The two supporting acting categories were established in 1936.
Many actors have been nominated several times, and some have won multiple times.
In 92 years, 74 men have won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and 221 have been nominated for one (or more).
Total number of Best Supporting Actors (winners and nominees) is 295
Walter Brennan still holds the record among the men with four Best Supporting Actor Oscars, 1936, 1938, 1940, and 1941.
My study examines the age of the actor when he received his first Supporting Actor nomination.
1936
Walter Brennan, Come and Get It, 42
Auer, Michael, My Man Godfrey, 31
Erwin, Stuart, Pigskin Parade, 33
Rathbone, Basil, Romeo and Juliet, 44
Tamiroff, Akim, The General Died at Dawn, 37
1937
Schildkraut, Joseph, The Story of Emile Zola, 42
Bellamy, Ralph, The Awful Truth, 33
Warner, H.B., Lost Horizon, 62
Young, Roland, Topper, 50
1938
Walter Brennan, Kentucky, 44
Garfield, John, Four Daughters, 25
Lockhart, Gene, Algiers, 47
Marley, John, Marie Antoinette, 31
1939
Mitchell, Thomas, Stagecoach, 47
Aherne, Brian, Juarez, 37
Carey, Harry, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 61
Donlevy, Brian, Beau Geste, 38
Rains, Claude, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 50
1940
Brennan, Walter, The Westerner, 46
Basserman, Albert, Foreign Correspondent, 73
Gargan, William, They Knew What They Wanted, 35
Oakie, Jack, The Great Dictator, 37
Stephenson, James, The Letter, 51
1941
Crisp, Donald, How Green Was My Valley, 59
Gleason, James, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, 59
Greenstreet, Sidney, The Maltese Falcon, 62
1942
Hefflin, Van, Johnny Eager, 32
Bendix, William, Wake Island, 36
Morgan, Frank, Tortilla Flat, 52
Travers, Henry, Mrs. Miniver, 68
1943
Coburn, Charles, The More the Merrier, 66
Bickford, Charles, The Song of Bernadette, 52
Naish, J. Carrol, Sahara, 47
1944
Fitzgerald, Barry, Going My Way, 56
Cronyn, Hume, The Seventh Cross, 33
Webb, Clifton, Laura, 55
Wolley, Monty, Since You Went Away, 56
1945
Dunn, James, Tree Grows in Brooklyn, 44
Chekhov, Michael, Spellbound, 54
Dall, John, The Corn Is Green, 27
Mitchum, Robert, The Story of G.I. Joe, 28
1946
Russell, Harold, The Best years of Our Lives, 32
Demarest, William, The Jolson Story, 54
1947
Gwenn, Edmund, The Miracle on 34th Street, 70
Gomez, Thomas, Ride the Pink Horse, 42
Ryan, Robert, Crossfire, 38
Widmark, Richard, Kiss of Death, 33
1948
Huston, Walter, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, 64
Ferrer, Jose, Joan of Arc, 36
Homolka, Oscar, I Remember Mama, 50
1949
Jagger, Dean, Twelve O’clock High, 46
Ireland, John, All the King’s Men, 35
Kellaway, Cecil, The Luck of the Irish, 57
Kennedy, Arthur, Champion, 35
Richardson, Ralph, The heiress, 47
Whitmore, James, Battleground, 28
1950
Sanders, George, All About Eve, 44
Chandler, Jeff, Broken Arrow, 32
Jaffe, Sam, The Asphalt Jungle, 59
Von Stroheim, J. Sunset Boulevard, 65
1951
Malden, Karl, A Streetcar Named Desire, 39
Genn, Leo, Quo Vadis? 46
McCarthy, Kevin, Death of a Salesman, 37
