Looking at Film from Every Angle

69th Academy Awards (1996): The Ceremony

Nominations Announcement

Nominations Announcement Date: Tuesday, February 11, 1997
Nominations Presenters: Mira Sorvino, Arthur Hiller
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Supporting Actor
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Supporting Actress
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Actor
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Actress
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Director
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Original Screenplay
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Adapted Screenplay
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Foreign Language Film
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Picture

Ceremony Details

Awards Ceremony Date/Time: Monday, March 24, 1997, 6:00pm
Location: Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles
Televised On: ABC
Host: Billy Crystal
Length: 3 hours, 34 minutes
Nielsen Ratings: 25.83 rating
Viewers: 40.83 million

Presenters

President’s Welcoming Remarks: Arthur Hiller
Supporting Actor: Mira Sorvino
Production Design: Sandra Bullock
Best Picture Introduction: Jerry Maguire: Steve Martin
Costume Design: Juliette Binoche
Sound Editing: Mike Judge (as Beavis and Butt-head)
Makeup & Hairstyling: Courtney Love
Montage: Togetherness and the Movies: Winona Ryder
Supporting Actress: Kevin Spacey
Original Song Introduction: “That Thing You Do!”: Claire Danes
Best Picture Introduction: Fargo: Holly Hunter
Animated Short Film: Chris Farley, David Spade
Live Action Short Film: Chris Farley, David Spade
Honorary Award: Michael Kidd: Julie Andrews
Scientific & Technical Awards: Helen Hunt
Documentary Short Subject: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith
Documentary Feature: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith
Visual Effects: Jim Carrey
Sound Mixing: Chris O’Donnell
Introduction: Dance number & Film Editing montage: Nicole Kidman
Film Editing: Nicole Kidman
Music: Original Musical or Comedy Score: Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds
Music: Original Drama Score: Gregory Hines
Best Picture Introduction: Shine: Glenn Close
Introduction: David Helfgott: Glenn Close
Cinematography: Tim Robbins
Original Song Introduction: “For the First Time”: Salma Hayek
Irving G. Thalberg Award: Saul Zaentz: Michael Douglas
Best Picture Introduction: The English Patient: Sigourney Weaver
Foreign Language Film: Jack Valenti, Kristin Scott Thomas
Original Song Introduction: “Because You Loved Me”: Jennifer Lopez
In Memoriam: Angela Bassett
Original Song: Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, Bette Midler
Montage: Shakespeare and the Movies: Kenneth Branagh
Writing: Adapted Screenplay: Jodie Foster
Writing: Original Screenplay: Jodie Foster
Best Picture Introduction: Secrets & Lies: Andie McDowell
Actress: Nicolas Cage
Actor: Susan Sarandon
Directing: Mel Gibson
Picture: Al Pacino

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 – Nicolas Cage: Yes
Actress – Susan Sarandon: Yes
Supporting Actor – Kevin Spacey: Yes
Supporting Actress – Mira Sorvino: Yes
Directing – Mel Gibson: Yes

Song Performances

Because You Loved Me: Celine Dion
For the First Time: Kenny Loggins
I Finally Found Someone: Celine Dion, Arturo Sandoval
That Thing You Do: Choreographed
You Must Love Me: Madonna

Original Song Film Performers

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

Because You Loved Me: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Celine Dion)
For the First Time: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Kenny Loggins)
I Finally Found Someone: No (Performed in the Film by: Barbra Streisand, Bryan Adams)
That Thing You Do: No (Performed in the Film by: The Wonders (dubbed by fictional band comprised of actors Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, Ethan Embry, Tom Everett Scott))
You Must Love Me: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Madonna)

Other Performances

Dance Montage: Editing: Michael Flatley and the Lord of the Dance
Flight of the Bumblebee: David Helfgott
Opening Number: Best Picture Spoofs – Theme from The Brady Bunch = Secrets & Lies; Wouldn’t It Be Lovely = The English Patient; Victory March = Jerry Maguire; Flight of the Bumblebee = Shine; My Kind of Town = Fargo: Billy Crystal

Ceremony Production Staff

Announcer: Randy Thomas
Conductor / Musical Arranger: Bill Conti
Director: Louis J. Horvitz
Producer: Gilbert ‘Gil’ Cates
Writer: Carrie Fisher, Hal Kanter, Buz Kohan, Billy Martin
Writer (Special Material): Joe Bolster, Billy Crystal, Ed Driscoll, Jon Macks, Marc Shaiman, David Steinberg, Bruce Vilanch
Production Design: Roy Christopher
Costume Design: Ray Aghayan

Emmys

Nominations: 7
Wins: 1
Variety Music or Comedy Special: Nominee
Directing for a Variety Special: Nominee
Performance in a Variety or Music Program: Nominee (Billy Crystal, host)
Music Direction: Nominee
Art Direction for Variety or Nonfiction Programming: Nominee
Costumes for a Variety Program or a Special: Nominee
Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special: Winner