George Chakiris winning Best Supporting Actor

[@jeanettesmith765]

He was the perfect Bernardo, and he was so gorgeous.

[@richardaubrey382]

Incredibly versatile too.. he actually was Riff in the London production of West Side Story in 1958 for almost 2 years before being cast as Bernardo for the film.

[@jeanettesmith765]

@@richardaubrey382 That is interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[@gardengirl9569]

I have never seen another Bernardo I loved as much as this guy, and the whole original movie cast. But he was amazing and really helped make the show! Loved that purple suit! 2:13

[@kevinchard6147]

So gorgeous it’s scary good

[@cellosareawesome]

I got to meet him recently on a school trip to LA after a private screening of West Side Story at the Egyptian Theater. He brought his Oscar with him and passed it around and actually let us hold it. It's so surreal seeing this and knowing that I've touched that very same Oscar and knowing all the hard work that was put into earning it. And even more crazy that he let a bunch of high school kids put their hands on it. He's a wonderful and talented man

[@michaelmuldowney8]

That's great. There is something really cool about holding a Oscar. I got to do this with the Oscar won by Glen Hansard for the movie ONCE.

[@RahimKhan-vd3wt]

Thanks

[@mysticalmargaret6105]

+cellosareawesome Aw that's awesome! You can tell your grandkids that you once met 'Bernardo' from 'West Side Story' and held his Oscar! :D

[@CountryCowboy008]

cellosareawesome You should've asked him how it was like working with Marilyn Monroe

[@yeyeye7143]

cellosareawesome That's so incedible!

[@vcp365]

He's so handsome here!

[@90sblinklifeforlife40]

Agreed!

[@drstrangelove6558]

No

[@eamonndeane587]

@Mark Ehrlich These days he looks like he's in his Late 40s not in his Mid 80s.

[@shimmeringfairydust3275]

Wow, back when gratitude was huge & speeches were short.

[@christopherparrisjr.3146]

Most speeches have to be political nowadays.

[@TheSomeawesome]

Rita's speech is still the best speech ever

[@jwpaulson2360]

In 1943 Greet Garson (Mrs. Miniver) spoke for over five minutes.

[@ishmaelhewitt2395]

Uh, that was never a thing in Oscar history. You can probably count on one hand the number of people that gave just a few words at their acceptance.

[@shimmeringfairydust3275]

@@ishmaelhewitt2395 I suggest you revisit history. Other than Greer Garson and a handful of others, most winners only spoke a few words in their acceptance speeches. There wasn’t the lengthy applause for each nominee, either. All this seemed to change in the mid 1980s when winning actors/actresses spoke for at least 3 minutes. Sometimes it was because of the winner wanting to thank everyone under the sun; sometimes it was political. The ceremonies were much shorter, pre 1980s, and the press didn’t write a multiple page article about the attire of every woman attending the ceremonies. Sometimes there were even empty chairs in the audience! A lot has changed, and not necessarily for the better.

[@Itskunbi]

he’s so handsome and a worthy winner. great dancer, actor and singer that worked really hard to portray bernardo

[@ContrarianCorner]

Great moment for Chakiris. He must have thought he had no chance against that list of heavyweights. The look on his face is one of genuine shock. He probably didn't even bother writing a speech. That's why he just said, "Thank you," and walked off.

[@phil2u48]

All bets were on Montgomery Clift.

[@CHRISRepAZ]

My thoughts too

[@saiyongdawn7756]

Still, always come prepared. You never know. Lol. Both he and Moreno were unprepared.

[@ChrolliForever]

One of the worst wins of the Academy. West side story earns the other 9 Wins by the way, but George Chakiris win was underwhelming!

[@jehobden]

Peter Falk was apparently the only other nominee to show up at the theater that night.

[@xxwhispersxx2856]

omg Rita and George were so adorable.

[@2034916]

And they still are.

[@jamessherry907]

Red N h y

[@sdkelmaruecan2907]

For the trivia, this was the youngest line-up of Oscar winners in history: George Chakiris (28), Rita Moreno (31), Maximilan Schell (32) and Sophia Loren (28) and all of them were younger than the Academy Awards.

