I'm Not Dead Yet! - Peter O'Toole rejects Oscar (1 Viewer)

[Patrick McCart]

From the IMDB:

O'Toole Rejects Oscar; Academy Says He Earned It

After receiving a letter from Peter O'Toole appearing to reject an honorary Oscar that the motion picture academy had planned to present to him this year, the academy's board of directors has sent a note to the actor saying, "The board unanimously and enthusiastically voted you the honorary award because you've earned and deserved it." In a handwritten note, O'Toole said that he was "still in the game and might win the lovely bugger outright."

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I think this is right up there with Hitchcock's "Thank you." speech.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

I'm Not Dead Yet!

Well, based on what I've read, he didn't actually say that.

He also wanted the Academy to defer it until he is 80 years old and still has not won the Oscar by then on his own.

~Edwin

 

[Rain]

I wish him luck.

He certainly should have had one by now.

 

[BarryR]

I keep hearing that there's been persistent pressure by various Academy members to give honorary Oscars to Doris Day and/or Richard Widmark. This makes alot more sense at this time.

 

[Patrick McCart]

The "I'm not dead yet" title is a reference from Monty Python and the Holy Grail and also making fun of the "better give this great [insert filmmmaker/actor/actress/etc here] before he/she dies" mentality with the Academy.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

I applaud Peter for saying no. He has the attitude that he still has some good acting performances in him, and that he can still win an Academy Award based on a performance.

As much as I like Peck's performance in To Kill A Mockingbird, I still don't think it held a candle to O' Toole's performance in Lawrence of Arabia.

 

[Michael*K]

Argh. What's with the oversized font in every post?

 

[Paul Case]

While I heartily support Peter O'Toole in his desire to win an actual competitive oscar award, I am disappointed that he has turned the honorary award down. Of course, that disappointment stems from purely selfish reasons. Seeing him accept the award was going to be the highlight of the oscars for me this year, as he has always been one of my absolute favorite actors. Unfortunately, now it looks like I'm just going to have to settle for watching films I don't much care for take home all of the awards (probably).

God bless you, Peter O'Toole! May you someday win the oscar you so richly deserve!

 

[Bill J]

God bless you, Peter O'Toole! May you someday win the oscar you so richly deserve!

The first thing O'Toole has to do before he can win an oscar is quit making TV movies.

 

[LennyP]

Argh. What's with the oversized font in every post?

I think your settings are messed up Michael, either in board's preferences or your browser, text is fine.

 

[Vickie_M]

Seeing him accept the award was going to be the highlight of the oscars for me this year

I know what you mean Paul. I really hope he changes his mind. I'd love to hear what he has to say!

 

[Christopher P]

Well if he just accepts the award, it will almost guarantee he'll win the best actor Oscar next year (see Paul Newman and Henry Fonda).

Chris

 

[Kirk Tsai]

Put aside O'Toole's reaction, I think this is clearly a superior choice by the Academy compared to awarding Robert Redford and Warren Beatty when they are still relatively active in film.

Of course, the Academy still has a far superior track record than the AFI in recent years with figures like Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks, De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and so on receiving the much too early life time achievement award.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

You know, I got the joke from the subject header.

 

[DeeF]

The saddest one of these was the award for Fred Astaire, given to him the same year he was nominated for best supporting actor (Ghost Story?) and lost. His face accepting his honorary award told everything -- it was a consolation prize like they give out to the losers on game shows.

 

[Michael*K]

I think your settings are messed up Michael, either in board's preferences or your browser, text is fine.

I think not. Every one of Rob's posts is done with an oversized font.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

I think not. Every one of Rob's posts is done with an oversized font.

Actually, if anything, my font is smaller than everyone else's.

 

[teapot2001]

Well, Peter O'Toole has changed his mind and decided to accept the Oscar.

~T

 

[Seth Paxton]

Well I think it's totally wrong for anyone to see a LIFETIME achievement award as a consolation prize. After all they give out 1/4th as many of those as they do Best Actor/Actress/Supporting awards, so it's that much HARDER to get.

And, unlike the yearly awards, a lifetime award can't be won in a moment of infatuation with a certain film, genre, style, etc. And it can't be won by just having one or two great efforts.


The lifetime award is my favorite award of the night because everyone stops to really appreciate a career that stands above all but a rare few.


So I'm glad O'Toole changed his mind. I would think that if he were to get that magic role that was worthy of a future nom that he would get it despite the lifetime award. They aren't exclusive in my mind.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

The lifetime award is my favorite award of the night because everyone stops to really appreciate a career that stands above all but a rare few.

Exactly.

I am also glad that Peter changed his mind. Initially I thought it was pretty cool to decline it based on his thinking that he could still win one outright. But, at the same time, he could accept this one and still win one outright, right?

I'm sure I will get a bit emotional when The Academy pays him tribute!