Wednesday 12 January 2011

Are You Ready for the Golden Globes?

Golden Globes by the Numbers
The calendar page is turning, the movies in theaters are actually good, and Hollywood is stocking up on its booze. All this can only mean one thing: It's time once again for "The Golden Globe Awards ."
Hosted by the incomparable Ricky Gervais, this year's tribute to the very best in film and television will take place on Sunday, Jan. 16, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC. By now, you already know the names of the nominees. But how well do you know your trivia? Check out our "Globes by the Numbers" gallery and test your knowledge on the most important digits in the history of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Whether you get all the answers or none of them, celebratory acceptance speeches are always encouraged.

Most Nominations in 2011: "The King's Speech"
With seven nominations, the period drama "The King's Speech" led this year's pack, earning nominations for best drama, plus acting honors for stars Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush.

Most Golden Globes Won By a Film: 5
The most Globes won by a film is five, shared by five classic films: "Doctor Zhivago"(1966), "Love Story" (1971), "The Godfather" (1973), "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1976), and "A Star is Born" (1977). Out of those five, "Zhivago", "Cuckoo's Nest", and "A Star is Born" are the only films to have a "perfect record," having received five nominations and then won all five Globes. But "Cuckoo's Nest" stands alone as the only film to win the Globe in all five major categories (Best Motion Picture, Actor, Actress, Director, Screenplay). 

Age of the Oldest Golden Globe Winners: 80 and 76
In 1990, Jessica Tandy became an awards-season sensation at 80 years old -- an age when most folks are polishing their old trophies, not winning new ones. Her "Driving Miss Daisy" role was every bit as sweet, endearing and timeless as the actress herself, who would pass away four years later. Tandy's trophy put her on top of the heap above the legendary Henry Fonda, who is the oldest male winner for his 1982 "On Golden Pond" win at 76 years young.

Most Nominations by an Actor in One Year: 3
Although such superstars as Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore have pulled off the double Golden Globe nomination, even they can't hold a candle to the incredible year Jamie Foxx had in 2005. The actor/comedian was nominated for three different projects: "Ray" (Best Actor in a Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy), "Collateral" (Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture) and "Redemption" (Best Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television). Ultimately, Foxx only took home the "Ray" trophy -- but something tells us he wasn't complaining. 

Number of Films with a Perfect Record: 3
"Doctor Zhivago" (pictured), "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "A Star is Born" all received five nominations and won all five awards.

Age of Youngest Winner: 9
Nowadays, we all know him as Rick -- the tough-guy star of such shows as "24" and "NYPD Blue." But back in the day -- yep, even before "Silver Spoons" -- he was li'l Ricky Schroder, Golden Globe winner. Quite possibly the cutest child actor ever committed to celluloid, Schroeder made his acting debut in "The Champ" as the young son of a battered boxer (Jon Voight) trying to make a comeback. If you haven't seen the film, it's definitely worth a look, but we should offer a word of caution: don't press "play" on that DVD unless you have a big box of Kleenex at your side 

Most Nominations All-Time: 25
The amazing Meryl Streep, who has never been stronger than she was with three films in 2009, has received twenty-five Golden Globe nominations. Among the classics that have earned her the honor: 1976's "The Deer Hunter," 1982's "Sophie's Choice," 1985's "Out of Africa," 2002's "The Hours" and "Adaptation," and 2006's "The Devil Wears Prada." This year, Streep has been nominated for both the cooking semi-biopic "Julie & Julia" and the grown-up comedy "It's Complicated." Amazingly enough, it's the third time she's been nominated for multiple Globes in the same year for different movies. 

Most losses in a single year: 7
This dubious distinction is shared by two films, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" (pictured) and "The Godfather: Part III," both of which lost all seven categories they were nominated in.


Number of People Involved in the Biggest Tie: 3
Actors love to say that it's an honor just to be nominated and that everyone in their category is already a winner. But 1989's Golden Globes took both those statements to the extreme, giving a trophy to three-fifths of the nominees for Best Actress. That's right: Jodie Foster ("The Accused"), Shirley MacLaine ("Madame Sousatzka") and Sigourney Weaver ("Gorillas in the Mist") all tied, creating the only three-way split decision in the history of the Globes. We don't know who to feel worse for: Those three leading ladies, or Meryl Streep and Christine Lahti -- the two women who didn't win, and ended up in the category's minority. 

Most Globes Won By an Actor or Director: 6
The record holders are Streep and the incomparable Jack Nicholson with six each. Jack's trademark black sunglasses and smile first thanked the HFPA in 1975 for "Chinatown," and last took home a trophy for 2003's late-in-life dramedy "About Schmidt." In-between were "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "Terms of Endearment," "Prizzi's Honor" and "As Good As It Gets." Streep has won Globes for everything from "The Devil Wears Prada" to "Angels in America" to "Kramer vs. Kramer" and "Adaptation," and it's really saying something that she's lost 17 times and still wears the crown. 

Annual Installments of the Golden Globes: 68
To Oscar, the Globe is nothing more than a little brother with an odd-looking head. But to the rest of us, 68 years is nothing to laugh at. Believe it or not, eight journalists founded the awards in 1943, holding their luncheon on the 20th Century Fox lot and giving the winners scrolls of paper parchment. The awards were presented by journalists until 1958, when Rat Pack legends Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. stormed onto the stage wielding whiskey, cigarettes and far better material than any film critic could muster. Ever since, the stars have reigned supreme and held court at Hollywood's most unpredictable big-ticket ceremony.

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