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Information about Academy Award For Best Supporting Actress

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the award has commonly been referred to as the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. While actresses are nominated for this award by Academy members who are actors and actresses themselves, winners are selected by the Academy membership as a whole. Under the system currently in place, an actress is nominated for a specific performance in a single film, and such nominations are limited to five per year. Throughout the past 71 years, accounting for ties and repeat winners, AMPAS has presented a total of 71 Best Supporting Actress awards to 69 different actresses. Winners of this Academy Award of Merit currently receive the familiar Oscar statuette, depicting a gold-plated knight holding a crusader's sword and standing on a reel of film. Prior to the 16th Academy Awards ceremony (1943), however, they received a plaque. The first recipient was Gale Sondergaard, who was honored at the 9th Academy Awards ceremony (1936) for her performance in Anthony Adverse. The most recent recipient was Jennifer Hudson, who was honored at the 79th Academy Awards ceremony (2006) for her performance in Dreamgirls.

Until the 8th Academy Awards ceremony (1935), nominations for the Best Actress award were intended to include all actresses, whether the performance was in either a leading or supporting role. At the 9th Academy Awards ceremony (1936), however, the Best Supporting Actress category was specifically introduced as a distinct award following complaints that the single Best Actress category necessarily favored leading performers with the most screen time. Nonetheless, May Robson had received a Best Actress nomination (Lady for a Day, 1933) for her performance in a clear supporting role. Currently, Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, and Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role constitute the four Academy Awards of Merit for acting annually presented by AMPAS.

The only actresses to have won the award twice are: Shelley Winters, in 1959 and 1965 (she was also nominated in 1972); and Dianne Wiest, in 1986 and 1994 (she was also nominated in 1989).

Thelma Ritter had six nominations, more than any other actress. As she never won the award, she also holds the record for the number of unsuccessful nominations. Thelma Ritter is also the only actress with nominations in four successive years (1950-1953). Glenn Close was nominated three years consecutively (1982-1984).

Those with four nominations are: Ethel Barrymore, Agnes Moorehead, Lee Grant, Maureen Stapleton, Geraldine Page, and Dame Maggie Smith. All of Agnes Moorehead's and Geraldine Page's nominations were unsuccessful (but Page did win a Best Actress award); each of the others won once.

Those with three nominations are: Anne Revere, Celeste Holm, Claire Trevor, Angela Lansbury, Shelley Winters, Glenn Close, Diane Ladd, Dianne Wiest, Meryl Streep, and Frances McDormand. Lansbury, Close, Ladd, and McDormand have never won a Best Supporting Actress award (but McDormand did win a Best Actress award).

Superlatives

Category Name Superlative Year Notes
Most AwardsShelley Winters2 awards (tie)1965Awards resulted from 3 nominations.
Most AwardsDianne Wiest2 awards (tie)1994Awards resulted from 3 nominations.
Most NominationsThelma Ritter6 nominations1962Nominations resulted in 0 awards.
Oldest WinnerPeggy Ashcroft77 years old1984A Passage to India
Oldest NomineeGloria Stuart87 years old1997Titanic
Youngest WinnerTatum O'Neal10 years old1973Paper Moon
Youngest NomineeTatum O'Neal10 years old1973Paper Moon

Winners and nominees

Following the Academy's practice, the films below are listed by year of their Los Angeles qualifying run, which is usually (but not always) the film's year of release. For example, the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress of 1999 was announced during the award ceremony held in 2000. Winners are listed first in bold, followed by the other nominees. For a list sorted by actress names, please see List of Best Supporting Actress nominees. For a list sorted by film titles, please see List of Best Supporting Actress nominees (films).

1930s

1940s

From 1943 onward, winners received the familiar gold "Oscar" statuettes like everybody else.

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

See also

External links

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Academy Awards
Academy Award of Merit:
Current Awards		 Best Picture • Best Leading Actor • Best Leading Actress • Best Supporting Actor • Best Supporting Actress • Best Animated Feature • Best Art Direction • Best Cinematography • Best Costume Design • Best Director • Best Documentary Feature • Best Documentary Short Subject • Best Film Editing • Best Foreign Language Film • Best Makeup • Best Original Score • Best Original Song • Best Animated Short Film • Best Live Action Short Film • Best Sound Mixing • Best Sound Editing • Best Visual Effects • Best Adapted Screenplay • Best Original Screenplay
Academy Award of Merit:
Retired Awards		Best Assistant Director • Best Dance Direction • Best Director of a Comedy Picture • Best Short Film - Live Action - 2 Reels • Best Short Film - Novelty • Best Original Story • Best Title Writing • Best Unique and Artistic Quality of Production
Special Awards:
Current Awards		Academy Honorary Award • Academy Special Achievement Award • Academy Award, Scientific or Technical • The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award • The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award • Gordon E. Sawyer Award
Special Awards:
Retired Awards		Academy Juvenile Award
Ceremonies1927/28 • 1928/29 • 1929/30 • 1930/31 • 1931/32 • 1932/33 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 • 1937 • 1938 • 1939 • 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1944 • 1945 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 • 1949 • 1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959 • 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007
(Note: The years are listed as per Academy convention, usually the year of film release; the ceremonies are usually held the next year.)
Academy Award

