In Appreciation of Character Actors (G-L)
(NOTE: The Full List is the only list being continually updated.)
Part II, of the character actors. Starting with a goodie:
James Gammon
Where you know him from:
Major League and Major League II, as Lou Brown
Natural Born Killers as the Redneck’s Buddy in the Diner (at the very beginning)
Cold Mountain, as Esco Swanger
Also look for him in: Cool Hand Luke, as Sleepy, Urban Cowboy, as Steve Strange, Any Which Way You Can, as Palomino Bartender, Silverado, as Dawson, Ironweed, as Reverend Chester, The Milagro Beanfield War, as Horsethief Shorty, I Love You to Death (1990), as Lt. Larry Schooner, Wyatt Earp, as Mr. Sutherland, The Man in the Iron Mask, as The Commandant, The Iron Giant as the voice of Foreman Marv Loach and Floyd Turbeaux, The Cell, as Teddy Lee, Life or Something Like It, as Pat Kerrigan, Silver City, as Sheriff Joe Skaggs, Don’t Come Knocking, as Old Ranch Hand, Appaloosa, as Earl May, In the Electric Mist, as Ben Hebert. (more…)
The Oscar Quest: Best Supporting Actress – 1971
Strong year, 1971. Especially in terms of who won. Check this out. First, Best Actor — Gene Hackman, for The French Connection. Classic character, great performance, not totally win-worthy, but the category isn’t all that strong, so it makes sense. Then, Jane Fonda wins her first Best Actress Oscar for Klute. Definitely the best decision in that category, and she as an actress definitely deserved it. And then this category — Cloris Leachman … I mean, it’s Cloris! Agree or disagree — it’s Cloris. And then Best Supporting Actor was Ben Johnson for The Last Picture Show, which is the one decision this year I really disagree with, mostly because I love Roy Scheider (and because Johnson didn’t do anything in the film).
Then you have The French Connection winning Best Picture and Best Director (which I talked about here), which I find to be amazing decisions because the film really signifies what the 70s were all about as a decade. Sure, people will say A Clockwork Orange should have won, but, me, I’ll take The French Connection any day. Kubrick belongs on his own level. But, that’s 1971. It might be considered weak compared to some other years from the 70s, but its actually very strong on its own.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – 1971
And the nominees were…
Ellen Burstyn, The Last Picture Show
Barbara Harris, Who is Harry Kellerman and Why is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?
Cloris Leachman, The Last Picture Show
Margaret Leighton, The Go-Between
Ann-Margret, Carnal Knowledge (more…)
