Burt Lancaster was a trained acrobat. His partner before movies did a few movies with him. It was that bearded short guy that often enough played deaf mute, not because he was but because his thick NY accent was too much for the movies. He have my respect. He was great even aged in "Atlantic City". But he acted his Era, time of Heros and when you can do your own stuns, who but the hero you can be. He did a great Wyatt Eartt, even if without the mustache.

The only problem with Burt Lancaster was that he played Burt Lancaster in every role, kinda like John Wayne always played John Wayne. I guess it was mostly that way for a long time in Hollywood until actors like Marlon Brando came along. Marlon Brando did not play Marlon Brando; he became the character he was playing.

The only thing that I remember of him is his good looks. I need to watch more moves where he acted

He was before my time (I was born in 1952). During his heyday I was still growing up in Haiti. I saw Field of Dreams, but don't remember him specifically.

So many of his films were good. My favorites are "Sweet Smell of Success" totally berilliant as the Walter Winchell like J.J Hunsecke, and "The Train" as French Resistance fighter Paul Labiche. Paul Scofield as the German Col. Franz von Waldheim.was great also.

Rodney Dangerfield would have been more deserving.

Elmer Gantry, classic!

He was intertaining to watch in films but did not have much of a range. Pretty much play the same type of charactor in every film.

In "7 Days in May" he played an Army General who was head of a conspiracy to overthrow the President of the USA. Tense stuff.

Atlantic City was a high point. Local Hero was wonderful. Winning Oscars is, imho, overrated.

He was a good actor. Come Back Little Sheba -wasn't he nominated for an Oscar?

There's a long list of Hollywood people who didn't get as much Academy recognition as they deserved!
IMHO, the Academy should add an annual Honor Roll giving Oscars to deceased artists who didn't win any while still alive! (They can start with Montgomery Clift...)
Also, the Oscar for adapted script should also go to the author of the original work too. (Same principle by which he's given a credit.)

I don't believe in award shows, but l do believe he isn't given enough credit for his acting.

Burt Lancaster was an exceptional actor. Originally he was a circus performer with Nick Cravat and both of them were even in movies together re-creating some of their circus acts in pirate films. Nick was the little guy who never talked. Burt's acting was good but I'm sure his circus days put him in a category of also being his own stunt man for a while.
I loved all his movies.

Why do you ask about Burt in particular?

He was great in Field of Dreams

On reflection, he was definitely more than a jouneyman actor. His work spanned 5 decades with a notable peak in the 60s. Did he get his due? I think so. But I find it interesting that the BAFTAs lauded him more in his later career than the American Academy .

He was a very good actor. I remember many diverse roles he played.