[@thomaspiccirillo6820]

Thank you! I never knew that!

[@tracy2648]

All these actors were even younger than you state - by one year -since the 1962 Oscars took place on April 9, 1962 and their birthdays are all later in the year - September for Sophia and George, December for Rita and Maximilian.

[@lilybond6485]

Yes -- thanks -- interesting piece of trivia.

[@kellycoleman715]

Interesting!

[@kevinhogue1784]

Probably the classiest and most handsome actor to ever walk onto that stage

[@KJ-xc6qs]

So talented and good-looking, then and now (at 84!).

[@janetclaireSays]

He is very good looking now, except he should stop dying his hair. There's no need for it and it deters from his looks today.

[@hugohackenbush1554]

Such a class act. He was magnificent in West Side Story.

[@muscled57]

Can one imagine beating out the likes of Jackie Gleason, George C. Scott, Montgomery Clift, and Peter Falk to win an Oscar? A monumental achievement on its own! Yet George's performance and that entire work of art that was West Side Story is deserving of every Oscar that it won!!

[@triciajohansen9295]

What an honor!

[@shawni321]

I couldnt help but smile at his genuineness

[@beachgirl5584]

Classy, elegant man George is. Look how beautiful Shirley Jones is.

[@photonotavailable7936]

My thought exactly.

[@dianabeurman364]

SHIRLEY WAS GORGEOUS AND STILL IS

[@garywarmee4367]

Oh, Shirley Jones! A commanding speaking voice as well as song! I loved her in a reissue of OKLAHOMA! in maybe 1961 as a 9 year old when she came out of her little yellow farmhouse as the prettiest woman I had ever seen! Still feel that way about her!

[@garywarmee4367]

And from his book we learn GC absolutely loves and adores Shirley Jones! Who knows this? In the very last episode of The Partridge Family apparently guest star George marries Shirley Jones Partridge!

[@nadiazayman779]

@@garywarmee4367 Nope, they just rekindle an old romance.

[@StonyRC]

That was the face and demeanor of a man who never expected to win!

[@patrickryan1515]

What honest to goodness sincerity. Nice man.

[@kevinharvey8971]

He looked completely stunned. I met him at the Egyptian theatre in Hollywood also very kind and classy man. He must have worked xtra hard to play a thug.

[@manuelorozco7760]

I never been to the Egyptian Theater or Chinese Theater. But I’ve been to the El Capitan twice

[@artnardone]

He was completely stunned because 59 years later nobody still does not know who he is and every house hold in America knows Jackie Gleason.

[@littlemissblackdress7587]

@@artnardone fuck right off

[@janetclaireSays]

@@artnardone that's because George didn't have a tv show, not because he didn't have talent.

[@leojbramble]

You must have never seen one of the most famous American musicals ever; Bernardo was hardly a thug

[@t.s.t.4085]

Mr. Chakiris was one of the most underrated for his role in West Side Story. He was/is awesome:)

[@DougJrFan93]

Aw, he looks so happy!

[@luciaorgaz8214]

Rita looked sooooo happy for him!

[@zaidbrali2010]

01:36 the stunned reaction of hearing your name as the winner.. priceless.

[@randolphpinkle4482]

1:36

[@BENJ1969]

This was one hell of a year for movies and performances!

[@LuvTadnDixie]

So well deserved. He was incredible in that movie.

[@BoBo-ti6jh]

He really deserved it. Great performance. Very handsome man too.

[@xsexxyemox]

He looked so nervous! Awww how cute he looked like he was trying not to prevent himself from showing and like he was thinking "do I really have to come up here right now" hahaha

[@rmonegan]

He also was one of the backup dancers in Marilyn Monroe's Diamonds Are A Girls' Best Friend number in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes...look closely - he has his black hair colored with grey highlights.

[@dueroden]

Yes, and he was only 21 at the time. But he looked great with the grey highlights.

[@brianobrien7983]

West Side Story was such a success. As wonderful as he was in the film, George Chakiris' win was surprising given that his character spoke so little. But it shows what an impact he had.

[@Scandilady]

Giorgios Chakiris, as gorgeous as a Greek man can be, efkaristo.

