Oscar stars also grace smaller screens (part I: the guys)

     The line between television and movies has been getting thinner and thinner for years.  While once movie stars were seen as something above their television counterparts, that has long since ceased to be the case.  There is so much crossover now between the two groups, that it is almost unnoticeable.  Furthermore, the awards shows for movies are carried on television.  Movies air on television all the time, especially on premium channels such as HBO and Showtime, which in turn now make their own television shows.  Although all of this year's Oscar male nominees have some television parts in their past, here are some of the strongest links:

George Clooney (Best Actor: Up in the Air) ~ The ultimate crossover, Clooney had his big break  starring in a popular television show called ER, before moving on to the cinema hits such as Ocean's Eleven, Good Night and Good Luck, and O Brother Where Art Thou?  Before any of that, he played recurring guest roles in shows such as Roseanne and The Facts of Life.

Colin Firth (Best Actor: A Single Man) ~ While many people know Firth from Bridget Jones's Diary and Love Actually, don't forget that he was Mr. Darcy in the television miniseries Pride and Prejudice, which is still arguably his best-known role.

Morgan Freeman (Best Actor: Invictus) ~ Freeman's defining part in The Shawshank Redemption may have been impressive, but he got his start on The Electric Company in the 1970's, appearing in almost eight hundred episodes.  He also guest starred on Ryan's Hope and portrayed Frederick Douglas in the 1990 award winning miniseries, The Civil War.

Woody Harrelson (Best Supporting Actor: The Messenger) ~ Harrelson is well known for his role on Cheers and his seven episode stint on Will & Grace.

Christopher Plummer (Best Supporting Actor: The Last Station) ~ Long after he starred in The Sound of Music, Plummer played a number of roles on the small screen, including starring in the early 90's series Counterstrike, appearing in the miniseries The Thorn Birds, and a guest spot on The Cosby Show.

Stanley Tucci (Best Supporting Actor: The Lovely Bones) ~ Tucci was in ten episodes of ER, starred in the very short-lived series 3 lbs. and did twenty-three episodes of Murder One.

     The Oscars will be given out during the Academy Awards ceremony Sunday, March 7th at 8pm on ABC.