5. Paul Newman - The Silver Choice
So embarrassed was Newman of his part in the 1954 film
The Silver Chalice that, when the film was scheduled to be shown on television in 1966, he took out an ad in 'Variety' magazine to apologise for his performance and request that audiences stay away. Of course, such measures were ultimately counter-productive. Whether you consider this to be a daring act of self-preservation or the demands of a pampered star, there's no denying that this well-publicised tantrum earned the film considerable notoriety. If such a feat made the papers today, a modern audience would most likely be cynical enough to sniff out a marketing campaign.Yet the actor was firm in his belief, even calling it ''the worst motion picture produced in the 1950s''. Perhaps, it being his debut, he felt he hadn't quite made the impact he wanted. In a role that was originally offered to James Dean, Newman played a sculptor named Basil, a man tasked with creating a chalice that could hold the Holy Grail. Unfortunately, as the chalice grows in size, it threatens to overshadow Newman's performance. Despite his initial embarrassment, he could later admit that the film had served him some practical use - springing him, (and co-stars Natalie Wood, Jack Palance and Joseph Wiseman) on to greater things.