# A Couple of Oscar Trivia Questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 20, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317 "2003-02-20T13:53:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Fish42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@Fish42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish42)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/61 "2003-02-21T21:30:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*What movie had the highest ratio of Oscars won to actors in the cast? (e.g., _A Streetcar Named Desire_ had six Oscars won among its cast of 19 for a ratio of .32). Hint: The IMDB entry on this film is . . . misleading. \*\* Would it be “Sleuth”: 3 Oscars won by 2 cast members for a 1.5 ratio. ---
**Author:** ![SteverinoAlaReno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@SteverinoAlaReno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteverinoAlaReno)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/62 "2003-02-21T22:27:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sampiro \* > \*\*Paul Newman was nominated twice, 30 years apart, for playing Fast Eddie Felson (“The Hustler”, “The Color of Money”). > > Tragically, Tony Ganios repeated his brilliance in the role of Meat in all three PORKY’S films and has yet to receive an Oscar. > > Here’s a trivia question: the sitcom ROSEANNE had three Oscar winners in its extended cast (one in a regular role, the other two in recurring roles). Two additional members had been nominated for Best Supporting Actor Oscars but weren’t winners. How many can you name? \*\* I’m sure someone else has brought this up, but Bing Crosby was also nominated twice for portraying Father O’Malley, once in _Going My Way_ and again in _The Bells of St. Mary_ ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/63 "2003-02-21T22:49:42Z")
In the post-silent era, what two women have won the Best Actress Oscar without ever saying a word? Hint: the first person who’ll come to your mind is WRONG! ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/64 "2003-02-21T23:15:56Z")
Two more slaves or former slaves: Peter Ustinov in _Spartacus_, and James Baskett in _Song of the South_ (special Oscar). Jane Wyman won an Oscar for her speechless role in _Johnny Belinda_, but both Patty Duke in _The Miracle Worker_ (“wa-ter!”) and Marlee Matlin in _Children of a Lesser God_ had spoken lines. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/65 "2003-02-21T23:19:20Z")
The first person who came to my mind was Patty Duke, but I think she won Best Supporting Actor (and, technically, she says a worrrr-worrrd). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/66 "2003-02-21T23:50:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fish42 \* > \*\*Would it be “Sleuth”: 3 Oscars won by 2 cast members for a 1.5 ratio. \*\* Actually, it’s six Oscars: four for Olivier (one best actor, one best picture, and two honorary awards) and two for Caine(both for acting) for a ratio of 3.0. It’s ten Oscars (5.0) if you add the director, Joseph Mankiewitz. Cazale was correct. > [@](#): > > 1. Maggie Smith played an Oscar-nominated actress with a gay husband in “California Suite,” and I think she earned Best Supporting Actress for that role. Yes. And that film had several other Oscar winners in the cast: Jane Fonda, Michael Caine, Walter Matthau, and one other. Name the one other (no fair looking it up). Name the actor who appeared in only three films, but was awarded two Oscars and even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/67 "2003-02-22T00:02:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fish42 \* > \*\*Would it be “Sleuth”: 3 Oscars won by 2 cast members for a 1.5 ratio. \*\* Except whatever the hell anyone might say about “misleading entries” and “it’s really all Caine and Olivier”, Sleuth had a cast of six. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/68 "2003-02-22T00:04:14Z")
Oh, and just so everyone can get one right: How many films have won the big four - Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Picture - and what were they? ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/69 "2003-02-22T00:28:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Evil Death \* > \*\*Oh, and just so everyone can get one right: > > How many films have won the big four - Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Picture - and what were they? \*\* Two that I know of: _It Happened One Night_, and _One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest_ ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/70 "2003-02-22T00:33:34Z")
They actually won the “big five”. Let’s not forget screenwriters! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/71 "2003-02-22T00:42:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Evil Death \* > \*\*Except whatever the hell anyone might say about “misleading entries” and “it’s really all Caine and Olivier”, Sleuth had a cast of six. \*\* Nope. The IMDB is wrong. You need to watch the movie and see why. The IMDB is wrong because they’re thorough: the movie credits do indeed indicate that there are indeed six actors. But the credits are a lie. Take a look at the IMDB entry for “Alec Cawthorne”; the other “actors” are part of the same joke. If you watch the film, though, you discover the truth about Cawthorne, and realize that none of the other actors credited ever actually appear onscreen (except maybe for one quick cut of someone’s legs). ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/72 "2003-02-22T00:54:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*Nope. The IMDB is wrong. You need to watch the movie and see why. \*\* It’s been a long time since I’ve seen it. Can someone pass me the Virtual Bus? ---
**Author:** ![richardb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/96bed5/32.png) [@richardb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/richardb)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/73 "2003-02-22T02:41:05Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Evil Death_ > **How many films have won the big four - Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Picture - and what were they?** > \*Originally posted by h.sapiens \* > \*\*Two that I know of: _It Happened One Night_, and _One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest_ \*\* _ **Silence of the Lambs** _ also swept the “big five” (as **Waloon** pointed out): Best Picture, Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Screenplay. ---
**Author:** ![kawliga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@kawliga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kawliga)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/74 "2003-02-22T08:09:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fish42 \* > \*\*2) Who’s the only person to win in the supporting actor or actress category for playing a film’s title character? > \*\* Besides Vanessa Redgrave, there’s Dianne Wiest. She won a supporting oscar for playing one of the title characters in “Hannah and her Sisters.” ---
**Author:** ![Zen\_Postman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4da419/32.png) [@Zen\_Postman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zen_Postman)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/75 "2003-02-22T12:29:40Z")
> [@](#): > > In the post-silent era, what two women have won the Best Actress Oscar without ever saying a word? > > Hint: the first person who’ll come to your mind is WRONG! Did Holly Hunter speak in **The Piano**? Also, what’s the answer to the actor who’s won twice but only appeared in three films? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/76 "2003-02-22T17:33:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zen Postman \* > \*\*Also, what’s the answer to the actor who’s won twice but only appeared in three films? \*\* I hope he’s not thinking of James Dean. Dean was only credited in three films, but he didn’t win two Oscars - he was only nominated for them. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/77 "2003-02-22T22:49:32Z")
Not James Dean. Hint: he gave up a hell of a lot to appear in films. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/78 "2003-02-23T00:00:27Z")
The guy who won two Oscars but was only in 3 films… was it Harold Russell, the disables vet in “The Best Years of Our Lives”? I think he won both Best Supporting Actor AND a special Oscar for his work in “The Best Years of Our Lives,” but that was pretty much the extent of his career as an actor. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/79 "2003-02-23T00:33:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astorian \* > \*\*The guy who won two Oscars but was only in 3 films… was it Harold Russell, the disables vet in “The Best Years of Our Lives”? > > I think he won both Best Supporting Actor AND a special Oscar for his work in “The Best Years of Our Lives,” but that was pretty much the extent of his career as an actor. \*\* Looks like it is. However, I’d say the question is misleading because honourary awards aren’t really Oscars IMHO. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317/80 "2003-02-23T01:56:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jsc1953 \* > \*\*First Best Picture: **Wings** , 1928. Also the only silent BP. \*\* VERRY Good! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-oscar-trivia-questions/156317.md?page=5)