Great actors prove their skills by playing characters that everybody hates.

James Arness became TVs most enduring cowboy when he spent two decades playing Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, proving that loyalty to one role could create one of the greatest legacies in TV history.

James Garner was already a television and movie star when The Rockford Files premiered in 1974. Discover how the hit detective series gave him a second iconic role and reshaped his legacy.

Richard Widmark was one of Hollywood's best supporting actors, spanning the heyday of film noir, Westerns, and adventure movies.

Hollywood loves a comeback story, and few performers lived one quite like Mickey Rooney. Once the biggest box-office star in America, Rooney experienced career highs that seemed impossible to top and setbacks that would have ended many careers. Yet time after time, he found a way back into the spotlight. His remarkable ability to reinvent himself kept him working for nearly nine decades and turned him into one of entertainment’s greatest survivors.

Most television actors are happy if they can turn a hit show into a long and steady career. A select few, however, looked beyond the soundstage and saw even bigger opportunities. Some launched fashion lines, others built media companies, and a few turned smart investments into fortunes that rivaled their acting paychecks. These television stars proved they were just as talented in the boardroom as they were in front of the camera.