Iconic Actor's Unexpected Response To Winning An Oscar Went Down In History
Most people in the movie industry consider winning an Academy Award the pinnacle of their careers. But this was not the case for Hollywood legend George C. Scott. The headstrong actor, known for his gruff demeanor, proved he wasn’t in it for the accolades when he rejected an Oscar in 1971. His response to being given the award caught everyone off guard — and still holds a bizarre place in Academy Award history.
He won all the awards
If you look at Scott's career, though, you'll see that the great actor won almost every award going. These included a Best Actor Golden Globe for 1970's Patton as well as an Emmy and a Golden Globe for 1997’s 12 Angry Men. He was also awarded an Emmy for the and an Emmy for an episode of Hallmark Hall of Fame from 1971. And then there were the Oscar nods.
The Oscars come calling
We know Scott won the Oscar for Patton, but he also received three other nominations in fewer than 15 years. Scott first caught the Oscar voters’ attention in 1959, when he received a Best Supporting Actor nod for playing Claude Dancer in that year’s Anatomy of a Murder. However, Scott was not exactly grateful to be recognized by the membership of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Scott refuses to accept the call
Far from being pleased with the honor, the star in fact asked for his nomination to be withdrawn. He then repeated this request when he was nominated in the same category for a performance in 1961’s The Hustler. And Scott even warned that he would snub the Academy if he was similarly recognized for his lead role in 1970’s war epic Patton.
He didn't even show up to the ceremony
Nevertheless, Scott still received his first Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of General George S. Patton. And much to the surprise of presenter Goldie Hawn, Scott’s name was read out as the winner of the award at the ceremony in 1971. But the then-43-year-old actor was as good as his word and was nowhere to be seen.
