Best Picture: Mrs. Miniver
Mrs. Miniver also won Academy Awards for Best Actress (Greer Garson), Best Supporting Actress (Teresa Wright), Black-and-White Cinematography (Joseph Ruttenberg), Directing (William Wyler), and Writing – Screenplay (Arthur Wimperis, George Froeschel, James Hilton, and Claudine West).
Bob Hope was the master of ceremonies again, and Jeanette MacDonald sang the National Anthem.
There were four winners in the Best Documentary category. In subsequent years, the category was divided into short subjects and features.
Irving Berlin presented the award for Music – Song – to himself. He was the presenter as well as a nominee (for the fifth time in the category); he won for White Christmas (from Holiday Inn).
This was the last year that the ceremony was held at a banquet. Academy officials felt it was insensitive to host elegant dinner parties while the country was at war, so the following year, the Academy Awards moved to a theater.
In May 1942, Aaron Copland's Lincoln Portrait was performed for the first time by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
In June 1942, Anne Frank began making entries in the diary she received for her 13th birthday.
On June 18, 1942, journalist-film critic Roger Ebert was born.
In August 1942, Walt Disney's Bambi was released. It earned three Oscar nominations.
Special Award
To Charles Boyer for his progressive cultural achievement in establishing the French Research Foundation in Los Angeles as a source of reference for the Hollywood Motion Picture Industry.
Special Award
To Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for its achievement in representing the American Way of Life in the production of the Andy Hardy series of films.
Special Award
To Noel Coward for his outstanding production achievement in In Which We Serve.
Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award
To Sidney Franklin