From ‘Viva Zapata’ to ‘Zorba the Greek’: 5 Movies Starring Anthony Quinn You Can Stream at Home

Anthony Quinn’s first on-screen credit came in 1936. His last in 2002. In between, he managed to carve out an enviable career that broke ground for Mexican and Mexican-American actors (he became a naturalized US citizen in 1947). Born Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca in Chihuaha, Mexico, the rugged actor found his start playing a series of “ethnic villains.” In the over fifty films he shot in his first decade in Hollywood, he got to play everything from Indians and Mafia don to Hawaiian chiefs and Arab sheiks.

But after his big break in Viva Zapata! where he played Eufemio Zapata opposite Marlon Brando (winning an Oscar in the process — the first for a Mexican actor), Quinn leveraged his tough guy persona in better parts and better films. In his heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, he got to work with directors like David Lean, Federico Fellini, Vincente Minnelli, George Cukor, and Nicholas Ray. Continuing to work late into his life, Quinn was one of the pioneering crossover actors of his generation who charmed audiences both on screen and on stage. In case you’ve never taken a good look at his filmography, or want to watch some of his most memorable performances, we’ve compiled five to get you started.