Today's question comes from Colin Miller:
What 5 individuals have been nominated for Academy Awards in the most different categories over their careers?
Two notes:
Note 1: The screenwriting categories have had various names over the years (e.g., Best Original Screenplay used to be Best Original Story). For purposes of this question, an individual can have a maximum of two nominations in these categories, one each for Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay or their earlier counterparts.
Note 2: The Best Live Action Short used to have various names and used to be split between Best Comedy and Best Novelty, and later, Best One-Reel and Best Two-Reel. An individual can have a maximum of one nomination in these categories.
My first two guesses are Warren Beatty and Walt Disney.
Those are 2 out of the 5.
Beatty has been nominated for (1) Best Picture, (2) Best Director, (3) Best Actor, (4) Best Original Screenplay, and (5) Best Adapted Screenplay (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000886/awards)
Disney was nominated for (1) Best Picture, (2) Best Short Subject, Cartoons (which is now Best Animated Short), (3) Best Documentary, (4) Best Documentary, Short, and (5) Best Live Action Short (or at least a couple of its earlier iterations) (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000370/awards)
Stanley Kubrick (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Special Visual Effects, Best Writing [Screenplay Based on Material From Another Medium), Best Story and Screenplay (Written Directly for the Screen), Best Writing (Screenplay Adapted From Other Material)).
Yes, Stanley Kubrick is the 3rd individual with nominations in 5 different categories.
Orson Welles?
Hmm, no, looks like just three categories (Original Screenplay, Actor, and Director), plus an honorary award.
Joel and Ethan Coen (Director, Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Original Screenplay, Editing [as Roderick Jaynes]).
Yes, the Coen Brothers are the 4th and 5th individuals with Oscar nominations in 5 categories, with their editing nominations coming under the pseudonym Roderick Jaynes.
Disney, Beatty etc..I really did not keep track of them but we are all very excited for this upcoming event that we each have our bets on who is gonna win. We only hope that whoever wins an award definitely deserves it.