55th Academy Awards
| 55th Academy Awards | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date | April 11, 1983 |
| Site | Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Hosted by | Walter Matthau Liza Minnelli Dudley Moore Richard Pryor |
| Produced by | Howard W. Koch |
| Directed by | Marty Pasetta |
| Highlights | |
| Best Picture | Gandhi |
| Most awards | Gandhi (8) |
| Most nominations | Gandhi (11) |
| TV in the United States | |
| Network | ABC |
| Duration | 3 hours, 35 minutes[1] |
| Ratings | 53.2 million 38.0% (Nielsen ratings) |
The 55th Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 1982 and took place on April 11, 1983, 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 24 categories. The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Howard W. Koch and directed by Marty Pasetta.[2] Actors Walter Matthau, Liza Minnelli, Dudley Moore, and Richard Pryor hosted the show. Matthau and Pryor hosted the gala time; the former was a co-host of the 48th ceremony in 1976 while the latter co-hosted the 49th ceremony held in 1977.[3][4] Meanwhile, this was Minnelli and Moore's first hosting stints.[5] Two weeks earlier, in a ceremony held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, on March 27, the Academy Scientific and Technical Awards were presented by host Dyan Cannon.[6]
Gandhi won eight awards, including Best Picture.[7] Other winners included E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial with four awards, An Officer and a Gentleman with two, Begin the Beguine, If You Love This Planet, Just Another Missing Kid, Missing, Quest for Fire, A Shocking Accident, Sophie's Choice, Tango, Tootsie, and Victor/Victoria with one. The telecast garnered 53.2 million viewers in the United States.
Winners and nominees
[edit]The nominees for the 55th Academy Awards were announced on February 17, 1983, by Academy president Fay Kanin and actor Karl Malden.[8] Gandhi received the most nominations with eleven total; Tootsie came in second with ten.[9] The winners were announced at the awards ceremony on April 11. Best Supporting Actress winner Jessica Lange was the second actress to earn both lead and supporting acting nominations in the same year after Teresa Wright who earned a nomination for Best Actress for 1942's The Pride of the Yankees while winning Best Supporting Actress in the same year for Mrs. Miniver.[10] Louis Gossett Jr. became the first African-American winner for Best Supporting Actor.[11]
Awards
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Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).[12]
Honorary Academy Award
[edit]- To Mickey Rooney in recognition of his 60 years of versatility in a variety of memorable film performances.[15]
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
[edit]The award recognizes individuals whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the motion picture industry.[16]
Films with multiple nominations and awards
[edit]
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Presenters and performers
[edit]The following individuals, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers.[17]
Presenters
[edit]Performers
[edit]| Name | Role | Performed |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Conti | Musical arranger and conductor | Orchestral |
| Walter Matthau Liza Minnelli Dudley Moore Richard Pryor |
Performers | "It All Comes Down to This" |
| The Temptations Sandahl Bergman |
Performers | "Eye of the Tiger" from Rocky III |
| Patti Austin James Ingram |
Performers | "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" from Best Friends |
| Joe Cocker Jennifer Warnes Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps from the University of Southern California |
Performers | "Up Where We Belong" from An Officer and a Gentleman |
| Stephen Bishop | Performer | "It Might Be You" from Tootsie |
| Peter Allen Bernadette Peters Academy Awards Chorus |
Performers | Salute to Irving Berlin |
| Melissa Manchester | Performer | "If We Were in Love" from Yes, Giorgio |
| Academy Awards Chorus | Performers | "That's Entertainment" |
Ceremony information
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In October 1982, the Academy hired film producer Howard W. Koch to produce the ceremony for the eighth time. "I am delighted that the Academy will have the benefit of Howard Koch's experience and creativity again this year," said AMPAS President Fay Kanin in a press release announcing the selection. "We are extremely proud of the Awards programs Howard has produced for us in years past, and look forward to an equally graceful and exciting presentation this year.[19] Five months later, it was announced that actors Walter Matthau, Liza Minnelli, Dudley Moore, and Richard Pryor would share hosting duties for the gala.[20] According to news reports, AMPAS originally sought late night talk show host Johnny Carson to emcee the festivities again, but he declined the offer due to Carson having personal issues related to the recent breakup with his wife.[21]
