One might assume that a long filmography will ensure an actor has a long and enduring legacy but that is not always the case. Some of Hollywood’s greatest icons and other performers you would likely recognize are noted for having relatively short careers, particularly on the silver screen. See for yourself as we look back on some of our favorite actors who were only in a handful of movies.
John Belushi
As one of the most iconic members of the original Saturday Night Live cast, it is no surprise that John Belushi went on to have a noteworthy film career, though a short one, with just seven film credits. Before he passed in 1982, he was the standout of National Lampoon’s Animal House, shared the screen with his friend Dan Aykroyd in 1941, The Blues Brothers (one of the best movies based on an SNL character), and Neighbors, starred opposite Jack Nicholson in Goin’ South, and was in a forgotten ’80s rom-com called Continental Divide.
Mara Wilson
While she has returned to acting on the small screen a number of times in more recent years, Mara Wilson’s last movie (before cameoing in 2015’s Billie Bob Joe) was 2000’s Thomas and the Magic Railroad, which she has claimed is the gig that made her one of the most notable child stars who stepped away from Hollywood. She had previously starred in just four other films including her debut in Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street, Matilda in the title role, and 1997’s A Simple Wish.
Jake Lloyd
Former child actor Jake Lloyd might have been in more than just six movies — including the Arnold Schwarzenegger-led underrated holiday comedy, Jingle All the Way — if he had a better experience playing Anakin Skywalker (a young Darth Vader) in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. He would later openly discuss his struggles with criticism he faced from Star Wars movie fans about his performance which, ultimately, led him to abandon acting.
Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes‘ rise to fame on Nickelodeon as part of the All That cast and the lead of her own sketch comedy series, The Amanda Show, led to starring roles in nine films, including Big Fat Liar, She’s the Man, Sydney White, and Easy A. Said 2010 high school movie would be her final acting effort after announcing via Twitter that she was retiring from acting, which was followed by reports that she was seeking treatment for her mental health.
Chadwick Boseman
Even if we count all of his Marvel movie appearances as T’Challa (including his smash-hit, 2018 solo film, Black Panther), Chadwick Boseman‘s cinematic filmography amounts to just 13 tiles before his untimely death in 2020 after a battle with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. Yet, he gave a stunning performance every time, from playing Jackie Robinson in 42 to James Brown in Get On Up, and his Academy Award-nominated role in Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Chris Farley
Throughout his career, Chris Farley delivered countless hilarious quotes on SNL and in a total of 10 movies — such as Tommy Boy and Beverly Hills Ninja — before his passing in 1997. A part of us still wishes we could have seen him voice the title role of Shrek, which ended up going to his Wayne’s World co-star, Mike Myers.
River Phoenix
One of Hollywood’s most infamous tragedies is the 1993 passing of 23-year-old River Phoenix, who starred in 13 films released between 1985 and 1994. In that short time, the Academy Award nominee (for his supporting role in 1988’s Running on Empty) amassed a remarkable resume that includes Explorers, Stand By Me, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as Young Indy, and My Own Private Idaho, most notably.
Shannen Doherty
If we leave out her many cameos and just count starring roles, Shannen Doherty’s film career amounts to only 13 titles, including The Secret of NIMH, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, and Heathers. Sadly, we will never get to see her reprise her role as Rene in Kevin Smith‘s long-awaited Mallrats sequel following her passing in 2024.
John Cazale
Before his untimely death at the age of 42 due to lung cancer, John Kazale only appeared in five films — namely The Godfather (Parts I and II), The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Deer Hunter. However, each of these titles received a Best Picture Oscar nomination, with The Godfather movies and The Deer Hunter taking home the gold.
James Dean
Sometimes we wonder if James Dean would still be one of the most enduring icons of Hollywood’s Silver Age had he not succumbed to a tragic car accident in 1955 at just 24 years old. Also the definitive poster boy for “cool,” the two-time Oscar nominee’s talents are immortalized in just three big screen classics, namely East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Most famous for playing Randy in the Home Improvement cast and voicing Simba in 1994’s The Lion King, Jonathan Taylor Thomas was one of the most beloved teen idols of the ’90s, but stepped away from Hollywood almost as soon as he hit adulthood. His last real movie, also his 17th total, was an obscure animated film from 2006 called Thru the Moebius Strip and, before that, he was in 1999’s Walking Across Egypt, with not much since except for a few appearances on Last Man Standing.
Willow Smith
After making her debut in one of the best Will Smith movies, 2007’s I Am Legend, as her real-life father’s onscreen daughter, Willow Smith went on to star in 2008’s Kit Kitteridge: An American Girl and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, alongside her mother, Jada Pinkett Smith. That trio amounts to her entire film career as her primary focus ever since has been her music.
Jeff Cohen
Despite being one of the funniest standouts of the Goonies cast, the 1985, family-friend adventure classic remains Jeff Cohen’s only film. He revealed to The Daily Mail that, after growing up and losing weight, his career in front of the camera began to slow down, leading him to become an entertainment lawyer who even represents his Goonies co-star, Academy Award nominee Ke Huy Quan.
Taylor Momsen
At seven years old, Taylor Momsen made quite an impression with her breakout role as Cindy Lou Who in 2000’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas — the second of nine movies she stars in, including We Were Soldiers, and Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams. However, during her stint in the Gossip Girl cast, she formed a rock band called The Pretty Reckless, which has been her primary career ever since.
Peter Ostrum
Peter Ostrum will forever be remembered as Charlie Bucket from 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, which remains his sole acting effort. Today, he makes a living as a veterinarian for large animals like cows which, we suppose, means he does continue to make some contribution to the chocolate industry after all.
