One of the final film performances by Laurence Olivier, considered among the greatest actors of all time, was playing the god Zeus in the campy1981 fantasy film Clash of the Titans.

But Olivier is far from the only respected actor to appear in such films.

In fact, acclaimed thespians, often British, have a long history of taking roles in fantasy films, frequently as wizards and elderly “mentor” characters that require an element of gravitas.

Some are obvious: Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, and others in The Lord of the Rings movies. And in her movie deal with Warner Brothers, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling famously insisted that the producers cast only British and Irish actors in the major roles — a demand that has kept respected, but relatively unknown actors such as Alan Rickman, Imelda Staunton, Fiona Shaw, David Thewlis, and Jim Broadbent gainfully employed for years (and given them entirely new fan-bases to boot!).

Sometimes the fantasy movies these actors do are good, and the performances impressive. Other times? Well, many of the actors themselves have admitted doing the roles solely for the money.

Here’s a sampling:

• Olivier’s widow, Joan Plowright, another extremely respected actor, played Aunt Lucinda in 2008’s The Spiderwick Chronicles.

• In addition to playing Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies, two-time Oscar winner Maggie Smith played Mrs. Medlock in the 1993 version of The Secret Garden, Granny Wendy in 1991’s Hook, and, like Olivier, had a role in Clash of the Titans.

• James Earl Jones starred in 1982’s Conan the Barbarian.

• Jeremy Irons has chewed the scenery appeared in many fantasy films, including 2000’s Dungeons & Dragons and 2006’s Eragon.

• Five-time Tony winner, three-time Oscar nominee, and 18-time Emmy nominee Angela Lansbury appeared in 1971’s Bednobs and Broomsticks (in addition to doing voicework in 1991’s animated Disney film Beauty and the Beast).

• Fred Astaire’s last film role was the 1981 ghost story Ghost Story — a movie that also starred respected actors Melvyn Douglas, John Houseman, Patricia Neal, and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (the last of whom also starred in 1947’s Sinbad the Sailor).

• John Gielgud, the only British actor to win a Tony, an Emmy, an Oscar, and a Grammy, starred in 1981’s Sphinx, 1995’s First Knight, and did voice-work in Dragonheart and The Magic Sword: Quest for Camelot.

• Fifteen-time Oscar nominee Meryl Streep appeared as Aunt Josephine in 2004’s Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (and also in the under-rated 1992 black comedy Death Becomes Her).

• Helen Mirren had a major role earlier this year as Elinor in the movie adaptation of Inkheart. Mirren also had roles in National Treasure: Book of Secrets, 1981’s Excalibur, and the infamous sexually explicit 1979 film Caligula (with also starred Gielgud).

• Speaking of Excalibur, it starred many respected British actors, including up-and-comers Liam Neeson and Patrick Stewart.

• By the time he appeared as the wizard Ulrich of Craggenmoorin in 1981’s Dragonslayer, Ralph Richardson was considered one of Britain’s finest stage actors, having frequently worked with his friends Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud. In film, he also appeared in Time Bandits (as the Supreme Being) and Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan of the Apes.

• Katherine Hepburn won an Oscar for the 1968 fantasy-esque film The Lion in Winter, and also starred in 1971’s The Trojan Women.

• Jean Marsh, star of Britain’s Upstairs Downstairs, played the evil queen Bavmorda in the 1988 film Willow.

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