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1984

Experience over nine decades of the Oscars from 1927 to 2024

The 56th Academy Awards | 1984
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Monday
Monday, April 9, 1984
Honoring movies released in 1983
Highlights
Art Direction
Fanny & Alexander

Anna Asp, presented by Tommy Tune and Twiggy

Special Achievement Award
Return of the Jedi

Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston and Phil Tippett, presented by Cheech and Chong

Cinematography
Fanny & Alexander

Sven Nykvist

Memorable Moments
Robert Duvall
Image

Best Actor winner for Tender Mercies, with presenter Dolly Parton

Horton Foote
Image

Original Screenplay winner, with presenters Mel Gibson and Sissy Spacek

James L. Brooks, Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson
Image

Terms of Endearment winners for Directing/Best Picture/Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress, and Supporting Actor

WINNERS & NOMINEES
Actor in a Leading Role
Winner
Robert Duvall
Tender Mercies
Nominees
Michael Caine
Educating Rita
Nominees
Tom Conti
Reuben, Reuben
Nominees
Tom Courtenay
The Dresser
Nominees
Albert Finney
The Dresser
Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner
Jack Nicholson
Terms of Endearment
Nominees
Charles Durning
To Be or Not to Be
Nominees
John Lithgow
Terms of Endearment
Nominees
Sam Shepard
The Right Stuff
Nominees
Rip Torn
Cross Creek
Actress in a Leading Role
Winner
Shirley MacLaine
Terms of Endearment
Nominees
Jane Alexander
Testament
Nominees
Meryl Streep
Silkwood
Nominees
Julie Walters
Educating Rita
Nominees
Debra Winger
Terms of Endearment
Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner
Linda Hunt
The Year of Living Dangerously
Nominees
Cher
Silkwood
Nominees
Glenn Close
The Big Chill
Nominees
Amy Irving
Yentl
Nominees
Alfre Woodard
Cross Creek
Art Direction
Winner
Fanny & Alexander
Anna Asp
Nominees
Return of the Jedi
Art Direction: Norman Reynolds, Fred Hole, James Schoppe; Set Decoration: Michael Ford
Nominees
The Right Stuff
Art Direction: Geoffrey Kirkland, Richard J. Lawrence, W. Stewart Campbell, Peter Romero; Set Decoration: Pat Pending, George R. Nelson
Nominees
Terms of Endearment
Art Direction: Polly Platt, Harold Michelson; Set Decoration: Tom Pedigo, Anthony Mondello
Nominees
Yentl
Art Direction: Roy Walker, Leslie Tomkins; Set Decoration: Tessa Davies
Cinematography
Winner
Fanny & Alexander
Sven Nykvist
Nominees
Flashdance
Don Peterman
Nominees
The Right Stuff
Caleb Deschanel
Nominees
WarGames
William A. Fraker
Nominees
Zelig
Gordon Willis
Costume Design
Winner
Fanny & Alexander
Marik Vos
Nominees
Cross Creek
Joe I. Tompkins
Nominees
Heart Like a Wheel
William Ware Theiss
Nominees
The Return of Martin Guerre
Anne-Marie Marchand
Nominees
Zelig
Santo Loquasto
Directing
Winner
Terms of Endearment
James L. Brooks
Nominees
The Dresser
Peter Yates
Nominees
Fanny & Alexander
Ingmar Bergman
Nominees
Silkwood
Mike Nichols
Nominees
Tender Mercies
Bruce Beresford
Documentary (Feature)
Winner
He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin'
Emile Ardolino, Producer
Nominees
Children of Darkness
Richard Kotuk and Ara Chekmayan, Producers
Nominees
First Contact
Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson, Producers
Nominees
The Profession of Arms
Michael Bryans and Tina Viljoen, Producers
Nominees
Seeing Red
James Klein and Julia Reichert, Producers
Documentary (Short Subject)
Winner
Flamenco at 5:15
Cynthia Scott and Adam Symansky, Producers
Nominees
In the Nuclear Shadow: What Can the Children Tell Us?
Vivienne Verdon-Roe and Eric Thiermann, Producers
Nominees
Sewing Woman
Arthur Dong, Producer
Nominees
