Looking at Film from Every Angle

51st Academy Awards (1978): The Ceremony

Nominations Announcement

Nominations Announcement Date: Tuesday, February 20, 1979

Ceremony Details

Awards Ceremony Date/Time: Monday, April 9, 1979, 7:00pm
Location: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles
Televised On: ABC
Host: Johnny Carson
Length: 3 hours, 25 minutes

Presenters

President’s Welcoming Remarks: Howard W. Koch
Honorary Award: Walter Lantz: Robin Williams, Woody Woodpecker
Voting Rules Explanation: Danny Thomas
Supporting Actor: Dyan Cannon, Telly Savalas
Scientific & Technical Awards: Maggie Smith, Maureen Stapleton
Animated Short Film: Carol Lynley, Robby Benson
Live Action Short Film: Carol Lynley, Robby Benson
Documentary Short Subject: David L. Wolper, Mia Farrow
Documentary Feature: David L. Wolper, Mia Farrow
Production Design: Ricky Schroder, Shirley Jones
Costume Design: Jack Haley, Ray Bolger
Film Editing: Dom DeLuise, Valerie Perrine
Visual Effects: Steve Martin
Sound Mixing: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder
Cinematography: James Coburn, Kim Novak
Original Song: Kris Kristofferson, Ruby Keeler
Introduction: “Not Even Nominated” performance: Paul Williams
Music: Original Score: Dean Martin, Raquel Welch
Music: Adaptation Score: Dean Martin, Raquel Welch
Honorary Award: Museum of Modern Art Department of Film: Gregory Peck
Honorary Award: King Vidor: Audrey Hepburn
Foreign Language Film: Natalie Wood, Yul Brynner
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award: Leo Jaffe: Jack Valenti
Supporting Actress: Brooke Shields, George Burns
Sound Editing: Mark Hamill, R2-D2, C3PO
Writing: Adapted Screenplay: Jon Voight, Lauren Bacall
Writing: Original Screenplay: Jon Voight, Lauren Bacall
Directing: Ali MacGraw, Francis Ford Coppola
Honorary Award: Laurence Olivier: Cary Grant
Actress: Richard Dreyfuss, Shirley MacLaine
Actor: Diana Ross, Ginger Rogers
Picture: John Wayne

Previous Acting & Directing Winners

The tradition of prior acting winners returning the subsequent year to present the opposite-gender category is a long one. Each year, we look to see whether the prior winners returned. There was an intermittent tradition where the prior directing winner returned as well, but this was a rare occurrence.

Actor – Richard Dreyfuss: Yes
Actress – Diane Keaton: No
Supporting Actor – Jason Robards: No
Supporting Actress – Vanessa Redgrave: Yes
Directing – Woody Allen: No

Song Performances

Hopelessly Devoted to You: Olivia Newton-John
Last Dance: Donna Summer
The Last Time I Felt Like This: Jane Olivor, Johnny Mathis
Ready to Take a Chance Again: Barry Manilow
When You’re Loved: Debby Boone

Original Song Film Performers

Was the song performed at the Oscars by the same individuals who performed it in the film?

Hopelessly Devoted to You: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Olivia Newton-John)
Last Dance: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Donna Summer)
The Last Time I Felt Like This: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Johnny Mathis, Jane Olivor)
Ready to Take a Chance Again: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Barry Manilow)
When You’re Loved: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Debby Boone)

Other Performances

Not Even Nominated (Oscar’s Only Human): Sammy Davis Jr., Steve Lawrence
That’s Entertainment: Academy Awards Orchestra

Ceremony Production Staff

Announcer: John Harlan
Conductor / Musical Arranger: Jack Elliott, Allyn Ferguson
Director: Marty Pasetta
Producer: Jack Haley Jr.
Writer: Michael Barrie, Johnny Carson, Hal Goodman, Larry Klein, Buz Kohan, Jim Mulholland, Tony Thomas, Rod Warren
Production Design: Roy Christopher
Costume Design: Ron Talsky

Emmys

Nominations: 3
Wins: 1
Program Achievement Special Events: Winner
Individual Achievement Special Events: Nominee (Roy Christopher, Production Designer)
Individual Achievement Special Events: Nominee (Terry Pickford, Michael L. Wenig, Editors)