[@jjgreek1]

Tuula Westra we are a good looking nation aren’t we :)

[@slc2466]

@@jjgreek1 Yes, I went to Greece once and most of the guys there looked like models- good genes, for sure.

[@philiphema2678]

I went to Greece in '67 on hols from NZ. And you are right. Historical mixing of the genes produces beautiful people.

[@nory472]

wonderfull actor, wonderfull dancer, wonderfull George!!!!

[@Marcel_Audubon]

you should learn how to spell wonderful before leaving a comment like that

[@Marcel_Audubon]

@@jackdonohue7893 because I say so

[@nalrader]

@@Marcel_Audubon And you should learn how to write a proper sentence with capitals and punctuation you hypocrite.

[@tinadurski4717]

When the Oscars were actual talent and class

[@monmothma3358]

Really, are the winners untalented these days?

[@HueyRocks23]

@@monmothma3358They're just the usual rabble-rousers who jump on KZbin each day and post "I miss the old days" dribble you see everywhere.

[@JckdaripprOswego]

@@monmothma3358 yes, self centered doush bags.

[@janetclaireSays]

@@JckdaripprOswego what's a "doush bag"?

[@marcokite]

@@monmothma3358 - they are fairly untalented yes and most have no class

[@GfSavages]

I don't know how you could even vote with a lineup as superb as that. All of those performances were amazing

[@chakirisfan9828]

thanks so much for posting this video, wonderful to see George Chakiris accept this truly great honor. We could debate all day whether it was deserved or not, but you have to reflect that it's far more difficult to make an impression on screen with just your PRESENCE than with tons of great dialogue, etc. The role of Bernardo depended on the dancing yes, but it also was about Chakiris' ability to ACT and project himself. That's not easy to do!

[@Gardenlodge4691]

Do you happen to know if George has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? I can’t seem to find anything saying he does which seems absurd and incredulous!! 😳

[@bman560]

All great performances. Clift was great, but Scott and Gleason are riveting in the Hustler. Peter Falk and Hope Lange are the best thing in Pocketful of Miracles. But Chakiris deserved this award. He was superb.

[@maxon888]

Wow-the competition were legendary

[@TokyoStreetReport]

This is a perfect acceptance speech.

[@faeryquene]

Agreed. Chakiris had to portray a gangster AND sing and dance. I doubt many of the other actors in the room that day could have done his role and sold it as great as Chakiris did. Imo in many ways it's easier to act in straight drama than to have to suddenly break into song and dance in the middle of a gangwar. George did a great job and I'm glad his colleagues voted for him. They WERE his colleagues who voted for him too, not the populace.

[@livelovelaugh473]

He was cute and had a great smile!

[@lynnturman8157]

Montgomery Clift should've won. Montgomery Clift should've won an Oscar for every movie he was ever in. He was that good.

[@MikeysGayToday]

Lynn Turman I just replied to somebone about how great Monty was.

[@mysticalmargaret6105]

+Lynn Turman I totally disagree. To each his own. George Chakiris richly deserved the Oscar that year and I'm very happy he won it.

[@TheChannelTV-bt8em]

+Lynn Turman One of the greats of all time. You're batting a thousand, Turman (more or less).

[@dueroden]

I used to think that of Montgomery Clift, but I now think he mostly was too mannered in his performances. It was method acting to the extreme...not a good thing.

[@lynnturman8157]

@@dueroden What you see as mannered, I see as performance stripped of all theatricality. In other words: living truthfully under imaginary circumstances

[@bman560]

I love Shirley's dress

[@chicago913]

He is such a handsome man

[@faeryquene]

So what? Chakiris deserved to win it that year, he did and that's that. He's not the only actor to 'only' win one Oscar in their lifetime. Many legendary actors never won an Oscar at all. Winning one is a fine honor but it doesn't define an actor's 'greatness' or not.

[@KanTexCali]

Aren't you just a ray of sunshine.

[@jude2888]

God he's gorgeous

[@faeryquene]

I disagree. Both Tamblyn and Chakiris were equally great in their respective roles. If it were up to me both Tamblyn and Chakiris would have won Oscars that year. Not too many actors in that room could sing, dance AND act like gangsters as well as Russ and George did.