Spaces: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph
Robert Eisenhardt, Producer
Nominees
You Are Free (Ihr Zent Frei)
Dea Brokman and Ilene Landis, Producers
Film Editing
Winner
The Right Stuff
Glenn Farr, Lisa Fruchtman, Stephen A. Rotter, Douglas Stewart, Tom Rolf
Nominees
Blue Thunder
Frank Morriss, Edward Abroms
Nominees
Flashdance
Bud Smith, Walt Mulconery
Nominees
Silkwood
Sam O'Steen
Nominees
Terms of Endearment
Richard Marks
Foreign Language Film
Winner
Fanny & Alexander
Sweden
Nominees
Carmen
Spain
Nominees
Entre Nous
France
Nominees
Job's Revolt
Hungary
Nominees
Le Bal
Algeria
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
Winner
M. J. Frankovich
Music (Original Score)
Winner
The Right Stuff
Bill Conti
Nominees
Cross Creek
Leonard Rosenman
Nominees
Return of the Jedi
John Williams
Nominees
Terms of Endearment
Michael Gore
Nominees
Under Fire
Jerry Goldsmith
Music (Original Song Score or Adaptation Score)
Winner
Yentl
Song Score by Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Nominees
The Sting II
Adaptation Score by Lalo Schifrin
Nominees
Trading Places
Adaptation Score by Elmer Bernstein
Music (Original Song)
Winner
Flashdance
Flashdance...What A Feeling in "Flashdance" Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyric by Keith Forsey and Irene Cara
Nominees
Flashdance
Maniac in "Flashdance" Music and Lyric by Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky
Nominees
Tender Mercies
Over You in "Tender Mercies" Music and Lyric by Austin Roberts and Bobby Hart
Nominees
Yentl
Papa, Can You Hear Me? in "Yentl" Music by Michel Legrand; Lyric by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Nominees
Yentl
The Way He Makes Me Feel in "Yentl" Music by Michel Legrand; Lyric by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Best Picture
Winner
Terms of Endearment
James L. Brooks, Producer
Nominees
The Big Chill
Michael Shamberg, Producer
Nominees
The Dresser
Peter Yates, Producer
Nominees
The Right Stuff
Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, Producers
Nominees
Tender Mercies
Philip S. Hobel, Producer
Short Film (Animated)
Winner
Sundae in New York
Jimmy Picker, Producer
Nominees
Mickey's Christmas Carol
Burny Mattinson, Producer
Nominees
Sound of Sunshine - Sound of Rain
Eda Godel Hallinan, Producer
Short Film (Live Action)
Winner
Boys and Girls
Janice L. Platt, Producer
Nominees
Goodie-Two-Shoes
Ian Emes, Producer
Nominees
Overnight Sensation
Jon N. Bloom, Producer
Sound
Winner
The Right Stuff
Mark Berger, Tom Scott, Randy Thom, David MacMillan
Nominees
Never Cry Wolf
Alan R. Splet, Todd Boekelheide, Randy Thom, David Parker
Nominees
Return of the Jedi
Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, Randy Thom, Tony Dawe
Nominees
Terms of Endearment
Donald O. Mitchell, Rick Kline, Kevin O'Connell, Jim Alexander
Nominees
WarGames
Michael J. Kohut, Carlos de Larios, Aaron Rochin, Willie D. Burton
Sound Effects Editing
Winner
The Right Stuff
Jay Boekelheide
Nominees
Return of the Jedi
Ben Burtt
Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects)
Winner
Return of the Jedi
Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston, Phil Tippett
Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium)
Winner
Terms of Endearment
James L. Brooks
Nominees
Betrayal
Harold Pinter
Nominees
The Dresser
Ronald Harwood
Nominees
Educating Rita
Willy Russell
Nominees
Reuben, Reuben
Julius J. Epstein
Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen)
Winner
Tender Mercies
Horton Foote
Nominees
The Big Chill
Lawrence Kasdan, Barbara Benedek
Nominees
Fanny & Alexander
Ingmar Bergman
Nominees
Silkwood
Nora Ephron, Alice Arlen
Nominees
WarGames
Lawrence Lasker, Walter F. Parkes

