# 56th Academy Awards

The 56th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 1983 and took place on April 9, 1984, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 22 categories. The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Jack Haley Jr. and directed by Marty Pasetta. Comedian and talk show emcee Johnny Carson hosted the show for the fifth time. He first presided over the 51st ceremony held in 1979 and last hosted the 54th ceremony held in 1982. Nine days earlier, in a ceremony held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, on March 31, the Academy Scientific and Technical Awards were presented by hosts Joan Collins and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Terms of Endearment won five awards, including Best Picture. Other winners included Fanny and Alexander and The Right Stuff with four awards, Tender Mercies with two awards, and Return of the Jedi, Boys and Girls, Flamenco at 5:15, Flashdance, He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin', Sundae in New York, The Year of Living Dangerously, and Yentl with one. The telecast garnered 42.1 million viewers in the United States.

## Winners and nominees

The nominees for the 56th Academy Awards were announced on February 16, 1984, by Academy president Gene Allen and actor Mickey Rooney. Terms of Endearment earned the most nominations with eleven; The Right Stuff came in second with eight. The winners were announced at the awards ceremony on April 9. James L. Brooks was the third writer-director-producer to win three Oscars for the same film. With four wins, Fanny and Alexander became the most awarded foreign language film in Academy Award history at the time. Linda Hunt is the only person to win an Oscar for playing a character of the opposite sex. Best Original Song co-winner Irene Cara became the first black woman to win an Oscar in a non-acting category.

### Awards

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface and indicated with a double dagger (‡).
| Best Picture Terms of Endearment – James L. Brooks, producer‡ The Big Chill – Michael Shamberg, producer The Dresser – Peter Yates, producer The Right Stuff – Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler, producers Tender Mercies – Philip S. Hobel, producer | Best Directing James L. Brooks – Terms of Endearment‡ Peter Yates – The Dresser Ingmar Bergman – Fanny and Alexander Mike Nichols – Silkwood Bruce Beresford – Tender Mercies |
| Best Actor in a Leading Role Robert Duvall – Tender Mercies as Mac Sledge‡ Michael Caine – Educating Rita as Prof. Frank Bryant Tom Conti – Reuben, Reuben as Gowan McGland Tom Courtenay – The Dresser as Norman Albert Finney – The Dresser as Sir | Best Actress in a Leading Role Shirley MacLaine – Terms of Endearment as Aurora Greenway‡ Jane Alexander – Testament as Carol Wetherly Meryl Streep – Silkwood as Karen Silkwood Julie Walters – Educating Rita as Susan "Rita" White Debra Winger – Terms of Endearment as Emma Greenway-Horton |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role Jack Nicholson – Terms of Endearment as Garrett Breedlove‡ Charles Durning – To Be or Not to Be as S.S. Colonel Erhardt John Lithgow – Terms of Endearment as Sam Burns Sam Shepard – The Right Stuff as Chuck Yeager Rip Torn – Cross Creek as Marsh Turner | Best Actress in a Supporting Role Linda Hunt – The Year of Living Dangerously as Billy Kwan‡ Cher – Silkwood as Dolly Pelliker Glenn Close – The Big Chill as Sarah Cooper Amy Irving – Yentl as Hadass Vishkower Alfre Woodard – Cross Creek as Beatrice "Geechee" |
| Best Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) Tender Mercies – Horton Foote‡ The Big Chill – Lawrence Kasdan and Barbara Benedek Fanny and Alexander – Ingmar Bergman Silkwood – Nora Ephron and Alice Arlen WarGames – Lawrence Lasker and Walter Parkes | Best Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) Terms of Endearment – James L. Brooks based on the novel by Larry McMurtry‡ Betrayal – Harold Pinter based on his play The Dresser – Ronald Harwood based on his play Educating Rita – Willy Russell based on his play Reuben, Reuben – Julius J. Epstein based on the play Spofford by Herman Shumlin |
