Never Ever Nominated 2

 The Oscars are handed out March 12th. Cable's TCM (Turner Classic Movies) devotes all of March to movies that won or, at least, got nominated for Oscars. This is a follow-up to my previous recent post, NEVER EVER NOMINATED. I pitched that TCM devote some night to actors who were ever nominated. Actors such as Edward G. Robinson, Myrna Loy, Joel McCrea and Mia Farrow. I thought of a few more performers -- so here is NEVER EVER NOMINATED 2.

Fredric March won his second Best Actor Oscar for William Wyler's classic tale of WW2 veterans returning home, THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES. Dana Andrews was never ever nominated. He did fine work in THE OX-BOW INCIDENT and the murder mystery, LAURA. I would have given him an Oscar nomination for THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES. He's excellent as the vet who returns home to find that his marriage is lifeless and he endures humiliation trying to get a job. He doesn't know where he now fits in after having served in a horrible war. He doesn't feel needed by the country that once needed him to put his life on the line for freedom. Andrews played a former bomber pilot. His scene in the WW2 aircraft junkyard gets me every time.

THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW on TV made this Broadway and film actor famous. It was a homespun TV sitcom. But Andy Griffith gave one of the most blistering movie performances of the 1950s in Elia Kazan prophetic 1957 drama, A FACE IN THE CROWD. Andy Griffith burns up the screen as the hard-drinking, womanizing country drifter who becomes a broadcast sensation. As a network TV host, he becomes a big star. But he's a user and has dark ambitions to gain White House political influence. Patricia Neal co-stars as the woman who discovers him and gets used by him more than anyone else. Andy Griffith should have been a Best Actor Oscar nominee for this performance.

In addition to that, I would've given Andy Griffith a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for playing the well-dressed, crusty but wise frequent customer who loves pie in the 2007 film, WAITRESS.

The Academy have him an Honorary Oscar, however it is hard to believe that Donald Sutherland was never ever nominated during his decades of solid performances. His movie credits include THE DIRTY DOZEN, M*A*S*H, ORDINARY PEOPLE, DON'T LOOK NOW and SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION. He was Homer Simpson in the 1975 film about 1930s Hollywood, THE DAY OF THE LOCUST and he creeped us out in 1978's INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS remake. He was perfectly cast as the title character -- a cop protecting a New York City call girl from a killer -- in KLUTE with Jane Fonda.

Victor Mature was one of those 1940s movie stars who had terrific versatility. He did musical comedies opposite Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth. He was excellent as Doc Holliday in the John Ford western, MY DARLING CLEMENTINE, co-starring Henry Fonda and Linda Darnell. He was also excellent in the noir crime thriller, KISS OF DEATH, co-starring Richard Widmark as the magical killer who pushes a disabled old lady down a staircase. In the 1966 film directed by Vittorio de Sica, AFTER THE FOX, Victor Mature became the only actor to steal a Peter Sellers comedy from Peter Sellers. Victor Mature should've been a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominee for his performance as the aging Hollywood star.

Two women have received Best Actress Oscar nominations for playing Marilyn Monroe. There was Michelle Williams for 2011's MY WEEK WITH MARILYN and Ana de Armas for BLONDE. Both are currently in the Best Actress Oscar race. Williams for THE FABELMANS and de Areas for BLONDE. But Marilyn Monroe herself was never never nominated for an Oscar. Yes, she was the reigning Hollywood sex symbol of her day. She was also serious about her craft and studied to improve it. I interviewed Oscar winner Lou Gossett Jr. in his home a few years ago. He was Monroe's scene partner in her Actors Studio classes. Gossett said that, had she lived, she would've won two Oscars. He based that on seeing her do scenes from A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE in class. Just like Barbara Stanwyck got deeper into the "Ambitious Woman" persona playing the light and dark of it (BALL OF FIRE and STELLA DALLAS in contrast to BABY FACE and DOUBLE INDEMNITY), Monroe did the same thing with the showgirl character. Look at her as the "dumb like a fox" diamonds-loving blonde showgirl in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, the musical comedy based on a Broadway hit that launched future Oscar nominee Carol Channing. (Channing landed a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for the 1967 musical, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE.)  Look at Monroe as the patriotic Milwaukee showgirl on tour in London who thwarts a political coup in the romantic comedy, THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL, co-starring Laurence Olivier. Then look at her as the divorced ex-showgirl in Arthur Miller's THE MISFITS co-starring Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift and Eli Wallach. Moviegoers were used to seeing Marilyn Monroe get close-ups in lush color as she spoke in a slightly-above-a-whisper voice. In 1961's THE MISFITS she was in the distance, in black and white, letting out rage.

Marilyn Monroe hit a triple play in 1953. She was the noir blonde cheating wife, doomed in NIAGARA. She showed her skill at physical comedy as the gorgeous, dimwitted but lovable and far-sighted model in HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE. And she displayed her singing and dancing talent in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES which, like SOME LIKE IT HOT, shows that she was a master at screen comedy. Her timing was brilliant.

I saw Chita Rivera in a Broadway show that highlighted her stage career and choreographers (2005's CHITA RIVERA: THE DANCER'S LIFE). She mentioned that the choreography of Jack Cole was often complicated, specific and hard work that she loved performing. Jack Cole choreographed Monroe's numbers in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES. During rehearsals, her dance coach was Gwen Verdon. WEST SIDE STORY Oscar winner, George Chakiris, was a chorus dancer in the number. He told TCM about how focused and diligent Monroe was in rehearsals. She was not a trainer dancer like a Cyd Charisse or Chita Rivera, but Marilyn Monroe executed Jack Cole's choreography as if she was born to do it. She made the "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" jazz number truly iconic. Here's Marilyn Monroe in 1953's GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES.

Marilyn Monroe should have seen the words "Oscar nominee" in front of her name during her career. In my opinion. You got anyone to add?