Best Supporting Actor 1969: Results

5. Anthony Quayle in Anne of the Thousand Days- Quayle gives a functional performance that turns Cardinal Wolsey into a basically a yes man.

4. Rupert Crosse in The Reivers- Crosse gives a charmingly wacky performance as well as combined with a more serious performance well by never overdoing either aspect of his character.

3. Elliot Gould in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice- Gould gives an enjoyable and effective performance as he realizes the many facets of his character's confusion.

2. Jack Nicholson in Easy Rider- Nicholson as usual for this period gives a very strong performance that has that unique magnetic quality that is distinctly Nicholson. It never quite reaches the heights of his later work in the seventies but it is an excellent precursor to them.

1. Gig Young in They Shoot Horses, Don't They?- Gig Young easily gives the strongest performance this year. Gig Young's performance is terrific flawless work that realizes the master manipulator aspects of his character as well as the energetic emcee. He effective brings all the facets of his character into one brilliant characterization that never has a simple moment, and creates a fascinating memorable man in the role of Rocky. 

Best Supporting Actor 1969: Rupert Crosse in The Reivers

Rupert Crosse received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Ned McCaslin in The Reivers.

The Reivers is about a boy who goes on a bit of adventure to Memphis with two men Boon (Steve McQueen) and Ned (Crosse) who steal his father's car.

Rupert Crosse's nomination is rather forgotten in this film even though it was the first time an African American actor was nominated in this category. Crosse portrays Ned who at the beginning third of the film is a bit of a wacky character who gets in a non too serious fight with McQueen's Boon early on over the use of the car they later steal. Crosse is actually fine at being wacky without going too far that he seems like a cartoon. He finds the right tone with his performance to really fit McQueen's performance as well as the tone of the film.

The wacky Ned never becomes an annoying character as he frankly could have easily been even he went to far with the wackiness that drives his character early on, but Crosse is actually fairly endearing on the role early on and is likable presence within film. His character though quickly is required to be more than comedic when he and another older African American man are threatened by a racist Sheriff. The film quickly requires a passionate want for human decency from the sheriff.

Crosse again is very effective with this very different side of Ned with his performance. There is a quiet understated strength in his performance he gives to Ned that works well. He also becomes a bit of an inspirational character near the end that again Crosse effectively portrays showing a simple but nicely moving enthusiasm. Crosse also makes this transition well by not overdoing the humorous elements of Ned early on, but still have a lighthearted quality to his performance even in his more serious scenes.

Rupert Crosse's character of Ned is pretty limited in terms of what he is given but Crosse does a fine job with every element of the character he is required to fulfill. Ned very easily could have been a too simplistic of a character, but Crosse carefully treads both the humorous and more serious elements of the character never let either element override the other, therefore allowing his transitions during the film to be quite natural even though the transitions could have been forced feeling. It is not most complex of performances by Crosse but it is an entirely fine performance that suits his role well.

Best Supporting Actor 1969

And the Nominees Were:

Anthony Quayle in Anne of the Thousand Days

Elliott Gould in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice

Gig Young in They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

Jack Nicholson in Easy Rider

Rupert Crosse in The Reivers