherinewilliams9680]

#1 It's a mazing how Francis Ford Coppola is so successful when it comes to directing films with dynamic and large casts.

[@cormacpwalsh]

How did "Excalibur" not make this list? Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson, Helen Mirren, Gabriel Byrne , Cheri Lunghi, Nigel Terry and Nicole Williamson featured in this rather splendid 1981 movie.

[@rwwilson21]

no "10 things I hate about you."

[@luckyrobinshomestead]

Mostly all were established actors when they starred in this. They wouldn't have made this list.

[@brettbatz695]

My mind immediatly went to Scott Pilgrim vs the World

[@dinosoid2000]

Enemy of the State. Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Gabriel Byrne, John Voight, Lisa Bonet, Regina King, Barry Pepper, Jake Busey, Scott Kahn, Jason Lee, Jack Black, Jaimie Kennedy, Anna Gunn, Seth Green, Phillip Baker Hall, Jason Robards, and Tom Sizemore. Half these people only have a minute or two of screentime.

[@SpartacusSPQ]

Spielberg cast Matt Damon as an ”Unknown” to play Ryan, but before the movie came out Will Hunting happened.

[@JulieS261]

Steve McQueen was already well known as a TV star from his two years in the series "Wanted Dead or Alive".

[@cmorris9494]

My brother watches it. I think he was on another show before that show.

[@rachelhileman9062]

Ummm... Missed Lord of the Rings... And Stand by Me

[@IsabelleMarinozzi]

leaving red dawn and the lost boys out of this is a crime

[@ronaldoakes7139]

How is Blade Runner not on this list. Nearly every supporting character was played by an unknown who went on to become a name actor within a decade: Edward James Olmos, Daryl Hanna, Joanna Cassady, Rutger Haur, and others.

[@kevinbutcher6171]

Knew “Outsiders” would be number 1, surprised “Stand by me” wasn’t on the list.

[@davidjackson2524]

Also Bruce McGill from the original McGuyver, costarred in National Lampoon's Animal House

[@carmensandiego3691]

You showed Penny Marshall when you mentioned Cindy Williams

[@Jamal-bl7yh]

Midnight Madness (1981) It Had Eddie Deezen (Dexter's Laboratory), David Naughton (An American Werewolf In London), Paul Reubens (Pee Wee's Playhouse), Michael J. Fox (Teen Wolf, Back To The Future, Spin City) underrated film saw It last year

[@Ednabug]

I loved that movie as a kid

[@briang70]

Penny Marshall is not Cindy Williams, but the mix-up is understandable, I guess. Still got a thumbs up.

[@shawnknieriem464]

Stay Gold, Ponyboy

[@dannysimion]

Great list - this particular video needed a top 30. Lots of great ensemble and future icons in their earlier films.

[@maryannschumacher1370]

Nicholas Cage and Eric Stoltz were also in Fast Times at Ridgemont High as Sean Penn's stoner buddies.

[@DawnHelmickWood]

I'm sorry, but anyone from the 80's already knew the entire cast of The Outsiders. Every one of them had pin ups in Tiger Beat and what not.

[@corymckee3460]

Can’t believe Almost Famous didn’t make the list: - Billy Crudup - Patrick Fugit - Zoey Deschanel - Jason Lee - Jay Baruchal - Jimmy Fallon - Kate Hudson - Anna Paquin - Philip Seymour Hoffman - Bijou Phillips - Rainn Wilson - Eric Stonestreet - comedians Marc Maron and Mitch Hedberg - Nick Swardson (Not forgetting McDormand but she was already an Oscar winning actress)

[@carmie9400]

I know it’s not a movie but Freaks & Geeks is a goodie - James Franco, Jason Segel, Seth Rogan, Ben Stiller, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Schwartzman, Busy Phillips…

[@jeffshapiro9209]

Diner. Boogie Nights. St elmos fire

[@robinsmith5442]

I think showing Harry Potter at the end shows the best of established British actors. That would be a good video if you haven't already made a list.