B

Betrayal
1 NOMINATION
  • Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) - Harold Pinter
The Big Chill
3 NOMINATIONS
  • Actress in a Supporting Role - Glenn Close
  • Best Picture - Michael Shamberg, Producer
  • Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) - Lawrence Kasdan, Barbara Benedek
Blue Thunder
1 NOMINATION
  • Film Editing - Frank Morriss, Edward Abroms
Boys and Girls
1 WIN, 1 NOMINATION
  • * Short Film (Live Action) - Janice L. Platt, Producer

C

Carmen
1 NOMINATION
  • Foreign Language Film - Spain
Children of Darkness
1 NOMINATION
  • Documentary (Feature) - Richard Kotuk and Ara Chekmayan, Producers
Cross Creek
4 NOMINATIONS
  • Actor in a Supporting Role - Rip Torn
  • Actress in a Supporting Role - Alfre Woodard
  • Costume Design - Joe I. Tompkins
  • Music (Original Score) - Leonard Rosenman

D

The Dresser
4 NOMINATIONS
  • Actor in a Leading Role - Tom Courtenay, Albert Finney
  • Directing - Peter Yates
  • Best Picture - Peter Yates, Producer
  • Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) - Ronald Harwood

E

Educating Rita
3 NOMINATIONS
  • Actor in a Leading Role - Michael Caine
  • Actress in a Leading Role - Julie Walters
  • Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) - Willy Russell
Entre Nous
1 NOMINATION
  • Foreign Language Film - France

F

Fanny & Alexander
6 NOMINATIONS, 4 WINS
  • * Art Direction - Anna Asp
  • * Cinematography - Sven Nykvist
  • * Costume Design - Marik Vos
  • * Foreign Language Film - Sweden
  • Directing - Ingmar Bergman
  • Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) - Ingmar Bergman
First Contact
1 NOMINATION
  • Documentary (Feature) - Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson, Producers
Flamenco at 5:15
1 WIN, 1 NOMINATION
  • * Documentary (Short Subject) - Cynthia Scott and Adam Symansky, Producers
Flashdance
4 NOMINATIONS, 1 WIN
  • * Music (Original Song) - Flashdance...What A Feeling in "Flashdance" Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyric by Keith Forsey and Irene Cara
  • Cinematography - Don Peterman
  • Film Editing - Bud Smith, Walt Mulconery
  • Music (Original Song) - Maniac in "Flashdance" Music and Lyric by Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky

G

Goodie-Two-Shoes
1 NOMINATION
  • Short Film (Live Action) - Ian Emes, Producer

H

He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin'
1 WIN, 1 NOMINATION
  • * Documentary (Feature) - Emile Ardolino, Producer
Heart Like a Wheel
1 NOMINATION
  • Costume Design - William Ware Theiss

J

Job's Revolt
1 NOMINATION
  • Foreign Language Film - Hungary

L

Le Bal
1 NOMINATION
  • Foreign Language Film - Algeria

M

Mickey's Christmas Carol
1 NOMINATION
  • Short Film (Animated) - Burny Mattinson, Producer

N

Never Cry Wolf
1 NOMINATION
  • Sound - Alan R. Splet, Todd Boekelheide, Randy Thom, David Parker
In the Nuclear Shadow: What Can the Children Tell Us?
1 NOMINATION
  • Documentary (Short Subject) - Vivienne Verdon-Roe and Eric Thiermann, Producers

O

Overnight Sensation
1 NOMINATION
  • Short Film (Live Action) - Jon N. Bloom, Producer

P

The Profession of Arms
1 NOMINATION
  • Documentary (Feature) - Michael Bryans and Tina Viljoen, Producers

R

The Return of Martin Guerre
1 NOMINATION
  • Costume Design - Anne-Marie Marchand
Return of the Jedi
5 NOMINATIONS, 1 WIN
  • * Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects) - Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston, Phil Tippett
  • Art Direction - Art Direction: Norman Reynolds, Fred Hole, James Schoppe; Set Decoration: Michael Ford
  • Music (Original Score) - John Williams
  • Sound - Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, Randy Thom, Tony Dawe
  • Sound Effects Editing - Ben Burtt
Reuben, Reuben
2 NOMINATIONS
  • Actor in a Leading Role - Tom Conti
  • Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) - Julius J. Epstein
The Right Stuff
8 NOMINATIONS, 4 WINS
  • * Film Editing - Glenn Farr, Lisa Fruchtman, Stephen A. Rotter, Douglas Stewart, Tom Rolf
  • * Music (Original Score) - Bill Conti
  • * Sound - Mark Berger, Tom Scott, Randy Thom, David MacMillan
  • * Sound Effects Editing - Jay Boekelheide
  • Actor in a Supporting Role - Sam Shepard
  • Art Direction - Art Direction: Geoffrey Kirkland, Richard J. Lawrence, W. Stewart Campbell, Peter Romero; Set Decoration: Pat Pending, George R. Nelson
  • Cinematography - Caleb Deschanel
  • Best Picture - Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, Producers

