Catholic Movie Stars

Dan Akroyd is Catholic, some of his family members are priests. He studied at a Catholic seminary, intending to be a priest.
Alan Alda, best known for M.A.S.H.
Robert Altman, director
Don Ameche
Eve Arden, Our Miss Brooks
Desi Arnaz. He was Catholic, Lucille Ball was not. She was Protestant. She studied Catholicism in order to convert, but never went through with it. Their kids were raised Catholic. So we still love Lucy.
Frankie Avalon, famous for those Beach movies with Annette Funicello--two clean-cut Catholic kids just soaking up some sun.

The Baldwins brothers, Alec, Daniel, William, Stephen. Every one of them sent to Catholic schools.
Anne Bancroft, the Miracle Worker, was Catholic. She was also Mrs. Robinson, but we don’t like to talk about that.
All the Barrymore’s are Catholic: Lionel, John, Ethel.
Sonny Bono, half of Sonny & Cher, was Catholic, then converted to Scientology. Died skiing into a tree. I wonder who he prayed to.
Lara Flynn Boyle, too skinny actress who dated Jack Nicholson.
Peter Boyle studied to be a priest. We loved him in Young Frankenstein and as the Dad on Everybody Loves Raymond.
Eileen Brennan, in Private Benjamin. Very nun-like, tough!

Nicolas Cage. He’s part of the Coppola family. His last name really is Coppola. Good Italian Catholics.
James Cagney. Stayed married to his sweetheart his whole life. And adopted two children. We loved him in Yankee Doodle Dandy.
John Candy, actor
Frank Capra, director, It’s a Wonderful Life.
George Carlin, referred to himself as a “fallen Catholic.” Called himself a staunch atheist.
Leo G. Carroll, from the Topper movies
Jim Caviezel, actor; played "Jesus" in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ
George Clooney
Rosemary Clooney, Irish Catholic girl.
Claudette Colbert
Sean Connery, played James Bond, 007.
Gary Cooper, converted to Catholicism.
Francis Ford Coppola
Bud Cort, from Harold and Maude
Joan Crawford was Catholic, then became a Christian Scientist.
Bing Crosby, played a great Catholic priest in many movies
Penelope Cruz, dated Tom Cruise
Joan Cusack
John Cusack

Judy Davis, played Judy Garland on HBO
Doris Day. Raised Catholic, later embraced Christian Science.
Dom DeLuise
Robert DeNiro, whose grandparents sneaked him out one day when he was two and had him baptized.
Gerard Depardieu. You can’t pronounce his name, but it means “from God.”
Danny DeVito
Minnie Driver
Patty Duke, played Helen Keller and stole our hearts.
Jimmy Durante

Roger Ebert, amazing movie reviewer/film critic, former altar boy

Jamie Farr, played Klinger on M.A.S.H.
Mia Farrow. Both parents Catholic, she was raised Catholic. Farrow screen-tested for the role of Liesl Von Trapp in The Sound of Music.
Joey Fatone, part of the band N’Sync and starred in My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Farrah Fawcett
Federico Fellini, director, also believed in astrology and the occult.
John Ford, director
Annette Funicello

Clark Gable, had an affair with Loretta Young, which produced one child.
James Gandolfini, best known as Tony Soprano
Henry Gibson, Laugh-In classic!
Jackie Gleason

Julie Harris, huge fan of Late Nite Catechism
Helen Hayes, legendary!
Susan Hayward, converted to Catholicism.
Rita Hayworth, Gilda temptress.
Edith Head, clothing/costume designer/prolific Oscar winner for design.
Paris Hilton. Although she’s never proclaimed a religious affiliation in the past, Paris apparently decided she’s a Catholic. We’ll see how long that lasts.
Gregory Hines, wonderful tap dancer, actor
Alfred Hitchcock, most insightful director who knew how to tap into our fears.
Bob Hope, converted to Catholicism.
Betty Hutton. Great as Annie Oakley. Found religion after her fourth divorce. Converted to Catholicism and spent the last part of her years working as a cook at a rectory in Rhode Island.

Michael Imperioli (Christopher on the Sopranos)

Buster Keaton, baptized Catholic as a baby, but never practiced any religion.
Michael Keaton, one of the best Batmans.
Gene Kelly
Grace Kelly
Nicole Kidman, Katie Holmes, both wives of Tom Cruise.

Vivien Leigh, best known as Scarlett O'Hara
Jack Lemmon
Lindsay Lohan, yes, hard to believe!
Gina Lollobrigida
Sophia Loren
Laurence Luckinbill, married to Lucie Arnaz, son-in-law to Lucille Ball. He played Spock’s brother in one of the Star Trek movies.
Bela Lugosi, Dracula

Madonna, some of those nuns never forgot or forgave her!
Fred MacMurray, loved him in My Three Sons.
Louis Malle, director
Dean Martin, had eight children! A good Italian Catholic!
Paul McCartney, Beatle
Ricardo Montalban. In 1998, Pope John Paul II named him a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, the highest honor bestowed upon a non-clery.
Michael Moore, controversial filmmaker and practicing Catholic.
Bill Murray, SNL classic comedian.

Kathy Najimy, loud funny nun in Sister Act movies.
Patricia Neal
Liam Neeson, Vanessa Redgrave’s son-in-law, married to her daughter, the late great Natasha Richardson
Bob Newhart, comedian
Jack Nicholson. Raised Catholic, but now says he doesn’t believe in God.
Kim Novak, pretty blonde in Hitchcock films

Conan O'Brien, tall, red-headed talk show host & writer
Carroll O’Connor, played Archie Bunker
Chris O'Donnell
Jerry Orbach, Law & Order

Al Pacino
Gregory Peck, so terrific in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Joe Pesci
Bernadette Peters, started Catholic, converted to Scientology

Anthony Quinn, wanted to be a priest.

Jean Reno
Isabella Rossellini
Roberto Rossellini, director, had affair with Ingrid Bergman, father of Isabella
Mickey Rourke
Rosalind Russell

Susan Sarandon, played Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking, won Oscar for that.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Martin Scorsese, director, lots of swearing in his films
Martin Sheen
Brooke Shields
Frank Sinatra, even though he has "sin" in his name!
Mira Sorvino, won an Oscar for playing a prostitute.
Paul Sorvino, cried when his daughter won that Oscar. Got to love him for that!
Sylvester Stallone
Maureen Stapleton

Sharon Tate, killed in 1969 by followers of Charles Manson.
John Travolta started as Catholic, then switched to Scientology. Now he’s Oprah’s BF.
Spencer Tracy, best actor as a priest!
Francois Truffaut, director

Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Pictures Association of America
Jon Voight, father of Angelina Jolie, who stole Brad Pitt from Jennifer Aniston

John Wayne, Presbyterian his whole life; raised children Catholic, converted two days before he died.
Orson Welles, director and actor
Mae West, Catholic; Spiritualism
Oscar Wilde, playwright who created wonderful pieces that were turned into films.
Cindy Williams, from American Graffiti and Laverne & Shirley
Elijah Wood, Frodo in Lord of the Rings
James Woods
Jane Wyman, married Ronald Reagan

Loretta Young, played a nun in several films. Involved in a scandalous affair with Clark Gable. “Adopted” the daughter she gave birth to from that affair.

Catherine Zeta-Jones