1952
Quinn, Anthony, Viva Zapata! 37
Burton, Richard, My Cousin Rachel, 27
Hunnicutt, Arthur, The Big Sky, 42
McLaglen, Victor, The Quiet Man, 66
1953
Sinatra, Frank, From Here to Eternity, 38
Albert, Eddie, Roman Holiday, 47
De Wilde, Brandon, Shane, 11
Strauss, Robert, Stalag 17, 40
1954
O’Brien, Edmond, The Barefoot Contessa, 39
Cobb, Lee J., On the Waterfront, 43
Steiger, Rodd, On the Waterfront, 29
Tully, Tom, The Caine Mutiny, 46
1955
Lemmon, Jack, Mister Roberts, 30
Mantell, Joe, Marty, 40
Mineo, Sal, Rebel Without a Cause, 16
O’Connell, Arthur, Picnic, 47
1956
Quinn, Anthony, Lust for Life, 41
Murray, Don, Bus Stop, 27
Perkins Anthony, Friendly Persuasion, 24
Rooney, Micky, The Bold and the Brave, 36
Stack, Robert, Written on the Wind, 37
1957
Buttons, Red, Sayonara, 39
De Sica, Vittorio, A Farewll to Arms, 56
Hayakawa, S, The Bridge on the River Kwai, 68
Tamblyn, Russ, Peyton Place, 23
1958
Ives, Burl, The Big Country, 49
Bikel, Theodore, The Defiant Ones, 34
1959
Griffith, Hugh, Ben-Hur, 47
Scott, George C., Anatomy of Murder, 32
Vaughn, Robert, The Young Philadelphians, 27
Wynn, Ed, The Diary of Anne Frank, 73
1960
Ustinov, Peter, Spartacus, 39
Falk, Peter, Murder Inc., 33
Kruschen, Jack, The Apartment, 38
Wills, Chill, The Alamo, 57
1961
Chakiris, George, West Side Story, 27
Clift, Montgomery, Judgment at Nuremberg, 41
Gleason, Jackie, The Hustler, 45
1962
Begley, Ed, Sweet Bird of Youth, 61
Buono, Victor, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? 24
Savalas, Telly, The Birdman of Alcatraz, 40
Sharif, Omar, Lawrence of Arabia, 30
Stamp, Terence, Billy Budd, 24
1963
Douglas, Melvyn, Hud, 62
Adams, Nick, Twilight of Honor, 32
Darin, Bobby, Captain Newman MD, 27
Huston, John, The Cardinal, 57
1964
Ustinov, Peter, Topkapi, 43
Holloway, Stanley, My Fair Lady, 74
Tracy, Lee, The Best Man, 66
1965
Balsam, Martin, A Thousand Clowns, 46
Bannen, Ian, Flight of the Phoenix, 37
Courtenay, Tom, Dr. Zhivago, 28
Dunn, Michael, Ship of Fools, 31
Finlay, Frank, Othello, 39
1966
Matthau, Walter, The Fortune Cookie, 46
Mako, The Sand Pebbles, 33
Mason, James, Georgy Girl, 57
Segal, George, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 32
Shaw, Robert, A Man for All Seasons,39
1967
Kennedy, George, Cool Hand Luke, 42
Cassavetes, John, The Dirty Dozen, 38
Pollard, Michael, Bonnie and Clyde, 28
1968
Albertson, Jack, The Subject Was Roses, 61
Cassel, Seymour, Faces, 33
Massey, Daniel, Star! 35
Wild, Jack, Oliver! 16
Wilder, Gene, The Producers, 35
1969
Young, Gig, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? 56
Crosse, Rupert, The Reivers, 42
Gould, Elliott, Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice, 31
Quayle, Anthony, Anne of the Thousand Days, 56
1970
Mills, John, Ryan’s Daughter, 62
Castellano, Richard, Lovers and Other Strangers, 37
Chief Dan George, Little Big Man, 71
Marley, John, Love Story, 63
1971
Johnson, Ben, The Last Picture Show, 53
Bridges, Jeff, The Last Picture Show, 22
Frey, Leonard, Fiddler on the Roof, 33
Jaeckel, Richard, Sometimes a Great Nation, 45
