Buzz
This list highlights actors and actresses who never secured an Oscar despite their undeniable talent and impressive careers. Note that this list excludes Honorary or Lifetime Achievement Awards.
10. Albert Finney
Albert Finney received five Oscar nominations throughout his career. Among his standout performances is his role in one of his earliest films, Tom Jones. He also earned nominations for Erin Brockovich, The Dresser, and Volcano. If you haven't seen Finney in action yet, I highly suggest watching him in The Browning Version – a lesser-known yet exceptional film about a classics teacher.
9. Richard Burton
Richard Burton received seven Oscar nominations during his career, six of which were for Best Actor. His most iconic performance was in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.
8. Angela Lansbury
Ah, Mrs. Lovett. What a character she is, and yet the Academy seems to disagree. This talented star earned three Oscar nominations, notably for Portrait of Dorian Gray and The Manchurian Candidate. Among theater lovers, she is best remembered as Mrs. Lovett in the acclaimed version of Sweeney Todd (definitely the good one, not the one with Helena Bonham Carter, who I do normally enjoy).
7. Peter O'Toole
Peter O'Toole holds the record for the most Oscar nominations without a win, with a total of eight. His most recent nomination was in 2006 for his outstanding performance in Venus. He would have surely won in 1962 for his role in Lawrence of Arabia, had it not been for Atticus Finch, aka Gregory Peck.
6. Fred Astaire
He was nominated just once throughout his extensive career. Ranked fifth on AFI’s list of the greatest actors of all time, he received his nomination for his role in Towering Inferno but did not win. He was later honored with several honorary awards. Astaire is best remembered for his iconic musical films alongside Ginger Rogers!
5. Greta Garbo
Ranked recently as the fifth greatest female star of all time by AFI, Garbo reigned as the queen of silent film, delivering some of the most unforgettable performances in movie history. Despite earning four Oscar nominations, she never took home a win. Her nominations came for roles in films like Anna Christie, Romance (both in 1930), Camille, and Ninotchka.
4. Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr is perhaps most famously remembered as Anna Leonowens in The King and I. Despite receiving six nominations throughout her career, she never won an Oscar. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses of all time, holding the record for the most nominations by a woman in the Best Actress category. Her nominations included roles in Edward My Son, From Here to Eternity, Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison, Separate Tables, and The Sundowners.
3. Charlie Chaplin
SURPRISE! Charlie Chaplin never won an Oscar, EVER! It's rumored that his public criticism of the Academy might have played a role. Regardless, Chaplin is widely regarded as one of the most influential and greatest actors of all time. He did receive two honorary Oscars, but as mentioned before, those don't really count. There's no question that he deserved at least one win!
Notable omissions (and there are quite a few): Glenn Close, Orson Welles, Rosalind Russell, Stanley Kubrick, Robert Altman, D.W. Griffith, and King Vidor
Contributor: Schiesl
2. Alfred Hitchcock
Hitchcock is universally regarded as one of the finest directors in film history, yet he never won an Oscar. Famous for his masterpieces such as Rear Window, The Birds, Rebecca, Lifeboat, and Spellbound—films for which he earned nominations—this true Sultan of Suspense was more than deserving of at least one of the five Oscars he was nominated for... Boo on the Academy!
1. Cary Grant
Cary Grant holds the second spot on AFI’s list of the greatest actors of all time. He is most renowned for his roles in timeless classics such as North by Northwest, The Philadelphia Story, and To Catch a Thief.
