The Catcher in the Rye question

I second Michael Pitt!

He's too old now, but I often thought Eminem could have managed to pull it off in his younger days.

As for a current young actor, his name escapes me, but he played "Isaac" in "The Fault in Our Stars".

young timothy olyphant i guess will be great

What??

I can't believe this. Isn't ANYBODY going to suggest just letting Marc Chapman play Holden??

<< Duane DUCKS flying rotten fruit, dead animals, and bong water... >>

I'm throwing rotten tomatoes at you!!!

And some bong water ;)

It's about TIME... Where is everybody Else - *Asleep*??

(It's OK to not throw dead animals BTW) (Although I wouldn't hold it against you if they voted for Obama)

The first person that comes to mind is Freddie Highmore.

Josie wrote: "Well considering J.D Salinger said he didn't want an adaptation made unless HE played Holden I'm going to stick with his wishes...ignoring the fact he's dead that is."

We don't have the power or money to make the movie! With all due respect to J.D, the question means "Whom do you think has the acting ability to effectively portray Holden Caufield?"

not a huge fan. i think Holden is a dork and could easily be played by any number of mediocre actors. maybe Glen from MadMen.

Logan Lerman anyone? Don't mind if i do

As soon as I saw this, I immediately thought of Dane DeHaan. I've only seen him in a couple of movies, but he seems like he would carry Holden's character well.

Jared Padalecki (Dean on Gilmore Girls)

Michael Pitt would be my choice.

Miles Teller

Patrick Stewart should play Holden. Not young Patrick Stewart. Patrick Stewart now.


These Christmas lights are a bunch of phonies!

i dont think i anyone could play holden cos holden is so different to any actors abilities and understanding. also i dont see the catcher in the rye to become a movie as the author and holden hate the movies. this book will never become a movie. its pointless suggesting a actor. just gets everyone excited. people come perks of being a wallflower to the book but even logan merman could not do holden justice

I agree that James Dean would have been the best pick to play Holden. As for an actor that is still alive today, perhaps James Franco? I would have some reservations, like his tendency to overthink his roles, but he could really pull it off.

Mayor wrote: "i think Holden is a dork and a poser so he should be played by someone who has been on reality tv, preferably from Jersey Shore or perhaps a vocal personality from Survivor."

Someone told me a young Jerry Lewis wanted to play Holden. But I haven't checked.

They'd have been good. So would Timothy Hutton, who played a a suburban version of Holden, Conrad Jarrett, in Ordinary People.

Joaquin Phoenix or River Phoenix (deceased) would have also been good.

Sal Mineo, or Vic Morrow (from 'Blackboard Jungle')
Brandon deWilde

Mineo! I was going to add him but you beat me.

Paul Newman doesn't seem to fit.
Dennis Hopper had too much swag.
Sylvester Stallone would have provided an edge.

Woody Allen could have nailed it.
Richard Dreyfuss.
Corey Feldman showed exceptional spirit as Teddy DuChamp in Stand by Me.
Kiefer Sutherland, maybe.
Charlie Sheen would have been interesting.
Christopher Walken--maybe.
Philip Seymour Hoffman would have been great.
Haley Joel Osment (from The Sixth Sense) - excellent.

i can totally imagine a young leonardo di caprio as holden caufield.

Justin Bieber. ;)

Joe Pesci.

Instant classic.

For physical attributes (height thinness etc.) a young Christian Bale or of Daniel Day Lewis would have been prime choices.

Of course after all the Catcher homage films it probably won't happen.

John Hughes, R.I.P., pretty well exhausted the teen angst film for a generation or two.

With other entries, including DiCaprio in The Basketball Diaries and Tom Cruise in Risky Business, a lot more the teenage to adulthood(or not) trauma was pretty well consumed for the movie go-er.

And of course, Catcher in the Rye had its comedic treatment that will forever overshadow (good or bad for another generation anyway) with Ferris Bueller.

Now this isn't to say that some borderline personality method actor like Shia LeBoef won't get involved in a Catcher-esque production.

But I hope not.

i think Holden is a dork and a poser so he should be played by someone who has been on reality tv, preferably from Jersey Shore or perhaps a vocal personality from Survivor.

Robert Pattinson. Too bad his career was so hurt by Twilight - nobody takes him seriously anymore. But he is an excellent actor.

How about:

Bud Cort (circa, Harold & Maude)
Chris Makepeace (circa, 'Meatballs')
Kyle Eastwood (circa, 'Honkytonk Man')
Lance Kerwin
Keith Gordon (circa, 'Dressed to Kill')
Ricky Schroeder

I also think the role calls for quietness and sulking.
So how about..

Dennis Christopher or
Jackie Earle Haley (circa, 'Breaking Away')

Meh..too many 'recent' names. More classics needed.

The real Chris McCandless or Emile Hirsch who played him.

I second Haley Joel Osment. Or Giovanni Ribisci.

Feliks wrote: "How about:

Bud Cort (circa, Harold & Maude)
Chris Makepeace (circa, 'Meatballs')
Kyle Eastwood (circa, 'Honkytonk Man')
Lance Kerwin
Keith Gordon (circa, 'Dressed to Kill')
Ricky Schroeder

I al..."

I second Haley.

John Kerr

Feliks wrote: "John Kerr"

Which John Kerr? The Dead one of South Pacific fame or the younger one of Blood and Chocolate?

How about John Kerry? Of Vietnam War Fame and Secretary of State infamy? Tall, right educational background, only half his hair will need to be dyed as the other half is gray already, has acting skills - if one dimensional, can sound whiny at the drop of hat and in two languages, has older and younger siblings. Typecasting perfection!

Oh, yeah. He has a day job already . . .

the dead one!