KEVIN BACON - BACON HURT BY OSCAR SNUB

KEVIN BACON feels his career has failed to gain the kind of "recognition" he deserves - especially when it comes to the ACADEMY AWARDS.

The 46-year-old actor felt disheartened when his performance in 1996's MURDER IN THE FIRST failed to secure him a Best Actor OSCAR nomination - and often wonders when his year will come for the prestigious award.

Bacon says, "Of course I'd like more recognition. And of course I'd rather have an Oscar than not. Year after year I've seen this season come and go - this club of which I am not a member.

"I facetiously call it the bitter season, and there have been many times when it's been hard."

Bacon refuses to feel resentment towards his MYSTIC RIVER co-stars SEAN PENN and TIM ROBBINS, who won the male acting Oscars last year (FEB04).

He comments, "Those guys were f***ing amazing in that movie, so I don't begrudge them at all. The only thing that bothered me was when they took me off the poster.

"It's normally so rare to feel that you're part of a team, because film is such a hierarchical medium. But Mystic River was a great experience."