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The most famous actor in the main cast of Beetlejuice (1988) at the time of its release was arguably Michael Keaton.
While other cast members like Jeffrey Jones and Sylvia Sidney had their own significant claims to fame (Jones for a Golden Globe nomination and a major hit, and Sidney for a legendary career dating back to the Golden Age of Hollywood), Keaton had recently headlined a major box-office success.
Michael Keaton gained prominence in the years leading up to Beetlejuice's March 1988 release primarily through his comedic film roles, which established him as a recognizable star.
* Mr. Mom (1983): Keaton starred as Jack Butler, an unemployed engineer who takes over the household duties while his wife returns to work. The film was a major box-office success and established Keaton as a bankable comedic lead.
* Night Shift (1982): This was an early breakout role for Keaton. He co-starred with Henry Winkler, playing Bill "Blaze" Blazejowski, a fast-talking schemer who helps his timid friend turn the city morgue's night shift into an illegal prostitution service. This role was Keaton's first major recognition in film.
* Johnny Dangerously (1984): Keaton played the antagonist, Danny Vermin, a rival gangster known for his violent catchphrases.
* Touch and Go (1986): He starred as a hockey player whose life is complicated by a thief and his son.
His performance in Beetlejuice itself cemented his position, leading directly to his starring role in Tim Burton's Batman (1989) the following year.
Other Notable Mention:
* Jeffrey Jones had a high profile coming into the film, known for his Golden Globe-nominated performance as Emperor Joseph II in the Oscar-winning film Amadeus (1984) and for playing the iconic antagonist, Principal Ed Rooney, in the massive teen comedy hit Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986).
* Sylvia Sidney (who played the afterlife caseworker Juno) was a bona fide star of the 1930s and 40s, with a career dating back to the Golden Age of Hollywood.
The AI summary focuses heavily on Michael Keaton but doesn't adequately discuss Geena Davis's recent box office success with The Fly, which was released only two years before Beetlejuice and was a major commercial and critical hit.
While mentioned briefly, the summary doesn't note that Winona Ryder was a teenager whose performance in Beetlejuice 'really put her on the map' according to contemporary sources, and that Tim Burton cast her after seeing her in Lucas.
The AI summary presents the answer as 'arguably' Michael Keaton but doesn't deeply explore the complexity of comparing different types of fame: Keaton's recent commercial success, Davis's recent hit, Jones's Oscar-nominated role, and Sidney's legendary but dated stardom.
The AI summary doesn't mention Alec Baldwin's other 1988 releases, which were part of his breakthrough year.
The question of who was the 'most famous' actor in Beetlejuice (1988) at the time of release is complex and depends on how fame is measured. Michael Keaton had the strongest recent commercial track record with Mr. Mom (1983) grossing $64 million and Night Shift (1982) establishing him as a comedic lead. However, Geena Davis had starred in The Fly (1986), which grossed $60.6 million and won an Academy Award for makeup, making her also a significant box office draw. Jeffrey Jones had received a Golden Globe nomination for Amadeus (1984) and starred in the hit Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986). Sylvia Sidney was a legendary star from Hollywood's Golden Age (1930s-40s), though her active fame had diminished by 1988. Alec Baldwin was in his breakthrough year with multiple 1988 releases. Winona Ryder, at 16, was just beginning her career but her performance in Beetlejuice would launch her to stardom. By most contemporary measures of commercial success and current name recognition in 1988, Michael Keaton was likely the most famous, though Geena Davis was a very close second with comparable recent box office success. Notable other films: Keaton - Night Shift (1982), Mr. Mom (1983), Johnny Dangerously (1984), Gung Ho (1986); Davis - The Fly (1986), which later led to her Oscar-winning role in The Accidental Tourist (1988); Jones - Amadeus (1984), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986); Sidney - City Streets (1931), Fury (1936), Dead End (1937) among dozens of 1930s-40s films.