The award was first presented in 1946. The prize was not awarded in 1947, 1953, 1954, 1956 and 1960. Additionally, the festival was not held at all in 1948, 1950 and 2020; while in 1968 no awards were given as the festival was called off mid-way due to the May 1968 events in France. On four occasions, the jury has awarded multiple men (more than 2) the prize from one film. The four films were "A Big Family" in 1955, "Compulsion" in 1959, "Long Day's Journey into Night" in 1962, and "Days of Glory" in 2006. Dean Stockwell, Jack Lemmon, and Marcello Mastroianni has won the most awards in this category, each winning twice. The award can be for lead or supporting roles with the exception of the period from 1979 to 1981, and in 1991, when the festival used to award a separate "Best Supporting Actor" prize. The jury also on occasion cites actors with a special citation that is separate from the main award.