Friday, February 11, 2011

Today's Oscar Trivia #11

Any Regrets? Many times in film history, actors and actresses have turned down parts that went on to earn the eventual taker an Oscar nomination. Doris Day famously turned down a role in which 1967 satire that brought a nomination to Anne Bancroft?

Brother and Sister Acts Who are the only brother and sister to each win an acting Oscar? (Hint: His was for the 1931 A Free Soul, hers for the 1944 None But The Lonely Heart.)

You can check out TCM's entire "31 Days of Oscar" schedule here.

4 comments:

Erik Beck said...

The Graduate - so easy.

The Barrymores - Lionel and Ethel.

Ironically, not John.

And others have won when only one sibling won for acting.

Norma Shearer for Actress (The Divorcee) and her brother Douglas for Sound (Naughty Mariettta).

And of course, Shirley for Actress (Terms of Endearment) and Warren for Director (Reds).

whistlingypsy said...

Miss Doris as Mrs. Robinson? Hmmm, I think Ann Bancroft was a better casting choice, but then again this is in hindsight . . . and you know what they say, “Mrs. Robinson always had 20-20 vision”.

Mythical Monkey said...

Miss Doris as Mrs. Robinson? Hmmm

Doris Day would have been more shocking to audiences at the time, but even though I do like her, especially in those comedies with Rock Hudson, I'm not sure she could have brought to the role what Anne Bancroft did. Not to mention, it would have destroy Doris Day's image, which was no doubt important to her, at least in a commercial sense.

She was probably wise to pass.

It's like Robert Mitchum turning down Patton. He admitted he couldn't pull it off, but recommended George C. Scott who went on to win the Oscar. No regrets.

Mythical Monkey said...

The Barrymores - Lionel and Ethel. Ironically, not John.

I think John Barrymore should have won somewhere along the line -- I gave him a Katie Award as supporting actor in Dinner at Eight, but he was also superb in Grand Hotel and Twentieth Century. He once opined that he never won because the Academy was afraid he would show up drunk for the ceremony and make a fool of himself. Maybe so, but that would sure beat those endless musical numbers they do now.

And maybe he and Wallace Beery could have wrestled each other for the title of history's biggest ham.