Make way, Clark!
A proud Victor McLaglen steps up to collect his Best Actor Oscar in 1936 for THE INFORMER. Looking on is a smiling Louis B. Mayer. And Norma Shearer and David Niven are just behind Mr. Gable.
Clark Gable, Charles Laughton and Franchot Tone were all nominated for Best Actor (in MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY)- surely the first and only time? – three actors in the same film being Oscar nominated.
Surely there were other deserving candidates for Best Actor. What about Ronald Colman in A TALE OF TWO CITIES, or Fredric March in LES MISERABLES, Fred Astaire in TOP HAT ( oh no, the Oscars don’t consider musical performers), or Peter Lorre in MAD LOVE?
(The fifth nominee for Best Actor was Paul Muni in BLACK FURY.)
That smile from Mr. Mayer may be a bit forced. After all, the odds were that one of his stars would win. Still, Mutiny on the Bounty won Best Picture.
I never understood how the film which had Best Actor (McLaglen) and Best Director (John Ford) doesn’t win Best Picture too.
Vienna's Classic Hollywood 
Vienna, you make a good point about how the movie which had Best Actor (McLaglen) and Best Director (John Ford) doesn’t win Best Picture too. Who knows how members of the academy will vote. How about the years when the director of the Best Picture didn’t get an Oscar, or weren’t nominated.
I lost interest in the Academy Awards years ago, except for the Lifetime Achievement Awards. Those awards aren’t part of the regular ceremony anymore.
It’s all about publicity and selling more tickets I guess.