# George C. Scott's Oscar For Patton **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 25, 2002, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-c-scotts-oscar-for-patton/110760 "2002-05-25T04:08:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-c-scotts-oscar-for-patton/110760/1 "2002-05-25T04:08:01Z")
Okay, I know the George C. Scott, refused the Oscar[sup]TM[/sup] that he won for his portrayal of Gen. George S. Patton in the movie _ **Patton** _, but I’ve no idea why, other than it had something to with the US Government’s treatment of Native Americans, but that’s it. Anybody know the exact circumstances of what caused Scott to decline it and what happened to his Oscar[sup]TM[/sup]? Did it go to the runner up, or is it sitting in the Academy’s museum somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-c-scotts-oscar-for-patton/110760/2 "2002-05-25T04:13:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*Okay, I know the George C. Scott, refused the Oscar[sup]TM[/sup] that he won for his portrayal of Gen. George S. Patton in the movie _ **Patton** _, but I’ve no idea why, other than it had something to with the US Government’s treatment of Native Americans, but that’s it. Anybody know the exact circumstances of what caused Scott to decline it and what happened to his Oscar[sup]TM[/sup]? Did it go to the runner up, or is it sitting in the Academy’s museum somewhere? \*\* Scott is, in fact, the winner of the Oscar that year. Even though he wouldn’t accept the statue, he’s still considered the winner. The important thing is being named the winner, not possessing the little gold man. I imagine they just returned the statue to the collection of extras. They usually end up with extras. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-c-scotts-oscar-for-patton/110760/3 "2002-05-25T04:15:14Z")
Nope, Brando refused two years after Scott because of the Native American thing, even having an “American Indian” pick up the award. Scott simply didn’t believe in actors competing against each other; I remember reading that he had worked himself up so much when he was nominated for “Anatomy of a Murder” that he did a self-assessment when he was very upset upon losing. He swore off awards after that (though I think he did make an exception for an award abroad…) ---
**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-c-scotts-oscar-for-patton/110760/4 "2002-05-25T05:16:11Z")
I believe that the Oscar is actually at VMI in the Marshall Museum. I will have to ask my brother about it, I seem to recall him mentioning it at one time. Patton was a student for a period at VMI. ---
**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-c-scotts-oscar-for-patton/110760/5 "2002-05-25T05:22:10Z")
I believe that the Oscar is actually at VMI in the Marshall Museum. I will have to ask my brother about it, I seem to recall him mentioning it at one time. Patton was a student for a period at VMI. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-c-scotts-oscar-for-patton/110760/6 "2002-05-25T18:15:56Z")
I remember watching the awards on TV when Scott won for Best Actor. Everyone knew he would refuse if he won, and he wasn’t even there. Goldie Hawn was the presenter, and when she read the name in the envelope her eyes opened really big and she positively squealed “Oh my God! It’s George C. Scott!” ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-c-scotts-oscar-for-patton/110760/7 "2002-05-27T20:02:49Z")
I believe later in his career, Scott offered his performances up for Academy consideration, but he pretty much topped out with “Patton”. Didn’t Sartre refuse his Nobel? Sinclair Lewis refused a Pulitzer, but accepted a Nobel. I wish I had such decisions to make. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-c-scotts-oscar-for-patton/110760/8 "2002-05-28T12:02:10Z")
George C. Scott refused his Oscar because he did not approve of the competitive and self-congratulatory nature of the process. Marlon Brando refused his Oscar siting treatment of Native Americans. Sascheen Littlefeather, the “Indian” who refused Brando’s Oscar for him, is really an actress of Jewish ancestry.