He is best known for his unforgettable portrayal of Old Stump, the beloved prison guard at Rio Bravo, alongside John Wayne and Dean Martin in the Howard Hawks classic.
This eternal “grandfather of the western”, who is very popular in the Hollywood industry and whose cheerful face lit up dozens of films in the 30s, 40s and 50s, can also boast of having achieved extraordinary success in the history of cinema, as recently recalled. Article from Collider.
- 17 nominations without any wins: this man is the biggest Oscar loser!
First in Oscar history
Walter Brennan is actually the first actor of all time to win 3 Oscars (for Best Supporting Actor) in just 5 years!
In 1937, he received his first statuette for the role of Howard Hawks in “The Vandal”, in which he portrayed the character of Swan Bostrom. The Best Supporting Actor category had just been created and so he was the first winner.
Two years later, in 1939, he won his second Oscar for David Butler’s Kentucky, in which he played the hero’s uncle. In 1941, Walter Brennan won the third award for William Wyler’s The Rider of the Desert.
Walter Brennan in “Rio Bravo”
The most Oscar-winning stars
The first Hollywood actor to win three Oscars, Brennan is still the only one to do so in such a short period of time, and exclusively for Best Supporting Actor. Later, other stars will also be able to multiply the awards for their various performances.
In the entire history of the ceremony, Katharine Hepburn holds the absolute record with 4 Oscars for the best actress. Frances McDormand, Ingrid Bergman, Meryl Streep, Daniel Day-Lewis and Jack Nicholson have won three Oscars, as has Walter Brennan.
Change of regulations
However, in the late 1930s, this veritable crackdown on prizes won by Walter Brennan led to a change in the Academy’s official regulations. Indeed, according to the site Cinema spectacle (quoted In a Collider article), the actor apparently won these awards with the help of the Extras Union, who were also eligible to vote for the Oscars at the time.
After Brennan’s third award, the rule would change, henceforth preventing supernumeraries from contributing to the ballot.
(Re)discover our video on the Oscars…
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
