56th Academy Awards

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, 42 minutes
Ratings	38.0 (Nielsen ratings)

The 56th Academy Awards were presented April 9, 1984, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Johnny Carson.

The Best Supporting Actress winner this year was unique. 4’9” Linda Hunt won the award for her role as Billy Kwan – a male Chinese-Australian photographer – in Peter Weir's The Year of Living Dangerously, making her the first actor to win an Oscar for playing a character of the opposite sex.

Gordon Willis, a respected cinematographer most famous for his un-nominated work on The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, and Woody Allen's Manhattan, received his first Best Cinematography nomination for Zelig.

Joe I. Tompkins becomes the first African-American to be nominated in Best Costume Design.

James L. Brooks won three Academy Awards this year, winning as producer, director and writer of Best Picture winner Terms of Endearment. Of its other eight nominations (the movie led all nominees with 11), two were for Best Actress; Shirley MacLaine won over Debra Winger in that category. The movie won five Oscars, the fifth being Jack Nicholson's second career Oscar (he won for Best Supporting Actor).

This ceremony ended with Sammy Davis Jr. and Liza Minnelli leading the crowd in "There's No Business Like Show Business" in tribute to Ethel Merman, who had died a month and a half before this Oscar ceremony. The performance occurred over the closing credits to the broadcast.

The Award for Best Makeup was not given this year.

While this year's ceremony was the first without the recitation of the Academy's voting procedure at the beginning of the telecast — it was moved to the end credits — those of the accounting firm Price Waterhouse who were responsible for tabulating the results and guarding their secrecy were still introduced.^[1]

Awards

James L. Brooks, Best Director winner

Robert Duvall, Best Actor winner

Shirley MacLaine, Best Actress winner

Jack Nicholson, Best Supporting Actor winner

Linda Hunt, Best Supporting Actress winner

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface and indicated with a double dagger ().^[2]

