There's a lingering perception that actors who do commercials are either desperate or hacks. In fact, neither is necessarily true. Looking back at all the Academy Award winners since 1970—the cream of the crop in Hollywood—an outright majority have filmed ads at some point in their careers. Some stopped when their careers solidified—others continued to do commercial work even after reaching the pinnacle of their industry. We've collected 50 such ads starring Oscar winners, ranging from the '60s (Dustin Hoffman for Volkswagen) to the present day (Timothy Hutton and Cuba Gooding Jr. both for Groupon). There are a handful of great spots here, some amusing ones and more than a few duds. You'll notice a bunch from Europe and Japan, done by actors hoping to keep their reputations unsullied in America. And if you watch only one of these 50 ads, make it the Russell Crowe video for Avondale College. Words cannot convey its awesomeness.

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