Who is the greatest actor of all time?

Robert De Niro - though I mostly enjoy his earlier stuff up until the mid-90s. My favorites performances of his: The King of Comedy, Deer Hunter, Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, Cape Fear, This Boy's Life, New York New York (even though I didn't like the film.)

Laurence Olivier - my personal faves: Rebecca, Marathon Man, Sleuth, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Spartacus. I really need to see Richard III, Hamlet and The Entertainer...

My pick would be Jimmy Stewart. It's a tough call, but he was an amazing actor who starred in so many classic movies. I think Tom Hanks comes in at a close second. Denzel Washington, Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman would be at the top of my list as well.

Favorites

Edward Norton - Primal Fear, Fight Club, American History X, 25th Hour, Italian Job, Illusionist, and Painted Viel

Robert De Nero - Goodfellas, Heat, Ronin, Meet the Parents, and Stardust.

Al Pacino - Godfather, Glengarry Glenross, Scent of a Women, Heat Donnie Brasco, Insider, Insomnia, and the Recruit.  
Russell Crowe - L.A. Confidential, Insider, Gladiator, Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man, 310 to Yuma, American Gangster and Body of Lies

Tom Hanks - Big, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Toy Story, Saving Private Ryan, You've Got Mail, Toy Story 2, Cast Away, Catch Me If You Can, Green Mile, Road to Perdition, Terminal, Charlie Wilson's War, Angels and Demons

Lost, have you ever seen ...And Justice For All? It's my favorite Pacino movie

Probably Peter O'Toole, though, depending on your parameters...you might pick Sir Laurence Olivier or Dustin Hoffman. De Niro has too many losses to his credit...though certainly he is an awesome actor.
You forget Cary Grant, probably one of the most versatile (North by Northwest) doing both comedy and drama equally well.

One you don't seem to consider is Nicholson...yes...he's unusual but he has done credible jobs in such films as The Witches of Eastwick and Batman and taking what otherwise would have been below average films to greater heights. I can't say I like Witches but I watch it just for Nicholson now and then.

And of course you guys don't know actors like John Garfield or Edgar G. Robinson and their's an argument for James Cagney...I can't think of a single film that doesn't soar with Cagney.

And of course Spencer Tracy...with Captain's Courageous or Father of the Bride, also one of the world's best and most versatile...

Damn, now I can't decide

I liked John Garfield in the original Postman Always Rings Twice but that's the only film I've seen him in. And I loved James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandee (what a surprising performance!)  Edward G Robinson I like a lot, especially in Scarlet Street playing a weak sad little man lead astray by Joan Bennett (who was wonderfully evil in that!)

Jack Nicholson we talked about in the other thread: my favorite performances of his are Chinatown, Terms of Endearment, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Shining and Postman Always Rings Twice (remake). But like DeNiro, I think a lot of his earlier stuff was more challenging than his later stuff.

Sean Penn is terrific too...

I think it was brought up in the greatest actresses thread that coming up with sub categories or dividing it up into eras might be a good idea.  There are so many good actors that are underrated: Jeff Bridges, Gene Wilder, John Heard, Lee J Cobb, Joel McCrea, Terence Stamp...

All good picks from you all.

Want to throw one more name out there...factoring in his age, I think we will still see some more great things from him,   but I think Kenneth Branagh should make the cut as well.  His versions of Henry V and Hamlet were outstanding.

PS Daisy I bet you thought I was going to say Kiefer didnt you LOL

Daisy
No I have not seen And Justice for All.  I'll add it to my q.

EET: Yes, I was expecting you to bring up Kiefer at some point, lol!

Lost: If you end up seeing it, let me know what you think

Christopher Walken all the way.

Here goes,

Russel Crowe (you know when he actually gave a damn)  I loved him in everything up til' Gladiator.  He was excellent in Romper Stomper, the insider etc.

Edward Norton ( American History X, Primal fear, fight club)

Jack Nicholson (he can do it all but I particularly loved him in about schmidt)

Leonardo DiCaprio (he is a damn fine actor, Gilbert Grape, Romeo + Juliet, the departed)

Sean penn

 BUT strangely enough, these past few days I watched this young up and coming brittish actor named Tom Hardy and to tell you all the truth, he is the best damn actor I have ever seen in my life.  I kept wanting to compare him to other actors but IMO he outblew them all.  So far I have seen him in Wuthering heights and the Take but aparently those aren't even his best roles (Bronson I believe is which I will watch this week)
I have never seen anything like him, he goes above and beyond a role, it's like he becomes the character not only mentally but physically as well.  He is pretty much unrecognizable from one role to another.  AMAZING

Just watched a film about Claude Raines and he might be one to check out too.

I love Claude Rains! I think he's got one of the best voices in movies. My faves of his are King's Row, Casablanca, Notorious.

I'm a HUGE Bette Davis fan and her and Claude Raines were in quite a few movies together.  My faves include Now Voyager and Mr. Skeffington.  Must See!!  He's my secret crush!!

I'd like to submit Daniel Day Lewis. He's an acting fool!