Looking at Film from Every Angle

62nd Academy Awards (1989): The Ceremony

Nominations Announcement

Nominations Announcement Date: Wednesday, February 14, 1990
Nominations Presenters: Geena Davis, Karl Malden

Ceremony Details

Awards Ceremony Date/Time: Monday, March 26, 1990, 6:00pm
Location: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles
Televised On: ABC
Host: Billy Crystal
Length: 3 hours, 37 minutes
Nielsen Ratings: 26.42 rating
Viewers: 40.22 million

Presenters

President’s Welcoming Remarks: Karl Malden
Supporting Actor: Geena Davis
Production Design: Mel Gibson (in London), Glenn Close
Presenter Introduction: Kim Basinger: Arnold Schwarzeneggar
Best Picture Introduction: Dead Poets Society: Kim Basinger
Original Song Introduction: “I Love to See You Smile”: Julia Roberts
Music: Original Score: Steve Martin
Makeup & Hairstyling: Elizabeth McGovern, Kenneth Branagh
Foreign Language Film: Jack Lemmon (in Moscow), Natalia Negoda
Supporting Actress: Kevin Kline
Best Picture Introduction: Field of Dreams: Beau Bridges, Jeff Bridges
Live Action Short Film: John Candy, Rick Moranis
Original Song Introduction: “Kiss the Girl” and “Under the Sea”: Daryl Hannah
Animated Short Film: Bugs Bunny
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award: Howard W. Koch: Walter Matthau
Best Picture Introduction: Driving Miss Daisy: Jessica Lange
Film Editing: Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman
Original Song Introduction: “The Girl Who Used to Be Me”: John Goodman
Presenter Introduction: Isabelle Huppert: Tom Selleck
Scientific & Technical Awards; and Gordon E. Sawyer Award: Pierre Angenieux: Isabelle Huppert (on tape)
Sound Mixing: Bryan Brown (in Sydney), Rachel Ward
Sound Editing: Bryan Brown (in Sydney), Rachel Ward
Cinematography: Melanie Griffith, Tom Hanks
Actress: Gregory Peck
Costume Design: Candice Bergen
Visual Effects: Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd
Presenter Introduction: George Lucas & Steven Spielberg: Jack Valenti
Honorary Award: Akira Kurosawa: George Lucas, Steven Spielberg
Original Song Introduction: “After All”: Denzel Washington
Original Song: Dudley Moore, Paula Abdul
Best Picture Introduction: Born on the Fourth of July: Danny Glover
Documentary Short Subject: Charlton Heston (in Buenos Aires), Norma Aleandro
Documentary Feature: Charlton Heston (in Buenos Aires), Norma Aleandro
Writing: Adapted Screenplay: Jane Fonda
Writing: Original Screenplay: Jane Fonda
Best Picture Introduction: My Left Foot: Anjelica Huston
Directing: Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro
Actor: Jodie Foster
Introduction: “Over the Rainbow”: Michelle Pfeiffer
Picture: Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty

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 – Dustin Hoffman: No
Actress – Jodie Foster: Yes
Supporting Actor – Kevin Kline: Yes
Supporting Actress – Geena Davis: Yes
Directing – Barry Levinson: No

Song Performances

After All: James Ingram, Melissa Manchester
The Girl Who Used to Be Me: Patti Austin
I Love to See You Smile: Randy Newman
Kiss the Girl: Geoffrey Holder
Under the Sea: Geoffrey Holder

Original Song Film Performers

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

After All: No (Performed in the Film by: Cher, Peter Cetera)
The Girl Who Used to Be Me: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Patti Austin)
I Love to See You Smile: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Randy Newman)
Kiss the Girl: No (Performed in the Film by: Samuel E. Wright)
Under the Sea: No (Performed in the Film by: Samuel E. Wright)

Other Performances

Opening Number: Best Picture Spoofs – My Left Foot = Me and My Shadow; Field of Dreams = Tangerine; Mutual Admiration Society = Dead Poets Society; Walkin’ My Baby Back Home = Driving Miss Daisy; Born in the U.S.A. = Born on the Fourth of July: Billy Crystal
Over the Rainbow: Diana Ross

Ceremony Production Staff

Announcer: Charlie O’Donnell
Conductor / Musical Arranger: Bill Conti
Director: Jeff Margolis
Producer: Gilbert ‘Gil’ Cates
Writer: Marty Farrell, Ernest Lehman, Melville Shavelson
Writer (Special Material): Billy Crystal, Robert Wuhl
Production Design: C. David Pina
Choreography: Paula Abdul

Emmys

Nominations: 5
Wins: 1
Variety Music or Comedy Special: Nominee
Directing of a Variety Series: Nominee
Music Direction: Nominee
Lighting Direction for a Drama Series Variety Series Miniseries or Special: Nominee
Art Direction for Variety or Nonfiction Programming: Winner