The 10 most iconic Golden Age Hollywood stars who never won Oscars
The Golden Age of Hollywood saw many actors rise to prominence who have since become synonymous with opulence and glamour. Their roles in acclaimed films released between the 1930s and 1960s defined a crucial time in the film industry. The star system was booming, resulting in famous figures becoming celebrities as much as they were talented performers.
But what if we told you that a striking number of these iconic Hollywood stars never won Oscars? The Academy Awards, which has been held every year since 1929, is considered the most important awards ceremony in cinema, but many of the actors we consider some of the finest of their generation never got to take home a prize.
For this list, we’ve picked out ten rather recognisable and beloved stars who appeared in some incredible films, yet they failed to be recognised for their talents with Oscar wins in either competitive or honorary categories. It shows that the Academy Awards aren’t that important – you can be as iconic as Marilyn Monroe or Marlene Dietrich and never win an Oscar.
Still, it’s a shame that many of the actors listed below never earned the accolades they deserved for their contributions to cinema, but their legacies have lived on as they continue to inspire actors today, regardless of their lack of Oscar wins.
Iconic Golden Age Hollywood stars who never won Oscars:
Mae West
As Hollywood started to become a proper system of celebrities, scandal, glamour, and highly stylised personas, Mae West flourished with her sensual attitude and bold and rather cheeky approach to acting. She was known for using double entendres and charming audiences with her effortlessly cool and seductive sense of character, making her a rather divisive figure in the industry.
Still, she had some iconic movie moments, such as leading the ‘Best Picture’-nominated She Done Him Wrong alongside a young Cary Grant, yet, she never earned a ‘Best Actress’ nomination for herself. The Academy failed to recognise West for a single role, but she will always be remembered for her iconic on-screen presence, which has inspired many actors ever since, including Marilyn Monroe.
Lana Turner
Considered one of the most unforgettable women from the Golden Age of Hollywood, Lana Turner appeared in many great movies and led countless films for MGM. From The Postman Always Rings Twice to Imitation of Life and The Bad and the Beautiful, Turner’s oeuvre spanned the late 1930s to the 1980s. However, during her impressive career, the actor only earned one Oscar nomination for Peyton Place, released in 1957.
Turner lost out on the Academy Award to Joanne Woodward for The Three Faces of Eve, and she was never nominated again. Turner hardly won any awards in her career, but she remains one of the most celebrated stars in the history of Hollywood. Clearly, awards don’t mean everything if someone as popular as Turner couldn’t even win any significant accolades.
Marlene Dietrich
When Marlene Dietrich starred in The Blue Angel in 1930, she made an unforgettable entrance into Hollywood, remaining a widely recognizable figure over the coming years as she appeared in movies like Witness for the Prosecution, Shanghai Express, Judgment at Nuremberg, Touch of Evil, and Blonde Venus. Not only was Dietrich an iconic actor, but she was also known for her war efforts, including helping Jewish people to escape from Germany, as well as her pioneering fashion choices, such as wearing trousers at a time when women rarely did.
An outspoken, bold, and inspiring figure, Dietrich was every bit the celebrity as much as she was a genuinely skilled actor. Yet she only ever scraped one Academy Award nomination during her career for Morocco, released in 1931, which saw her lose out to Marie Dressler for Min and Bill.
Rita Hayworth
Starting her acting career in the 1930s, Rita Hayworth eventually broke into Hollywood at the end of the decade with 1939’s Only Angels Have Wings. From there, she quickly became known as one of the most glamorous women in the industry, and she inevitably earned widespread acclaim for her performance in Gilda, directed by Charles Vidor.
Released in 1946, the movie should’ve earned Hayworth a nomination, at least, from the Academy Awards for her dazzling performance, but she unfortunately failed to pick up any form of recognition for the role. Considering the fact that Hayworth is known as one of the biggest stars of the Golden era, it’s rather shocking that she was not once nominated by the Academy.
