Bob Hope jokingly referred to Oscar night as “passover” because, like many comic icons, he was never even nominated for an Academy Award.

He’s part of a notorious list that includes such all-time greats as W.C. Fields, Mae West and the Marx Brothers and, more recently, Jerry Lewis and Eddie Murphy.

Cary Grant, a genius of light comedy, was nominated for two heavy dramatic roles (never his forte), but had to settle for an honorary Oscar after retirement.

Charlie Chaplin never got an acting nod, though he received one for screenwriting and shared an award for composing.

Serious actors have generally fared better, but there are some head-scratchers among them, too. Greta Garbo, nominated four times, never won.

Edward G. Robinson got zilch – though, like Garbo and Chaplin, he lived long enough to collect an honorary Oscar.

So did Alfred Hitchcock, the most exalted non-winner among directors. The Master of Suspense was nominated six times, but struck out even when “Rebecca” (1940) won Best Picture.