[@mskimyu]

1:36 Unexpecting. So genuine.

[@fanorama1]

Monty Clift was amazing.

[@kathrynmolesa1641]

Greatest Oscar speech I've ever heard. Thank you.

[@michaelmuldowney8]

52 years on - three of the four actors who won acting awards that year are still with us - George, Rita Morena and Sophia Loren. Max Schell only passed away earlier this year.

[@faeryquene]

Chakiris absolutely deserved to win the Oscar.

[@dianebarreto79]

Back when they used to say "and the winner is..." instead of "and the award goes to..".

[@ian9838]

Diane Barreto That crap started with the 1988 Oscars (61st annual) and the Producer, Alan Carr. He should have been more concerned with that hideous opening which culminated in Rob Lowe and Snow White singing "Proud Mary."

[@GGSLM]

Diane Barreto They say "the Oscar goes to", not "the award goes to".

[@1234pouvez]

+Diane Barreto I like ""The Oscar goes to"" For me all of the nominees are winners. The Honor is in the nomination. The Oscar goes to whoever gets the most votes, out of the five. To be one of the chosen five, out of the hundreds of ballots sent out is the honor, to me.

[@bryanismyname7583]

It's an award, a contest, so why shouldn't there be a winner? Honestly, what's wrong with that?!

[@TheatreofSymphony]

+Bryan Criddic it is a recognition award, not a contest award.

[@DRIVEIN101]

12 years later, George Chakiris would guest star in the final episode of "The Partridge Family" as an old boyfriend of Shirley's

[@StevenCuoco]

It's an honor to have you on my show, George. You can hear George's exclusive interview with me on Live On Air with Steven Cuoco on Power 98.5 Satellite Radio

[@catperson271]

I fell in love with him when I first saw WSS. He was such a great dancer and sooooo handsome.

[@bashbrannigan]

I had never heard of him before, George Chakiris, so I googled him. He was solely a dancer in several films and West Side Story was his first major role. However after that, I couldn’t find him in any big movie I recognized and he only appeared in single TV episodes never a series. Maybe he needed a better agent.

[@manuelorozco7760]

I have seen him dance in White Christmas

[@ShelbyFarrow]

I saw a picture of George taken in 2019 when he was 87 and he looks fantastic! He looks way younger than his age.

[@skanderbeg1751]

He is a Greek !!!!

[@mickeymouse2able]

People seemed so humble in those days. Before computers and selfies and stuff like that there.

[@malouxoupa2012]

a greek Actor!!!.. perfect!!

[@demh7823]

Shirley Jones, What a dress!

[@ggphipps1]

Awwwww boo boo! He was sooo charming!

[@rachelgarber1423]

So handsome

[@fatima1009]

He did look shocked. Competing with Gleason and Scott, wow.

[@triciajohansen9295]

Not to mention Monty Cliff AND Colombo!😎

[@noelnewlon]

That's the way to accept an award.

[@vitordragon]

The level of the actors!!!!

[@chakirisfan9828]

Shirley Jone's hairstyle is priceless! lol

[@tomlovejoy1534]

What a cutie Shirley Jones was in this clip! 😍

[@GenX21Chris_2cents]

Happy Birthday to Mr.Chakiris.9-16-34.Ohio.

[@sarahm8497]

damn he cute

[@HarlequeenStudio]

I think that this is the most deserving win, because most actors use words to act and only some of them, very rare, can act equally good using only their body. or mostly their body. it's harder to act with presence than with big words.

[@hi.imjojo.x]

That's HIGHLY arguable! That Oscar was WELL deserved!!!

[@slim555555]

How elegant and dapper he looks.

[@trilby5546]

George is and was beautiful.

[@Spiderman7Bob7]

And why have we not heard much about George Chakiris after this Oscar win ? We heard a lot about that great Rita Moreno, but not George ! Rita has been all over the place through the years and she's wonderful.

[@tomada36]

They really dressed up back then. They do now, too, but back then it was really quite the event.

