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

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 F. Parkes	Terms of Endearment – James L. Brooks based on the novel by Larry Mcmurty 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
Fanny and Alexander (Sweden) Carmen (Spain) Entre Nous (France) Job's Revolt (Hungary) The Ball (Algeria)
Best Documentary Feature	Best Documentary Short Subject
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	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
Best Live Action Short Film	Best Animated Short Film
Boys and Girls – Janice L. Platt Goodie-Two-Shoes – Ian Emes Overnight Sensation – Jon N. Bloom	Sundae in New York – Jimmy Picker Mickey's Christmas Carol – Burny Mattinson Sound of Sunshine – Sound of Rain – Eda Godel Hallinan
Best Original Score	Best Original Song Score or Adaptation Score
The Right Stuff – Bill Conti Cross Creek – Leonard Rosenman Return of the Jedi – John Williams Terms of Endearment – Michael Gore Under Fire – Jerry Goldsmith	Yentl – Song Score by Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman The Sting II – Adaptation Score by Lalo Schifrin Trading Places – Adaptation Score by Elmer Bernstein
Best Original Song	Best Sound
*"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 Bergman and Marilyn Bergman "The Way He Makes Me Feel" from Yentl – Music by Michel Legrand; Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman	The Right Stuff – Mark Berger, Thomas 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
Best Sound Effects Editing	Best Art Direction
The Right Stuff – Jay Boekelheide Return of the Jedi – Ben Burtt	Fanny and Alexander – Art Direction and Set Decoration: Anna Asp Return of the Jedi – Art Direction: Norman Reynolds, Fred Hole and James Schoppe; Set Decoration: Michael Ford The Right Stuff – Art Direction: Geoffrey Kirkland, Richard J. Lawrence, W. Stewart Campbell and Peter Romero; Set Decoration: 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
Best Costume Design	Best Cinematography
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	Fanny and Alexander – Sven Nykvist Flashdance – Don Peterman The Right Stuff – Caleb Deschanel WarGames – William A. Fraker Zelig – Gordon Willis
Best Film Editing
The Right Stuff – Glenn Farr, Lisa Fruchtman, Stephen A. Rotter, Douglas Stewart and Tom Rolf Blue Thunder – Frank Morriss and Edward 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
Simms, HankHank Simms	Announcer of the 56th Academy Awards
Allen, GeneGene Allen (AMPAS President)	Gave opening remarks welcoming guests to the awards ceremony
Hutton, TimothyTimothy Hutton and Mary Tyler Moore	Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actor
Bacon, KevinKevin Bacon and Daryl Hannah	Presenters of the award for Best Sound Effects Editing
Alexander, JaneJane Alexander and Michael Caine	Presenters of the Short Subjects Awards
Collins, JoanJoan Collins and Arnold Schwarzenegger	Presenters of the Technical Achievement Awards
Wise, RobertRobert Wise	Presenter of the award for Best Film Editing
Brinkley, ChristieChristie Brinkley and Michael Keaton	Presenters of the award for Best Sound
Franciosa, AnthonyAnthony Franciosa and Joanna Pacula	Presenters of the award for Best Cinematography
Gavin, JohnJohn Gavin and Jack Valenti	Presenters of the award for Best Foreign Language Film
Palance, HollyHolly Palance and Jack Palance	Presenters of the Documentary Awards
Cheech and Chong, Cheech and Chong	Presenters of the award for Best Visual Effects
Tune, TommyTommy Tune and Twiggy	Presenters of the award for Best Costume Design
Montalban, RicardoRicardo Montalban and Jane Powell	Presenters of the award for Best Art Direction
Beals, JenniferJennifer Beals and Matthew Broderick	Presenters of the award for Best Original Song
Bolger, RayRay Bolger and Gene Kelly	Presenters of the award for Best Original Score
Diamond, NeilNeil Diamond	Presenter of the award for Best Adapted Score
Cannon, DyanDyan Cannon and Gene Hackman	Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actress
Gibson, MelMel Gibson and Sissy Spacek	Presenters of the Writing Awards
Sinatra, FrankFrank Sinatra	Presenter of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to M. J. Frankovich
Attenborough, RichardRichard Attenborough	Presenter of the award for Best Director
Cooper, JackieJackie Cooper and George McFarland	Presenters of the Honorary Award to Hal Roach
Parton, DollyDolly Parton and Sylvester Stallone	Presenters of the award for Best Actor
Hudson, RockRock Hudson and Liza Minnelli	Presenters of the award for Best Actress
Capra, FrankFrank Capra	Presenter of the award for Best Picture

Performers

Name	Role	Performed
Jones, QuincyQuincy Jones	Musical arranger and Conductor	Orchestral
Cara, IreneIrene Cara and The National Dance Institute	Performers	"Flashdance... What a Feeling" from Flashdance
Alpert, HerbHerb Alpert and Lani Hall	Performers	"Maniac" from Flashdance
Davis, MacMac Davis	Performer	"Over You" from Tender Mercies
Summer, DonnaDonna Summer	Performer	"Papa, Can You Hear Me?" from Yentl
Holliday, JenniferJennifer Holliday	Performer	"The Way He Makes Me Feel" from Yentl
Davis Jr., SammySammy Davis Jr. and 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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Academy Awards

Awards of Merit

Special awards

Governors Awards	Academy Honorary Award Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
Academy Scientific and Technical Awards	Academy Award of Merit (non-competitive) Scientific and Engineering Award Technical Achievement Award John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation Gordon E. Sawyer Award
Student Awards	Student Academy Award

Former awards

Merit Awards	Assistant Director Dance Direction Director of a Comedy Picture Engineering Effects Short Subject, Two-reel Short Subject, Comedy Short Subject, Novelty Story Title Writing Unique and Artistic Quality of Production
Special Awards	Academy Juvenile Award Special Achievement Academy Award

Ceremonies‡

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Footnotes

‡ Dates and years listed for each ceremony were the eligibility period of film release in Los Angeles County, California. For the first five ceremonies, the eligibility period was from August to July. For the 6th ceremony held in 1934, the eligibility period lasted from August 1, 1932 to December 31, 1933. Since the 7th ceremony held in 1935, the period of eligibility became the full previous calendar year from January 1 to December 31.

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