Losing Streaks

There are campaign ads running for Meryl Streep making the appeal that the actress has not won an Academy Award in 29 years. Oscars are not pieces of fruit, they do not rot or expire. I'm quite certain that both Ms. Streep's statuettes (for Kramer vs. Kramer and Sophie's Choice) are still golden and lovely. If you want to talk about losing streaks, talk about the people who have NEVER won.






This year, for instance, marks Glenn Close's sixth nomination, and she has yet to win. She racked up three consecutive Supporting Actress nods for The World According to Garp, The Big Chill, and The Natural (1982-84), and back-to-back Best Actress nods for Fatal Attraction and Dangerous Liasons (1987-88). Her heartbreaking performance in Albert Nobbs is entirely deserving of a win, but alas, this won't be her year. The film is too low-key, and everyone agrees this moment belongs to Viola Davis (myself included.) But Close's upcoming loss will put her in stellar company: She will join a three-way tie with Deborah Kerr and Thelma Ritter for the most Oscar losses for an actress (without ever winning.)













Scottish actress Deborah Kerr (1921-2007) scored an impressive six Best Actress nods, for Edward My Son (1949), From Here to Eternity (1953), The King and I (1956), Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957), Separate Tables (1958), and The Sundowners (1960, pictured above left). She could have won the sentimental vote on her final nomination, but that year, the sentimental vote went to Elizabeth Taylor, whose win for Butterfield 8 was widely attributed to her near-death and emergency tracheotomy. Ms. Kerr was voted the 1993 lifetime achievement award, so she did finally get to cradle a golden statuette and give an acceptance speech on the Oscar broadcast. (And who presented her with the award? Glenn Close!)

Brooklyn native Thelma Ritter (1902-1969) is perhaps the patron saint of character actresses. She was nominated in the supporting category six times, for All About Eve (1950), The Mating Season (1951), With a Song in My Heart (1952), Pickup on South Street (1953), Pillow Talk (1959), and Birdman of Alcatraz (1962, pictured above right). Her final loss was to 16-year-old Patty Duke, as Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker.















The all-time record for most acting nominations without winning is held by Peter O'Toole (b. 1932). For 24 years, he was tied with his friend and co-star Richard Burton (1925-1984). They both lost for Becket (1964), and O'Toole lost his bids for Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Lion in Winter (1968), Goodbye Mr. Chips (1969), The Ruling Class (1972), The Stunt Man (1980), and My Favorite Year (1982), while Burton lost for My Cousin Rachel (1952), The Robe (1953), The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1965), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), Anne of the Thousand Days (1969), and Equus (1977, pictured above right). Then O'Toole was nominated once more, for Venus (2006, pictured above left), and his loss to Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland made him the all-time [non-]champ. But like Deborah Kerr, he was voted a lifetime achievement award to accept on live television and display on his mantle.










Oscar isn't always such a tease. Geraldine Page (1924-1987) was "always a bridesmaid" for Hondo (1953), Summer and Smoke (1961), Sweet Bird of Youth (1962), You're a Big Boy Now (1966), Pete 'n' Tillie (1972), Interiors (1978), and The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), but finally a bride for The Trip to Bountiful (1985, pictured above left).

Paul Newman (1925-2008) was passed up for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), The Hustler (1961), Hud (1963), Cool Hand Luke (1967), Absence of Malice (1981), and The Verdict (1982), but finally chosen for The Color of Money (1986, pictured above center). He was nominated twice more, for Nobody's Fool (1994) and Road to Perdition (2002), plus he was voted the 1985 lifetime achievement award, and the 1993 Jean Herscholt humanitarian award.

Al Pacino (b. 1940) had six unsuccessful nods for The Godfather (1972), Serpico (1973), The Godfather Part II (1974), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), ...And Justice for All (1979), and Dick Tracy (1990). For his performances in 1992, he was nominated in the lead and supporting categories (Scent of a Woman and Glengarry Glen Ross, respectively.) The supporting award was presented earlier in the ceremony, and he lost to Gene Hackman in Unforgiven, which tied him with Burton and O'Toole for the all-time record, with seven losses. Later in the ceremony, he won the award for Scent (pictured above right), removing him from the record.

So what does this all mean for Glenn Close? Win or lose, she's in fabulously talented company. And her six nominations still make her among the most honored actors in Academy history. And she also has three Tonys and three Emmys. Oh, and she's a working actress in her chosen profession, which is the most kick-ass thing of all.