[@alziraneves7235]

Peter Falk deserved an Oscar too.

[@robertr798]

Chakiris was fabulous, but this one should have gone to Montgomery Clift.

[@elliesimpson1313]

Now those were the good ole days...of Oscars

[@MrImiller07]

Montgomery Clift gave a moving and memorable performance in Judgment At Nuremberg and should have been honored for his cumulative work in A Place In The Sun and From Here To Eternity; George C. Scott was also outstanding in The Hustler, however, he was ultimately honored for Patton [ which he rejected ] . Chakiris never re-captured this glory moment.

[@daxashah1506]

Well deserved for well deserved actor.George Chakiris acted very nice in West Side Story directed by impeccable Robert Wise.Bob Hope is one of the finest orator specially forOscar Awards.

[@harrietamidala1691]

Finally, this is uploaded. I've been wanting to see this for a long time!

[@msarie0543]

He was so handsome! And nice short speech !

[@TheKristobald]

Loved Chakiris in this film...but I really wish Monty would have won. Chakiris was very good, no question about that. But Monty was outstanding. I never saw a performance quite like his in Judgment Of Nuremberg. On a side note, I wish Peter Falk could have won too. He was a delight in Pocketful of Miracles :)

[@xxwhispersxx2856]

It was back then when the Awards could have gone any way because the acting was just THAT GOOD. Now it's all trash.

[@missladyanonymity]

Handsome columbo!

[@blueter56]

Dude! You beat out Montgomery Clift! Rita, so genuinely happy for you! What a time!

[@GinaGreenlee]

Yay George! AND Shirley Jones is KILL-IN that dress!

[@countalucard4226]

Monte deserved it though for Judgement at Nuremberg. If you haven’t seen it, you must

[@triciajohansen9295]

A tie!

[@nicolelabram5575]

No. Monty deserved the Award. Should have been given a career Oscar. Great actor.

[@countalucard4226]

@@nicolelabram5575 I agree. Same with Paul Muni who I think is the greatest actor ever.

[@xenafan234]

Looks like the Who's from Who Ville got a hold of Shirley Jones!

[@massabielle2821]

Wow…..such days of elegance and class! Those gorgeous dresses and classic tuxedos!

[@quietyoutrash8150]

He was so handsome and the only Bernardo in the only West Side Story.

[@mikelheron20]

The two roles and performances are so completely different it is absurd trying to compare them.

[@corineusa1454]

That's pure class!!

[@stephenmccollum1391]

Incredible list of actors

[@saranghae8160]

George Chakiris deserved this award! He is awesome. Montgomery Clift is weak in this award. There is no reason to give this award to compensate not received from the other awards.

[@MikeysGayToday]

sarang hae Montgomery Clift was one of the greatest actors of all time. He changed the way actor's "acted" Along with Brando and Dean. Had he won, it would have been because he was fantasic.

[@TheChannelTV-bt8em]

+sarang hae Weak? Are you for real? Only his character was weak. The performance was unforgettable. No "compensation" was involved. Don't know where you get your lame ideas. And he had it all over Chakiris, with due respect.

[@TheChannelTV-bt8em]

+Mikey Trahant Dean really just aped the other two. He wasn't quite in their league.

[@barbarajohnson3876]

He was gorgeous

[@DavidRicklis]

Who remembers seeing Chakiris as a dancer (uncredited) in White Christmas? It was during Rosemary Clooney's 'torch song' at the night club after she ran off to NY.

[@markc-ru4qz]

He was so gorgeous. So classy back then no tacky vulgar outfits no dumb political speeches no one punching someone.

[@marcokite]

wow! what class

[@lilybond6485]

This just showed up in my KZbin feed. Good Lord I remember seeing this in real time. Those were the days of “Hollywood Royalty” -- class and elegance. Shirley Jones’ dress -- gorgeous.

[@jeromemilne561]

Oscar's had class back then

[@rkappra]

Geez, for all those whiners out there crying that their favorite actor didn't win - get over it - this was 50 years ago!

[@wrlord]

Rita Moreno was SO hot. And Shirley... wowsa.

[@우사민-r3c]

Talk about tough competition! Wow!