In All Of Cinema, The Most Heroic Actor Is... thanks?

[DrNewGod]

Easy enough. All the actors. All the roles. All the films. Who is the most Heroic?

Answer by Film, Actor and Role.

[thwhtGuardian]

Jimmy Stewart, not only was he a paragon of virtue in films like Mister Smith Goes to Washington but he also served in WWII and Vietnam.

[numberthirty]

To me, it's down to...

- Mask/Eric Stoltz/"Rocky" Dennis

or

- The Elephant Man/John Hurt/John Merrick

[CliffHanger2]

Denzel Washington-Hurricane/Malcolm X

In RL-Jamie Foxx he pulled a man from a burning truck.

[Kirby101]

Douglas Faibanks Jr.

Although celebrated as an actor, Fairbanks was commissioned as a reserve officer in the United States Navy when the United States entered World War II and was assigned to Lord Mountbatten's Commando staff in the United Kingdom.[34]

In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed him special envoy to South America. Fairbanks served on the cruiser USS Wichita during the disastrous Convoy PQ 17 operation.[35]

Having witnessed (and participated in) British training and cross-Channel harassment operations emphasizing the military art of deception, Fairbanks attained a depth of understanding and appreciation of military deception then unheard of in the United States Navy. Lieutenant Fairbanks was subsequently transferred to Virginia Beach where he came under the command of Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, who was preparing U.S. naval forces for the invasion of North Africa.

Fairbanks convinced Hewitt of the advantages of a military deception unit, then repeated the proposal at Hewett's behest to Admiral Ernest King, Chief of Naval Operations. King thereupon issued a secret letter on March 5, 1943 charging the Vice Chief of Naval Operations with the recruitment of 180 officers and 300 enlisted men for the Beach jumper program.

The Beach Jumpers' mission would simulate amphibious landings with a very limited force. Operating dozens of kilometers from the actual landing beaches and utilizing their deception equipment, the Beach Jumpers would lure the enemy into believing that theirs was the principal landing.

United States Navy Beach Jumpers saw their initial action in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. Throughout the remainder of the war, the Beach Jumpers conducted their hazardous, shallow-water operations throughout the Mediterranean.

For his planning the diversion-deception operations and his part in the amphibious assault on Southern France, Lieutenant Commander Fairbanks was awarded the United States Navy's Legion of Merit with bronze V (for valor), the Italian War Cross for Military Valor, the French Légion d'honneur and the Croix de guerre with Palm, and the British Distinguished Service Cross.

Fairbanks was also awarded the Silver Star for valor displayed while serving on PT boats and in 1942 made an Officer the National Order of the Southern Cross, conferred by the Brazilian government.[36][37]

Among his other exploits was the sinking of the corvette UJ-6083 (formerly the Regia Marina Gabbiano-class Capriolo) while in command of a mixed division of American PT Boats and British Insect-class gunboats plus assorted other small craft. Fairbanks commanded from HMS Aphis.[38]

[Kirby101]

Don't know if it counts for a hero who became an actor, but Audey Murphy.

[Mark Trail]

Jimmy Stewart, not only was he a paragon of virtue in films like Mister Smith Goes to Washington but he also served in WWII and Vietnam.

This is the correct answer. I'm discounting Audie Murphy because, as noted above, he was a hero before being an actor. Steve Buscemi might be second to Stewart, given his service (on 9/11 and otherwise) as a firefighter, but most of his movie roles are decidedly non-heroic, whereas Stewart often played the "hero leading man" part.

[Jim Kelly]

Jimmy Stewart was the one that came immediately to mind, on account of his war service. I'd say that Will Rogers became a folk hero in his lifetime and after his death. He may not have fought in a war, but he had an adventurous life and died as he lived. His real life might seem more important than his actor life--but he was the highest paid film star of his time, making 50 silent movies and 21 talkies.

[batnbreakfast]

Christian Bale for that Machinist Batman Begins transition

Marlon Brando for Apocalypse Now

Sorry, don't know much about actors private life

[Osiris-Rex]

If we talk about real life, Eddie Albert is probably best known for his role as Oliver Douglas on the sit-com Green Acres but he was also a true war hero.
In 1943 he accepted an appointment as a lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat "V" for his actions during the invasion of Tarawa in November 1943,
when, as the pilot of a Coast Guard landing craft, he rescued 47 Marines who were stranded offshore (and supervised the rescue of 30 others), while under heavy enemy machine-gun fire.

[DrNewGod]

Don't know if it counts for a hero who became an actor, but Audey Murphy.

For all the success he enjoyed, Murphy's is is a sad, and troubled story. His first marriage ended largely because his persistent nightmares were so violent. He developed a gambling problem that put him in financial distress, but he refused to appear in lucrative alcohol and cigarettes ads out of concern over his influence on children.

He really was the living poster child for the old D&D truism that adventure is some other guy, a long way away, having an unbelievably bad time.

[Valentis]

Atticus Finch from To kill A Mockingbird