ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES
CERTIFICATE OF NOMINATION FOR AWARD
WILLIAM BOWERS AND JAMES EDWARD GRANT NOMINATED FOR STORY AND SCREENPLAY FOR “THE SHEEPMAN”
STORY BY JAMES EDWARD GRANT AND SCREENPLAY BY WILLIAM BOWERS AND JAMES EDWARD GRANT
THIS JUDGMENT BEING RENDERED WITH REFERENCE TO MOTION PICTURES FIRST REGULARLY EXHIBITED IN THE LOS ANGELES DISTRICT DURING THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1958.
SIGNED AT THE BOTTOM BY THE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES
GEORGE STEVENS, PRESIDENT FROM 1958 TO 1959
AND BY SECRETARY HAL ELIAS
The Sheepman is a tongue-in-cheek 1958 Western film directed by George Marshall and starring Glenn Ford, Shirley MacLaine and Leslie Nielsen.
Plot
Gambler Jason Sweet (Glenn Ford) wins a herd of sheep in a poker game and proceeds to take them by train into the middle of cattle country. It is not long before the townsfolk take notice, but Sweet is more than up to the challenge.
The first thing he does is pick a fight with the roughest, toughest man around, “Jumbo” McCall (Mickey Shaughnessy), and beat him up. He also reveals himself to be an expert with a gun. Dell Payton (Shirley MacLaine) doesn’t know what to make of him, but is attracted to him, as is he to her. Her suitor, local cattle baron “Colonel” Steven Bedford (Leslie Nielsen), is troubled by this and also because he and Sweet know each other. The newcomer recognizes Bedford as his old enemy, Johnny Bledsoe, a card sharp and gunfighter gone respectable.
When Bedford finds himself losing their battle for domination, despite having the whole town behind him, he brings in a professional gunman, Chocktaw Neal (Pernell Roberts), but Sweet has little trouble dealing with him. The final showdown comes down to Bedford and Sweet. Sweet is faster and smarter and Bedford ends up dead. Sweet gets the girl; then, to her utter astonishment, he sells the sheep. He only kept them because he refused to be pushed around by anybody.
Cast
* Glenn Ford as Jason Sweet
* Shirley MacLaine as Dell Payton
* Leslie Nielsen as “Colonel” Stephen Bedford / Johnny Bledsoe
* Mickey Shaughnessy as “Jumbo” McCall
* Edgar Buchanan as Milt Masters
* Willis Bouchey as Frank Payton
* Pernell Roberts as Chocktaw Neal
* Slim Pickens as Marshal
* Robert ‘Buzz’ Henry as Red
* Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez as Angelo
Award nominations
William Bowers and James Edward Grant were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen.
There were also two BAFTA nominations: Best Film from any source, and Glenn Ford for Best Foreign Actor.
HAL ELIAS
Born Harold Elias in Brooklyn, NY. In addition to serving for 37 years on the board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and 25 as one of its officers, Elias was head of MGM’s cartoon and short subjects productions. During his tenure in that position, the studio’s “Tom and Jerry” series won eight Academy Awards.
Honorary Award 1979 For his dedication and distinguished service to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Winner presented a Statuette.