Oscar record still held by Bette Davis and Greer Garson

Bette Davis, one of the best actresses of all time11 times during her career she was nominated for the “Oscar” award for the best female role. However, some inquisitive Academy Award historians may say that she was only nominated 10 times, as her nomination for 1934’s On Human Slavery was one of very few recorded voices ever authorized by the Academy. Records show that Davis, although not officially nominated by the Academy, still finished third that year.

However, Davis won only two Oscars. The first was for playing a role in the film Dangerous in 1935, and the second for playing a role similar to Scarette O’Hara in the film Jezebel in 1938. Hollywood will learn that her performance in “Jezebel” was the first in a string of nominations that would last five years in a row. In 1939, Davis was nominated for her role in Dark Victory. In 1940, she was nominated for “List”. In 1941 it was for “Little Foxes” and in 1942 it was for “Now, Voyager”.

In 1942, Davis (understandably) lost the Best Actress nomination to Greer Garson, star of William Wyler’s Best Picture-nominated Mrs. Miniver.

That win, however, marked a parallel Oscar hot streak that Garson was also on. In 1941, Garson received a Best Actress nomination for Flowers in the Dust, and then, in 1943, Garson starred in Marie Curie, receiving another nomination. In 1944, Garson was recognized for her performance in Mrs. Parkington, and finally in 1945, Garson received her fifth annual Best Actress nomination for Decision Valley.

In total, during her career, Garson received seven nominations for the best actress. No performer other than Davis and Garson has been nominated for Best Actress five years in a row. They were some of the strongest actors of their generation.