| 56th Academy Awards | |
|---|---|
| Date | April 9, 1984 |
| Site | Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles |
| Hosted by | Johnny Carson |
| Produced by | Jack Haley Jr. |
| Directed by | Marty Pasetta |
| Highlights | |
| Best Picture | Terms of Endearment |
| Most awards | Terms of Endearment (5) |
| Most nominations | Terms of Endearment (11) |
| TV in the United States | |
| Network | ABC |
| Duration | 3 hours, 45 minutes[1] |
| Ratings | 42.1 million 30.3% (Nielsen ratings) |
The 56th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 1983 and took place on April 9, 1984, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 22 categories. The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Jack Haley Jr. and was directed by Marty Pasetta.[2] Comedian Johnny Carson hosted for the fifth time. He first presided over the 51st ceremony held in 1979 and had last hosted the 54th ceremony held in 1982.[3][4] Nine days earlier, in a ceremony held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, on March 31, the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Joan Collins and Arnold Schwarzenegger.[5]
Terms of Endearment won five awards including Best Picture.[6] Other winners included Fanny and Alexander and The Right Stuff with three awards, Tender Mercies with two awards, and Boys and Girls, Flamenco at 5:15, Flashdance, He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin', Sundae in New York, The Year of Living Dangerously, and Yentl with one. The telecast garnered 42.1 million viewers in the United States.
Winners and nominees
editThe nominees for the 56th Academy Awards were announced on February 16, 1984 by Academy president Gene Allen and and Mickey Rooney.[7] Terms of Endearment earned the most nominations with eleven; The Right Stuff came in second with seven eight.[8] The winners were announced at the award ceremony on April 9. James L. Brooks was the third writer-director-producer to win three Oscars for the same film. With four wins Fanny and Alexander became the most awarded foreign language film in Academy Awards history at the time.[9][a] Linda Hunt is the only person to win an Oscar for playing a character of the opposite sex.[11] Best Original Song co-winner Irene Cara became the first black woman to win an Oscar in a non-acting category.[12]
Awards
edit
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Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface and indicated with a double dagger (‡).[13]
Honorary Academy Award
edit- Hal Roach – "In recognition of his unparalleled record of distinguished contributions to the motion picture art form.."[14]
- Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards
The award recognizes individuals whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the motion picture industry.[15]
Special Achievement Academy Award
edit- Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston and Phil Tippett for the visual effects of Return of the Jedi.[17]
Films with multiple nominations and awards
edit| Nominations | Film |
|---|---|
| 11 | Terms of Endearment |
| 8 | The Right Stuff |
| 6 | Fanny and Alexander |
| 5 | The Dresser |
| Silkwood | |
| Tender Mercies | |
| Yentl | |
| 4 | Cross Creek |
| Flashdance | |
| Return of the Jedi | |
| 3 | The Big Chill |
| Educating Rita | |
| WarGames | |
| 2 | Reuben, Reuben |
| Zelig |
| Awards | Film |
|---|---|
| 5 | Terms of Endearment |
| 4 | Fanny and Alexander |
| The Right Stuff | |
| 2 | Tender Mercies |
Presenters and performers
editThe following individuals, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers.[18]
Presenters
editPerformers
edit| Name | Role | Performed |
|---|---|---|
| Quincy Jones | Musical arranger and conductor | Orchestral |
| Irene Cara The National Dance Institute |
Performers | "Flashdance... What a Feeling" from Flashdance |
| Herb Alpert Lani Hall |
Performers | "Maniac" from Flashdance |
| Mac Davis | Performer | "Over You" from Tender Mercies |
| Donna Summer | Performer | "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" from Yentl |
| Jennifer Holliday | Performer | "The Way He Makes Me Feel" from Yentl |
| Sammy Davis Jr. Liza Minnelli |
Performers | "There's No Business Like Show Business" |
Ceremony information
edit
In September 1983, the Academy hired film producer Jack Haley, Jr. to produce the telecast for the third time.[20] "We are excited to have Jack Haley, Jr. back on the Academy Awards program this year," said AMPAS President Gene Allen in a press release announcing the selection. "We know that his outstanding talents will ensure an innovative and entertaining approach to the presentation of the Oscar."[21] That same month, it was announced that comedian and The Tonight Show Starring host Johnny Carson would host the 1984 ceremony. Allen explained the decision to hire Carson saying, "In past years, Johnny has been a vital element in the ever-increasing success and popularity of the Oscar presentations. We are extremely pleased that we will be able to draw once again on his wit and charisma to host this special entertainment event."[22]
