Christopher Lee in a minor role
Did anyone notice Christopher Lee, pre Dracula, in the minor role of Manolo, the Uruguayan bar owner? Although he had an almost nonspeaking part, other than arguing in Spanish with his woman in the background, shoving her around, and hustling the American reporter to buy drinks if he was going to be sitting in the bar all day, he really did a lot with role and stood out. Particularly the way he kept shoving the little boy aside as if he was knocking a cat off the dinner table. Just watching the body language and gestures, I could build up his character's story: sleazy small time bar owner with all the 'charm' of a French nightclub Apache dancer and little respect for women, whom he probably expected to hustle for drinks and more. Manolo knew the score, had the contacts, and was the go to person for information or a job which needed to be done on the quiet. When the British and German sailors arrived and a big news event arrived on his doorstep, he saw a chance to make a killing.
What Lee did with this background cameo role showed why he became the great actor he did.