Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role 1949
Jane Wyman Johnny Belinda 1949
SEX WORKER ROLE
Saloon Girl in Bengal Tiger 1936
Character Is A Saloon Girl
Jane Wyman once famously said, “I simply refused to play a prostitute, a drug addict. Non-exposure is better than appearing in the wrong thing.” Remember, she made these statements during a time when scripts were plentiful and she was at the pinnacle of her profession. However, in the initial phases of an actress’s career, seize any opportunity that presents itself. To her credit, she never took on roles such as prostitute or drug addict. However, she did play a saloon girl in the 1936 film “Benegal Tiger.”
As written about in the Linda Hunt entry, Saloon Girls kept lonely men drinking by keeping them company. The more the men drank, the more money they made as they worked on commission. Some Saloon Girls even turned tricks, with the Saloon getting a kickback.
To read more about this prostitute role & other Oscar-winning actresses playing a hooker, please continue perusing
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