They Shoulda Been Contendahs: Famous Oscar Snubs

Think Martin Scorsese will walk away Oscar-less on on February 25? If so, the six-time nominated director will continue to be in good company, historically. Some of his previous nods include Raging Bull, The Aviator and Gangs of New York. (He lost to Robert Redford for Ordinary People, Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby, and Roman Polanski for The Pianist, respectively.)

Just how many talented denizens of Hollywood have reached for the brass ring, er, gold statue only to pull back an empty, bejeweled hand? More than most of us realize. The following are but a few among many.

If by "vanting to be alone" Greta Garbo was referring to being snubbed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), then she picked a great tag line. Twice nominated in 1930 for her performances in Anna Christie and Romance, the great Greta lost to Irving Thalberg's wife, Norma Shearer, in The Divorcee. In 1937, after a critically heralded leading role in Camille, she lost again. The winner was Luise Rainer for The Good Earth. When Gone With the Wind swept through the Oscars in 1939, Garbo's last chance, for her turn in Ninotchka, was blown away by Vivien Leigh.

Like so many others, she was eventually awarded a lifetime achievement statuette for her entire body of work. Which is probably better than nothing, but certainly not better than being recognized by one's peers for a single outstanding performance.

If we could only ask Charlie Chaplin, who may have been referring to his own Oscar acting award snub when he stated, "Actors search for rejection. If they don't get it they reject themselves." Ironically, Chaplin never had to reject himself; he received plenty of same from AMPAS. Nominated just two times after receiving a "special award" in 1927 for writing, directing, producing and acting in The Circus, Chaplin would receive a lifetime achievement award in 1971. Though not related to acting and directing, he did receive an individual AMPAS win for Limelight's musical production in 1972.