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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
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Best Actor winner for Tender Mercies, with presenter Dolly Parton

Horton Foote
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Original Screenplay winner, with presenters Mel Gibson and Sissy Spacek

James L. Brooks, Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson
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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
Tom Conti
Reuben, Reuben
Tom Courtenay
The Dresser
Albert Finney
The Dresser
Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner
Jack Nicholson
Terms of Endearment
Nominees
Charles Durning
To Be or Not to Be
John Lithgow
Terms of Endearment
Sam Shepard
The Right Stuff
Rip Torn
Cross Creek
Actress in a Leading Role
Winner
Shirley MacLaine
Terms of Endearment
Nominees
Jane Alexander
Testament
Meryl Streep
Silkwood
Julie Walters
Educating Rita
Debra Winger
Terms of Endearment
Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner
Linda Hunt
The Year of Living Dangerously
Nominees
Cher
Silkwood
Glenn Close
The Big Chill
Amy Irving
Yentl
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
The Right Stuff
Art Direction: Geoffrey Kirkland, Richard J. Lawrence, W. Stewart Campbell, Peter Romero; Set Decoration: Pat Pending, George R. Nelson
Terms of Endearment
Art Direction: Polly Platt, Harold Michelson; Set Decoration: Tom Pedigo, Anthony Mondello
Yentl
Art Direction: Roy Walker, Leslie Tomkins; Set Decoration: Tessa Davies
Cinematography
Winner
Fanny & Alexander
Sven Nykvist
Nominees
Flashdance
Don Peterman
The Right Stuff
Caleb Deschanel
WarGames
William A. Fraker
Zelig
Gordon Willis
Costume Design
Winner
Fanny & Alexander
Marik Vos
Nominees
Cross Creek
Joe I. Tompkins
Heart Like a Wheel
William Ware Theiss
The Return of Martin Guerre
Anne-Marie Marchand
Zelig
Santo Loquasto
Directing
Winner
Terms of Endearment
James L. Brooks
Nominees
The Dresser
Peter Yates
Fanny & Alexander
Ingmar Bergman
Silkwood
Mike Nichols
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
First Contact
Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson, Producers
The Profession of Arms
Michael Bryans and Tina Viljoen, Producers
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
Sewing Woman
Arthur Dong, Producer
Spaces: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph
Robert Eisenhardt, Producer
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
Flashdance
Bud Smith, Walt Mulconery
Silkwood
Sam O'Steen
Terms of Endearment
Richard Marks
Foreign Language Film
Winner
Fanny & Alexander
Sweden
Nominees
Carmen
Spain
Entre Nous
France
Job's Revolt
Hungary
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
Return of the Jedi
John Williams
Terms of Endearment
Michael Gore
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
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
Tender Mercies
Over You in "Tender Mercies" Music and Lyric by Austin Roberts and Bobby Hart
Yentl
Papa, Can You Hear Me? in "Yentl" Music by Michel Legrand; Lyric by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
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
The Dresser
Peter Yates, Producer
The Right Stuff
Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, Producers
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
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
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
Return of the Jedi
Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, Randy Thom, Tony Dawe
Terms of Endearment
Donald O. Mitchell, Rick Kline, Kevin O'Connell, Jim Alexander
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
The Dresser
Ronald Harwood
Educating Rita
Willy Russell
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
Fanny & Alexander
Ingmar Bergman
Silkwood
Nora Ephron, Alice Arlen
WarGames
Lawrence Lasker, Walter F. Parkes

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