Some Hollywood careers last only a few months, while others can span decades. The actors on this then and now list are some of the most popular actors of the past few decades. These are truly some of the best actors of all time. Many of these famous people launched their careers in the '70s and are still famous from the work they did decades ago. Other 70s celebrities were famous before the seventies, but experienced the height of their fame in that decade.
They may have been some of the best actors during this decade, as many starred in the best movies of the 70s. But how have these stars held up over the years?
Some of their careers got better with time. For example, male actors like Michael Douglas and Clint Eastwood's performances became increasingly nuanced over time. Other people like Gene Wilder and Charles Grodin left the spotlight.
This before and after list will let you see exactly what each of these actors was up to back then, and what they're up to today.
Then: In the 1970s, Burt Reynolds was a heart-throb. He was in influential films like Deliverance, White Lightning, and Smokey & The Bandit. Some say that his mustache ruled Hollywood.
Now: Reynolds continued his movie career later in life, racking up nearly 200 TV and film credits. He co-starred in the remake of The Longest Yard. He played the protagonist in the original, and in the updated version, he is the coach. On September 6, 2018, Reynolds died after going into cardiac arrest. He was 82. Before he passed away, Reynolds was about to shoot the Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which delves into the Helter Skelter reign of terror in 1969 Los Angeles.
Then: In the early '70s, a fresh-faced John Travolta was known for his role on Welcome Back, Kotter. Later, he was known for seminal '70s pop culture films Grease and Saturday Night Fever. His acting was infectious and packed crowds into movie theaters.
Now: After a decade of obscurity with highlights that included talking-baby movies, Travolta returned to relevance in the '90s with his role in Pulp Fiction. Travolta continues to appear in films, singing in drag in the musical Hairspray, voicing the animated Bolt. He even played Robert Shapiro in Ryan Murphy's The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
Then: At the beginning of the '70s, Jack Nicholson's career was finally coming into full stride. He got his first Academy Award nomination in 1970 for Five Easy Pieces. He eventually won best actor in 1975 for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
Now: After a long career, Nicholson continues to act. He has appeared in acclaimed films like The Departed and About Schmidt. Nicholson is a huge L.A. Lakers fan. He rarely misses a game. His productions are rumored to schedule their shoots around the team's home schedule.
Then: Michael Douglas, heir to his father's Hollywood dynasty, began his own career in the early '70s. He starred on the TV show, The Streets of San Francisco. He later appeared in Coma and Running. In addition to acting, Douglas co-produced One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
Now: Douglas continues to act. He returned to the screen as Gordon Gekko in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. In 2013. he starred as Liberace in the acclaimed mini-series Behind the Candelabra, for which he received a Golden Globe. He works a lot behind the camera now, producing series such as Ratched and The Kominsky Method, as well as films, like Flatliners and The Sentinel.
Then: Michael Caine really established himself as an international movie star in the 1970s. He played tough guys in movies like Get Carter, Kidnapped, and Pulp. He also acted in Sleuth, a cat-and-mouse thriller, with legendary actor Laurence Olivier.
Now: Sir Michael Caine continues to act, this time as counsel to the tough guys he once played. He was in Cider House Rules, The Prestige, and Children of Men, and famously played Alfred in the Dark Knight films.
Then: Al Pacino catapulted to stardom in the 1970s with his role in The Godfather. Throughout the '70s, he starred in Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Godfather II.
Now: Today, Pacino continues to act. He's starred in the HBO movie Phil Spector,Righteous Kill (where he reunited with this Godfather II co-star, Robert De Niro), The Irishman, Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood, and the Amazon Prime seriesHunters.
