Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1939: Results

5. Thomas Mitchell in Gone With The Wind - Mitchell gives a very strong performance by so effectively realizing the wear of loss through his enthusiastic portrayal before the war and his haunting one after it. 

Best Scene: The return to Tara.

4. Lee J. Cobb in Golden Boy - Cobb completely overcomes his potential miscasting by exuding both the age and background of his character so effortlessly through his performance. Cobb goes even past that to give such striking yet almost silent depiction of the moral center of the film.

Best Scene: Mr. Bonaparte before the fight.

3. Ralph Richardson in the Four Feathers - Richardson gives a powerful performance that effectively steals the spotlight of the film through his depiction of the breakdown of a proper soldier.

Best Scene: Durrance realizes who saved him.

2. Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz - Lahr is consistently endearing and hilarious in a performance that stands out among a memorable ensemble through his portrayal of a true scaredy cat.

Best Scene: The Lion's introduction.

1. Cedric Hardwicke in The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Good Predictions Luke, and Anonymous. Among a great field Hardwicke stands at the very top for me in his outstanding portrayal of a zealot's struggle to destroy sin which he sees everywhere including in his own desires.

Best Scene: Frollo reveals his feelings for Esmeralda. 

Overall Rank:

1. Cedric Hardwicke in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
2. Thomas Mitchell in Stagecoach
3. Claude Rains in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
4. Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz
5. Frank Morgan in The Wizard of Oz 
6. Ralph Richardson in The Four Feathers
7. Lee J. Cobb in Golden Boy
8. Thomas Mitchell in Gone With the Wind
9. Ray Bolger in The Wizard of Oz
10. Thomas Mitchell in Only Angels Have Wings 
11. John Barrymore in Midnight
12. Jack Haley in The Wizard of Oz
13. Humphrey Bogart in The Roaring Twenties
14. Harry Davenport in Gone With the Wind
15. Edward Arnold in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
16. Leslie Howard in Gone With The Wind
17. Thomas Mitchell in Mr. Smith Goes To Wasington
18. George Bancroft in Stagecoach
19. Don Ameche in Midnight
20. John Carradine in Stagecoach
21. Robert Preston in Beau Geste
22. John Carradine in Jesse James
23. Thomas Mitchell in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
24. Sam Jaffe in Gunga Din 
25. Claude Rains in Juarez
26. Harry Davenport in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
27. John Carradine in Drums Along the Mohawk
28. Brian Donlevy in Beau Geste
29. Eduardo Ciannelli in Gunga Din 
30. Ward Bond in Gone With the Wind
31. C. Aubrey Smith in The Four Feathers
32. Otto Kruger in Another Thin Man
33. J. Carrol Naish in Beau Geste
34. Frank McHugh in Another Thin Man
35. Nigel Bruce in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
36. Sheldon Leonard in Another Thin Man
37. Arthur Shields in Drums Along the Mohawk
38. Donald O'Connor in Beau Geste 
39. Shemp Howard in Another Thin Man
40. Sig Rugman in Only Angels Have Wings
41. Henry Fonda in Jesse James
42. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in Gunga Din 
43. Adolphe Menjou in Golden Boy 
44. Sig Rugman in Ninotchka
45. Felix Bressart in Ninotchka
46. Alexander Granach in Ninotchka
47. Donald Meek in Young Mr. Lincoln
48. George Zucco in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
49. Broderick Crawford in Beau Geste
50. Fredrick Culley in The Four Feathers
51. Humphrey Bogart in Dark Victory
52. Harry Carey in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 
53. Charley Grapewin in The Wizard of Oz
54. Richard Bathelmess in Only Angels Have Wings
55. Donald Meek in Stagecoach
56. Joseph Calleia in Golden Boy
57. Ward Bond in Drums Along the Mohawk 
58. Jack Allen in The Four Feathers
59. Donald Gray in The Four Feathers
60. Lee Bowman in Love Affair
61. Ward Bond in Young Mr. Lincoln 
62. Paul Henreid in Goodbye, Mr. Chips
63. Guy Kibbee in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
64. David Niven in Wuthering Heights
65. Morton Lowry in The Hound of the Baskervilles
66. Guy Kibbee in Babes in Arms
67. Henry Hull in Jesse James  
68. Sebastian Shaw in Another Thin Man 
69. Terry Kilburn in Goodbye, Mr. Chips
70. Reginald Gardiner in The Flying Deuces
71. Richard Greene in The Hound of the Baskervilles
72. Jeffrey Lynn in The Roaring Twenties
73. Sidney Blackmer in Convict's Code
74. George Reeves in Gone With the Wind
75. Fred Crane in Gone With the Wind
76. John Garfield in Juarez

