Will Smith Assault Wasn't the Most Violent Oscar Incident Ever

In 1973 Marlon Brando declined the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ‘The Godfather’. The actor asked Native American actress Sacheen Littlefeather to attend the ceremony in his place stating that he “very regretfully” could not accept the award, as he was protesting Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans in film.

Brando wrote a 15-page speech for Sacheen but she had only 60 seconds to deliver the speech or else she would be removed from the stage. Deviating from the prepared speech, she said the following:

"Hello. My name is Sacheen Littlefeather. I'm Apache and I am president of the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee. I'm representing Marlon Brando this evening, and he has asked me to tell you in a very long speech which I cannot share with you presently, because of time, but I will be glad to share with the press afterwards, that he very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry and on television in movie re-runs. I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening, and that we will in the future, our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity. Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando".

During her speech the audience booed and cheered. John Wayne was reported to be waiting in the wings and had to be restrained by six security guards to prevent him from forcing her off stage. When Clint Eastwood presented the Best Picture award, he remarked that he was presenting it "on behalf of all the cowboys shot in John Ford westerns over the years."

Some Twitter users pointed out that these two incidents are not, in fact, comparable:

And some offered a different perspective on Brando's behavior: