Memories of Oscar

©2012 denise coate harvey

As a child, my memories of Oscar are few.  I was not ‘allowed’ to watch the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Science hand out its annual awards for merit that aired on the television, as I might see a clip from a film that my mother deemed ‘inappropriate” (and that would be most of them!)  So, most of what I remember is ‘monumental’ of headline newsworthy. I do, however, remember Sacheen Littlefeather accepting Marlon Brando’s best actor win in 1973 for “The Godfather.”  He was protesting Wounded Knee & was provided a stand-in, just in case he won.

In 1974, I also have vivid memories of talking my mother into letting me ‘switch channels’ (which without a remote control was a feat unto itself) to constantly check to see if “The Sting” (although I had not seen it) would be named “best picture.”  She didn’t want me to see any clip from “The Exorcist,” which was also a nominee in the same category. I did change channels, I didn’t see any of “The Exorcist,” and “The Sting” garnered the win. I also didn’t see, was the streak that occurred behind David Niven, followed by David’s great quips.  Streaking was quite the rage at the time, & although I did not see one on television that night, I did see a streak live in person my first day of high school during the first day opening rally.  (How’s that for initiation?)

There was also Sally Field receiving a second Oscar win for “Norma Rae,” telling the audience “You like me, you really like me!” And in that same year, Dustin Hoffman’s “Kramer vs. Kramer” win, sharing his observations of Oscar’s “private parts.”  Jack Palace doing push-ups on stage, Roberto Bernini walking over theatre seats, Bjork in the ‘swan dress,’ but I digress. 

2005 - "(Missed) Career Day" at school

For most of Oscar’s big night, the festivities were held on Monday evenings. I used to dash out from work a tad early just to get home and see the red carpet arrivals.  I even used to decorate the house with old film roles, statuettes, stars, and movie lights; but as of late, the poor hosting (keeping my fingers crossed for Billy this year), the political agendas that just keep getting worse and worse, and the poor selection choices and winners, have made me jaded toward what I used to love.  But with this year’s more tasteful choices (sans “Bridesmaids”), I am hopeful for a return to what once was.

Everywhere you look, someone’s “got a list” for the Oscars.  You name it, they’ve made a list.  I even found a blog of “The Haters Guide to the 2012 Academy Awards.”  There’s always at least one brash enough to loathe the mainstream.  So, I’ve made my own list.  I’m going to give myself away, as I begin the list the year I was born.

I tried to play by my own rules, but I broke them, (it’s my list!), and I mark those of which veer from those rules. From the top six awards (seven, if you think there’s a difference been a ‘best picture’ and a ‘best animated picture’ – I don’t - a ‘best’ is a ‘best’), I have chosen my favorite of the wins. Other cases will be noted.

1961 -  Best Picture, “West Side Story”

1962 – Best Picture – “Lawrence of Arabia”

1963 – TIE: Best Picture “Tom Jones” –& Best Actor – Sidney Portier, “Lilies of the Field”

1964 – Best Actress – Julie Andrews,  “Mary Poppins”

1965 – Best Picture, “Sound of Music”

1966 – Best Actor who DIDN’T Win – Richard Burton “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

1967 – Best Director - Mike Nichols, “The Graduate”

1968 – TIE: Best Actress - Barbra Streisand (she tied with Kathryn Hepburn) and Best Picture that

           DIDN’T win – “FUNNY GIRL” *** (My favorite movie – ever)

1969 - A fantastic year on film – “Everyone’s a Winner!”

1970 – Best Actor - George C Scott, “Patton”

1971 – Best Supporting Actor – Ben Johnson, “Last Picture Show”

1972 – Best Picture – “The Godfather”

1973 – Best Picture – “The Sting”

1974 – Best Picture – “The Godfather, Part II” (although I love “Chinatown,” too)

1975 – Best Supporting Actress – Lee Grant, “Shampoo”

1976 – Best Picture – “Rocky”

1977 – Best Actor - Richard Dreyfuss “The Good-bye Girl” **

1978 -  Best Actress that DIDN’T win - Ellen Burstyn “Same Time, Next Year”

1979 – Best Actor that DIDN’T win -  Peter Sellers, “Being There”

1980 – Best Supporting Actor – Timothy Hutton, “Ordinary People”

1981 – TIE: Best Picture that DIDN’T win – “One Golden Pond” and Henry Fonda & Kathryn

            Hepburn winning for “On Golden Pond”

1982 – Best Actor that DIDN’T win - Peter O’Toole, “My Favorite Year”

1983 – Best Picture that DIDN’T win -  “THE RIGHT STUFF”

1984 – Best Director - MILOS FORMAN, “Amadeus”

1985 – Best Supporting Actress - Anjelica Huston “Prizzi’s Honor”

1986 – Best Picture that DIDN’T win - ‘THE MISSION”

1987 – Best Supporting Actor -Sean Connnery, “The Untouchables”

1988 – Best Director - Barry Levinson, “Rain Man”

1989 -  Best Actress - Jessica Tandy, “Driving Miss Daisy”

1990 – Best Supporting Actress - Whoopi Goldberg, “Ghost”

1991 – Best Actor - Anthony Hopkins, “Silence of the Lambs”

1992 – Best Supporting Actress -Marisa Tomei, “My Cousin Vinny”

1993 – Best Supporting Actor WHO WASN’T EVEN NOMINATED – “Val Kilmer, “Tombstone” (and

             I am not a big Kilmer fan, generally – just a great performance that should have been recognized)

1994 – Best Picture that DIDN’T win – “Shawshank Redemption”

1995 – Best Actor that DIDN’T win - Richard Dreyfuss, “Mr. Holland’s Opus”**

1996 – Best Supporting Actor - Cuba Gooding , Jr., “Jerry Maguire”

1997 – Best Picture that DIDN’T win - “L.A. Confidential” (A “titantic” year – literally!)

1998 – Best Director - Steven Spielberg “Saving Private Ryan”

1999 – Best Actor - Kevin Spacey, “American Beauty”

2000 – Best Actor that DIDN’T win - Ed Harris, “Pollock”

2001 – Beset Director that DIDN’T win - Peter Jackson, “Lord of the Rings”

2002 – Best Actress that DIDN’T win - Rene Zellweger, “Chicago”

2003 – Best Actor - Sean Penn, “Mystic River”

2004 – Best (Animated) Picture – “The Incredibles”

2005 – Best Actor – Phillip Seymour Hoffman, “Capote”

2006 – Best Director -Martin Scorsese, “The Departed
2007 – Best (Animated) Picture – “Ratatouille”

2008 -  Best (Animated) Picture – “WALL-E”

2009 – Best Supporting Actor - Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”

2010 – Best (Animated) Picture – “Toy Story 3”

 “And this year's Oscars go to…”