The 'Cucumber' turns 50

This just sounds weird, but: Alec Baldwin may be the most bankable actor working today. There's not a movie or TV show I would miss if he is making an appearance in it.

(At this point, I must invoke the rule I like to call "The Pluto Nash Exception." Baldwin shows up in that dog and -- let's face it -- nothing can improve that suck-fest of a flick.)

My personal favorite Baldwin movies of recent years: "The Cooler" with William Macy, "The Departed" with Scorsese and the gang, and even his bit role as a shoe tycoon in my beloved "Elizabethtown." I'm serious about that last one. Great flick, and he has all the good lines -- "I cry a lot." (Me too, Alec. Me too.)

But like all great geniuses, Baldwin -- who turns FIFTY YEARS OLD!!! today -- can look back on the '80s as his salad days.

TOP FIVE ALEC BALDWIN ROLES FROM THE '80s:

5. GREAT BALLS OF FIRE (1989): Baldwin as Jimmy Swaggart? Oh lord. Anything to wipe the memory of Dennis Quaid as Jerry Lee Lewis.

4. BEETLE JUICE (1988): "Barb, honey... we're dead. I don't think we have very much to worry about anymore."

3. MARRIED TO THE MOB (1988): Anytime your character's name is 'Cucumber' Frank de Marco, people pay attention. Nicknames count. Just ask my Stuck in the 80s co-host Sean "The Gherkin" Daly.

2. WORKING GIRL (1988): Is "Mick" really the bad guy? He did buy Melanie Griffith a sexy birthday present. And he does have the greatest line: "Wait! This isn't what it looks like."

1. SHE'S HAVING A BABY (1988): Baldwin steals the movie from Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern as the self-absorbed best friend. And he's a walking quote machine: "Sure, you'll be happy -- you just won't know it."

[AP photo]

Comments

[Ray]

I've considerrf Alec Baldwin to be a nut-job after his melt down on Letterman when he ranted that he would kill a senator and his family.

With that said, I will admit that he's solid gold in "30 Rock".

I also liked the way Alec was portrayed in the movie "Team America World Police".

[Ray]

Sorry for the typo... "considerrf" = "considered". It's been that kind of day

[Marissa]

Wow, I thought he was older. Not because he looks ancient, but because he's been around forever. Happy Birthday to the good looking Baldwin!

[Spears]

I should have mentioned this: Favorite all-time Baldwin role -- Jack Ryan in Hunt for Red October.

I think Harrison Ford is pretty lousy in the Clancy movies. They should have stuck with Baldwin.

[Eric62]

Thanks, Steve. I was about to say that about "Red October,'' but thought it a tad uncool for this hip crowd.
That said, my funniest Alec Baldwin moment isn't a movie or even 80s (dont ban me...). Its The Mimic bit from SNL.

[David P]

Baldwin is the best. I've liked him in "State and Main," "The Last Shot," and of course, "The Cooler" in recent years.

My favorite line of his from "Working Girl": "Who died and made you Grace Kelly?!?"

[jane]

There are not enough words to describe how much I love Alec Baldwin, warts and all.

I will not bore y'all with my extensive list of Alec Baldwin Moments I Adore -- suffice it to say that it is lengthy and comprehensive. I will say, though, that if you're not watching him on "30 Rock" you are missing a genius comedy performance each and every week.

[Douglas Arthur]

my fave role is small but sweet and of course, not 80's either, but his part in Glenngary Glennross. Pure magic!

"Put The Coffee Down! (pause) Coffee is for closers only!"

"You want to know what first prize is in the sales contest? First prize is a Cadillac El Dorado. Second prize is a set of Steak knives. Third prize is your fired."

great cast...Jack Lemmon, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Al Pacino, screenplay by David Mamet. Rent now! What are you waiting for???

[MarieElaine]

Happy B-Day Alec!

Elizabethtown, Spears? Really? You venture out into the 00s to suffer through THAT flick? Don't get me wrong, Orlando Bloom and Kristen Dunst (and even Susan Sarandon) look fantastic in it, but content-wise? I was so disappointed by that film. Not Cameron Crowe's finest work.

It was still better than Vanilla Sky though.

[Spears]

I know, I know. I'm probably the only person in the world who owns Elizabethtown on DVD, and still watches it every time it's on cable.

And yeah, just about anything is better than Vanilla Sky.

[Clark]

Co-signing on what Douglas said. Baldwin is only in it for the first 10 minutes yet influences the tone of the entire film.
And the fact that Jack Lemmon wasn't even nominated for an Oscar that year is a travesty.

[Douglas Arthur]

I totally dug Vanilla Sky...until the ending. that was lame, but up until then it had me.

[Tonianne]

Nope, not the only one. The Elizabethtown DVD *and* soundtrack are in constant rotation here. Love 'em both and remain unapologetic about it.

Then again, I enjoyed Vanilla Sky far more than I should admit, and listen to its soundtrack almost weekly. Can't go wrong with Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Nancy Wilson, Radiohead and Sigur Ros.

And despite his little screw-up with the Philippines, I'm with Douglas here on the best Alec Baldwin quote. I have the "coffee is for closers" mug on my desk to prove it. Although the scoutmaster/canteen boy skit on SNL runs a close second.

[Tom]

I think Alec is great. He's one of the few hosts of SNL that could have actually been a cast member along with Tom Hanks and Mr Steve Martin. My favorite sketch is when he plays a clueless daytime actor playing a doctor and dramatically mispronounces simple words. Classic!

[jane]

my current fave alec quote comes from "30 rock," natch: " never go with a hippie to a second location." that's said, actually about a character played by the great carrie fisher.

ps: I also own "elizabethtown" on DVD.