George C. Scott was never complimentary of the Academy Awards, and once referred to the ceremony as "a two-hour meat parade, a public display with contrived suspense for economic reasons."
When he earned his first-ever nomination, a 1959 Best Supporting Actor nod for "Anatomy of a Murder," Scott apparently tolerated recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It was a different story two years later, when he again was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, this time for the 1961 drama "The Hustler." He declined the nomination because of his dislike of Oscar competition and campaigns.
It all came to a head in the spring of 1970, when Scott began receiving critical praise for his performance in the biopic "Patton" as U.S. Army Gen. George S. Patton, a hero of World War II. Appearing on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," Scott was asked what he would do if he received another Oscar nomination. The actor responded that he would decline it, too.
Sure enough, when the 1970 Oscar field was revealed several months later, Scott received a nomination for Best Actor. He sent a telegram to the Academy, declaring his intention to decline the award and not attend the ceremony. True to his word, Scott was not in attendance on April 15, 1971, when presenter Goldie Hawn announced that he had won the Best Actor award.
Interestingly, Scott was nominated for Best Actor a year later for his performance in "The Hospital," a 1971 black comedy by Paddy Chayefsky. The veteran actor didn't show up that time, either.
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Marlon Brando refused an Oscar in protest of the depiction of Native Americans by Hollywood. He won the Oscar for Best Actor for On the Waterfront (1954). He won the Oscar for Best Actor again for The Godfather (1972). At this time the 1973 standoff at Wounded Knee occurred, causing rising tensions between the government and Native American activists. Brando sent Native American Rights activist Sacheen Littlefeather in his place. She gave a little speech explaining Brando's refusal.
According to his IMDB biography, he didn't really give a reason. He said the reason he missed the ceremony was that he was busy watching a hockey game.
That suggests that he really didn't care about the Oscars.
During the time Patton (1970) was released, many many people in the US were very 'anti-war' and very displeased about what was expected of them. In that movie, the notoriously aggressive General George S. Patton who served in both World Wars and was not exactly known for his compassion, had been depicted as a character whom an audience could sympathize with by the end. One could speculate that in light of the anti-war movements, he did not want to associate a spectacular celebration with war.
However the more likely reason is that he felt that accepting an Oscar would be a detriment to his artistic integrity.
George C. Scott was never complimentary of the Academy Awards, and once referred to the ceremony as "a two-hour meat parade, a public display with contrived suspense for economic reasons."
When he earned his first-ever nomination, a 1959 Best Supporting Actor nod for "Anatomy of a Murder," Scott apparently tolerated recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It was a different story two years later, when he again was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, this time for the 1961 drama "The Hustler." He declined the nomination because of his dislike of Oscar competition and campaigns.
It all came to a head in the spring of 1970, when Scott began receiving critical praise for his performance in the biopic "Patton" as U.S. Army Gen. George S. Patton, a hero of World War II. Appearing on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," Scott was asked what he would do if he received another Oscar nomination. The actor responded that he would decline it, too.
Sure enough, when the 1970 Oscar field was revealed several months later, Scott received a nomination for Best Actor. He sent a telegram to the Academy, declaring his intention to decline the award and not attend the ceremony. True to his word, Scott was not in attendance on April 15, 1971, when presenter Goldie Hawn announced that he had won the Best Actor award.
Interestingly, Scott was nominated for Best Actor a year later for his performance in "The Hospital," a 1971 black comedy by Paddy Chayefsky. The veteran actor didn't show up that time, either.
Marlon Brando
"I'll make him an offer he can't refuse." The Godfather played by Marlon Brando
It was Vivien Leigh, actress in a Streetcar named Desire.
George C. ScottIn 1971, George C. Scott made international headlines by refusing to accept his Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the title role of Patton, deriding the awards ceremony as a "meat parade." Marlon Brando would do the same thing two years later, claiming Hollywood's mistreatment towards Native American actors as his reason for rejecting the Best Actor Oscar for The Godfather.
Marlon Brando refused his Oscar for his role in The Godfather, because of Hollywood's poor depiction of Native Americans.