Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda – Best Supporting Actor

Here ‘s the second entry in my Academy Award series for this year focusing on my picks for who should have won the Oscar in a particular year. This is all pre-2000 and none of the commonly discussed “controversies” are included.

We discuss today Best Supporting Actor from 1947. The nominees (with an asterisk by the winner):

Charles Bickford – The Farmer’s Daughter

Thomas Gomez – Ride the Pink Horse

*Edmund Gwenn – Miracle of 34th Street

Robert Ryan – Crossfire

Richard Widmark – Kiss of Death

Let’s face it: How are you NOT going to give an Oscar to the guy who played Santa Claus? Gwenn was cute, charming, and cute. Richard Widmark as Tommy Udo, the sociopathic gangster is NOT cute. You might take issue with the snickering laughter and what might be seen as a cliché character. However, this was the original take on the kind of villainy that would be seen through the rest of the film noir era. His vicious assault on a woman in a wheelchair is truly shocking for its time. Sadly, this nomination for his debut performance was the only one in Widmark’s long career.

Now for a bit of bonus trivia. The movie was based on a book by lawyer and novelist named Eleazar Lipsky. He was nominated for a now defunct Academy Award called Best Motion Picture Story. The category was discontinued in 1956.

Mr. Lipsky was also the author of “The People Against O’Hara” which was made into a movie starring Spencer Tracy and was active in many Jewish organizations prior to his death in 1993. He is also a distant relative, something like a third cousin twice removed.

At least I can say there is an Academy Award nominee in the family.