Several other people were involved with the production of the ceremony. Musician Quincy Jones served as musical director for the ceremony where he conducted an overture performed by the orchestra at the beginning of the show.[23] Former child actress Shirley Temple made a special appearance at the beginning of the telecast to discuss her memories of the 7th ceremony in 1935 where she received the Academy Juvenile Award.[24] Singers Sammy Davis Jr. and Liza Minnelli performed "There's No Business Like Show Business" at the conclusion of the telecast.[25] Notably, this was the first Oscars ceremony where the voting rules were announced at the the end of the telecast as opposed to the beginning.[25]
Box office performance of Best Picture nominees
editAt the time of the nominations announcement on February 16, the combined gross of the five Best Picture nominees at the US box office was $151 million with an average of $30 million.[26] Terms of Endearment was the highest earner among the Best Picture nominees with $72.9 million in the domestic box office receipts. The film was followed by The Big Chill ($52.5 million), The Right Stuff ($15.7 million), Tender Mercies ($8.44 million), and The Dresser ($562,623).[26]
Critical reviews
editColumnist Jerry Coffey from Fort Worth Star-Telegram wrote, "Nothing that goes on during an Oscarcast is worth the tedium dumbly endured by the ever-gullible audience for moviedom's annual spasm of gross self-indulgence."[27] Austin American-Statesman film critic Patrick Taggart commented, "By now after a week after the fact, it is a matter of record that Monday's Academy Awards show was without the dullest ever." He also added, "The Oscar went to the predictable choice in every case, and not only were there no surprises among the awards, there weren't even any of those deliciously embarrassing moments that make live television what it is."[28] Television critic Howard Rosenberg of the Los Angeles Times noted, "Be honest. This was not one of your more electrifying Academy Awards telecasts. The three hours and 40 minutes passed as swiftly as Barry Lyndon." He also said, "And the tradition of squeezing nearly all of the major, most glamorous awards into the last half hour again proved mistake, ill conceived, and just plain dumb."[29]
Other media outlets received the broadcast more positively. Television columnist John J. O'Connor of The New York Times wrote, "The tone of the proceedings was set and maintained by a spiritedly genial Mr. Carson." He also added that Carson was able to "provide with eternally boyish grace his typical comedy mix."[30] The Baltimore Sun film critic Stephen Hunter quipped, "The show, one of the crispest and most swiftly-paced in recent years, enjoyed its greatest asset in the return of Johnny Carson to the role of master of ceremonies. Mr. Carson was in top form."[31] Mike Duffy of the Detroit Free Press wrote, "Johnny Carson, once again the invaluable host, added some much needed spice with well-timed zingers. And I especially enjoyed Jack Nicholson's impersonation of a Blues Brother behind those black be-bopper shades."[32]
Ratings and reception
editThe American telecast on ABC drew in an average of 42.1 million people over its length, which was a 21% decrease from the previous year's ceremony.[33] Moreover, the show drew lower Nielsen ratings compared to the previous ceremony with 30.3% of households watching over a 50 share.[34] Nevertheless, the ceremony presentation received four nominations at the 36th Primetime Emmys in August 1984.[35] The following month, the ceremony won one of those nominations for Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety Program (Roy Christopher).[36]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Parasite have since equaled this record with four wins apiece.[10]
References
edit- ^ Holden 1993, p. 622
- ^ Osborne 1999, p. 341
- ^ Arnold, Gary (February 17, 1984). "'Terms' Leads List For Oscars". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- ^ Steinberg, David (January 30, 2009). "The Gold Standard". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- ^ "Past Scientific & Technical Awards Ceremonies". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on February 13, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
- ^ Harmetz, Aljean (April 10, 1984). "'Terms' Wins Best Picture; Duvall and Miss MacLaine Honored". The New York Times. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "Oscar Nominations Are Due". Baytown Sun. February 16, 1984. p. 2-A.