S

Seeing Red
1 NOMINATION
  • Documentary (Feature) - James Klein and Julia Reichert, Producers
Sewing Woman
1 NOMINATION
  • Documentary (Short Subject) - Arthur Dong, Producer
Silkwood
5 NOMINATIONS
  • Actress in a Leading Role - Meryl Streep
  • Actress in a Supporting Role - Cher
  • Directing - Mike Nichols
  • Film Editing - Sam O'Steen
  • Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) - Nora Ephron, Alice Arlen
Sound of Sunshine - Sound of Rain
1 NOMINATION
  • Short Film (Animated) - Eda Godel Hallinan, Producer
Spaces: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph
1 NOMINATION
  • Documentary (Short Subject) - Robert Eisenhardt, Producer
The Sting II
1 NOMINATION
  • Music (Original Song Score or Adaptation Score) - Adaptation Score by Lalo Schifrin
Sundae in New York
1 WIN, 1 NOMINATION
  • * Short Film (Animated) - Jimmy Picker, Producer

T

Tender Mercies
5 NOMINATIONS, 2 WINS
  • * Actor in a Leading Role - Robert Duvall
  • * Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) - Horton Foote
  • Directing - Bruce Beresford
  • Music (Original Song) - Over You in "Tender Mercies" Music and Lyric by Austin Roberts and Bobby Hart
  • Best Picture - Philip S. Hobel, Producer
Terms of Endearment
11 NOMINATIONS, 5 WINS
  • * Actor in a Supporting Role - Jack Nicholson
  • * Actress in a Leading Role - Shirley MacLaine
  • * Directing - James L. Brooks
  • * Best Picture - James L. Brooks, Producer
  • * Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) - James L. Brooks
  • Actor in a Supporting Role - John Lithgow
  • Actress in a Leading Role - Debra Winger
  • Art Direction - Art Direction: Polly Platt, Harold Michelson; Set Decoration: Tom Pedigo, Anthony Mondello
  • Film Editing - Richard Marks
  • Music (Original Score) - Michael Gore
  • Sound - Donald O. Mitchell, Rick Kline, Kevin O'Connell, Jim Alexander
Testament
1 NOMINATION
  • Actress in a Leading Role - Jane Alexander
To Be or Not to Be
1 NOMINATION
  • Actor in a Supporting Role - Charles Durning
Trading Places
1 NOMINATION
  • Music (Original Song Score or Adaptation Score) - Adaptation Score by Elmer Bernstein

U

Under Fire
1 NOMINATION
  • Music (Original Score) - Jerry Goldsmith

W

WarGames
3 NOMINATIONS
  • Cinematography - William A. Fraker
  • Sound - Michael J. Kohut, Carlos de Larios, Aaron Rochin, Willie D. Burton
  • Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) - Lawrence Lasker, Walter F. Parkes

Y

The Year of Living Dangerously
1 WIN, 1 NOMINATION
  • * Actress in a Supporting Role - Linda Hunt
Yentl
4 NOMINATIONS, 1 WIN
  • * Music (Original Song Score or Adaptation Score) - Song Score by Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
  • Actress in a Supporting Role - Amy Irving
  • Art Direction - Art Direction: Roy Walker, Leslie Tomkins; Set Decoration: Tessa Davies
  • Music (Original Song) - Papa, Can You Hear Me? in "Yentl" Music by Michel Legrand; Lyric by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, The Way He Makes Me Feel in "Yentl" Music by Michel Legrand; Lyric by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
You Are Free (Ihr Zent Frei)
1 NOMINATION
  • Documentary (Short Subject) - Dea Brokman and Ilene Landis, Producers

Z

Zelig
2 NOMINATIONS
  • Cinematography - Gordon Willis
  • Costume Design - Santo Loquasto
No Films Found