George C. Scott(1927-1999)

Was the first actor ever to refuse an Academy Award (1970, for Patton (1970)). He was followed by Marlon Brando, who also turned down the award for El padrino (1972). The reason he claimed for missing the ceremony was that he was busy watching a hockey game.

[when asked for suggestions on how to judge acting] I have three tests. First, which dominates, the character or the actor? With very few exceptions it should be the character. Second, on film - as opposed to stage - we're pretty much playing basic emotions: love, anger, fear, pity. So the trick is whether you can come up with any fresh choices to present these common emotions. Third - and this is the quality that separates the great ones from the good ones - I look for a "joy of performing" quality. Who had that quality? As much as anyone, Jimmy Cagney [James Cagney].