Next Up:

An announcement first which is to thank everyone who has been following and continues to comment. I really like how civil the discussions over any films or performances are even when we might disagree vehemently over them. Now I must announce a change in pace due to other obligations. For the time being there probably will only be one review a week and sometimes it might be longer. I'll still leave my thoughts on new movies I see, and update film thoughts now and again. Hopefully in the future I will be able to pick up the pace again, but this is how it has to be for the present.

Now to take a break from trying to find the Best OF before the Bonus Rounds start I'd like to go to the opposite end of things with a WISEAU ROUND (as suggested by Robert MacFarlane). Which means give me your best(worst) performances that are of a different breed entirely.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1939: Lee J. Cobb in Golden Boy

Lee J. Cobb did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Mr. Bonaparte in Golden Boy.

Golden Boy is a film with really that Barton Fink feeling about a young talented violinist Joe Bonaparte (William Holden) who instead tries to become a prize fighter.

Lee J. Cobb plays the father to William Holden's character, an Italian immigrant who obviously is suppose to be a middle aged man despite Cobb only being around 28 at the time the film was made. Cobb is helped by having sort of that Gene Hackman quality where he seemed to be the same age for an extended period of time, however Cobb erasing even the thought of miscasting extends to his performance as well. Cobb carries himself well in the role as he effectively coveys the age of the character in his slow somewhat labored movements. Cobb's rather remarkable in this regard in that he simply makes the age seem part of Mr. Bonaparte and ensures that excessive attention is not brought to this whole aspect of the character. This is notable in that it is just part of Cobb's performance that is taken as a given, and he completely succeeds in being far older than he was. It's quite an achievement that if one was not aware of Cobb's actual age one would not even need to give the casting a second thought. The challenges against Cobb continue though as he plays Mr. Bonaparte who again is an Italian Immigrant, and the character's lines are in somewhat broken English.

Again though Cobb excels in the role as he does not go about playing into possibly becoming a stereotype, as the part could have devolved into. Cobb never overplays the accent, and instead portrays it as something that would come naturally from the character. There's nothing forced about his delivery and Cobb really makes it work. There's an important ease Cobb brings to the part, and again he makes himself a more than appropriate fit for the role. Now the challenges only continue for Cobb really as Mr. Bonaparte has some pivotal moments in the film, but he technically speaking is a largely reactionary role. This turns out to be more than enough for Cobb. This can be in the less dramatic sense when it is a more casual moments with his son and daughter, and Cobb's reactions add so much to these scenes adding this essential history in the interactions. When they play the music in any scene the joy Cobb expresses is simply wonderful, showing the unquestionable love the man has for his family. The sense of family is largely created from Cobb who brings the right ease of familiarity bringing an innate warmth to these scenes, and makes him such a likable presence in the film.

Now Mr. Bonaparte is mostly there to act as the moral conscience to his son, the film even bothers to directly verbalize this at one point. Cobb's performance absolutely works in providing this in a particularly honest way. His interactions with William Holden always carry a genuine tenderness, as Cobb so effectively exudes just how much Mr. Bonaparte cares for his son's moral well being. Cobb's particularly good though with just how internalized he keeps these moments though as his disappointment with his son, is keenly felt yet Cobb keeps in such a quiet way. Cobb though within this unassuming personality so well realizes how Mr. Bonaparte stands out while being modest. The way Joe crumples over his father's scrutiny, which is never direct, yet Cobb makes it so incisive by making Mr. Bonaparte's sadness over his son's mistakes so palatable. Cobb's earns the moral outrage, yet never enforces it, as he just presents it so eloquently through a good man, who can't outright stop his son, yet still cannot ignore his actions. Cobb's face speaks so much in this portrayal, and is so moving throughout the film. This is really exceptional work from Cobb since there were so many ways he could have been tripped up by the character's age, his background, or the possibility that he could have come across as either sanctimonious or just repetitive. That is never the case as Cobb matches every challenge presented to giving a earnest portrait of a father who only wants what is truly best for his son.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1939

