What a great post, it says all there is to say

Not giving Perkins a nomination for PSYCHO is inconcievable. I guess those types of films were not popular among the Academy at the time. Fredric March and Anthony Hopkins are the only two actors to get the Oscar for a horror film. Perkins didn't get the Oscar but he got immortality.

Perkins should have won the Oscar over Anthony Quinn in 1956 for FRIENDLY PERSUASION. Heb68 should have also received a nomination for FEAR STRIKES OUT [1957] and PSYCHO.

Becuz the Academy are a bunch of weenies who don't give awards to the best work.

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It's a shame he didnt even get nominated.

I think that many people on here are saying that the academy STILL does this. It does happen sometimes, but not NEARLY as much as it used to.

In those days especially (but even later on) horror films were not considered prestigious enough. Janet Leigh (whose character is killed 30 minutes into the film) was a surprise nominee and although Hitchcock got a director nod, the film and Perkins missed out. Also, Perkins played a mass murderer and the Academy usually goes for noble, handicapped or historical characters rather than creepy ones.

Janet Leigh was nominated best supporting actress she was one of the main characters.

I still think it's crazy she was nominated and he wasn't.
Wait a minute who am I here?

Because it was a horror movie.

Sadly, in some interview shortly before the Oscar nominations were announced, Perkins told the interviewer of his role as Norman Bates and the Oscar:
"I think I"m going to be nominated. Janet, too."
As it turned out, Perkins WASN'T nominated. (Maybe he shouldn't have said that.) JanetLeighwas. (Best Supporting Actress, she lost to Shirley Jones for "Elmer Gantry.")
When Perkins wasn't nominated, Hitchcock sent him a cable: "I am ashamed of your fellow actors." (Actors nominate Best Actors.)
For the record, the five Best Actor nominees were formidable:
Spencer Tracy Inherit the Wind
Laurence Oliver The Entertainer
Jack Lemmon The Apartment
Burt Lancaster Elmer Gantry
Trevor Howard Sons and Lovers
Tracy and Olivier were "gimmes"(the Great American and British Actors of their time), Lemmon was very funny AND moving in the fine "Apartment", and Burt Lancaster won, in his "perfect role," after a long career.
I guess Trevor Howard got Tony's slot.
Spencer Tracy WOULD have given Tony HIS slot, for upon learning of his nomination for "Inherit the Wind," Tracy said: "I need another award like I need a hole in the head."

However,Tony Perkins was a great young actoralready in 1960.

Simple: Because it wasn't a great movie or a great performance yet.
I AM NOT MONTEL WILLIAMS.

You are absolutely right about that.Tony's performance in Psycho is legendary.He also deserved an oscar for his role in Friendly Persuasion.So touching !
What a talented,beautiful man he was.

I never understood that either.
That is one of first roles you think of when somebody ask you:
Greatest performance by an actor ever

Probably because the Academy wanted to steer clear of controversy, as they usually do, considering what a shocking role that was for the time. (They did give the film 4 nominations, though). It's a shame he wasn't nominated! One of the greatest performances I've seen.