I think I'll get off the fence and go with the extra sense approach.

chujiten:
2〈かけひきの巧みな人〉	
あいつはなかなかの役者だ. He is a very able man.
役者が一枚上
be a cut above somebody
役者が一枚上である
be more than a match for somebody.
_
saito:
"2
用例
二人は役者が違う
They are of different orders
There is no comparison between the two.
彼の方が君より役者が一枚上だ
He is more than a match for you―one too many for you.
君の方が僕より役者が一枚上だ
I acknowledge you as my superior
I yield the palm to you.
君の方が役者が二三枚上だ
I am not a patch upon you."

Going just by GG5 it would seem like that, I agree, but 
looking at chujiten, daij and saito, they all have two 
senses, and they all define it as something more than just 
"人前で抜け目なく振る舞う人"

e.g., gg5
 2 〔人前で抜け目なくふるまえる人〕 a good actor [performer]; a great pretender; 〔主要な顔ぶれ〕 major players [figures].
 初めてそれを聞いたように驚いてみせるとは彼も役者だね.　He's a really good actor [He can really put a good show]; look at how he acted surprised as though he were hearing that for the first time.
 ·たちまち彼女の目から涙がこぼれた. これが演技なら大した役者だ.　In an instant tears fell from her eyes. If it was an act, she's a great actress.

i think this is just an extended use of "actor" in the same sense in which it is used in english.  i think the addition is not needed

daijr
 ② 弁舌や才知、かけ引きなどにすぐれている人。 「彼はなかなかの
－だ」 
daijs
２ 駆け引きなどにたけている人。また、人前で抜け目なく振る舞う
人。「なかなかの役者で油断ならない人」

"また、人前で抜け目なく振る舞う人。"
抜け目なく = so I included "cunning fellow"

@@ -21,0 +22,6 @@
+<sense>
+<pos>&n;</pos>
+<gloss>man of wits</gloss>
+<gloss>clever person</gloss>
+<gloss>cunning fellow</gloss>
+</sense>