Biografie

Joined the United States Marines Corps at age 17 in 1945, but the atomic bomb ended World War II before he could see combat. Over the next four years, Scott served with the Honor Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, for which he was decorated. According to the 3/22/1971 issue of Time magazine, Scott gained a reputation as a heavy drinker during this period; he admitted to finding the grave detail extremely depressing.

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

Although he refused the Oscar he won for Patton: Rebell in Uniform (1970), he accepted the Emmy for his performance in the Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) 1971 production of Arthur Miller's "The Price", saying that he felt that the Emmy Awards were a more honest appreciation of an actor's work.

He accepted the role of Sheriff Bill Gillespie in In der Hitze der Nacht (1967), according to producer Walter Mirisch's memoir "I Thought We Were Making Movies, Not History". Scott backed out when wife Colleen Dewhurst wanted him to direct her in a play on Broadway. Mirisch then offered the role to Rod Steiger, who accepted and won an Oscar. Steiger later turned down the lead in Patton: Rebell in Uniform (1970) that went to Scott, which brought him an Oscar.

Scott and Marlon Brando played chess together while shooting Die Formel (1980). In his Playboy interview of December 1980 (Vol. 27, Iss. 12, pg. 81- 138), Scott told Lawrence Grobel -- who had conducted the famous interview with Brando for Playboy a year earlier -- that Marlon was not that good a player. Many years later, Christiane Kubrick leveled the same charge against Scott, who was beaten regularly by her late husband Stanley Kubrick on the set of Dr. Seltsam oder: Wie ich lernte, die Bombe zu lieben (1964) between setups. However, Kubrick was renowned as a master-level chess player who used to hustle other players in his youth in New York City.

[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].

The [Academy Awards] ceremonies are a two-hour meat parade, a public display with contrived suspense for economic reasons.

There is no question you get pumped up by the recognition. Then a self-loathing sets in when you realize you're enjoying it.

[on psychoanalysis] Four visits. I kept laughing. I couldn't get serious. If it helps you, it helps you. If standing on your head on the roof helps you, it helps you - if you think so.

Directors are supposed to help the audience. Good directors don't direct actors.

Die Formel (1980) - $1,250,000

Das Grauen (1980) - 1,000,000

Die Hindenburg (1976) - $1,000,000 + percentage of profits

Der Tag des Delphins (1974) - $750,000 against 10% of the gross

Patton: Rebell in Uniform (1970) - $600 .000 (+ 5% of the gross)