This is by no means a definitive list and does not include any who are presently active in the industry as their time may still come.
John Barrymore (1882-1942)
Not only did Barrymore never win an Oscar, he was never nominated for one despite being one of the 20th Century’s finest stage and screen thespians. Granted, most of his best movie work came before the Oscars were created and before his descent into alcoholism, but he still gave several memorable performances in the 1930s. Included among these were his roles in Grand Hotel (1932), Dinner at Eight (1933), and Twentieth Century (1934).
Ironically, his two siblings, Lionel and Ethel Barrymore, who were considered to be inferior actors to John, both won acting Oscars. Lionel won for a Free Soul (1931) and Ethel as a supporting actress in None but the Lonely Heart (1945). John is the grandfather of present day actress Drew Barrymore.
Charles Chaplin (1889-1977)
The versatile Chaplin came close to getting an acting Oscar. He was originally nominated for best actor in 1929 for The Circus, but the Academy withdrew his name from the competition and instead gave him an overall Honorary Award for “versatility and genius in acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus.” In 1940, he was nominated again for best actor for The Great Dictator, but lost to James Stewart.
Chaplin was also nominated in three other categories during his career and won once in 1973 for his musical score for Limelight. He also received a second Honorary Award in 1972 for “the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century.”
Edward G. Robinson (1893-1973)
Like John Barrymore, Robinson was never nominated for an best actor Oscar despite strong dramatic performances in Little Caesar (1931), Five Star Final (1931), Double Indemnity (1944), Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945), House of Strangers (1949), and The Cincinnati Kid (1965). He also could handle light comedy such as The Whole Town‘s Talking (1935), a parody of his Little Caesar role.
The Academy did give Robinson an Honorary Award two months after his death for his “greatness as a player, a patron of the arts, and a dedicated citizen.” It was accepted by his widow.
Cary Grant (1904-1986)
Grant was the Tom Hanks of his day, equally adept at playing light comedy, romantic comedy, or dramatic roles. He was nominated twice as best actor for his roles in the dramas Penny Serenade (1941) and None But the Lonely Heart (1944), losing to Gary Cooper and Bing Crosby respectively. According to his bio on the Internet Movie Database, Grant was always extremely disappointed that he didn’t win for …..Lonely Heart, feeling that it was his best acting performance.
Grant was voted the sixth greatest movie star of all time by Entertainment Weekly and seventh by the UK’s Empire magazine. He received an Honorary Award in 1970 which greatly pleased him.
Dana Andrews (1909-1992)
A popular leading man of the 1940s, Andrews never received an Oscar nomination despite excellent performances as a young farmer falsely accused of rustling in The Ox-Bow Incident (1943); as the police detective trying to solve the mystery of Laura (1944); and as the troubled World War II veteran in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). In fact, the only award he ever won was the Golden Apple in 1946 for being the most cooperative actor in Hollywood.
Not as well known today, Andrews retired from the movies in the 1960s. The rest of his life was concentrated on his real estate business, his work as a member of the National Council on Alcoholism, and occasional TV appearances.
Related articles: More Actors Who Never Won an Oscar, Academy Awards Neglected Actresses, Actresses Who Never Won an Oscar
John K. Davis - John is a retired teacher/librarian and has also been doing freelance writing since the late 1970s. Over this period of time, he has had ...
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