I cant think of anybody else. Maybe one of the earlier actors might have done it. Its a great achievmenet nonetheless but I think he should have won back-to-back Oscars. He was actually better in Insider and Beautiful Mind than in Gladiator. Should have won in 1999 because I did not think Kevin Spacey was as good in American Beauty as Crowe was in The Insider.
sharelong long ago al Pacino
shareDidn't Jack Nicholson get nominated 5 times in a row before he finally won for one flew over the cuckoos nest.
shareNo, Nicholson also received three consecutive nominations, (1973, 1974 and 1975). He had five in total, but was nominated for supporting in 1969, and lead in 1970.
Brando had four in a row for lead (1951-1954), Pacino (1973-1975), Spencer Tracy (1936-1938), Richard Burton (1964-1966), William Hurt (1985-1987) and Gary Cooper (1941-1943) all achieved the same as Crowe (1999-2001).
Martin Scorsese IS the best