As a child I loved Deborah Kerr's "Anna" and (he says blushing) her big hoop skirt in The King and I. It wasn't until I was a teenager that I realized that Ms Kerr held the dubious distinction of being one of those perennial also-rans at the Oscars. Six nominations and no wins, a record matched only by Supporting stalwart Thelma Ritter. When I realized this I felt bad for Kerr but also vaguely guilty --yes, I took the Oscars seriously right away-- because she was an also-ran with me, too. For, you see, my heart was elsewhere. In the theaters I was busy crushing on La Pfeiffer, Meryl Streep and Kathleen Turner and at home on the tube (where I watched old movies) my heart belonged to the emotionally combustible Natalie Wood, the divalicious Liz Taylor, and the legendary Judy G.A few months ago after watching Separate Tables (1958) for Stinky Lulu's Smackdown I stopped feeling awful for Kerr because I thought she was, well, stinky in it ... of course they nominated her for it. All of this is a long way of bringing up an important question:
Who will never win a competitive Oscar despite plentiful Oscar noms?
A lot of people make it to 3 nominations without winning. Those (still living) who have suffered thrice: Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Angela Lansbury, Michelle Pfeiffer, Annette Bening, Diane Ladd, Piper Laurie, and Debra Winger. But at least they have a lot of company. Four nominations and up with zero wins is where it gets embarrassing...all of that losing when almost everyone else has won. The only currently living actresses to suffer this particular humiliation are: Jane Alexander, Kate Winslet, Julianne Moore, and Glenn Close. Now, Kate Winslet will obviously win an Oscar someday. Everyone knows it. She makes Academy friendly movies. She's excellent in (almost) everything. She's very young.Who do you think will eventually match Kerr's double edged sword: lots of noms / never the competitive win ?
Vaguely Related Articles:
My Favorite Actresses (a top 50 --due for a revamp soon I think) * Natalie & Nathaniel an interrupted love story * White Diamonds. Violet Eyes loving Liz Taylor * Great Oscar Losers of the 1980s * Virginia Woolf -Kathleen Turner on Broadway * Pfeiffer Forever (a blogathon) * "Will I Be Your Mommy? Yes!" choosing roles w/ Julianne * Dear Oscar Hopeful how to keep it all in perspective *