And the Nominees Were Not:

Cedric Hardwicke in The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Lee J. Cobb in Golden Boy

Ralph Richardson in Four Feathers

Thomas Mitchell in Gone With the Wind

Leslie Howard in Gone With the Wind

Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz

Ray Bolger in The Wizard of Oz

Frank Morgan in The Wizard of Oz

Jack Haley in The Wizard of Oz 

For Prediction Purposes:

Mitchell in Gone With the Wind

Lahr in the Wizard of Oz

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1957: Results

5. Bengt Ekerot in The Seventh Seal - Although nicely boosted by the film's direction Ekerot does not lose the mystery and intrigue of the character when he speaks.

Best Scene: The end of the game.

4. Jack Hawkins in The Bridge on the River Kwai - Hawkins effectively creates yet another intriguing portrait of a most peculiar sort of madness. 

Best Scene: Warden is injured.

3. Lee J. Cobb in 12 Angry Men - Cobb gives a strong performance by fulfilling his duties as the passionate "villain", but always showing the humanity that propels him.

Best Scene: 3's final breakdown.

2. Gunnar Björnstrand in The Seventh Seal - Björnstrand gives a great depiction of a man confidant of his own world forced to face whatever the next may or may not be.

Best Scene: The squire faces death.

1. Burt Lancaster in Sweet Smell of Success - Good prediction Jackiboyz. Lancaster gives a brilliantly and coldly brutal portrayal of a man whose words are his most dangerous weapon.

Best Scene: Sidney goes to see Hunsecker.

Overall Rank:

1. Sessue Hayakawa in The Bridge on the River Kwai
2. Burt Lancaster in Sweet Smell of Success
3. Gunnar Björnstrand in The Seventh Seal
4. Lee J. Cobb in 12 Angry Men
5. Jack Hawkins in The Bridge on the River Kwai
6. Toshiro Mifune in The Lower Depths
7. Jack Warden in 12 Angry Men
8. Ralph Meeker in Paths of Glory
9. Walter Matthau in A Face in the Crowd 
10. Jack Klugman in 12 Angry Men 
11. James Donald in The Bridge on the River Kwai 
12. Karl Malden in Fears Strikes Out
13. Bengt Ekerot in The Seventh Seal 
14. Ed Begley in 12 Angry Men
15. Red Buttons in Sayonara 
16. Tyrone Power in Witness for the Prosecution
17. George Macready in Paths of Glory 
18. Chishū Ryū in Tokyo Twilight
    
