Oscars Past: Ten Most Memorable Moments
by IMDb-Editors created 6 days ago | last updated - 6 hours ago
Here are what IMDb's editors consider to be the ten most unforgettable moments from past Oscars telecasts.
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1/10
“ The 12th Annual Academy Awards, 1940: Hattie McDaniel's Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work in Gone with the Wind made history: She became the first African American to win an Academy Award. Her speech also was one of the most moving in the history of the telecast:
"This one of the happiest moments of my life...It has made me feel very, very humble, and I shall always hold it as a beacon for anything that I may be able to do in the future. I sincerely hope I shall always be a credit to my race and to the motion picture industry. My heart is too full to tell you just how I feel. May I say thank you and God bless you." ” People: Hattie McDaniel
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2/10
“ The 45th Annual Academy Awards, 1973: Sacheen Littlefeather shocked Hollywood's glitterati when Marlon Brando's name was announced as the winner for Best Actor for his performance in The Godfather and, at his request, she went to the stage. Littlefeather refused the Oscar on his behalf in protest of the entertainment industry's treatment and portrayals of Native Americans. Brando also penned a long letter explaining his stance, but Littlefeather saved the reading of it for the press room backstage given the time constraints at the podium. ”
People: Sacheen Littlefeather
Titles: The 45th Annual Academy Awards (1973 TV Special)
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3/10
“ The 57th Annual Academy Awards, 1985: Sally Field's Best Actress win for her work in Places in the Heart was overshadowed by her exuberant acceptance speech that included the famous line, "You like me! Right now, you like me!"
It was a sweet line that was lampooned and misquoted frequently for years afterward. ” Titles: The 57th Annual Academy Awards (1985 Documentary)
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4/10
“ The 58th Annual Academy Awards, 1986: Cher, presenting that year's Oscar for Best Actor, shocked viewers by rolling up in her now infamous couture designed by Bob Mackie. "As you can see," she joked, "I did receive my Academy booklet on how to dress like a serious actress." ”
People: Cher
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5/10
“ The 59th Annual Academy Awards, 1987: When Marlee Matlin won the Best Actress Oscar for her work in Children of a Lesser God, she became the first deaf actress to win an Oscar, and delivered her acceptance speech in sign language. ”
People: Marlee Matlin
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6/10
“ The 70th Annual Academy Awards, 1998: As much as people poked fun at Sally Field for her moment of self-congratulation, it was kind of adorable. But when James Cameron capped off an evening of Titanic sweeping the Oscars in all major categories by dancing at the podium while yelling, "I'm the king of the world! Woo-hoo!" it just seemed a little...arrogant. And completely in character. ”
People: James Cameron
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7/10
“ The 71st Annual Academy Awards, 1999: Roberto Benigni was so thrilled to hear his name called for Best Actor for his work in Life Is Beautiful that he bounced across the backs of the theater's seats on his way to the stage to claim his award. ”
People: Roberto Benigni
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8/10
“ The 75th Annual Academy Awards, 2003: When Adrien Brody won an Oscar for his performance in The Pianist, the fact that his win made him the youngest man to get an Academy Award in the Best Actor category at that time was eclipsed by his first celebratory act. Brody famously planted a long kiss on Halle Berry, who presented him with the honor. ”
People: Adrien Brody
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9/10
“ The 81st Annual Academy Awards, 2009: Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight earned him a posthumous nomination -- and win -- in the Best Supporting Actor category, making him only the second actor to do so. His father, mother and sister accepted the award for him.
Kevin Kline introduced Ledger's award by saying: "In a year of striking film images perhaps the most unforgettable is that of a man. His face smeared in clown makeup, gleefully sticking his head out of a speeding car, relishing the night wind and reveling at the chaos he has unleashed on the streets of Gotham city. Menacing, mercurial, droll, and diabolical. Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight kept us all on edge anxious to see what act of appalling mischief he might commit next. With this bravura performance as well as with a wide range of other roles to which he put his unique signature, Heath Ledger has left us an original and enduring legacy." ” Titles: The 81st Annual Academy Awards (2009 TV Special)
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10/10
“ The 83rd Annual Academy Awards, 2011: When Melissa Leo won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work in The Fighter, she punctuated the victory by dropping an F-bomb on live television. Such colorful language isn't out of the ordinary for a Golden Globes telecast, but her surprise utterance of the mother of all curse words marked an historic first in the award show's 82-year history. ”
People: Melissa Leo
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