As well as being a musician, Waits has also tried his hand at acting. His first forays into the world of the silver screen took place in the late 1970s. Waits' film debut was a small role in the Sylvester Stallone wrestling film Paradise Alley. Since then, Waits has appeared in everything from little-known indies to Hollywood blockbusters. Waits bagged roles in several 80s Francis Ford Coppola films but it was in Down by Law where he really came to attention. Jim Jarmusch's impossibly cool criminals on-the-run film saw Waits team up with Roberto Begini and John Lurie to form a memorable (and often hilarious) triple threat. Other choice roles include the excellent Raymond Carver-inspired Short Cuts, the underrated Bram Stoker's Dracula and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus where Waits, fittingly, pays the devil. Waits doesn't make too many film appearances, but when he does they are usually noteworthy and/or entertaining. To regular punters he's probably either your regular character actor or doesn't register at all. But his fans know when he's up there on the screen and look forward to his appearances. Waits doesn't really get a lot of credit for his acting efforts, but he's a lot better than most musicians who decide to attempt the transition (we're looking at you, Madonna).