Jennette McCurdy
Jennette McCurdy is known mostly from TV, particularly as Sam Puckett on Nickelodeon’s iCarly, but would appear in 12 feature films, including Hollywood Homicide with Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett in 2003 and 2016’s Pet. After writing and directing a short film called Kenny in 2018, she officially retired from acting for reasons she would detail in her best-selling memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died.
Angus T. Jones
The peak of Angus T. Jones’ acting career was playing Jake Harper — the “half man” on Two and a Half Men, which he would leave due to its raunchy material before retiring from acting altogether. However, he does have six movies on his resume, including See Spot Run from 2001, 2002’s The Rookie, and, in 2003, Bringing Down the House and a straight-to-video sequel to George of the Jungle as the titular jungle dweller’s son.
Ross Malinger
In the 1990s, Ross Malinger led a very promising career as a child actor with 10 major film roles that included playing one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s students in Kindergarten Cop, Tom Hanks’ son in Sleepless in Seattle, and Jean-Claude Van Damme’s son in 1995’s Sudden Impact. However, despite many other TV credits, such as voicing T.J. on Recess, he did not star in very many other films and, according to THR, grew up to manage a car dealership.
Barret Oliver
One of the top child actors of the 1980s was Barret Oliver, who had memorable starring roles like Bastion in The NeverEnding Story, the eponymous android from D.A.R.Y.L., David in the Cocoon movies, and Vincent from Tim Burton’s original Frankenweenie short. After acquiring a total of 10 major motion picture releases on his resume, he stopped acting in 1989 and now works as a a photographer who specializes in 19th-century printing processes.
Alisan Porter
Modern audiences might recognize Alisan Porter best for winning Season 10 of The Voice. Before then, she starred in seven well-known films, such as Ron Howard’s Parenthood and John Hughes’ Curly Sue in the title role.
Danny Lloyd
Danny Lloyd has only been in three movies: Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror movie classic The Shining, a made-for-TV film called Will: The Autobiography of G. Gordon Liddy from 1982, and 2019’s Doctor Sleep. However, Mike Flanagan’s sequel to The Shining only featured him in a small cameo instead of seeing him reprise his role as psychic Danny Torrance, who was then played by Ewan McGregor.
Lisa Jakub
Amid numerous TV appearances, the most notable of Lisa Jakub’s nine film credits include Matinee from director Joe Dante, Mrs. Doubtfire with Robin Williams, and the alien invasion movie classic, Independence Day. In 2000, she decided to walk away from acting and now makes a living as a motivational speaker.
Ben Savage
Following in the footsteps of his older brother, Fred Savage, Ben Savage got his own TV show, leading the Boy Meets World cast for seven years. However, his notable acting credits outside of playing young Cory Matthew are slim, including a film career made of just 10 titles that are not very well-known, save 1989’s Little Monsters and 1994’s Clifford.
Ariana Richards
As a child actor in the 1990s, Ariana Richards acquired a unique claim to fame by taking on man-eating beasts in classic monster movies Jurassic Park and Tremors. After starring in 10 features, she would go on to make a living as a painter since 2000.
Jeremy Suarez
While best known for playing Jordan Thomkins on The Bernie Mac Show, Jeremy Suarez put out 10 cinematic acting efforts, including Jerry Maguire, voicing Koda in Disney’s Brother Bear, and Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie. His career slowed down the older he got and led him to pursue more normal jobs.
Carrie Henn
Carrie Henn made an impressive acting debut in one of the most iconic roles from the Alien movies, “Newt,” who is discovered by Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) after becoming the sole survivor of a devastating Xenomorph attack. However, after the success of 1986’s Aliens, the world never saw Henn grace the silver screen again as she would instead follow her true dream of being a teacher.
Jamie Waylett
Fans of the Harry Potter movies would surely be able to recognize Jamie Waylett as Vincent Crabbe, but they would not be able to recognize him (or spot him) from anything else. The first six installments of the coming-of-age fantasy movie franchise based on the popular book series are the only projects he has ever acted in.
Danielle Fishel
Aside from hosting Style Network’s The Dish from 2008 to 2010 and co-hosting Pod Meets World with Rider Strong and Will Friedle since 2022, Danielle Fishel is best known as Topanga on Boys Meets World and, to be frank, not that much else. Her film resume is also pretty obscure and only consists of seven titles, including National Lampoon Presents Dorm Daze and its sequel and 2015’s Boiling Pot.
Ansel Elgort
Following his debut in the 2013 adaptation of Carrie, Ansel Elgort would go on to star in 12 other films, including The Fault in Our Stars, two Divergent movies, Baby Driver, and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. His TV appearances are even scarcer, with his lead role on HBO’s Tokyo Vice being the only small screen credit.
Luise Rainier
German actor Luise Rainier actually a relatively busy career throughout the 1930s, and even won an Academy Award for 1936’s The Great Ziegfeld, but slowed down significantly beyond that decade. Between 1939 and 2003, she only appeared in three films: 1943’s Hostages, 1997’s The Gambler, and 2003’s Poem: I Set My Foot Upon the Air and It Carried Me, bringing her grand total to 14.
Charlie Korsmo
Before becoming a lawyer, Charlie Korsmo had a short but impressive run in movies like Warren Beatty’s Dick Tracy, Steven Spielberg’s Hook, and the party movie favorite, Can’t Hardly Wait. He would return to acting a few times to appear in 2018’s Chained for Life and his ninth movie, A24’s A Different Man in 2024.
Gina Carano
Gina Carano starred in 13 films, including Haywire, Deadpool, and Fast and Furious 6, but her biggest acting role would be Cara Dune from The Mandalorian. However, the former MMA star’s career would slow down after she exited the Star Wars spin-off series following controversial social media posts.