- ^ Harmetz, Aljean (February 17, 1984). "'Endearment' Tops Oscar Nominations". The New York Times. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ Kinn & Piazza 2002, p. 237
- ^ Nilles, Billy (February 9, 2020). "All the History Made at the 2020 Oscars". E!. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 1145
- ^ Scott, Mike (February 25, 2019). "It Was a Big Night for 'Green Book'; It Was a Bigger One for the N.O. Film Industry". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ^ "The 56th Academy Awards (1984) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2011-10-09.
- ^ "Academy Awards Acceptance Speech Database". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ MacMinn, Aleene (January 14, 1993). "Morning Report: Movies". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 7, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ^ "Hal Roach to Receive Oscar for Life's Work". The New York Times. February 16, 1984. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
- ^ "The Oscar Winners for 1984". The Philadelphia Inquirer. April 10, 1984. p. 7A.
- ^ Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 578
- ^ Terrance 2013, p. 14
- ^ Anderson, George (September 20, 1984). "Triangle Tattler: 'Cats', 'Dreamgirls,' '42nd Street' to Tour". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 24.
- ^ "Jack Haley, Jr. to Produce the 56th Academy Awards Show" (PDF). Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. September 12, 1983. p. 1. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
- ^ "People: Here's Johnny Once Again on Oscar Show". Akron Beacon Journal. September 11, 1983. p. 2.
- ^ Shull, Richard K. (April 10, 1984). "Oscars Not So Endearing". The Indianapolis News. p. 15.
- ^ Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 639
- ^ a b Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 641
- ^ a b "1983 Academy Award Nominations and Winner for Best Picture". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on June 14, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
- ^ Coffey, Jerry (April 11, 1984). "Gullible Viewers Hooked Again By Tedious Academy Awards". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. &D.
- ^ Taggart, Patrick (April 15, 1984). "Unrewarding: Oscar Show's Bright Spots Few and Far Between". Austin American-Statesman. p. 221.
- ^ Rosenberg, Howard (April 11, 1984). "It Was Not an Endearing Oscarcast". Los Angeles Times. p. F9.
- ^ O'Connor, John J. (April 11, 1984). "Oscar Program: Long, But Different". The New York Times. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- ^ Hunter, Stephen (April 10, 1984). "'Endearment' Wins Oscars as Best Picture". The Baltimore Sun. pp. A8.
- ^ Duffy, Mike (April 11, 1984). "Sure They Drag, but The Oscars Are Always Fun". Detroit Free Press. p. 9D.
- ^ Kissell, Rick (February 27, 2012). "Crystal, social media fuel Oscar ratings". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on September 26, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
- ^ "Nielsen Ratings". The Philadelphia Inquirer. April 18, 1984. pp. E12.
- ^ "The 56th Annual Academy Awards - Emmy Awards, Nominations and Wins". Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ Margulies, Lee (September 19, 1984). "First-Round Emmys Presented: Moyers' 'Walk,' J.F.K. Special Honored". Los Angeles Times. pp. I10.
Bibliography
edit- Franks, Don (2005), Entertainment Awards: A Music, Cinema, Theatre and Broadcasting Guide, 1928 through 2003 (3rd ed.), Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, ISBN 978-1579123963
- Holden, Anthony (1993), Behind the Oscar: The Secret History of the Academy Awards, New York: Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0671701291
- Jones, Arnold (1999). The Envelope, Please: The Ultimate Academy Awards Trivia Book. New York, United States: -HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-3807-9944-2.
- Kinn, Gail; Piazza, Jim (2002), The Academy Awards: The Complete Unofficial History, New York, United States: Workman Publishing Company, ISBN 978-1579123963
- Osborne, Robert (1999). 70 Years of the Oscar: The Complete History of the Academy Awards. New York, United States: Abbeville Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-7892-1142-2.
- Pond, Steve (2005), The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards, New York, United States: Faber and Faber, ISBN 0-571-21193-3
- Wiley, Mason; Bona, Damien (1996), Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards (5 ed.), New York, United States: Ballantine Books, ISBN 0-345-40053-4, OCLC 779680732
- Terrance, Vincent (2013). Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936–2012 (5 ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina: Ballantine Books, McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-1-4766-1240-9. OCLC 844373010.
External links
edit- Official websites
- Analysis
- Other resources
