20100303

Hooray for Hollywood - Some Retro Oscar Fun


This Sunday is the 82nd Annual Academy Awards and, as usual, I am looking forward to the ceremonies. Every year I have a little Oscar Party with a few other fans, serve up my Oscar Martinis and my Oscar Snacks and sit down in front of the old Boob Tube to enjoy a night of vicarious glitz and glamour.

I've been watching the Oscars for decades and have seen some absolutely great television moments during the ceremonies. Some of these still come to mind as I get ready to prepare for this year's festivities and I'd like to share some of them with you - I'm sure many of you remember some of these great Oscar moments starting with my all time favorite:

David Niven and The Streaker

Jack Palance and the One Armed Push Up Acceptance Speech

Billy Crystal's Parody Number on Prince of Tides

Cuba Gooding's Totally Over the Energetic Top Acceptance Speech

Steven Spielberg Finally Getting an Oscar (Schindler's List)

Steven Martin Hosts in 2001

Hugh Jackman's Opening Number in 2009

Here's some interesting Oscar Facts & Trivia for you:

  • The official name of the golden statue is the Academy Award of Merit. Bette Davis makes the claim that she named the statuette after her first husband, bandleader Harmon Oscar Nelson.
  • You cannot buy an Oscar. The winners or their heirs may not sell the statuettes without first offering to sell them back to the Academy for $1. If the winner does not agree to this stipulation the Academy keeps their statuette. Prior to 1950 this stipulation was not in place and Oscars fetched as high as six figures.
  • In 1981, the Academy Awards were delayed for one day, due to the shooting of President Ronald Reagan.
  • The first televised Academy Awards show was the 25th annual, held on March 19, 1953.
  • More Academy Award Trivia from Oscars.org
Classic Acceptance Lines:
  • Thank you very much. That makes up for the strip-search. - Woody Allen
  • Oh, wow. This is the best drink of water after the longest drought of my life - Steven Spielberg
  • Most of all, I want to thank my father, up there, the man who when I said I wanted to be an actor, he said, 'Wonderful, just have a back-up profession like welding - Robin Williams
  • I can't deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me! - Sally Field
  • I guess this proves there are as many nuts in the Academy as anywhere else - Jack Nicholson
  • This is one night I wish I smoked and drank - Grace Kelly
And, of course, the Classic Non-Acceptance Line of All Time:
  • "Marlon Brando very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. And the reason for this being is the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry - Sacheen Littlefeather refusing the Best Actor Award for Marlon Brando in 1972
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