Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1981: Results

5. John Lithgow in Blow Out- Lithgow gives an interesting turn as a hired killer who accomplishes his dirty job by pretending to be a murderous psychopath.

Best Scene: Burke explains his actions to his superior.

4. Paul Freeman in Raiders of the Lost Ark- Freeman gives an effective performance that makes Belloc the shadow to Indiana Jones.

Best Scene: "This, this is history"

3. Wilford Brimley in Absence of Malice- Brimley steals his whole film through his assured performance that basically wraps up the plot for his film.

Best Scene: His scene.

2. Bill Hunter in Gallipoli- Hunter gives a strong performance giving humanity to a man who continues with a futile and fatal charge because it is his order to do so.

Best Scene: Major Barton proceeds with the final charge.

1. Robert Prosky in Thief- Prosky gives my favorite supporting performance of 1981, apologies once again to my seemingly perpetual number 2 Jack Nicholson, by delivering a fantastic performance as a warm genial older man which hides the vicious gangster beneath.  

Best Scene: Leo threatens Frank.

Overall Rank:

1. Robert Prosky in Thief
2. Jack Nicholson in Reds
3. John Gielgud in Arthur
4. Ian Holm in Chariots of Fire
5. Bill Hunter in Gallipoli 
6. Wilford Brimley in Absence of Malice
7. Paul Freeman in Raiders of the Lost Ark   
8. Lee Van Cleef in Escape From New York
9. Mickey Rourke in Body Heat 
10. Sean Connery in Time Bandits 
11. John Gielgud in Chariots of Fire 
12. John Lithgow in Blow Out
13. Jerry Orbach in Prince of the City
14. Michael Ironside in Scanners
15. Klaus Wennermann in Das Boot
16. Michael Palin in Time Bandits 
17. Nigel Havers in Chariots of Fire
18. Kjell Nilsson in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior 
19. Harry Dean Stanton in Escape From New York 
20. Bruce Spence in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
21. Griffin Dunne in An American Werewolf in London
22. Christopher Walken in Pennies From Heaven
23. Burgess Meredith in Clash of the Titans 
24. Herbert Grönemeyer in Das Boot
25. Patrick McGoohan in Scanners
26. Howard Rollins in Ragtime
27. Bill Kerr in Gallipoli
28. Donald Pleasence in Escape From New York
29. Kenny Baker in Time Bandits 
30. Nicholas Farrell in Chariots of Fire 
31. Robert Grubb in Gallipoli
32. Lindsay Anderson in Chariots of Fire
33. John Cleese in Time Bandits
34. Brad Dourif in Ragtime
35. Warren Oates in Stripes
36. Nigel Davenport in Chariots of Fire
37. David Warner in Time Bandits
38. Bob Balaban in Absence of Malice 
39. Ralph Richardson in Time Bandits
40. Sean Penn in Taps
41. James Coco in Only When I Laugh
42. John Rhys Davies in Raiders of the Lost Ark
43. Tom Cruise in Taps
44. Patrick Magee in Chariots of Fire
45. Vernel Bagneris in Pennies From Heaven
46. John Woodvine in An American Werewolf in London
47. Michael Preston in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
48. Willie Nelson in Thief
49. Ernest Borgnine in Escape From New York 
50. David Rappaport in Time Bandits
51. James Cagney in Ragtime
52. Struan Rodger in Chariots of Fire 
53. Pierce Brosnan in The Long Good Friday
54. Ian Holm in Time Bandits
55. Ronald Lacey in Raiders of the Lost Ark
56. David Argue in Gallipoli 
57. Peter Egan in Chariots of Fire 
58. Isaac Hayes in Escape From New York
59. Barney Martin in Arthur
60. David Yelland in Chariots of Fire
61. Gene Hackman in Reds 
62. Alfred Molina in Raiders of the Lost Ark
63. James Olson in Ragtime
64. Dabney Coleman in On Golden Pond
65. Ted Danson in Body Heat
66. James Belushi in Thief
67. John Candy in Stripes
68. Dennis Farina in Thief
69. Denholm Elliot in Raiders of the Lost Ark 
70. J.A. Preston in Body Heat
71. Paul Sorvino in Reds
72. Gregory Hines in History of the World Part I
73. Dennis Franz in Blow Out 
74. Brad Davis in Chariots of Fire
75. Laurence Olivier in Clash of the Titans
76. Vernon Wells in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
77. Stephen Elliot in Arthur
78. Tom Signorelli in Thief
79. John Larroquette in Stripes
80. Doug McKeon in On Golden Pond 
81. Edward Hermann in Reds
82. Don Hood in Absence of Malice
83. Dennis Christopher in Chariots of Fire

Next Year: 1964 lead