19. Martin Balsam in 12 Angry Men 
20. Timothy Carey in Paths of Glory
21. Lee Marvin in Raintree County 
22. John McIntire in The Tin Star
23. Lee J. Cobb in The Three Faces of Eve
24. Minoru Chiaki in The Lower Depths
25. Andre Morell in The Bridge on the River Kwai
26. E.G. Marshall in 12 Angry Men  
27. Jack Warden in The Bachelor Party
28. Robert F. Simon in Edge of the City
29. Larry Blyden in The Bachelor Party
30. Minoru Chiaki in Throne of Blood
31. Edward Binns in 12 Angry Men 
32. E.G. Marshall in The Bachelor Party
33. Kamatari Fujiwara in The Lower Depths
34. Maurice Chevalier in Love in the Afternoon 
35. Wayne Morris in Paths of Glory 
36. Amedeo Nazzari in Night of Cabiria
37. Adolphe Menjou in Paths of Glory
38. Niall MacGinnis in Night of the Demon
39. Dennis Hopper in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
40. Philip Abbott in The Bachelor Party
41. Jack Warden in Edge of the City
42. Vasili Merkuryev in The Cranes Are Flying
43. Bill Nagy in Across the Bridge
44. Richard Jaeckel in 3:10 to Yuma
45. Nils Poppe in The Seventh Seal  
46. Aldo Silvani in Nights in Cabiria
47. Gunnar Björnstrand in Wild Strawberries
48. Vittorio De Sica in A Farewell to Arms
49. Paul Newman in Until They Sail 
50. Nigel Patrick in Raintree County
51. Ganjiro Nakamura in The Lower Depths
52. John Williams in Witness for the Prosecution  
53. Aleksey Batalov in The Cranes Are Flying
54. Mickey Shaughnessy in Designing Woman
55. George Voskovec in 12 Angry Men 
56. Leo McKern in Time Without Pity
57. Jim Backus in Man of a Thousand Faces
58. Ake Fridell in The Seventh Seal
59. Emile Meyer in Sweet Smell of Success
60. Sebastain Cabot in Johnny Tremaine
61. Alberto Sordi in A Farewell to Arms 
62. Theodore Bikel in The Enemy Below
63. Robert Webber in 12 Angry Men 
64. Sunil Dutt in Mother India
65. Richard Wattis in The Prince and the Showgirl
66. Takashi Shimura in Throne of Blood
67. John Fiedler in 12 Angry Men 
68. Martin Balsam in Time Limit 
69. Lee Van Cleef in The Tin Star
70. Geoffrey Horne in The Bridge on the River Kwai 
71. Jean Marais in White Nights
72. Joseph Sweeney in 12 Angry Men 
73. Howard Smith in A Face in the Crowd 
74. Neville Brand in The Tin Star
75. Richard Basehart in Time Limit
76. Bernard Lee in Across the Bridge
77. Raaj Kumar in Mother India 
78. Pat Hingle in The Strange One
79. Rajendra Kumar in Mother India 
80. Michel Auclair in Funny Face
81. François Périer in Nights of Cabiria
82. James Garner in Sayonara  
83. Arthur Kennedy in Peyton Place
84. David Wayne in The Three Faces of Eve 
85. Sam Levene in Designing Woman
86. Martin Milner in Sweet Smell of Success 
87. Walter Sande in Johnny Tremaine
88. Robert Emhardt in 3:10 to Yuma
89. Oskar Homolka in A Farewell to Arms 
90. Ricardo Montalban in Sayonara
91. Joseph Calleia in Wild is the Wind
92. Jeremy Spencer in The Prince and the Showgirl
93. Lloyd Nolan in A Hatful of Rain 
94. John Ireland in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
95. George Peppard in The Strange One
96. Russ Tamblyn in Peyton Place
97. John McGiver in Love in the Afternoon
98. Lloyd Nolan in Peyton Place
99. Arthur Storch in The Strange One
100. Richard Beymer in Johnny Tremaine 
101. Leon Ames in Peyton Place 
102. Rip Torn in Time Limit 
103. Paul Langton in The Incredible Shrinking Man
104. David Nelson in Peyton Place
105. Lou Merrill in The Giant Claw
106. Anthony Franciosa in A Face in the Crowd
107. Anthony Franciosa in Wild is the Wind

Next Year: 1937 Supporting if there's time. 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1957: Lee J. Cobb in 12 Angry Men

Lee J. Cobb did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Juror number 3 in 12 Angry Men.

12 Angry Men obviously has a large ensemble and the story itself does attempt to make use of all 12 jurors. In the number one spot you have Martin Balsam as the jury foreman. Balsam's performance is much like character which is mostly to be functional. The foreman purposefully mostly just calms down discussion and attempts to keep order while leaving his own thoughts to be basically unsaid. Balsam is actually quite good in the role as he shows the slight consternation and difficulty of a guy trying his best to keep everything in order. He also is rather good at establishing the changing mind of the man as the scenes proceeds so you really don't need to know why the foreman changed his mind, it's simply something that is understood. Well that brings us to number 2 played by John "piglet" Fiedler. Well he's suppose to be the meek guy who gets a bit emotional as he's easily pushed around. Fiedler's voice pretty much makes him as meek as you need someone to be, but I don't know Fiedler's whole work is slight exaggerated in a way that makes him sometimes stand out in a bad way.

