Richard Burton was an Old Hollywood legend, and though he was nominated for many Oscars, he never actually won one. Burton was already an accomplished dramatist from his time in the theater when he made his feature film debut in 1949, and it was clear from the start that he had star power. Only three years after his big screen debut, Burton was nominated for his first Academy Award, and his illustrious career would see him rake in several Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards. Even in the theater, Burton was a star player, and he was rewarded with a Tony Award among other theatrical accolades.
Despite a career that put him at the top of Hollywood's upper echelon, the Academy Award eluded him over his five decades in the business. Though Burton wasn't the only Hollywood legend to never win an Oscar, his impressive body of work was shockingly unrecognized by the Academy, despite seven total nominations over the years. He was nominated for an Oscar in nearly every decade of his career, and the width and breadth of his filmography gave him multiple opportunities to be recognized. Despite never winning the award, Burton's place in Hollywood history was solidified by these and other performances, and he's often better ed than those he lost to.
My Cousin Rachel (1952) - Lost To Anthony Quinn For Viva Zapata! (1952)
My Cousin Rachel was Richard Burton's first American film, and it essentially served as his big Hollywood debut. His turn as Phillip Ashley in the understated thriller was particularly praised by critics, and he was rewarded with a Best Actor in a ing Role nomination at the 1953 Oscars. He lost the award to prolific Hollywood actor Anthony Quinn who impressed in his portrayal of Eufemio Zapata in the biographical Western film Viva Zapata!, co-starring opposite Marlon Brando. Though neither movie fared too well at that year's award ceremony, My Cousin Rachel won none of the four awards it was nominated for.
Burton was still in his 20s when he was nominated for his first Oscar, and his unfamiliarity to the Academy could partially explain his loss. Also, Viva Zapata! was more universally well-received by critics even if it has become incredibly problematic with each ing year. Quinn was 10 years older than Burton at the time, and he had starred in a slew of other Hollywood films before his first Oscar win for Viva Zapata! My Cousin Rachel was far from Burton's best movie, and his loss at the Oscars wasn't all that surprising in 1953.
The Robe (1953) - Lost To William Holden For Stalag 17 (1953)
Richard Burton didn't have to wait long to score his second Oscar nomination, thanks to his role in the underrated sword-and-sandals movie The Robe. In a year's time, Burton had graduated to starring roles, and he carried the lengthy biblical epic with his commanding performance as Marcellus Gallio. Despite this, Burton and The Robe ran up against Stalag 17, and he lost the Academy Award for Best Actor to William Holden, who played J.J. Sefton in Billy Wilder's war film. In all, The Robe was nominated for five Oscars but only won two, in the Art Direction and Costume Design categories.
The Robe was Burton's third Hollywood picture, and by landing the lead role he had made himself more visible to the moviegoing public. Still under 30 years old at the time, Burton was younger than Holden, but age most likely wasn't the biggest contributing factor to his loss. The darkly comedic war movie Stalag 17 was the superior work in many ways, and though it was only nominated for three Oscars in 1954, its reputation grew stronger over the years while The Robe's significance faded. Burton's performance was stellar, but the conventional biblical epic couldn't compete with a progressive and topical movie like Stalag 17.
Becket (1964) - Lost To Rex Harrison For My Fair Lady (1964)
In Becket, Richard Burton returned to his theatrical roots and starred in a historical epic about the machinations of ancient monarchs. He played the titular role of Thomas Beckett, and his rise to prominence in the king's court was magnificently brought to life by the seasoned veteran. Burton was a shoo-in for the Best Actor Oscar, and he was nominated alongside his co-star Peter O'Toole. Unfortunately for Burton and O'Toole, one of the best musicals of the '60s, My Fair Lady, was also released the same year, and Becket's two leads lost out on the award to Rex Harrison.
Despite being nominated for 12 Oscars, Becket was nearly locked out at the ceremony, only winning the Best Adapted Screenplay award at the 1965 ceremony. My Fair Lady was also nominated for 12 Oscars but ended the night winning eight. The Academy tended to favor musicals, and Burton's loss to Rex Harrison as Henry Higgins was a slight on his amazing performance in Becket. With a decade-plus of films under his belt, Burton had shown frequently that he was not only a star but a legitimately talented actor as well.
