Supporting Actor 1962

So many weird choices, that I hope they pan out. Come with me and let's find out.

1962 Best Supporting Actor

Ed Begley - Sweet Bird of Youth

Having finally watched this performance, I can understand why Begley won. It's a pretty meaty role for Supporting and Begley seems perfect for the job. Begley plays a political boss who controls everything in his small town, having been a Governor before that. His daughter is Shirley Knight and she loves Paul Newman's character, but Begley hates him. The point of the film is that Begley has successfully sent Newman away from his daughter a couple of times before and Newman is back for one more shot as Begley again runs interference. Begley fits the profile of what you'd think a southern political boss to be. He's large in size and in personality. He's loud and demonstrative and he knows how to play everyone around him. He has that political switch in him where he can smile and schmooze the public and then threaten someone with that same smile. It's essentially the villain role and Begley is up for the part. He's intimidating and gregarious all at once and Begley makes sure that is what we see on screen. It probably also helps that he is an older white man in this category of newcomers and darker complexions. It wouldn't surprise me that the Academy went for him simply because he is what they know. But the performance is also pretty good and competes for being the best part of a star studded acting ensemble.

Victor Buono - What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

This is one of those films that I think people just know about even if they have never actually seen it. It pioneered the psycho biddy film genre where an older woman who was once prominent terrorizes those around her. Which is what this film is about. Bette Davis is the Baby Jane, an older woman living with her crippled sister. Davis was once a popular child singer, but her sister went on to greater fame before she was paralyzed. The two live together and Davis terrorizes her sister, played by Joan Crawford. It's sort of a horror film in a way and is really interesting to see something like this get attention. Obviously due in large part to Davis and Crawford's well noted antagonistic relationship. This was Buono's film debut and he plays a rather simple role. He answers an ad from Davis for a pianist so she can sing her songs again. He has a rather pleasant disposition and is a rather large fellow in height and weight. There's honestly not much to the role. Buono is fine in the role and has some funny moments but is mostly there for Davis to toy with or stroke her ego on remembering her past. He's just there to get some money for playing the piano and seemingly doesn't notice Davis being crazy or simply doesn't care. Don't really understand why this was nominated but at least it's not the biggest head scratcher in this category.

Telly Savalas - Birdman of Alcatraz

I am not sure what this nomination is for exactly. It feels like Savalas snuck in the Academy door while Burt Lancaster was distracting everyone with his performance. It's legit a nothing performance that when you watch it, you'll be left scratching your head as well. Savalas plays another inmate of Lancaster who mostly is there to be someone who also wants a bird in his cell and helps procure some for Lancaster and that is almost the extent of the performance. There is one other scene later on at Alcatraz where the two meet again after years and Savalas gives him extra food. That's it. That's the performance. Not anything that should have been nominated. Savalas wasn't yet portraying Kojak, so he didn't have that going for him yet. Weird nomination that took the spot of another actor and film that would have been way more interesting to watch.

Omar Sharif - Lawrence of Arabia

Big fan of Omar Sharif. Loved him in Doctor Zhivago and realized he was a great actor then. His performance here as Sharif Ali is important because there were a couple other people picked as this character before Sharif. Sharif was a hugely popular actor in his native Egypt, but eventually landed this role which launched him into global superstardom. One of the few actual native or Arabic actors in this film. Sharif became best friends with Peter O'Toole and it actually doesn't show on film because the two were often at odds. Sharif plays a bedouin leader who challenges Lawrence at every opportunity. At first the two seem to be adversaries, but then Sharif warms up to this white man being right and guiding them in the right direction. This brofest seems to end towards the end of the film when Lawrence is out for revenge versus the Turks and allows them all to be killed. Sharif sees this change and tries to move on from his friend. In the beginning Sharif was the dominant figure and by the end, O'Toole had become the dominant figure and worst representative of the British. Sharif just had that movie star quality and I'm glad he got out of Egypt to be able to show us his ability. He has this great presence and one of the best entrances in film history. Really easy to root for and like Sharif and he only makes the film better.

Terence Stamp - Billy Budd

This is one of the worst cases of category fraud ever. I feel like because this was Stamp's debut film, that they put him in Supporting because they didn't know him and he was new. But he is Billy Budd. The whole film is about him as he is a young seaman working on a merchant ship who gets conscripted into the Royal Navy. He's sort of a simple man who is very friendly and easily likable. Everyone likes him including the Captain. The only one who doesn't is the Master-at-Arms who seems to be a ruthless, vindictive liar of a man who doesn't like not being feared. Stamp has some human moments with Robert Ryan (who is also great) the Master-at-Arms and those moments really humanize Ryan's character and shows just how genuine and warm Billy Budd is. Stamp does a great job of making Budd into this lovable character that we know is eager to do a good job and avoid doing anything wrong. He doesn't want to rock the boat, so to speak. Stamp also makes his stammering when angry or nervous something believable and imbues the character with some tenderness, since Budd is only about 18 in the film. It's a pretty great debut for an actor that is the main focus of the film and really should have gone in Lead, though he probably wouldn't have made it in the stacked Leading category for this year. So I guess it's good Stamp was nominated here because I really enjoyed this film and felt it had a bit more depth than just a seafaring adventure film.

Kind of a mixed bag for this category. Some head scratchers and some decent performances. Savalas is honestly like a what the fuck nomination. So short and leaves no impact and takes up a spot for someone else. I liked Buono but I think he just came along for the ride with that film. Decent performance, but not a whole lot to it. I do think about him when I think about the film, though, so that's something. Begley won because I'm convinced he is all that the Academy voters knew. Old and white, while everyone else was a different shade and/or were young. Begley is good in his role and helps make the film, but I don't think it was a winner. I love Stamp's performance but it is absolutely category fraud, though no fault with Stamp. Glad I got to watch that film. Sharif gets the win because he is so good and so memorable and just so likeable in that role. Iconic and an all timer. Easy winner there. Hoping the next year is not such a mixed bag.

Oscar Winner: Ed Begley - Sweet Bird of Youth
My Winner:  Omar Sharif - Lawrence of Arabia
Terence Stamp
Ed Begley
Victor Buono
Telly Savalas