Skip number 3 for the moment. Onto number 4 the smartest juror well that is until he accepts the demented thinking of the rest (I mean a serial killer wouldn't be found guilty with juror 8 around). Anyway E.G. Marshall plays the juror giving the character enough of a cold and refined command as he states his arguments. Marshall is good enough in the role, but I can't help but feel he could have been even more incisive in the role. It's not that he's even inadequate in any way I just think he could have been more overpowering as the sense of reason for the guilty verdict. That brings us to the number 5 played by Jack Klugman. I really like Klugman in the role as he brings an emotional tension to his performance as though he's been keeping up with some statements about his "kind". Klugman importantly starts this way, as though its been brought up during the trial already, so his early breakdown is well earned and well played. After he calms down he's still good even if his biggest impact is early on.

Number 6 played by Edward Binns is a somewhat simpler role as he's just an average blue collar guy with a code respect. Binns is good in the role in bringing a bit of warmth to the room while still being convincing as a technically tough guy type. Number 7 though comes in the form of Jack Warden who is more interested in a baseball game than the trial. Warden is quite good in the role by bringing just the whole could not care less in his sarcastic line readings throughout. Warden is great at being a jerk here and creating the man's narrow minded view that ignores anything other than his interests. What I like most is Warden actually does not compromise the character when pressured at the vote change. Warden shows a slight understanding but not really to take it seriously, but just rather that its time for him to keep his mouth shut. Number 8 played by Henry Fonda I have covered extensively for the leading reviews for this year.

Number 9 is an old man played by Joseph Sweeney. Sweeney I feel overplays his role a bit as some of those faces he gives just seem to be a bit too much. He still gets across the elements of his character across well enough, but he's somewhat cloying though. I felt Hume Cronyn was much more effective in the same role in the remake. Number 10 is played by Ed Begley. 10 is a loud bigot whose whole attack on the defendant is merely where he is from rather than any evidence. Begley is appropriately one note of an intense bluster as there really is not much more to 10 other than his obvious hatred, and Begley brings across his vicious prejudice as he should. He's particularly good in the scene where he goes on his rant and just kinda retreats to nothing after everyone basically indicates his distaste with him. Number 11 is the foreign guy who is George Voskovec. He's okay but I think his correcting the grammar of 10 is the only scene where he stands out that well. Number 12 is the indecisive ad executive. This is the least of the parts, and Robert Webber in the role does not overcome this fact.

That leaves number 3 played by the reliable Lee J. Cobb. 3 is perhaps the most passionate man in the room but that passion is for seeing the defendant who is accused of murdering his father is found guilty. Lee J. Cobb smartly stays fairly reserved at first even in his opening disbelief at Juror number 8's intention to vote not guilty. Soon though 3 voices his distaste for the boy which Cobb portrays as quite the fervent hatred for the boy. Cobb though importantly brings a greater depth to the character because, unlike 10, Cobb does play 3's hate as something blind. There is a sadness in his hatred and Cobb effectively shows that this comes from somewhere for him. 3's reason being his own troublesome relationship with his own son, and 3 basically imaging himself as the victim in a way. Cobb is actually surprisingly affecting in the role because he so honestly expresses some regret into 3's words. It is not simply that he hates his son and the murderer, but Cobb does suggest that that 3 perhaps does acknowledge his own faults.

Cobb's performance also works well as being basically a verbal sparing partner against Fonda in the film. Where Fonda stays very dignified and proper in his defiance Cobb gets down and dirty in portraying the violent passion in 3. What Cobb does so well once again though is never act as the obvious villain for the film though because his performance always lets on to the deeper meaning this trial has. It is not just the murder, but Cobb expresses just how deeply the idea of a son murdering his father disturbs 3. Cobb also carefully never comes close to one note and is good in showing the way 3 flares up and calms down through different times of the discussion. I particularly love the moment where 3 shows the way the stabbing would have been done against 8. He starts out miming the act causing most of the other jurors to show concern. Cobb though is brilliant in his reaction as 3 diffuses the situation in his reaction showing that although he kinda does hate 8, he would never actually kill someone.