[@davidjackson2524]

A film famous for all the wrong reasons, Heaven's Gate, had a great up and coming cast.

[@weikel2000]

There's a liquor store that I can see from my front door, here in Leominster, MA, that says Scranton, PA on the windows to this day. Long ago it was a train station, but was used as the bus station at the beginning of School Ties. I love having that small echo of movie history just outside my front door.

[@brucenh9076]

I know this is "top 20 movies", but this should include an honorable mention to a TV show - Freaks and Geeks.

[@totomomo18]

Bravo for mentioning for School Ties

[@yadielenielbellecolon982]

Thank For the Video 🧾🙊🤯😱😎🤩😍🥰💐🌟🥇🏆😇🙏🏿🕊️✝️💟☮️🛐♾️🤗👍🏿🛡️👑💖💝💞⚔️⛪🙌🏿🌈🐑🤍🌟🥇🏆

[@jasonrothbaum5995]

Catch 22- Martin Sheen, John Voight, Alan Arkin, Anthony Perkins, Arthur Garfunkel, Charles Grodin, Buc Henry, and Orsen Wells... not even mentioned. Someone needs to learn about movies

[@hkesel05]

I had forgotten about School Ties. They really gathered the beautiful eyed hunky guys for that one. LOL.

[@rongrant6144]

Somebody probably already said it, but "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World", easily.

[@maridallo]

Why do these lists always leave out 1994's True Romance!? 🤷‍♀️

[@Diecastclassicist]

My favorite is “River’s Edge.”

[@mirrors23]

Some BRILLIANT films here!!!!

[@worldbefree20001]

The world according to Garp

[@davidannderson9796]

'American Graffiti' not only had up and coming actors, but two future legendary filmmakers- director George Lucas, until then largely unknown, and Ron Howard! Also, I loved 'The Goonies' as a kid not knowing that among the cast would be the emotional heart and soul of two of cinema's greatest achievements, 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Everything Everywhere all at Once'- but then, if there's anything this list shows, it's how often teen or preteen movies-or college fratboy movies- are loaded with brilliant emerging talent, which is surely one of the great joys of watching movies like 'Fast times at Ridgemont High' and 'Clueless'! 'The Goonies' definitely got its cast of future legends unusually young, though!

[@sockygaldamez9492]

I loved The Goonies ❤️❤️ awesome film with an amazing cast 😊 Great list 😁

[@ebinrock]

The forgotten "Taps" also helped launch some stellar acting careers. George C. Scott was the veteran (no pun intended), of course, but you had a young Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn give outstanding performances, and the film was one of Tom Cruise's first, and he gave his all as an overly gung-ho cadet.

[@michelecuseo7714]

You forgot Stand By Me.

[@cmorris9494]

Shut up Wesley

[@americanidol30]

American Pie should have been on this list. No one in 1999 knew who Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Chris Klein, Shannon Elizabeth, Mena Suvari, or Natasha Lyonne were. They would have recognized Alyson Hannigan from Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

[@theorderofthebees7308]

Yes n it’s a classic

[@jenelleprins5306]

Sneakers. They were all known, but what a cast.

[@tammylynnbeatricedoyle4500]

So many awesome casts here!

[@hiphop4427]

I honestly thought Lord of the Rings would be on the list since the cast at the time were barely even popular until the release of the Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King

[@Fincoolman68]

That title should be Top 20 Movies With the Greatest North-American Casts but We Didn't Know at the Time

[@clothilde1623]

They did include Trainspotting, but as for the rest, I get your point.

[@princebloodgrave8097]

Forest Whitaker was also in Platoon. :D Stand by Me has another great cast

[@lanagorgeous9485]

you of course forgot TAPS, 1981, Sean Penn's first film role and Tom Cruise 1st major film role at only 18 years old when it began filming, also St Elmo's Fire.