Awarded for Excellence in cinematic achievements
Presented by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Country United States
First awarded May 16, 1929 to honor achievements of 1927/1928
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AMPAS
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Founded May 11,1927
Members 6,000
Country United States
Key people Sid Ganis, president
Office location Los Angeles,Beverly Hills, California

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actor, actress, or player (see terminology) is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity.
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The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, distribution; and actors, film directors and
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16th Academy Awards

Date March 2, 1944
Site Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood, California, USA

Host Jack Benny

The 16th Academy Awards was the first Oscar ceremony held at a large public venue, Grauman’s Chinese Theater.
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-1943- 1944 1945 1946  1947 .  1948 .  1949 .  1950  . 1951  . 1952  . 1953 

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Gale Sondergaard

in the trailer for The Letter (1940)
Birth name Edith Holm Sondergaard
Born January 15 1899(1899--)
Litchfield, Minnesota, U.S.
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Academy Awards

Date March 4, 1937
Site Biltmore Hotel

Host George Jessel

The 9th Academy Awards were held on March 4, 1937 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. They were hosted by George Jessel.
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-1936- 1937 1938 1939  1940 .  1941 .  1942 .  1943  . 1944  . 1945  . 1946 

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IMDb profile
Anthony Adverse is a 1936 American film based upon the novel by Hervey Allen.

The story revolves around the adventures of a young orphan (played by Fredric March) in the early 19th century.
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Jennifer Hudson

Birth name Jennifer Kate Hudson
Born September 12 1981 (1981--) (age 26)
Chicago, Illinois

Years active 2006-present


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79th Academy Awards

Date Sunday, February 25 2007
Site Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California
Preshow Chris Connelly
Lisa Ling
Shaun Robinson
Allyson Waterman
Host Ellen DeGeneres
Producer Laura Ziskin
Director Louis J.
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-2006- 2007 2008 2009  2010 .  2011 .  2012 .  2013  . 2014  . 2015  . 2016 
In home video: 2003 2004 2005 -2006- 2007 2008 2009     
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Official website
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Dreamgirls is a 2006 American musical film jointly produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures.
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Academy Awards

Date March 5, 1936
Site Biltmore Hotel

Host Frank Capra

The 8th Academy Awards were held on March 5, 1936 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. They were hosted by Frank Capra.
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-1935- 1936 1937 1938  1939 .  1940 .  1941 .  1942  . 1943  . 1944  . 1945 

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Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry.
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Academy Awards

Date March 4, 1937
Site Biltmore Hotel

Host George Jessel

The 9th Academy Awards were held on March 4, 1937 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. They were hosted by George Jessel.
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-1936- 1937 1938 1939  1940 .  1941 .  1942 .  1943  . 1944  . 1945  . 1946 

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May Robson

from the film A Star Is Born (1937).
Birth name Mary Jeanette Robinson
Born March 19 1858(1858--)
Melbourne, Australia
Died September 6 1942 (aged 84)
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Lady for a Day is a 1933 film which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. It was written by Robert Riskin, based on the Damon Runyon story Madame la Gimp. The film was directed by Frank Capra.
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-1933- 1934 1935 1936  1937 .  1938 .  1939 .  1940  . 1941  . 1942  . 1943 

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Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry.
..... Click the link for more information.
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry.
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Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry.
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Shelley Winters

Winters in "Cry of the City" (1948)
Birth name Shirley Schrift
Born July 18 1920(1920--)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
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Dianne Wiest

Dianne Wiest at the 1990 Academy Awards. Photo by Alan Light.

Born March 28 1948 (1948--) (age 59)
Kansas City, Missouri

Awards

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Thelma Ritter

from the trailer for The Mating Season (1951)

Born February 14, 1902
Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died January 5 1969 (aged 68)
New York, United States

Years active 1947 - 1968

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Glenn Close

Glenn Close (right) and Jim Dale in 2006 performing Busker Alley

Born March 19 1947 (1947--) (age 60)
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Ethel Barrymore

Ethel Barrymore, 1896, photograph by Burr McIntosh, N.Y.
Birth name Ethel Mae Blythe
Born July 15 1879(1879--)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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