# 24th Tony Awards

The 24th Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by NBC television on April 19, 1970, from the Mark Hellinger Theatre in New York City. Hosts were Julie Andrews, Shirley MacLaine and Walter Matthau.

## The ceremony

Presenters: Clive Barnes, Mia Farrow, Elliott Gould, Claire Bloom, Michael Caine, Jack Cassidy, David Frost, Cary Grant, Patricia Neal, George C. Scott, James Stewart, Maggie Smith, Robert Stephens.
Musicals represented:
* Applause ("Applause" - Bonnie Franklin and Company/"Welcome to the Theatre" and "Applause" (reprise) - Lauren Bacall and Company)
* Coco ("Always Mademoiselle" - Katharine Hepburn and Company)
* Purlie ("I Got Love" - Melba Moore/"Walk Him up the Stairs" - Cleavon Little and Company)

## Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold
| Best Play | Best Musical |
| Borstal Boy – Frank McMahon Child's Play – Robert Marasco Indians – Arthur Kopit Last of the Red Hot Lovers – Neil Simon | Applause Coco Purlie |
| Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play | Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play |
| Fritz Weaver – Child's Play as Jerome Malley James Coco – Last of the Red Hot Lovers as Barney Cashman Frank Grimes – Borstal Boy as Young Behan Stacy Keach – Indians as Buffalo Bill | Tammy Grimes – Private Lives as Amanda Prynne Geraldine Brooks – Brightower as Sara Brightower Helen Hayes – Harvey as Veta Louise Simmons |
| Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical | Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical |
| Cleavon Little – Purlie as Purlie Len Cariou – Applause as Bill Sampson Robert Weede – Cry for Us All as Edward Quinn | Lauren Bacall – Applause as Margo Channing Katharine Hepburn – Coco as Coco Chanel Dilys Watling – Georgy as Georgina 'Georgy' Parkin |
| Best Performance by a Supporting or Featured Actor in a Play | Best Performance by a Supporting or Featured Actress in a Play |
| Ken Howard – Child's Play as Paul Reese Joseph Bova – The Chinese and Dr. Fish as Mr. Lee Dennis King – A Patriot for Me as Baron von Epp | Blythe Danner – Butterflies Are Free as Jill Tanner Alice Drummond – The Chinese and Dr. Fish as Mrs. Lee Eileen Heckart – Butterflies Are Free as Mrs. Baker Linda Lavin – Last of the Red Hot Lovers as Elaine Navazio |
| Best Performance by a Supporting or Featured Actor in a Musical | Best Performance by a Supporting or Featured Actress in a Musical |
| René Auberjonois – Coco as Sebastian Baye Brandon Maggart – Applause as Buzz Richards George Rose – Coco as Louis Greff | Melba Moore – Purlie as Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins Bonnie Franklin – Applause as Bonnie the Gypsy Penny Fuller – Applause as Eve Harrington Melissa Hart – Georgy as Meredith |
| Best Direction of a Play | Best Direction of a Musical |
| Joseph Hardy – Child's Play Milton Katselas – Butterflies Are Free Tómas Mac Anna – Borstal Boy Robert Moore – Last of the Red Hot Lovers | Ron Field – Applause Michael Benthall – Coco Philip Rose – Purlie |
| Best Choreography | Best Scenic Design |
| Ron Field – Applause Michael Bennett – Coco Grover Dale – Billy Louis Johnson – Purlie | Jo Mielziner – Child's Play Howard Bay – Cry for Us All Ming Cho Lee – Billy Robert Randolph – Applause |
| Best Costume Design | Best Lighting Design |
| Cecil Beaton – Coco Ray Aghayan – Applause W. Robert Lavine – Jimmy Freddy Wittop – A Patriot for Me | Jo Mielziner – Child's Play Tharon Musser – Applause Thomas Skelton – Indians |

## Special awards

* Sir Noël Coward for his multiple and immortal contributions to the theatre
* Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne
* New York Shakespeare Festival, for pioneering efforts on behalf of new plays
* Barbra Streisand – Star of the Decade