Marc Shaiman, Leonard Bernstein, Julie Harris, James Whitmore*, James Earl Jones, Lily Tomlin, John Kander and Fred Ebb, all have a very particular thing in common. It’s really not a very bad thing to have, although I’m willing to bet that each of them they wishes (or would wish, if they were still alive) that it were otherwise.
* I refer to James Allen Whitmore, Jr., who was in Tora! Tora! Tora! and Planet of the Apes, not his son James Allen Whitmore III, who confusingly uses the name James Whitmore, Jr., and is probably best known from his role in Baa Baa Black Sheep
Nominated but didn’t win an Academy Award?
Yes, but more than that. This is a very exclusive list.
I give up.
-Marc Shaiman
ok, I think I know. A Tony, A Grammy, an Emmy but only an Oscar nomination.
RIght?
If it ain’t this, I’m guessing that it has to do with who they happened to lose to.
Oh, I bet you’re right.
Marc gets the props for this week. The list of Tony-Grammy-Emmy winners without Academy Awards is longer than this, but these are the only people to get all three other major entertainment awards AND to have had a shot at the Academy Award but not get it.
My predictions for the Oscars this year:
Best Picture: The King’s Speech
Best Director: David Fincher
Best Actress: Natalie Portman
Best Actor: Colin Firth
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale
Best Supporting Actress: Helena Bonham Carter
How many people do happen to have all four?
Off the top of my head, there’s Mel Brooks… is there anybody else?
Let’s google!
Oh, my goodness, there’s a ton.
So now you see why I had to pick a category that would produce a workably short list. Besides, I figured a list of people who had won all four would be too obvious, unless I only picked the composers.
We need to get Elton John an Emmy.
Dear God, NO! The man won an award for “Aida.” Nobody should have won an award for that music. Giving him shiny things will only make him think he’s still a good composer.
Someone should lock him in a room and play “The Bitch is Back” nonstop until he remembers that he used to be talented.