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965) - Lost To Lee Marvin For Cat Ballou (1965)
Author John Le Carré's film adaptations produced some of the best spy films in history, and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold was no exception. Richard Burton starred as Alec Leamas, and he inhabited the cold MI6 station chief as if he was performing Shakespeare. Burton earned a second Best Actor Oscar nomination in the 1966 ceremony but lost again to a performer in a musical film. The award went to Lee Marvin as Kid Shelleen in Cat Ballou, a completely different kind of movie.
Though praised by critics, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold only scored two Oscar nominations, and it didn't win either of them. On the other hand, Cat Ballou was nominated for five, but only Marvin brought home the gold for the film. Cat Ballou is considered among the best Westerns, but its overall legacy still hasn't held up as firmly as Burton's performance in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, nor did it have as big an impact on its genre.
Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (1966) - Lost To Paul Scofield For A Man For All Seasons (1966)
Richard Burton was cast as George in the 1966 film adaptation of the play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and it allowed him to bring his theatrical prowess to the screen for all to see. Mirroring his real-life tumultuous relationship with co-star Elizabeth Taylor, the movie was a tour de force of drama that put the performances first. Burton's understated and multilayered performance earned him his most deserved Best Actor Oscar nomination, but he was again defeated. The Renaissance-set historical drama A Man for All Seasons bumped off Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in several categories, including Paul Scofield winning Best Actor.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was nominated in all 13 categories that it was eligible to compete in at the 1967 ceremony, a feat that was only achieved one other time. A Man for All Seasons scored a whopping eight nominations and won all but two of them. Unlike many of Burton's other losses that came at the expense of musicals, these two performances were evenly balanced, and it could have gone either way. While Paul Scofield's Thomas Moore was just as brilliant as Burton's George, of the two play adaptations, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has stood the test of time better.
Anne Of The Thousand Days (1969) - Lost To John Wayne For True Grit (1969)
By the late-'60s, the best historical epic films had mostly come and gone, as Hollywood moved toward more adventurous ideas. Nevertheless, Anne of the Thousand Days allowed Richard Burton to step back into a period piece when he played the despotic King Henry VIII. Once again, Burton was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars, but the win was taken by another Hollywood legend: John Wayne. The Western icon starred in the 1969 classic True Grit, and his character, Rooster Cogburn, was a departure from his familiar cowboy hero roles.
When it came to nominations, Anne of the Thousand Days was initially the big winner at the 1970 ceremony as it earned 10 in total. However, the movie only won the Oscar for Best Costuming and was generally overshadowed by a host of fresh films like the Oscar-nominated X-rated movie Midnight Cowboy. Wayne's win was certainly a deserved one, and his turn as Rooster Cogburn showed he was more than a one-note actor after decades of playing essentially the same part. Burton also delivered a strong take on the famous former King of England, but the movie's mixed reviews most likely tanked his chances of winning.
Equus (1977) - Lost To Richard Dreyfuss For The Goodbye Girl (1977)
As the 1970s wore on, Richard Burton's personal struggles began to impact his career, yet Equus was something of a return for the fallen star. The adaptation of the surreal play cast Burton as Dr. Martin Dysart, and he brought much of what he had already done on stage in the role to the screen. The stage-to-screen film adaptation received mixed reviews, but Burton's performance earned high marks and his final Oscar nomination for Best Actor. However, Burton lost for the last time to Richard Dreyfuss, who played Elliot Garfield in the romantic comedy The Goodbye Girl.
Equus and The Goodbye Girl fared similarly at the Oscars in 1978, and Dreyfuss's Best Actor win was the only award that either film secured that year. Though Richard Burton's performance was a return to form for the veteran actor, the overall quality of Equus was what ultimately robbed him of his chance to win the award. Dreyfuss's performance was strong in its own way, but neither film stood the test of time compared to other 1977 Oscar movies like Star Wars, Annie Hall, or Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
