The Informer

While filming "The Informer" (1935), director John Ford kept Victor McLaglen continually off-balance (and thus in character) by getting him drunk, changing his schedules, verbally abusing him on and off the set and filming scenes when he'd told McLaglen that they were only rehearsing. For the crucial rebel court scene, the story goes that Ford reduced the actor to a trembling wreck by promising him the day off only to bring him into the studio early and extremely hung over, insisting that he spit out his lines. McLaglen was so furious with Ford over this that he threatened to quit acting and kill the director.

The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning four. McLaglen won Best Actor for his portrayal of Gypo Nolan, beating out Charles Laughton, Clark Gable, and Franchot Tone for the better-remembered (and Best Picture-winning) "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935), and Ford won Best Director. Dudley Nichols won Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay, but turned it down because of union disagreements. It was the first time an Oscar was declined, though he claimed it three years later.

McLaglen was the first performer to win an Oscar for a performance in a remake, as the film was a remake of a 1929 film of the same name. In addition, when he was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for "The Quiet Man" (1952), he became the first male actor to be nominated for a supporting role after having already won an Oscar for a leading role. The first performer to do this was Jennifer Jones, who won the Best Actress Oscar for "The Song of Bernadette" (1943) and was a Supporting Actress nominee for "Since You Went Away" (1944).

McLaglen was at one time the heavyweight boxing champion of Britain, and fought Jack Johnson for the world championship. He lost.