Scheider, Roy, The French Connection, 33
1972
Grey, Joel, Cabaret, 40
Caan, James, The Godfather, 32
Duvall, Robert, The Godfather, 41
Pacino, Al, The Godfather, 32
1973
Houseman, John, The Paper Chase, 71
Gardenia, Vincent, Bang the Drum Slowly, 53
Gilford, Jack, Save the Tiger, 66
Miller, Jason, The Exorcist, 34
1974
Astaire, Fred, The Towering Inferno, 75
De Niro, Robert, The Godfather, Part II, 31
Gazzo, Michael, The Godfather, Part II, 51
Strasberg, Lee, The Godfather, Part II, 73
1975
Burns, George, The Sunshine Boys, 79
Dourif, Brad, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 25
Meredith, Burgess, The Day of the Locust, 68
Sarandon, Chris, Dog Day Afternoon, 33
Warden, Jack, Shampoo, 55
1976
Robards, Jason, All the President’s Men, 54
Beatty, Ned, Network, 39
Olivier, Laurence, Marathon Man, 69
Young, Burt, Rocky, 36
1977
Robards, Jason, Julia, 55
Baryshnikov, Mikhail, The Turning Point, 29
Firth, Peter, Equus, 24
Guinness, Alec, Star Wars, 63
Schell, Maxmillian, Julia, 47
1978
Walken, Christopher, The Deer Hunter, 35
Dern, Bruce, Coming Home, 42
Farnsworth, Richard, Comes a Horseman, 58
Hurt, John, Midnight Express, 38
1979
Douglas, Melvyn, Being there, 62
Forrest, Frederic, The Rose, 43
Henry, Justin, Kramer Vs. Kramer, 8
1980
Hutton, Tim, Ordinary People, 20
Hirsch, Judd, Ordinary People, 45
O’Keefe, Michael, The Great Santini, 25
1981
Gielgud, John, Arthur, 77
Coco, James, Only When I Laugh, 51
Holm, Ian, Chariots of Fire, 50
Rollins, Howard, Ragtime, 31
1982
Gossett, Louis Jr., An Officer and a Gentleman, 46
Dunning, Charles, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, 60
Lithgow, John, The World According to Garp, 37
Preston, Robert, Victor/Victoria, 1982
1983
Nicholson, Jack, A Few Good Men, 46
Durning, Charles, To Be Or Not To Be, 61
Lithgow, John, Terms of Endearment, 38
Shepard, Sam, The Right Stuff, 40
1984
Ngor, Hang S. The Killing Fields, 44
Caesar, Adolphe, A Soldier’s Story, 51
Malkovich, John, Places in the heart, 31
Morita, Pat, Karate Kid, 52
1985
Ameche, Don, Cocoon, 77
Brandauer, Klaus Maria, Out of Africa, 42
Hickey, William, Prizzi’s Honor, 58
Loggia, Robert, Jagged Edge, 55
Roberts, Eric, Runaway Train, 29
1986
Caine, Michael, Hannah and Her Sisters, 53
Berenger, Tom, Platoon, 36
Dafoe, Willem, Platoon, 31
Denholm, Elliott, A Room with a View, 64
Hopper, Dennis, Hoosiers, 50
1987
Connery, Sean, The Untouchables, 57
Brooks, Albert, Broadcast News, 40
1988
Guinness, Alec, Little Dorritt
Phoenix, River, Running on Empty, 18
1989
Aiello, Danny, Do the Right Thing, 56
Aykroyd, Dan, Driving Miss Daisy
Brando, Marlon, A Dry White Season, 63
1990
Pesci, Joe, GoodFellas, 47
Davidson, Longtime Companion, 44
Garcia, Andy, The Godfather, Part III, 34
Greene, Graham, Dances With Wolves, 38
1991
Palance, Jack, City Slickers, 72
Keitel, Harvey, Bugsy, 52
Kingsley, Ben, Bugsy, 48
Lerner, Michael, Barton Fink, 50
1992
Hackman, Gene, Unforgiven, 62
Davidson, Jaye, The Crying Game, 24
Nicholson, Jack, A Few good Men, 55
Paymer, David, Mr. Saturday Night, 38
