Thx for reviving this.

One of the things I hate about there being no archives for The Envelope is that all the terrific suggestions and thoughts there are now all lost.

After suggesting Roger Corman and Eli Wallach and hoping (but not expecting) Jean-Luc Godard, last  year was a real let-down.

Douglas Trumbull, high on my list, separately won the Gordon Sawyer award this year (an Oscar), so he's gone.  

I have had Max von Sydow as a real contender. I'm not sure that at his advanced age (though he seems healthy) that his recent nomination precludes him from early consideration, and might not even elevate him above where he had been. He'd be very worthy.

Apart from the Potter producer, the list of potential Thalberg winners is long - Robert Evans (divisive but strong support and credentials), Kathleen Kennedy (I believe she's finally off the BoG, which is a precluding factor), Scott Rudin all possible among others.

George Lucas has never won an Oscar. Never. If Coppola can get a Thalberg to go with his previous Oscars, Lucas certainly should finally get a statuette.

Herscholt is all over the place. Some of the stars doing really good work (Jolie, Penn) are previous Oscar winners, which likely comes into play, even if they have more to do with the movies and do equally worthy work as Winfrey. I do suspect that Tom Sherak wants to win this himself someday (he is a major player in the world of Multiple Sclerosis charities), but it's way too early and he likely has made some enemies while President of the Academy.

Among legendary international directors, Alain Resnais stands head and shoulders above others still alive. He was a nominee in his heyday, and is of the age where much of the BoG considers themselves to have been influenced. 

Ridley Scott and Peter Weir are two other middle-brow acclaimed directors who probably are out there, in Scott's case Thalberg being a possibility (ironically he has no Oscars because he wasn't a producer for Gladiator).

Among actors, so many, although I am in the Angela Lansbury has had a great career, but not to the same level in movies camp. Doris Day and Maureen O'Hara would be fine. Frankly, if they'd give it to Glenn Close I wouldn't protest, since her best chance in the future would be a lesser supporting actress make-up award. Giving it to James Earl Jones, also a terrific talent, seemed dubious except for adding his voice work. Does that open the door for Andy Serkis at some point? But above all, I still hope for Jeanne Moreau, a great actress, an icon and a legend.          

  

              

It’s simply disgusting that out of over 100 Honorary Oscar recipients only 9 were women.  The recent increase of annual honorees didn’t help to change that injustice.   Since 2009 out of 8 Honorary Oscars given out only one went to a woman (Lauren Bacall, 2009). I’m amazed how the lack of female recipients is not an issue with the Academy or press and they do nothing to improve statistic.

I’m pretty sure that is year shortlist will also be all-male and therefore he’s my prediction:
1. Actor – Max von Sydow (if anything his recent Oscar nomination only helped his case and the fact that he just worked with Tom Hanks shouldn’t hurt him either) or Sir Christopher Lee
2. Sir Ridley Scott – either an Honorary one of Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award (George Lucas is ineligible to receive an Honorary Oscar since he was presented with a  Thalberg in 1992)
3. Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award - Sean Penn

My personal choices:
1. Angela Lansbury – she one of the greatest actresses of her time and one of the last remaining alone active links of the Golden Age of Hollywood. 50 films, 3 Oscar nominations a 70 years old career, will be 87 years old in October – I can’t think of a more deserving candidate. As for her not being a movie star or not having a significant film career, this should even been an argument against her candidacy after they awarded Eli Wallach and her current The Best Man co-star James Earl Jones.
2. Jeanne Moreau – a true icon of world’s cinema and one of the most important actresses in film history.
3. Debbie Reynolds – not only for her film career, but also for her effort to preserve Hollywood’s legacy.

As for Glenn Close, I think she’s too young and I’m afraid that would kill her chances of ever winning a competitive award. I’m fine with Doris Day getting one, but if she doesn’t want it, what’s the point of awarding her against her will?

 
 
5-time Tony Award winner Angela Lansbury and 2-time Tony Award winner James Earl Jones celebrating opening night of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man on April 1, 2012