5 Iconic Bald Movie Characters

TOP 5 BALD MOVIE CHARACTERS
FROM DON SHANAHAN

Don Shanahan, movie blogger and founder of Every Movie Has a Lesson, weighs in on the most iconic bald movie characters of all time and the actors that played them.

Let’s start with a supporting actor and performance. For many children of the 80s, there were few sterner bald tough guys than actor James Tolkan. Biff may be the big villain of the Back to the Future franchise, but Tolkan’s Mr. Strickland had a tighter grip of fear on our hero Marty McFly than Biff ever would. You didn’t want to get lectured on being a “slacker” in real life or in the movies, and James was why.

James’s sweaty dome would return a year later, puffing a cigar and busting Maverick and Goose’s balls in Top Gun. The intimidation factor alone of that head puts him on this list.

As you’ll see at the top of this list and from Mr. Strickland, baldness is commonly used as an unappealing physical trait of evil people. However, sage men of wisdom and heroism can wear the shaved look too. Beloved actor Patrick Stewart started losing his hair at the tender age of 19.

While traumatizing to many, the development has worked in his favor in a career filled with iconic roles. His best in the movies has been playing Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men series for over 20 years.

In terms of the more classic Golden era of Hollywood, the quintessential bald facade belonged to Yul Brenner. The ethnically ambiguous chameleon of an actor was unafraid to woo or wow with his expressive acting, pointed eyebrows, and booming face projected from his bald appearance.

From his expansive career, Yul’s best film role was the romantic and musical lead of King Mongkut of Siam in Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical The King and I. He originated the role on Broadway and shaved his head for it. After winning two Tony Awards and later the Best Actor Oscar for the ensuing 1956 film adaptation, Yul Brenner kept the look for the rest of his career. That’s dedication!

While his list has had its share of heroes, a villain wins the top spot, and it’s the most intentionally hilarious attempt at baldness of all. Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movie series is there to channel Lex Luthor (best portrayed by Gene Hackman versus Christopher Reeve in the 1970s and 1980s) and lampoon the Ernst Stavro Blofeld character from the James Bond franchise, but the imitation comes out better than the original.

Sure, the jokes likely land and fall differently for everyone, especially in the passage of time since the 1990s and 2000s, but Mike Myers goes for broke with his classic cackling bad guy bent on world domination. The actor never wanted to do the latex cap shortcut and elected to always shave his head. His commitment to the bit has become legendary.

As mentioned earlier on the list, baldness is normally used for unsightliness. However, when used with the right charisma, bald can be downright sexy. Yul Brenner walked so Vin Diesel could run. Heads turn and hearts beat faster for different reasons than fear whenever Vin Diesel shows up in any Fast and Furious movie as thief-turned-hero Dominic Torretto.

Like Mr. Strickland, though, the intimidation factor is still working for him. For Vin, that perfectly shaped bald head might as well be another muscle on the cinematic hero’s physique when beating down bad guys or turning steering wheels for wild stunts. Vin rocks the looks well!