Marty Pasetta directed the telecast; Bill Conti served as conductor and musical director.[2] Actor John Moschitta Jr. who was known for his fast talking delivery in commercials made an appearance at the beginning of the ceremony explaining the voting rules and procedures.[22] Several members of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps from the University of Southern California made an appearance at the beginning of the performance of Best Original Song nominee "Up Where We Belong" from the film An Officer and a Gentleman[23] Peter Allen and Bernadette Peters performed a medley of songs in tribute to songwriter Irving Berlin.[24] Ethel Merman was initially slated to perform alongside Allen and Peters, but she cancelled her appearance after suffering a stroke.[25]
Box office performance of Best Picture nominees
[edit]At the time of the nominations announcement on February 16, the combined gross of the five Best Picture nominees at the US box office was $496 million.[26] E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was the highest earner among the Best Picture nominees, with $329 million in domestic box office receipts. The film was followed by Tootsie ($101 million), The Verdict ($39.7 million), Missing ($14 million), and Gandhi ($11.9 million).[26]
Critical reviews
[edit]Thomas Sabulis wrote in the St. Petersburg Times, "The television show itself was one of the poorest academy presentations in recent memory." He also criticized production elements such as the opening number Kristy McNichol mispronouncing nominees names. [27] Writing for the Austin American-Statesman, Diane Holoway commented, "In the quarter of a century or so that I've been watching the gala event, this was the sloppiest production ever. And clocking in at well over three hours, it was one of the longest."[28] Mansfield News Journal's Ray Dyson commented, "The Academy Awards ceremony ran true to form Monday night. Every year when the biggest awards in moviedom are passed out there are two predictions that always come true — it will go too long and it will be boring." He praised the Irving Berlin tribute and actor John Moschitta's humorous and rapid recitation of the Academy voting rules, but found the telecast to be listless and filled with technical glitches.[1]
Television critic Howard Rosenberg of Los Angeles Times wrote, "This telecast continues to be one of the best shows around, perhaps not as tightly produced as the Tonys, but unequaled for charisma and ogling charisma."[29] The New York Times film critic Vincent Canby said, The 55th presentation, last Monday night, was everything one could have wished it to be, including dignified." However, he criticized the decision to reward Gandhi the Best Picture award saying, "E.T. and Tootsie are films. Gandhi is a laboriously illustrated textbook."[30] The News & Observer entertainment editor Bill Morrison noted that the lack of suspense amongst the winners and repetitive "thank yous" in the acceptance speeches bogged down the ceremony, but he reserved praise for co-host Moore calling him "a delightful emcee."[31]
Ratings and reception
[edit]The American telecast on ABC drew in an average of 53.2 million people over the length of the entire ceremony.[32] Moreover, the show drew higher Nielsen ratings compared to the previous ceremony, with 38% of households watching with a 59% share.[33] In August 1983, the ceremony presentation received five nominations at the 35th Primetime Emmys.[34] The following month, it won an award for Michael Corenblith and Ray Klausen's art direction of the program.[35]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Dyson, Ray (April 14, 1983). "Yaaawn! Are the Academy Awards Over Yet?". Mansfield News Journal. p. 5-C. Retrieved January 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Osborne 2013, p. 413
- ^ Sundby, Alex (March 10, 2024). "Who Hosted the 2024 Oscars, and Who Hosted Past Academy Awards Ceremonies?". CBS News. Archived from the original on August 31, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ Conrad, Michael (March 26, 1983). "A Gentle Man". The Morning News. p. 41. Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Names in the News: 'Welk Doing Devil's Work'". Vancouver Sun. March 2, 1983. p. D16. Retrieved January 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Past Scientific & Technical Awards Ceremonies". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on February 13, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
- ^ Shales, Tom (April 11, 1983). "And the Winners Are... Gandhi, Best Picture, Sweeps Oscars". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 28, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
