Top 10 Celebs Who Won An Award Then Disappeared

“Crocodile Dundee” (1986)

Austrian Paul Hogan had been working in his home country since the early 70s, but he came to international attention with the 1986 surprise blockbuster, “Crocodile Dundee.” For his performance as Mick “Crocodile” Dundee, Hogan won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Hogan went on to receive an Oscar nomination for co-writing the screenplay. Despite this breakthrough, Hogan struggled to make lightning strike twice. He’d star in two more “Crocodile Dundee” movies with diminishing returns at the box office, as well as a handful of other comedies that fell short of his early success. As the years went by, Hogan became better known for his tax evasion troubles and throwbacks to his Golden Globe-winning role.

“The Andy Griffith Show” (1960-68)

After decades in the industry, Frances Bavier landed her career-defining role as Aunt Bee on “The Andy Griffith Show.” Behind the scenes, Bavier was known for clashing with the cast, feeling she was a serious actress above this sitcom role. Nevertheless, Bavier remained with the series throughout its eight seasons. Towards the end of the show’s run, Bavier won her only Primetime Emmy for her supporting performance. Although the industry had finally recognized Bavier, her career was coming to a close. She’d appear in the spin-off “Mayberry R.F.D.” and the 1974 film “Benji.” Bavier subsequently retreated to a quiet life until she died in 1989. According to Griffith, Bavier called him a few months before her passing, apologizing for the animosity on set.

“Voyage of the Damned” (1976)

Katharine Ross is best known for playing Elaine Robinson in “The Graduate,” which scored her a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year – Actress. Ross found herself back at the Globes almost a decade later for her supporting performance in the ensemble piece “Voyage of the Damned.” She won the Globe, which usually translates to an Oscar nomination. Ross surprisingly didn’t make the lineup at the Academy Awards, however. The following years saw few opportunities for another shot at the gold. Flops like 1978’s “The Swarm” took a toll on Ross’ film career, leading her to primarily star in obscure TV movies throughout the 80s. By the 90s, Ross was essentially retired, only occasionally resurfacing for small roles in films like “Donnie Darko.”

“Baby Got Back” (1992)

Born Anthony L. Ray, Sir Mix-a-Lot released a couple of albums in the late 80s. The rapper rocked the music world in the early 90s, though, with his controversial single, “Baby Got Back.” Although some banned the tune, Sir Mix-a-Lot wasn’t the only one who liked big butts. The song sat atop the US Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. The song’s popularity culminated with Sir Mix-a-Lot winning the Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance. Between 1994 and 2003, Sir Mix-a-Lot released three more albums, although nothing could replicate the success of “Baby Got Back.” The song is still remembered as a cheeky throwback to 1992. The same can be said about the man behind it. A Grammy winner can still be a one-hit wonder.

“The Search” (1948)

A former child star from Czechoslovakia, Ivan Jandl’s acting career consisted of five films. 1948’s “The Search” was the only one from a U.S. studio. Taking place during World War II, Jandl played a young concentration camp survivor who was separated from his mother. Although Jandl didn’t speak any English, he brought authenticity to the role. For his extraordinary performance, Jandl was honored with a special Golden Globe and the Academy Juvenile Award. Unfortunately, he couldn’t accept these accolades in person due to travel restrictions at the time. Despite these accomplishments, Jandl left acting and was never able to break back into film. He passed away in 1987 with his awards being entrusted to the Czech National Film Archive.

“The Fisher King” (1991)

In less than a year, Mercedes Ruehl won a Tony for the Neil Simon play “Lost in Yonkers” and a Golden Globe for her performance as Anne Napolitano in “The Fisher King.” Ruehl went on to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for the latter, suggesting that her movie career was about to skyrocket. However, director Terry Gilliam warned Ruehl that she was inclined to see fewer roles moving forward. Ruehl initially thought Gilliam’s comment was “kind of mean.” In time, though, his premonition came true. Ruehl found that a supporting acting Oscar doesn’t always translate to more work. It just means studios will assume you want a higher paycheck. While Ruehl is still acting, she hasn’t seen as many opportunities as she would’ve liked.

“Girl You Know It’s True” (1989)

Following their debut studio album “All or Nothing,” Milli Vanilli broke out with their sophomore album, “Girl You Know It’s True.” The album’s title track, in particular, achieved early success, climbing to No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100. When the R&B duo won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1990, it seemed like they were just getting fired up. The Grammy would be the beginning of the end, however. Met with accusations of lip-synching, it was revealed that Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan didn’t contribute their vocals to the album. In an unprecedented move, Milli Vanilli was stripped of their Grammy win. Attempts at a comeback have fallen flat with the Grammy scandal only bringing more attention to the past deceit.

“Transparent” (2014-19)

Jeffrey Tambor was already a comedy legend by the time he won a Golden Globe and two Primetime Emmys for his performance as Maura Pfefferman in “Transparent.” Although Tambor is a cisgender male, he made a plea for trans characters to be exclusively played by trans actors moving forward. While “Transparent” would mark a turning point for representation, it also saw a difficult transitional period in Tambor’s career. Amid winning various awards, Tambor was met with accusations of toxic behavior, two of his accusers being trans women. Tambor was compelled to leave “Transparent” as many other creative teams cut ties with him. The veteran actor had already filmed a few other projects that were later released, but he’s been essentially retired ever since.

“The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946)

Harold Russell had lived the role of Homer Parrish, both losing their hands amid World War II. Although Russell had popped up in a documentary short, that was the extent of his acting experience. Nevertheless, William Wyler couldn’t think of anybody more qualified to play Homer in “The Best Years of Our Lives.” His instincts proved correct, as Russell received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. Convinced that a non-actor would win this award, the Academy granted Russell an Honorary Oscar. To their surprise, Russell also won in the supporting category, making him the only person to take home two Oscars for the same performance. Although Russell appeared in two more movies during his lifetime, he otherwise left showbiz in favor of helping fellow veterans.

“Dreamgirls” (1981)

Jennifer Holliday gave what might be the most showstopping performance in Broadway history as Effie White in the original cast of “Dreamgirls.” Witnessing Holliday sing, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” there was little question of who was winning the Tony. Indeed, Holliday not only ran away with the Tony for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, but also a Grammy and Drama Desk Award. One would expect Holliday to take the entertainment industry by storm, but her presence in film and television has been minimal. Even on stage, Holliday has only starred in three Broadway productions since “Dreamgirls.” This can be partially attributed to Holliday’s history of physical and mental health struggles. Like Effie, though, Holliday deserves another act.


Which award-winning celebs would you like to see more of? Let us know in the comments.