The New Nation - Internet Edition

Los Angeles, Agencies

Hollywood has a long history of seeing big stars - James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and Bruce Lee among them - appearing in high-profile films released after their untimely deaths.

O'Neil said that when Finch died, Hollywood was in the middle of Oscar season and also in shock. Prior to that, Robert De Niro was sweeping the critics' awards for 'Taxi Driver.'

Veteran Oscar watcher O'Neil also sees parallels between the truncated careers of Ledger and James Dean.

"Like Heath, James Dean was a heartthrob star who was considered a serious actor, who died tragically young," O'Neil said. "He was nominated twice posthumously, for "East of Eden" and "Giant," and he lost both times." Even the legendary Spencer Tracy was ignored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Oscars, after he died in 1967 just as "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?" was coming out in theatres. And he was the front-runner, O'Neil said. Tracy's co-star Katharine Hepburn did win best actress for "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?"