- ^ Thomas, Bob (February 18, 1983). "Gandhi Scores 11 Oscar Nominations". The Indianapolis Star. p. 35. Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Arnold, Gary (February 18, 1983). "Gandhi Tops Oscar Nominations". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 28, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 1142
- ^ Kinn & Piazza 2002, p. 233
- ^ "The 55th Academy Awards (1983) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
- ^ Multiple sources:
- Lewis, Flora (February 7, 1982). "New Film by Costa-Gravas Examines the Chilean Coup". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
- "Photography for Das Boot". American Society of Cinematographerss. December 1982. Archived from the original on April 13, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- Maslin, Janet (December 10, 1982). "Styron's Sophie's Choice". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 19, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
- Maslin, Janet (December 8, 1982). "Paul Newman Stars in The Verdict". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 24, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- Canby, Vincent (March 19, 1982). "Victor/Victoria, a Blake Edwards Farce". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Takes Issue with Costa-Garvas Film on Chile". The New York Times. February 10, 1982. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
- ^ a b "The 55th Academy Awards Memorable Moments". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ "Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
- ^ Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 623
- ^ Terrance 2013, p. 14
- ^ "Howard W. Koch to Produce 55th Academy Awards Show". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. October 18, 1982. Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ Beck, Marilyn (March 5, 1983). "Hepburn to Pair Up with Nolte". Daily Breeze. p. B3. Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved September 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Caulfield, Deborah (March 21, 1983). "Psst, Buddy...Wanna See a Pre-Release Script". Los Angeles Times. p. 55. Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 624
- ^ Buck, Jerry (April 12, 1983). "Gandhi Humbly Steals Slow-Moving Oscars Show". Santa Cruz Sentinel. p. A-9. Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 625
- ^ Osborne 2013, p. 266
- ^ a b "1982 Academy Award Nominations and Winner for Best Picture". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on June 14, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
- ^ Sabulis, Thomas (April 13, 1983). "Dignity of Gandhi Key to Dominance". St. Petersburg Times. p. 2-D. Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Holoway, Diane (April 13, 1983). "Academy Ails". Austin American-Statesman. p. B12. Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Rosenberg, Howard (April 13, 1983). "Oscars Show in Winner's Circle". Los Angeles Times. p. 83. Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Canby, Vincent (April 13, 1983). "Film View: Why We Watch the Academy Awards". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ Morrison, Bill (April 13, 1983). "Watching the Academy Awards Wasn't a Thankless Task". The News & Observer. p. 9A. Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Top-10 Most Watched Academy Awards Broadcasts". Nielsen N.V. February 18, 2009. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
- ^ Shister, Gail (April 20, 1983). "Saturday Night and Murphy Returning Next Season". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 8-F. Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Margulies, Lee (August 5, 1983). "Again, NBC Is No. 1...at Emmy Time". Los Angeles Times. p. 108. Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "55th Annual Academy Awards Presentation". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on February 9, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
Sources
[edit]- Kinn, Gail; Piazza, Jim (2002), The Academy Awards: The Complete Unofficial History, New York, New York, United States: Workman Publishing Company, ISBN 978-1-5791-2396-3
- Osborne, Robert (2013). 85 Years of the Oscar: The Complete History of the Academy Awards. New York, New York, United States: Abbeville Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-7892-1142-2. OCLC 856879222.
- Terrance, Vincent (2013), Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936–2012 (5 ed.), Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: Ballantine Books, McFarland & Company, ISBN 978-1-4766-1240-9, OCLC 844373010
- Wiley, Mason; Bona, Damien (1996), Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards (5 ed.), New York, New York, United States: Ballantine Books, ISBN 978-0-3454-0053-6, OCLC 779680732