Best Picture	Best Director
Terms of Endearment – James L. Brooks, producer The Big Chill – Michael Shamberg, producer The Dresser – Peter Yates, producer The Right Stuff – Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler, producers Tender Mercies – Philip S. Hobel, producer	James L. Brooks – Terms of Endearment Peter Yates – The Dresser Ingmar Bergman – Fanny and Alexander Mike Nichols – Silkwood Bruce Beresford – Tender Mercies
Best Actor	Best Actress
*Robert Duvall – Tender Mercies* as Mac Sledge** Michael Caine – Educating Rita as Prof. Frank Bryant Tom Conti – Reuben, Reuben as Gowan McGland Tom Courtenay – The Dresser as Norman Albert Finney – The Dresser as Sir	*Shirley MacLaine – Terms of Endearment* as Aurora Greenway** Jane Alexander – Testament as Carol Wetherly Meryl Streep – Silkwood as Karen Silkwood Julie Walters – Educating Rita as Susan "Rita" White Debra Winger – Terms of Endearment as Emma Greenway-Horton
Best Supporting Actor	Best Supporting Actress
*Jack Nicholson – Terms of Endearment* as Garrett Breedlove** Charles Durning – To Be or Not to Be as S.S. Colonel Erhardt John Lithgow – Terms of Endearment as Sam Burns Sam Shepard – The Right Stuff as Chuck Yeager Rip Torn – Cross Creek as Marsh Turner	*Linda Hunt – The Year of Living Dangerously* as Billy Kwan** Cher – Silkwood as Dolly Pelliker Glenn Close – The Big Chill as Sarah Cooper Amy Irving – Yentl as Hadass Vishkower Alfre Woodard – Cross Creek as Beatrice "Geechee"
Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen	Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
Tender Mercies – Horton Foote The Big Chill – Lawrence Kasdan and Barbara Benedek Fanny and Alexander – Ingmar Bergman Silkwood – Nora Ephron and Alice Arlen WarGames – Lawrence Lasker and Walter Parkes	Terms of Endearment – James L. Brooks based on the novel by Larry McMurtry Betrayal – Harold Pinter based on his play The Dresser – Ronald Harwood based on his play Educating Rita – Willy Russell based on his play Reuben, Reuben – Julius J. Epstein based on the play Spofford by Herman Shumlin
Best Foreign Language Film	Best Documentary Feature
Fanny and Alexander (Sweden) The Ball (Algeria) Carmen (Spain) Entre Nous (France) The Revolt of Job (Hungary)	He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin' – Emile Ardolino Children of Darkness – Richard Kotuk and Ara Chekmayan First Contact – Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson The Profession of Arms – Michael Bryans and Tina Viljoen Seeing Red – James Klein and Julia Reichert
Best Documentary Short Subject	Best Live Action Short Film
Flamenco at 5:15 – Cynthia Scott and Adam Symansky In the Nuclear Shadow: What Can the Children Tell Us? – Vivienne Verdon-Roe and Eric Thiermann Sewing Woman – Arthur Dong Spaces: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph – Robert Eisenhardt You Are Free (Ihr Zent Frei) – Dea Brokman and Ilene Landis	Boys and Girls – Janice L. Platt Goodie-Two-Shoes – Ian Emes Overnight Sensation – Jon N. Bloom
Best Animated Short Film	Best Original Score
Sundae in New York – Jimmy Picker Mickey's Christmas Carol – Burny Mattinson Sound of Sunshine – Sound of Rain – Eda Godel Hallinan	The Right Stuff – Bill Conti Cross Creek – Leonard Rosenman Return of the Jedi – John Williams Terms of Endearment – Michael Gore Under Fire – Jerry Goldsmith
Best Original Song Score or Adaptation Score	Best Original Song
Yentl – Song Score by Michel Legrand and Alan and Marilyn Bergman The Sting II – Adaptation Score by Lalo Schifrin Trading Places – Adaptation Score by Elmer Bernstein	*"Flashdance... What a Feeling" from Flashdance* – Music and Lyrics by Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey and Irene Cara** "Maniac" from Flashdance – Music and Lyrics by Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky "Over You" from Tender Mercies – Music and Lyrics by Austin Roberts and Bobby Hart "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" from Yentl – Music by Michel Legrand; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman "The Way He Makes Me Feel" from Yentl – Music by Michel Legrand; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman
Best Sound	Best Sound Effects Editing
The Right Stuff – Mark Berger, Tom Scott, Randy Thom and David MacMillan Never Cry Wolf – Alan Splet, Todd Boekelheide, Randy Thom and David Parker Return of the Jedi – Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, Randy Thom and Tony Dawe Terms of Endearment – Donald O. Mitchell, Rick Kline, Kevin O'Connell and James R. Alexander WarGames – Michael J. Kohut, Carlos Delarios, Aaron Rochin and Willie D. Burton	The Right Stuff – Jay Boekelheide Return of the Jedi – Ben Burtt
Best Art Direction	Best Costume Design
Fanny and Alexander – Art Direction: Anna Asp; Set Decoration: Susanne Lingheim Return of the Jedi – Art Direction: Norman Reynolds, Fred Hole and James L. Schoppe; Set Decoration: Michael D. Ford The Right Stuff – Art Direction: Geoffrey Kirkland, Richard Lawrence, W. Stewart Campbell and Peter R. Romero; Set Decoration: Jim Poynter and George R. Nelson Terms of Endearment – Art Direction: Polly Platt and Harold Michelson; Set Decoration: Tom Pedigo and Anthony Mondell Yentl – Art Direction: Roy Walker and Leslie Tomkins; Set Decoration: Tessa Davies	Fanny and Alexander – Marik Vos Cross Creek – Joe I. Tompkins Heart Like a Wheel – William Ware Theiss The Return of Martin Guerre – Anne-Marie Marchand Zelig – Santo Loquasto
Best Cinematography	Best Film Editing
Fanny and Alexander – Sven Nykvist Flashdance – Donald Peterman The Right Stuff – Caleb Deschanel WarGames – William A. Fraker Zelig – Gordon Willis	The Right Stuff – Glenn Farr, Lisa Fruchtman, Tom Rolf, Stephen A. Rotter, and Douglas Stewart Blue Thunder – Frank Morriss and Edward M. Abroms Flashdance – Bud S. Smith and Walt Mulconery Silkwood – Sam O'Steen Terms of Endearment – Richard Marks