James Dean
James Dean might have been just 24 when he died, but he appeared in several award-worthy roles that he unfortunately did not win any Oscars for before he passed away in 1955. The actor appeared in movies like East of Eden, Rebel Without A Cause, and Giant, and while his filmography was small, he left a significant impact on the industry with his smouldering good looks and raw, relatable approach to acting.
The Academy nominated him for a posthumous ‘Best Actor’ award for East of Eden, but Dean lost out to Yul Brynner for The King and I. If Dean hadn’t died so young, he almost certainly would’ve picked up an Oscar at some point in his career; still, it’s surprising that he failed to win for any of the acclaimed roles he did appear in while he was alive, which are heralded as iconic all these decades later.
Ava Gardner
Ava Gardner’s career didn’t exactly get off to the best start, with countless uncredited roles peppering her filmography for a good five years. We all have to start somewhere, though, and by the end of the 1940s and early 1950s, the actor had become known for roles in movies like The Killers, Show Boat, and The Barefoot Contessa. However, it was Mogambo, released in 1953, which earned the actor her one and only Academy Award nomination.
She lost out to Audrey Hepburn, who had impressed critics with her performance in Roman Holiday, and Gardner was never nominated again. Still, she went on to star in further acclaimed films over the coming years, including On the Beach, The Sentinel, and The Night of the Iguana, with the latter earning her nominations from the Baftas and Golden Globes.
Dorothy Dandridge
Beginning her career back in the early 1930s when she was still a child, Dorothy Dandridge got her start under the spotlight as a singer and dancer in various minor movie roles, often as part of the Dandridge Sisters. However, she rose to become a successful actor in her own right, subsequently earning an Oscar nomination for her performance in Carmen Jones.
It was released in 1954, with the film making history when Dandridge became the first African-American actor to earn an Academy Award nomination. Unfortunately, she did not win, with Grace Kelly taking home the prize instead for The Country Girl. Dandridge was a true talent, and it’s a shame she never got to stand on the Academy’s stage and accept a prize.
Carole Lombard
Some actors aren’t that fussed about winning an Oscar, but that’s not something Carole Lombard could say. She was desperate to win a coveted prize, so much so she swapped out screwball comedies and rom-coms for a drama, Vigil in the Night, in the hopes of winning. Sadly, she did not even get a nomination, and she tragically passed away following a plane crash two years later.
Lombard did boast a nomination from the Academy Awards at least, earning one for My Man Godfrey in 1936. Despite her great performance, she did not walk away with the prize, beaten to the post by Luise Rainer. However, it is Lombard who is arguably much better remembered, beloved for her comedic roles in the likes of To Be Or Not To Be and Mr and Mrs Smith.
Marilyn Monroe
Everyone knows Marilyn Monroe. Iconic images of the star, such as her singing ‘Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend’ in her hot pink dress in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes or wearing a white dress while standing over a subway grate in The Seven Year Itch, have become indelible symbols of Hollywood glamour, making her one of the most recognisable faces of all time.
Monroe starred in many great movies, dominating the 1950s with her romantic, comedic, and musical performances, yet she was never nominated for an Oscar. While there are some people out there who will tell you she never gave a performance that deserved one, the actor’s propensity for humour and effortless charisma are often seriously overlooked. She had all the hallmarks of a star, but sadly, she never got to take home a golden statuette.
Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum was one of those actors who managed to star in plenty of Academy Award-nominated movies without ever winning an Oscar himself. He was known for his diverse talents, starring in many acclaimed films such as The Night of the Hunter, Angel Face, El Dorado, and The Story of G.I. Joe, with the latter earning him his only Academy Award nomination for ‘Best Supporting Actor’.
It’s bizarre that Mitchum was never nominated again because he is widely heralded as one of the Golden Age’s most impressive stars. He could do horror and thriller as well as comedy and western, which made him one of the most versatile figures in Hollywood compared to some of his contemporaries. Unfortunately for Mitchum, though, he never had the privilege of putting an Oscar on his mantelpiece.
