AH Challenge: Have Ronald Reagan Win An Oscar

Even though he was known for being an Actor before he got into politics, Ronald Reagan was never exactly an A-list movie star. Heck, the only movie I've ever heard that he was in was Bedtime for Bonzo (at least I think that was the title), and I don't think it was movie gold.

So, your challenege, is to have Ronald Reagan win an Academy Award (aka, an Oscar) for either Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor. POD must be between 1940 and 1963. Bonus points if you can also have him win an award later for Best Director.
 

Quatermain

Banned
Even though he was known for being an Actor before he got into politics, Ronald Reagan was never exactly an A-list movie star. Heck, the only movie I've ever heard that he was in was Bedtime for Bonzo (at least I think that was the title), and I don't think it was movie gold.

Reagan actually had starring roles in over fifty films. That he was some kind of glorified extra that bumbled into politics because he couldn't hack it in movies is an unfortunately perpetuated myth.

He was poised to break through to "A-List" status with his role in King's Row, but was drafted to serve in WWII a couple of months after it's release. He was away from Hollywood for four years, and never quite picked up where he left off.

If he's going to win an Oscar, work it so that he doesn't get drafted, capitalizes on his role in King's Row and wins for that. Either that, or because of his new-found star power, he goes from sucess to sucess and ends up getting the George Bailey role in It's A Wonderful Life out from under Jimmy Stewart, and wins for that
 
Reagan actually had starring roles in over fifty films. That he was some kind of glorified extra that bumbled into politics because he couldn't hack it in movies is an unfortunately perpetuated myth.

He was poised to break through to "A-List" status with his role in King's Row, but was drafted to serve in WWII a couple of months after it's release. He was away from Hollywood for four years, and never quite picked up where he left off.

If he's going to win an Oscar, work it so that he doesn't get drafted, capitalizes on his role in King's Row and wins for that. Either that, or because of his new-found star power, he goes from sucess to sucess and ends up getting the George Bailey role in It's A Wonderful Life out from under Jimmy Stewart, and wins for that

...you know what the scary thing is? I'm seeing him get that role out from under Stewart and later use that to help propel him into politics. I'm also getting images of his attitude toward the anti-Vietnam protests being compared to Henry Potter.
 
If Reagan became an A list actor, hewould not have had time to be President of the Screen Actors Guild and much less time for politics. Oh by the way, Reagan gave a good performance in Bedtime for Bonzo.
 
Reagan actually had starring roles in over fifty films. That he was some kind of glorified extra that bumbled into politics because he couldn't hack it in movies is an unfortunately perpetuated myth.

He was poised to break through to "A-List" status with his role in King's Row, but was drafted to serve in WWII a couple of months after it's release. He was away from Hollywood for four years, and never quite picked up where he left off.

If he's going to win an Oscar, work it so that he doesn't get drafted, capitalizes on his role in King's Row and wins for that. Either that, or because of his new-found star power, he goes from sucess to sucess and ends up getting the George Bailey role in It's A Wonderful Life out from under Jimmy Stewart, and wins for that

If Reagan had a slight physical ailment that prevented wartime service, he could been 4-F. Not to be ghoulish, but it's more likely James Stewart gets killed in WWII (He flew very dangerous missions as an Army bomber pilot) than Reagan "steals" the role from one of the century's greatest actors. Though Reagan would have been a natural as George Bailey, he couldn't have done some of the more difficult scenes such as his begging Old Man Potter for money.

There was an actor named Alan Marshall who had a number of starring roles in WWII. He never had them before Pearl Harbor and never would again after VJ-Day. He was a merely competent actor in an age of giants. But with so many of those giants in uniform, men like Marshall were all the studios had. After the war he went back to his career as a 4th or 5th billed actor in films.

Still, you can have a very good career in acting if you just keep getting one blockbuster film or TV role after another. No matter what the critics say. I'll be back...:mad:
 

Quatermain

Banned
...you know what the scary thing is? I'm seeing him get that role out from under Stewart and later use that to help propel him into politics. I'm also getting images of his attitude toward the anti-Vietnam protests being compared to Henry Potter.

Yeah, if Reagan does play George Bailey, and then later breaks into politics, expect the Democrats to make lots of disparaging 'Henry Potter' references, much like they did with Bedtime for Bonzo.

Not to be ghoulish, but it's more likely James Stewart gets killed in WWII (He flew very dangerous missions as an Army bomber pilot) than Reagan "steals" the role from one of the century's greatest actors.

He wouldn't even have to die, just have him be fairly seriously injured, give him a lengthy recovery, and his career falters. It never quite recovers, like Reagan's did OTL. Reagan goes on to increasing fame as an actor and becomes a venerable icon, and it's Stewart who goes into politics, seeks the Governorship of CA, and ends up POTUS, instead.
 
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At first glance this thread is definitely ASB. But thinking about it and the films and actors who've won Oscars, who knows?

A limited actor such as Reagan in a poor film like Forrest Gump ..... never mind the quality, feel the width.
 
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