Nomination announcements

The filmmakers and studio executives were very surprised by the five Academy Award nominations for Tender Mercies, which was released ten months before the nominations were announced and had received little campaigning. Universal Studios had already previously sold the video rights for Tender Mercies based on their lack of confidence in the film following poor test screenings; the studio was therefore unable to redistribute Tender Mercies after the Oscar nominations were announced, and cable companies ran the film on television one week before the Academy Award ceremony.^[3]

Ceremony

When screenwriter Horton Foote won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for To Kill a Mockingbird, he was not present at the 1963 ceremony to collect it because he did not believe he was going to win and did not attend. As a result, Foote made sure he was present for the ceremony when he was nominated for Tender Mercies; he won that Oscar as well, this time for Best Original Screenplay.^[3]

Presenters and performers

The following individuals, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers.

Presenters

Name	Role
Hank Simms	Announcer of the 56th Academy Awards
Gene Allen (AMPAS President)	Gave opening remarks welcoming guests to the awards ceremony
Timothy Hutton Mary Tyler Moore	Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actor
Kevin Bacon Daryl Hannah	Presenters of the award for Best Sound Effects Editing
Jane Alexander Michael Caine	Presenters of the Short Subjects Awards
Joan Collins Arnold Schwarzenegger	Presenters of the Technical Achievement Awards
Robert Wise	Presenter of the award for Best Film Editing
Christie Brinkley Michael Keaton	Presenters of the award for Best Sound
Anthony Franciosa Joanna Pacula	Presenters of the award for Best Cinematography
John Gavin Jack Valenti	Presenters of the award for Best Foreign Language Film
Holly Palance Jack Palance	Presenters of the Documentary Awards
Cheech and Chong	Presenters of the award for Best Visual Effects
Tommy Tune Twiggy	Presenters of the award for Best Costume Design
Ricardo Montalbán Jane Powell	Presenters of the award for Best Art Direction
Jennifer Beals Matthew Broderick	Presenters of the award for Best Original Song
Ray Bolger Gene Kelly	Presenters of the award for Best Original Score
Neil Diamond	Presenter of the award for Best Adapted Score
Dyan Cannon Gene Hackman	Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actress
Mel Gibson Sissy Spacek	Presenters of the Writing Awards
Frank Sinatra	Presenter of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to M. J. Frankovich
Richard Attenborough	Presenter of the award for Best Director
Jackie Cooper George McFarland	Presenters of the Honorary Award to Hal Roach
Dolly Parton Sylvester Stallone	Presenters of the award for Best Actor
Rock Hudson Liza Minnelli	Presenters of the award for Best Actress
Frank Capra	Presenter of the award for Best Picture

Performers

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"

Multiple nominations and awards

These films had multiple nominations:

11 nominations: Terms of Endearment
8 nominations: The Right Stuff
6 nominations: Fanny and Alexander
5 nominations: The Dresser, Return of the Jedi, Silkwood, Tender Mercies and Yentl
4 nominations: Cross Creek and Flashdance
3 nominations: The Big Chill, Educating Rita and WarGames
2 nominations: Reuben, Reuben and Zelig

The following films received multiple awards.

5 wins: Terms of Endearment
4 wins: Fanny and Alexander and The Right Stuff
2 wins: Tender Mercies

References

↑ The Opening of the Academy Awards: 1984 Oscars on YouTube
↑ "The 56th Academy Awards (1984) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2011-10-09.
1 2 Bruce Beresford, Robert Duvall, Horton Foote, Allan Hubbard, Gary Hertz (director), Tess Harper (2002-04-16). Miracles & Mercies (Documentary). West Hollywood, California: Blue Underground. Archived from the original on 2005-02-06. Retrieved 2008-01-28.

"The Official Academy Awards Database". awardsdatabase.oscars.org. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on February 8, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2009.

External links

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[1] The Opening of the Academy Awards: 1984 Oscars on YouTube

[Oscars1984-2] "The 56th Academy Awards (1984) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2011-10-09.

[Miracles-3] 1 2 Bruce Beresford, Robert Duvall, Horton Foote, Allan Hubbard, Gary Hertz (director), Tess Harper (2002-04-16). Miracles & Mercies (Documentary). West Hollywood, California: Blue Underground. Archived from the original on 2005-02-06. Retrieved 2008-01-28.