THE CAST

STEPHEN BOYD

Stephen Boyd burst on the American consciousness as Messala in “Ben Hur,” and since that time he has gained a world-wide reputation for his excellence and versatility as an actor and as a fine human being. It is the initial two attributes that have made it possible for him to cover his own character in the role of Frank Fane in “The Oscar,” because Frank is everything that Boyd is not – hedonistic, aggressive, amoral, sometimes brutal, always opportunistic.

The Belfast-born star, an American citizen as of December 23, 1963, has made pictures all over the world since he worked in his first film, “An Alligator Named Daisy,” in England. His most recent films are “The Fantastic Voyage,” “The Bible,” “Genghis Khan,” and “The Fall of the Roman Empire.”

Of his role in “The Oscar,” before filming began Boyd said, “I was so excited when I read the script, I couldn’t sleep all night. I honestly believe if I can just do reasonably well – just a cut above bad – I’ll be set for life. It’s that good a role.”

Producer Greene and director Rouse feel that Boyd’s interpretation and portrayal of the complex personality that is Fane, is both brilliant and incisive. That he made the man vividly alive in a remarkable way is also attested by the fact that during filming, the favorite speculative topic among those working on and in “The Oscar” was “What did Frankie do? – what happened to him afterward?”