Cobb does great work here and is particularly good in the final scene where everyone else agrees to vote not guilty while 3 still tries to hold onto his conviction. Cobb is surprisingly heartbreaking as he portrays 3's breakdown showing that in the end its his own very sad life and its more despair than malice that motivated him this whole time. Although there are several good performances within the 12 person ensemble Cobb is the best. In lesser hands 3 could have just been an echo of 10 and simply a one note of angry father projecting his anger on someone else. Cobb brings a greater complexity to his performance than that though. Even just in many of his reactions Cobb never allows three just there to be there to be the man 8 is there to prove wrong. Cobb probably lets us know more about 3 as a man than any of the actors do for their characters. Cobb realizes where 3 is coming from and even if you would not agree with him Cobb allows you to understand the man.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1957

And the Nominees Were Not:

Lee J. Cobb in 12 Angry Men

Jack Hawkins in The Bridge on the River Kwai

Burt Lancaster in Sweet Smell of Success

Bengt Ekerot in The Seventh Seal 

Gunnar Björnstrand in The Seventh Seal

Best Supporting Actor 1958: Results

5. Arthur Kennedy in Some Came Running- Kennedy gives a rather uninteresting performance in a very dispensable part.

4. Theodore Bikel in The Defiant Ones- Bikel gives an adequate performance that fulfills his role as the humane sheriff.

3. Gig Young in Teacher's Pet- Gig Young gives a rather enjoyable performance being funny both when he is the perfect pompous man, to just a man with a very bad hangover.

2. Lee J. Cobb in The Brothers Karamazov- Although he is not in a great film Cobb makes the most out of his performance. He turns his bad father into an effectively realistic villain who is just as much of a buffoon as he is a master manipulator.

1. Burl Ives in The Big Country- Good prediction Eddie and Fritz. Ives gives the best performance of all of the nominees despite the fact that his film is quite lacking on a whole. Ives though never becomes the mediocrity of his surroundings though and gives a powerful moving portrait of troubled landowner and father, that frankly finds complexities to the part that probably were not even in the character as written.

Deserving Performances:
Orson Welles in Touch of Evil
Burl Ives in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Best Supporting Actor 1958: Lee J. Cobb in The Brothers Karamazov

Lee J. Cobb received his second and final Oscar nomination for portraying Fyodor Karamazov in The Brothers Karamazov.

The Brothers Karamazov details tensions involving
the brothers over their fathers decision for his heir.

Lee J. Cobb portrays the father of the brothers and you know there is a problem when he makes Burl Ives's father in The Big Country look like a good father, but Fyodor comes close to doing this. He is a rather lowly man who fathered several sons but clearly cares very little for them. In many ways Fyodor is villainous character in the film as he really is the cause of most of the problems in the film. Lee J. Cobb very memorably and effectively portrayed the villainous Johnny Friendly in On The Waterfront who was the cause of most of the problems in that film, this performance is not on that level, but it is an interesting performance nonetheless that has some of the same strengths found in that performance.

Lee J. Cobb is really the perfect brutish buffoon, and does indeed the same powerful presence he showed in his earlier stronger nominated performance. It is clear that Fyodor has a command even if he he the most lowly sort of a man. Cobb is really quite effective in his portrayal of his feelings toward his sons as he shows the nature of the man. Cobb makes absolutely no excuses for his character he is a bad man, and Cobb handles this rather realistically as he does not make his emotions toward his sons one dimensional. Cobb certainly conveys the idea that he does not care for them, but does not exactly hate them either. He instead just seems to show that he really has no love to really convey to them, he does treat them with a bit of descent as he does recognize them, but Cobb acts it as just something he feels he is required to do than any form of love he has for his children.

As the manipulator Fyodor Cobb again does excel in his own fashion because he never overplays Fyodor's rather villainous role in the proceedings. Yes he is always pushing and attempting to control his sons in his own way, but Cobb actually creates Fyodor into a rather realistic manipulator because he never makes Fyodor into being overly intelligent man but just someone who basically knows how to make people tick in his particular way. It is an interesting way to portray a manipulator as he does in such a rather crude manipulator, but it is an effective portrayal. Cobb realizes exactly how easy it would be for the brothers to desire to murder him. It is a good performance by Cobb that creates Fyodor in the buffoonish antagonist that he should be. It would have easy to come off as too evil or too buffoonish, but Cobb finds just the right balance.