1993
Jones, Tommy Lee, The Fugitive, 47
DiCaprio, Leonardo, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? 19
Fiennes, Ralph, Schindler’s List, 31
Malkovich, John, in the line of Fire, 40
Postlethwaite, Peter, In the Name of the Father, 47
1994
Landau, Martin, Ed Wood, 66
Jackson, Samuel, Pulp Fiction, 46
Palminteri, Chazz, Bullets Over Broadway, 42
Scofield, Paul, Quiz Show, 72
Sinise, Gary, Forrest Gump, 39
1995
Spacey, Kevin, The Usual Suspects, 36
Cromwell, James, Babe, 55
Harris, Ed, Apollo 13, 45
Pitt, Brad, 12 Monkeys, 32
Roth, Tim, Rob Roy, 34
1996
Gooding, Cuba, Jerry Maguire, 28
Macy, William H. Fargo, 46
Mueller, Stahl, Shine, 66
Norton, Edward, Primal Fear, 27
Woods, James, The Ghosts of Mississippi, 49
1997
Williams, Robin, Good Will Hunting, 46
Forster, Robert, Jackie Brown, 56
Hopkins, Anthony, Amistad, 60
Kinnear, Greg, As Good As It Gets, 36
Reynolds, Burt, Boogie Nights, 61
1998
Coburn, James, Affliction, 70
Harris, Ed, The Truman Show, 48
Rush, Geoffrey, Shakespeare in Love, 47
Thornton, Billy Bob, A Simple Plan, 43
1999
Caine, Michael, The Cider House Rules, 66
Cruise, Tom, Magnolia, 37
Duncan, Michael Clark, 42
Law, Jude, The Talented Mr. Ripley, 27
Osment, Haley Joel, The Sixth Sense, 11
2000
Del Toro, Benicio, Traffic, 33
Dafoe, Willem, Shadow of the Vampire, 45
Finney, Albert, Erin Brockovich, 64
Phoenix, Joaquin, Gladiator, 2000
2001
Broadbent, Jim, Iris, 52
Hawke, Ethan, Training Day, 31
McKellen, Ian, The Lord of the Rings, 62
Voight, Jon, Ali, 63
2002
Cooper, Chris, Adaptation, 51
Harris, Ed, The Hours, 52
Newman, Paul, Road to Perdition, 77
Reilly, John C., Chicago, 37
2003
Robbins, Tim, Mystic River, 45
Baldwin, Alec, The Cooler, 45
Hounsou, Djiman, In America, 33
Watanabe, Ken, The Last Samurai, 44
2004
Freeman, Morgan, Million Dollars Baby, 67
Alda, Alan, The Aviator, 68
Haden, Thomas Church, Sideways, 44
Owen, Clive, Closer, 40
2005
Clooney, George, Syriana, 44
Dillon, Matt, Crash, 41
Foxx, Jamie, Collateral, 37
Hurt, William, A History of Violence, 55
2006
Arkin, Alan, Little Miss Sunshine, 72
Haley, Jackie Earle, Little Children, 45
Hounsou, Djiman, Blood Diamond, 42
Murphy, Eddie, Dreamgirls, 45
Wahlberg, Mark, The Departed, 35
2007
Bardem, Javier, No Country for Old Men, 38
Affleck, Casey, The Assassination of Jesse James, 32
Hoffman, Philip Seymour, Charlie’s War, 40
2008
Ledger, Heath, The Dark Knight, 29
2009
Waltz, Christoph, Inglourious Basterds, 53
2010
Bale, Christian, The Fighter, 36
Rush, Geoffrey, The King’s Speech, 59
2011
Plummer, Christopher, Beginners, 82
2012
Waltz, Christoph, Django Unchained, 56
2013
Leto, Jared, Dallas Buyers Club, 42
2014
Simmons, J.K. Whiplash, 60
Hawk, Ethan, Boyhood, 44
Norton, Edward, Birdman, 45
2015
Rylance, Mark, Bridge of Spies, 55
2016
Mahershala, Ali, Moonlight, 42
2017
Rockwell, Sam, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Dafoe, Willem, The Florida Project, 62
2018
Mahershala, Ali, Green Book
Rockwell, Sam, Vice
2019
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in America
2020