38 years

The Oscars are tonight and have already started. My wife is watching and I'm alternating betweening watching and reading a biography of former Secretary of State Dean Acheson. This has to be the first Oscar awards in over 30 years that I failed to see at least one of the major film nominees. So I'm clueless as to who will win.

One nominee tonight intrigues me. It is Alan Arkin. Nominated in the Best Supporting Actor Category for Little Miss Sunshine, I wonder if there ever was another actor or actress who has gone 38 years between Oscar nomination? In 1966 he was nominated for The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming in the Best Actor category. Then in 1968 Arkin was nominated again in the same category for The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. Then after that, nothing. Not that Arkin didn't do other memorable movies. Wait Until Dark between his two Oscar roles in 1967, Catch-22, Freebie and the Bean(A dumb movie or guilty pleasure), The Defection of Simas Kudirka and The In-Laws . The last was made in 1979. Then nothing, I mean I couldn't remember a movie with Arkin in it. Either I failed to see the films, or his roles were unmemorable. Had Arkin been forgotten? Most of the films I listed are rarely seen today.

I liked all the above Arkin movies. So if I got a sentimental choice, it is Alan. We'll soon find out who the winners are.

Linked to- Basil, Jo, Third World County, Woman Honor Thyself,