Best Supporting Actor 1958

And the Nominees Were:

Theodore Bikel in The Defiant Ones

Lee J. Cobb in The Brothers Karamazov

Burl Ives in The Big Country

Gig Young in Teacher's Pet

Arthur Kennedy in Some Came Running

Best Supporting Actor 1954: Results

5. Tom Tully in The Caine Mutiny- Tully does basically nothing with his role which is basically nothing in itself.

4. Edmond O'Brien in The Barefoot Contessa- O'Brien is okay and certainly seems slimey enough, but he never really becomes more than adequate with this performance.

3. Karl Malden in On the Waterfront- Malden is one of three perfect supporting performances from On the Waterfront. He has all the right passion and strength in to make his important scene appropriately powerful.

2. Lee J. Cobb in On the Waterfront- Cobb is perfect as the villain of On the Waterfront, making him a realistic and very effective villain. His role perhaps could have been stock but Cobb never makes it so.

1. Rod Steiger in On the Waterfront- All of three of them are great and perfect in their roles, but Steiger merely gave the emotional punch for me. He is always spot on as Charley, and His performance in the famous cab scene just strikes a perfect emotional note for me and that is what makes Steiger my third actor to win twice.

Deserving Performances:Raymond Burr in Rear Window
Van Johnson in The Caine Mutiny

Best Supporting Actor 1954: Lee J. Cobb in On the Waterfront

Lee J. Cobb received his first Oscar nomination for playing corrupt waterfront boss Johnny Friendly in On the Waterfront.

Lee J. Cobb represents the evil side of the moral scale in On the Waterfront as the arrogant Johnny Friendly. Friendly is very much the low life, and a evil man in basically all regards but Cobb never plays him in one way, nor does he ever seem one dimensional. Like all the other characters he is realistically played by Cobb and despite being evil he still is clearly a person. The well written screenplay and Cobb create a very realistic and memorable villain in Johnny Friendly. I like the fact that it shows Friendly as a man who came up from poor beginnings to evil ends. Cobb makes Friendly fully realized as a selfish man with his own interests, and one who refuses to be part of the rest of the crowd and just another fella.

He can be loud as Friendly and properly so when he needs to. Cobb certainly feels exactly like the mobster you'd expect Friendly to be, loud, but self assured and in control. I find this performance fascinating because the friendliness he does have at time even though it is always a lie. This quieter Friendly is very interesting, because he acts like a fatherly figure to Terry and others when he needs to. Cobb is perfect at being deceitful in the right way. He shows that Friendly acting this way is not all just a trick but rather part of his overall sense of power. Cobb is just as apt at showing Friendly lose his cool. Cobb is perfect in these scene because he does not show him to be a psychopath but rather a cold hearted business man of sorts.  He never still loses his confidence he just has a perfect cold cruelty. Every time he is thinking of something perfectly evil he just has a more realistic evil in his performance. He shows perfectly that getting rid of someone in Johnny Friendly's view is just taking care of business.

The best scene in his performance is the final scene of the movie. This is where Friendly finally completely loses his confidence, and finally just completely almost loses it to Terry Malloy. Cobb is perfect in showing Frendly finally purely losing his business man method, and showing more of the thug he really is. The best though is when he completely loses his control of the waterfront. The way he tries to hold the power but cannot stand loses is completely correct. His pathetic state at the end of the film is really the perfect end to the film. If Cobb breakdown as Friendly was less finely attuned then perhaps the ending would not have quite as satisfying as it is.  But Cobb is spot on with Friendly's loss showing that Friendly truly lost his power, making it not the least bit artificial and help creating the perfect ending scene.

Best Supporting Actor 1954

And the Nominees were:

Rod Steiger in On the Waterfront

Lee J. Cobb in On the Waterfront

Karl Malden in On the Waterfront

Edmond O'Brien in The Barefoot Contessa

Tom Tully in The Caine Mutiny

Who do you Pick? Who do you Predict?