Posthumous Oscar Nominations for Acting
Six Actors Have Been Nominated for Academy Awards after their Deaths
Jan 14, 2009
Heath Ledger’s death on January 22, 2008 after his dramatic portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight, has raised speculation about whether he will receive a posthumous Academy Award.
If Ledger is nominated it will be exactly one year to the day after his death by drug overdose, and he will join only six previous posthumous nominees for acting. A win in the Best Supporting Actor category would make him only the second winner.
Jeanne Eagels (1890 – 1929)
Eagels received an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Leslie Crosbie in The Letter. It was a comeback film, since Eagels’ career had been on a downward spiral. An accomplished stage actress, years of alcoholism gave her the reputation of being difficult. The advent of talking movies meant a demand for stage actors, and she began to receive more film offers.
Eagels died of an overdose on October 3rd 1929. Alcohol, heroin and the tranquilizer chloral hydrate were found in her bloodstream.
James Dean (1931 – 1955)
James Dean, the actor to whom Heath Ledger has since been compared, received two posthumous Oscar nominations. Dean was first nominated in 1955 for his portrayal of Cal Trask in East of Eden. His second nomination was in 1956 for the part of Jett Rink in Giant. Dean’s only other film role was the iconic Jim Stark in Rebel without a Cause.
Dean crashed his Porsche Spyder 1550 on route to a race in Salinas, California on September 30, 1955. Like Ledger, his acting skills led many to believe that he would have become one of the greats of cinema.
Spencer Tracy (1900 – 1967)
One of the acknowledged screen greats, Spencer Tracy died of a heart attack on June 10, 1967. He was nominated in 1967 for his part in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. Spencer played Matt Drayton alongside his long term partner Katharine Hepburn, who won the Best Actress award the same year.
Tracy received 9 Oscar nominations throughout his career, winning twice - for Captain’s Courageous in 1938, and Boys Town in 1939.
Peter Finch (1912 – 1977)
The English-born Australian actor Peter Finch is the only actor to win an Academy Award posthumously. Finch won a Best Actor Oscar for playing TV anchorman Howard Beale in 1976’s Network.
A gunner in the Australian Imperial Forces during the second World War, Finch was given leave to act in wartime documentaries. During his post-war career on stage he was seen by Laurence Olivier, and offered a contract to work in London. From there he carved out a career in Hollywood. Finch died of a heart attack on January 14th, 1977.
Ralph Richardson (1902 – 1983)
Like his friends and compatriots John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson rose to fame on the London stage before his turn on the silver screen. He was knighted in 1947 for his contributions to British theatre.
Richardson received his posthumous Best Supporting Actor nomination for Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes. Richardson played the sixth Earl of Greystoke. He died of a stroke at the age of 81.
Massimo Troisi (1953 – 1995)
Italian actor Massimo Troisi received two nominations in 1995 for Il Postino. One for acting, the other for writing.
Troisi had suffered from a heart condition since childhood, after contracting rheumatic fever. He was ill for the entire filming of Il Postino, but insisted on completing the film. Sadly he died from a heart attack in his sleep a mere twelve hours after shooting had finished.
If Heath Ledger is indeed nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 2009, he will certainly be in illustrious company.
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