Looking at Film from Every Angle

52nd Academy Awards (1979): The Ceremony

Nominations Announcement

Nominations Announcement Date: Sunday, February 24, 1980

Ceremony Details

Awards Ceremony Date/Time: Monday, April 14, 1980, 6:00pm
Location: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles
Televised On: ABC
Host: Johnny Carson
Length: 3 hours, 12 minutes

Presenters

President’s Welcoming Remarks: Fay Kanin
Voting Rules Explanation: Patrick Wayne
Supporting Actress: Cloris Leachman, Jack Lemmon
Production Design: Ann Miller, Mickey Rooney
Music: Original Score: Ben Vereen, Dolly Parton
Music: Original Song Score or Adaptation: Ben Vereen, Dolly Parton
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award: Robert Benjamin: Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Costume Design: Kristy McNichol, Robert Hays
Visual Effects: Farrah Fawcett, Harold Russell
Documentary Short Subject: Persis Khambatta, William Shatner
Documentary Feature: Persis Khambatta, William Shatner
Animated Short Film: Lauren Hutton, Telly Savalas
Live Action Short Film: Lauren Hutton, Telly Savalas
Special Award for the Moviola: Richard Gere (NOTE: This award does not exist within the Academy records as receiving an Oscar or other honorary citation)
Honorary Award: Hal Elias: Walter Mirisch
Foreign Language Film: Ann-Margret, Jack Valenti
Sound Editing: Johnny Carson
Sound Mixing: Rod Steiger, Sally Kellerman
Irving G. Thalberg Award: Ray Stark: Kirk Douglas
Cinematography: George Hamilton, Jamie Lee Curtis
Original Song: Gene Kelly, Olivia Newton-John
Film Editing: Bo Derek, Christopher Reeve
Supporting Actor: Liza Minnelli, Walter Matthau
Honorary Award: Alec Guinness: Dustin Hoffman
Directing: Goldie Hawn, Steven Spielberg
Writing: Adapted Screenplay: Neil Simon
Writing: Original Screenplay: Neil Simon
Actor: Jane Fonda
Actress: Richard Dreyfuss
Picture: Charlton Heston
:
Scientific & Technical Awards: (NOTE: No record of these awards being given out.)

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 – Jon Voight: No
Actress – Jane Fonda: Yes
Supporting Actor – Christopher Walken: No
Supporting Actress – Maggie Smith: No
Directing – Michael Cimino: No

Song Performances

I’ll Never Say Goodbye: Melissa Manchester
It Goes Like It Goes: Dionne Warwick
It’s Easy to Say: Dudley Moore, Helen Reddy
The Rainbow Connection: Jim Henson (as Kermit the Frog), Frank Oz (as Miss Piggy), Paul Williams
Through the Eyes of Love: Melissa Manchester

Original Song Film Performers

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

I’ll Never Say Goodbye: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Melissa Manchester)
It Goes Like It Goes: No (Performed in the Film by: Jennifer Warnes)
It’s Easy to Say: Partial (Dudley Moore only) (Performed in the Film by: Dudley Moore, Julie Andrews)
The Rainbow Connection: Partial (Jim Henson only) (Performed in the Film by: Jim Henson)
Through the Eyes of Love: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Melissa Manchester)

Other Performances

Dancin’ on the Silver Screen: Donald O’Connor
That’s Entertainment: Academy Awards Chorus

Ceremony Production Staff

Announcer: Hank Simms
Conductor / Musical Arranger: Henry Mancini
Director: Marty Pasetta
Producer: Howard W. Koch
Writer: Michael Barrie, Jim Mulholland, Leonard Spigelgass
Production Design: Ray Klausen

Emmys

Nominations: 5
Wins: 0
Program Achievement Special Events: Nominee
Individual Achievement Special Events: Nominee (Donald O’Connor, Performer)
Individual Achievement Special Events: Nominee (Larry Grossman, Music; Buz Kohan, Lyrics)
Individual Achievement Special Events: Nominee (Ray Klausen, Art Director)
Individual Achievement Special Events: Nominee (Walter Painter, Choreographer)