Alec Baldwin

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8.6 Great
217 votes

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Alec Baldwin Picture

Biography

Recent Role:
Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock
Gender:
Male
Born:
4-3-1958
Birthplace:
Massapequa, New York, USA
Birth Name:
Alexander Rae Baldwin III
One of the more impressive young actors to hit Broadway in the 1980s, this dark-haired, blue-eyed heartthrob attained screen stardom late in the decade, alternating leading-man assignments with spicy character roles. After apprenticing on soap operas and in such TV movies as Sweet Revenge and Dress Gray, Baldwin made his feature debut in the barely released mystery Forever, Lulu (1987). His breakthrough year, 1988, saw him appearing in an amazing five films, showing a formidable range: as Kevin Bacon's not-to-be-trusted friend in She's Having a Baby, the benign andMore bewildered ghost husband in Beetlejuice, a swaggering mafioso in Married to the Mob, a slick producer in Talk Radio and a lower-class clod in Working Girl.

Baldwin played Jimmy Swaggart in Great Balls of Fire! (1989), followed by a psychotic killer in Miami Blues, the heroic Jack Ryan in The Hunt for Red October and a ghostly lover in Alice (all 1990). Then came the Neil Simon "comedy" The Marrying Man (1991); his romance with costar Kim Basinger (whom he subsequently married) and their alleged behavior during production seriously tarnished his clean-cut image (it didn't help that the picture itself was a dog). He was replaced by Harrison Ford on the Red October sequel, Patriot Games, after a well publicized disagreement with Paramount. Since then he has recreated his off Broadway performance in the film version of Prelude to a Kiss (1992) and galvanized the screen in a brief but unforgettable appearance as a profane, bullying sales executive in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), in a role especially written by David Mamet for the film adaptation of his play. He returned to Broadway in a much-publicized revival of A Streetcar Named Desire, then returned to Hollywood to play a cocky but gifted surgeon in Malice (1993), a career criminal opposite Basinger in The Getaway (1994), and the mysterious Lamont Cranston in a film version of The Shadow (also 1994).

More recently, Baldwin has focused on his TV roles, having taken minor parts in sitcoms Friends and Will & Grace among others. Today, he can be seen in the lead role of the NBC sitcom 30 Rock.

From the Forums

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  • Quotes

    Since there are about 30 quotes on this page and a lot of them are on the same subject, I will leave 15 in the quotes section, and put some of the other ones here for anyone who is interested. Alec : If I have to do an emotionally fraught scene, I don't necessarily want to go there and idleMore in that locale all day. Alec Actors get very frustrated with giving control to other people. They have their own ideas and wants for their characters. Alec : I am getting back to taking acting very seriously, which I did not do for a long time Alec :Virtuoso acting is so rare. It gets me high. I want to be part of that more than movies Alec : I get so down about doing movies because all the politics of it can be enormously draining Alec : I go to theaters as often as I can, for medicinal purposes Alec : After I did Red October I really wanted to do Patriot Games because I liked the idea of playing a guy who didn't want to be a spy Alec : The world is becoming unraveled, and we're making movies. Let's everybody relax. Alec : You're making movies, man. What can be more meaningless than making movies in the 1990's? Alec : I don't want my ass kissed when I work, but I don't want people to treat me in a real reductive way, either. Alec : I had very, very cancer-causing corrosive feelings for a long, long time. Alec : Much of the most delicate work being done today is on television. It often has the best acting because of their ability to be truthful. Alec : You just try to be truthful. If you are passionate and truthful, you will find success. Alec : Nothing can replace the communion with the audience that happens in a good production. Alec : I'd rather direct a play than a film due to time. A movie can tie you up for a year or more. Alec : If you have a strong sense of how to communicate a film, you should direct. Alec : Actors get very frustrated with giving control to other people. They have their own ideas and wants for their characters

    2 comments, last one Sep 12, 2008
  • Welcome to the TV.com Forums for Alec Baldwin

    Welcome to the TV.com Forums for Alec Baldwin. Here is your area to discuss, dissect and debate all things about this person.

    1 comments, last one Oct 1, 2006
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Alec Baldwin News

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  •  
    9.7 Superb
    He's a good actor and narrator. hide show

    I'm telling you, Alec Baldwin is awesome! He did the narrating for Seasons 5-6 of "Thomas the Tank Engine" perfectly! He also did good movie acting in "The Cat in the Hat" and "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie". Some people say he did horrible narrating in "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends" Seasons 5-6. I have no clue why. I have all his narrating on some of my "Thomas the Tank Engine" video tapes and DVDs. Oh, did I forget to mention one thing? He also did great acting and guest starring in TV series such as "The Simpsons". He's the best!

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  •  
    9.5 Superb
    I love this guy's acting/narrating! hide show

    I think Alec Baldwin is a great actor. I really believed his role in 'Thomas and the Magic Railroad'. He played Mr. Conductor and he was reallyy good at it. He's my favorite character. Also, he narrated Seasons 5-6 of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. I believe that he did a really good job of narrating and many others do, too. After seeing these seasons, he became my new favorite narrator, beffore George Carlin. His voice is very easy to understand and not too squeaky or anything like that. I'm really upset that he doesn't narrate anymore. Alec Baldwin, overall, is very talented!

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  •  
    10 Perfect
    Best narrator for Thomas. hide show

    I was a big fan of the series, Thomas the Tank Engine. And I have to admit (of course not to my friends at school) I still like the show. But since the show used no real characters that didn't even show their mouths moving, there had to be narrators for the show. Alec Baldwin was one of them, and I think he did great. Alec Baldwin was definately my favorite narrator for Thomas the Tank Engine. He also narrarated a bit in the movie, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, as well as appeared in the movie!

    For some reason, I think this actor is so talented. I will always remember him from my childhood. I even saw him in a part of 30 Rock, and I think he was great. What am I saying!?? He's great in everything he's in!!

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  •  
    10 Perfect
    Not the Worst TTTE Narrator hide show

    I dont know why people hate him so much as Narrator I dont think hes the worst, In my opinion its Michael Brandon whos worse narrator. He may have made James sound Gay but What the Bloody Hell is so wrong with that sure it may be a Kids Show but The Fact that Hercules on TUGS Calls alot of Tugs my Dear and Sweetheart, If it werent for Lillie Lightship some may consider Hercules Gay Hes a very good Narrator that is underapreciatted and was much better compared to Michael Brandon! I was disapointed when I bought New Friends for Thomas VHS and found He didnt Narrate it (Though Michael Angelis was a Good Narrator for TTTE) I was very disappointed when I also bought Steamies vs. Diesels and found that the Music was aweful, Something didnt look right and Worst of all th narrator (Michael Brandon) sounded like a Wuss! I give Alec Baldwin 5 Stars!

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  •  
    6.5 Fair
    The Worst Narrator hide show

    After George Carlin left Thomas the Tank Engine, four seasons narrating gone, Britt Alcroft went for another big name for the American spot. Sadly, Alec Baldwin was a very bad choice. I haven't heard much of his narration but the few episodes I have heard are awful. Nearly all of the voices sound the same, but there were some bad changes. His voice for James' is well known for making him sound really gay I don't really like him as an actor that much either. I saw some of "30 Rock" and he wasn't funny at all. And he was awful in Thomas and the Magic Railroad. I think most of you will agree that Alec deserves this

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