LEGENDARY TV & MOVIE BARTENDERS
My girlfriend and I were watching Dusk to Dawn the other night. It got me thinking about how in most movies the bartender is rarely acknowledged and sometimes they do not even get their name in the credits. Therefore, this article I am dedicating to the unsung hero/heroine who slangs his/her drinks quietly fitting into the background. This is for you and you alone. You know who you are.
10—Danny Trejo
This guy makes the number 10 spot on our list for the great performance in the Anchorman as the bartender plus his stellar performance in Dusk to Dawn. You look at this guy and it is hard not to typecast him as a prison inmate but in Anchorman, he does what most bartenders do. He listened to the drunks complaints with the professional courtesy of a therapist. Great job Danny.
09—Ted Dansen
Ted Dansen was one of three bartenders on Cheers with Coach (ErniePantusso) Woody (Woody Harrelson).On cheers Ted Dansen plays an ex-jock (Sam Malone) who was a womanizer and bedded every girl he saw. Just as a side thought the show might have been a little funnier, had Sam fallen of the wagon occasionally? Hats off to you bud.
08—Joe Turkel
Joe Turkel played the barkeep on the classic movie The Shining. You may remember him. He was in the scene, where he helps Jack Nicholson’s Character get good and sloshed before he goes and tries to chop up his wife. Should have put this guy in the creepiest Bartender category.
07—Ian Mcshane
Ian Mcshane plays the owner of a bar in the very popular show Deadwood. It is very rare you do not see a bottle of whiskey in this man’s hand throughout the show. I picked this guy out of a pool of Barkeeps on the show just cause of his funny one-liners. Number 7 spot is all yours sir.
06—Jake LaMotta
Jake LaMotta was one of the best boxers of his time. He also appeared in The Hustler as a barkeep as well as Raging Bull. (One of the coolest movies of the 80s) Its one of the only movies where Joe Pesci catches a beating. This guy makes the list just by being a part of classic film history.
05—Frank Stallone
Frank did a great job in the movie Barfly as Eddie the Bartender. He portrays a thug like individual that breaks legs. If you walk into a bar and you see frank AKA Eddie. Get out of there.
04—Frank Santorelli
If you do not remember this guy from the Sopranos, you are in for a treat .The strip club Bada Bing. He was the Bartender that was slapped around by Tony all throughout the show. Ralph beat him up on season 3 with a pool cue. What a champion. He just had to make the cut on our list.
03—Joe
Joe was the Bartender in Frank Sinatra’s One for My Baby. In this movie, you see Joe keeping the whole bar open just to serve one drunk who just does not want to go home. How many times has a poor bartender given up his own night just to serve one lonely drunk? Way to take one for the team Joe.
02—Sheldon Leonard
Sheldon aka Nick on the famous Christmas special ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE. In the bar scene we see our barkeep helping George asking him why he drinks so much. Then we fast-forward to see our friend Nick now own the bar and turning into a class A jerk. One of the theories was he was a minion of Satan doing his bidding in the future. Coincidently you also see Nick play a bit role on Cheers as the owner of Norms favourite restaurant The Hungry Heifer .Class act all the way for a barkeep.
01–-Drum roll please. The last O.G coolest Barkeep of all time would have to be Moe Szylak played by Hank Azaria. Moe is actually the second boxer on my list. Back in the day, Moe used to be known as Kid Gorgeous. The only Barkeep on our list to make his own drink THE FLAMING MOE based on a cough syrup recipe. Poor Moe, always trying to get with homers wife Marge. You sir are without a doubt the hardest working man in the Industry. You are number one on our coolest Barkeeps list.