| Best Foreign Language Film Fanny and Alexander (Sweden) in Swedish – directed by Ingmar Bergman‡ The Ball (Algeria) with no dialogue – directed by Ettore Scola Carmen (Spain) in Spanish – directed by Carlos Saura Entre Nous (France) in French – directed by Diane Kurys The Revolt of Job (Hungary) in Hungarian – directed by Imre Gyöngyössy and Barna Kabay | Best Documentary (Feature) He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin' – Emile Ardolino‡ Children of Darkness – Richard Kotuk and Ara Chekmayan First Contact – Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson The Profession of Arms – Michael Bryans and Tina Viljoen Seeing Red – James Klein and Julia Reichert |
| Best Documentary (Short Subject) Flamenco at 5:15 – Cynthia Scott and Adam Symansky‡ In the Nuclear Shadow: What Can the Children Tell Us? – Vivienne Verdon-Roe and Eric Thiermann Sewing Woman – Arthur Dong Spaces: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph – Robert Eisenhardt You Are Free (Ihr Zent Frei) – Dea Brokman and Ilene Landis | Best Short Film (Live Action) Boys and Girls – Janice L. Platt‡ Goodie-Two-Shoes – Ian Emes Overnight Sensation – Jon N. Bloom |
| Best Short Film (Animated) Sundae in New York – Jimmy Picker‡ Mickey's Christmas Carol – Burny Mattinson Sound of Sunshine – Sound of Rain – Eda Godel Hallinan | Best Music (Original Score) The Right Stuff – Bill Conti‡ Cross Creek – Leonard Rosenman Return of the Jedi – John Williams Terms of Endearment – Michael Gore Under Fire – Jerry Goldsmith |
| Best Music (Original Song Score or Adaptation Score) Yentl – Song Score by Michel Legrand and Alan and Marilyn Bergman‡ The Sting II – Adaptation Score by Lalo Schifrin Trading Places – Adaptation Score by Elmer Bernstein | Best Music (Original Song) "Flashdance... What a Feeling" from Flashdance – Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyrics by Keith Forsey and Irene Cara‡ "Maniac" from Flashdance – Music and Lyrics by Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky "Over You" from Tender Mercies – Music and Lyrics by Austin Roberts and Bobby Hart "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" from Yentl – Music by Michel Legrand; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman "The Way He Makes Me Feel" from Yentl – Music by Michel Legrand; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman |
| Best Sound The Right Stuff – Mark Berger, Tom Scott, Randy Thom and David MacMillan‡ Never Cry Wolf – Alan Splet, Todd Boekelheide, Randy Thom and David Parker Return of the Jedi – Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, Randy Thom and Tony Dawe Terms of Endearment – Donald O. Mitchell, Rick Kline, Kevin O'Connell and James R. Alexander WarGames – Michael J. Kohut, Carlos Delarios, Aaron Rochin and Willie D. Burton | Best Sound Effects Editing The Right Stuff – Jay Boekelheide‡ Return of the Jedi – Ben Burtt |
| Best Art Direction Fanny and Alexander – Art Direction and Set Decoration: Anna Asp‡ Return of the Jedi – Art Direction: Norman Reynolds, Fred Hole and James L. Schoppe; Set Decoration: Michael D. Ford The Right Stuff – Art Direction: Geoffrey Kirkland, Richard Lawrence, W. Stewart Campbell and Peter R. Romero; Set Decoration: Jim Poynter and George R. Nelson Terms of Endearment – Art Direction: Polly Platt and Harold Michelson; Set Decoration: Tom Pedigo and Anthony Mondello Yentl – Art Direction: Roy Walker and Leslie Tomkins; Set Decoration: Tessa Davies | Best Costume Design Fanny and Alexander – Marik Vos‡ Cross Creek – Joe I. Tompkins Heart Like a Wheel – William Ware Theiss The Return of Martin Guerre – Anne-Marie Marchand Zelig – Santo Loquasto |
| Best Cinematography Fanny and Alexander – Sven Nykvist‡ Flashdance – Donald Peterman The Right Stuff – Caleb Deschanel WarGames – William A. Fraker Zelig – Gordon Willis | Best Film Editing The Right Stuff – Glenn Farr, Lisa Fruchtman, Tom Rolf, Stephen A. Rotter, and Douglas Stewart‡ Blue Thunder – Frank Morriss and Edward M. Abroms Flashdance – Bud S. Smith and Walt Mulconery Silkwood – Sam O'Steen Terms of Endearment – Richard Marks |

### Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects)

* Return of the Jedi – Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston and Phil Tippett.

### Honorary Award

* To Hal Roach, in recognition of his unparalleled record of distinguished contributions to the motion picture art form.

### Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

The award recognizes individuals whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the motion picture industry.
* M. J. Frankovich

### Films with multiple nominations and awards

Films with multiple nominations :
| Nominations | Film |
| 11 | Terms of Endearment |
| 8 | The Right Stuff |
| 6 | Fanny and Alexander |
| 5 | The Dresser |
| 5 | Return of the Jedi |
| 5 | Silkwood |
| 5 | Tender Mercies |
| 5 | Yentl |
| 4 | Cross Creek |
| 4 | Flashdance |
| 3 | The Big Chill |
| 3 | Educating Rita |
| 3 | WarGames |
| 2 | Reuben, Reuben |
| 2 | Zelig |
Films with multiple wins :
| Awards | Film |
| 5 | Terms of Endearment |
| 4 | Fanny and Alexander |
| 4 | The Right Stuff |
| 2 | Tender Mercies |

## Presenters and performers

The following individuals, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers:
Presenters :
| Name(s) | Role |
| Hank Simms | Announcer of the 56th Annual Academy Awards |
| Gene Allen (AMPAS President) | Gave opening remarks welcoming guests to the awards ceremony |
| Timothy Hutton Mary Tyler Moore | Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actor |
| Kevin Bacon Daryl Hannah | Presenters of the award for Best Sound Effects Editing |
| Jane Alexander Michael Caine | Presenters of the Best Animated Short Film and Best Live Action Short Film |
| Joan Collins Arnold Schwarzenegger | Presenters of the segment of the Academy Scientific and Technical Awards |
| Robert Wise | Presenter of the award for Best Film Editing |
| Christie Brinkley Michael Keaton | Presenters of the award for Best Sound |
| Anthony Franciosa Joanna Pacuła | Presenters of the award for Best Cinematography |
| John Gavin Jack Valenti | Presenters of the award for Best Foreign Language Film |
| Holly Palance Jack Palance | Presenters of the awards for Best Documentary Short Subject and Best Documentary Feature |
| Tommy Chong Cheech Marin | Presenters of the award for Best Visual Effects |
| Tommy Tune Twiggy | Presenters of the award for Best Costume Design |
| Ricardo Montalbán Jane Powell | Presenters of the award for Best Art Direction |
| Jennifer Beals Matthew Broderick | Presenters of the award for Best Original Song |
| Ray Bolger Gene Kelly | Presenters of the award for Best Original Score |
| Neil Diamond | Presenter of the award for Best Adapted Score |
| Dyan Cannon Gene Hackman | Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actress |
| Mel Gibson Sissy Spacek | Presenters of the awards for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen and Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium |
| Frank Sinatra | Presenter of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to M. J. Frankovich |
| Richard Attenborough | Presenter of the award for Best Director |
| Jackie Cooper George McFarland | Presenters of the Honorary Award to Hal Roach |
| Dolly Parton Sylvester Stallone | Presenters of the award for Best Actor |
| Rock Hudson Liza Minnelli | Presenters of the award for Best Actress |
| Frank Capra | Presenter of the award for Best Picture |
Performers :
| Name | Role | Performed |
| Quincy Jones | Musical arranger Conductor | Orchestral |
| Irene Cara National Dance Institute | Performers | "Flashdance... What a Feeling" from Flashdance |
| Herb Alpert Lani Hall | Performers | "Maniac" from Flashdance |
| Mac Davis | Performer | "Over You" from Tender Mercies |
| Donna Summer | Performer | "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" from Yentl |
| Jennifer Holliday | Performer | "The Way He Makes Me Feel" from Yentl |
| Sammy Davis Jr. Liza Minnelli | Performers | "There's No Business Like Show Business" |

## Ceremony information

In September 1983, the Academy hired film producer Jack Haley Jr. to produce the telecast for the third time. "We are excited to have Jack Haley Jr. back on the Academy Awards program this year," said AMPAS President Gene Allen in a press release announcing the selection. "We know that his outstanding talents will ensure an innovative and entertaining approach to the presentation of the Oscar." That same month, it was announced that comedian and The Tonight Show Starring host Johnny Carson would preside over emceeing duties for the 1984 ceremony. Allen explained the decision to hire Carson, saying, "In past years, Johnny has been a vital element in the ever-increasing success and popularity of the Oscar presentations. We are extremely pleased that we will be able to draw once again on his wit and charisma to host this special entertainment event."
Several other people were involved with the production of the ceremony. Musician Quincy Jones served as musical director for the ceremony, where he conducted an overture performed by the orchestra at the beginning of the show. Former child actress Shirley Temple made a special appearance at the beginning of the telecast to discuss her memories of the 7th ceremony in 1935, where she received the Academy Juvenile Award. Singers Sammy Davis Jr. and Liza Minnelli performed "There's No Business Like Show Business" at the conclusion of the telecast. Marty Pasetta served as director for the telecast. Notably, this was the first Oscars ceremony where the voting rules were announced at the end of the telecast as opposed to the beginning.

### Box office performance of Best Picture nominees

At the time of the nominations announcement on February 16, the combined gross of the five Best Picture nominees at the US box office was $151 million. Terms of Endearment was the highest earner among the Best Picture nominees, with $72.9 million in domestic box office receipts. The film was followed by The Big Chill ($52.5 million), The Right Stuff ($15.7 million), Tender Mercies ($8.44 million), and The Dresser ($562,623).

### Critical reviews

Columnist Jerry Coffey from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram wrote, "Nothing that goes on during an Oscarcast is worth the tedium dumbly endured by the ever-gullible audience for moviedom's annual spasm of gross self-indulgence." Austin American-Statesman film critic Patrick Taggart commented, "By now after a week after the fact, it is a matter of record that Monday's Academy Awards show was without the dullest ever." He added, "The Oscar went to the predictable choice in every case, and not only were there no surprises among the awards, there weren't even any of those deliciously embarrassing moments that make live television what it is." Television critic Howard Rosenberg of the Los Angeles Times noted, "Be honest. This was not one of your more electrifying Academy Awards telecasts. The three hours and 40 minutes passed as swiftly as Barry Lyndon." He also said, "And the tradition of squeezing nearly all of the major, most glamorous awards into the last half hour again proved mistaken, ill conceived, and just plain dumb."
Other media outlets received the broadcast more positively. Television columnist John J. O'Connor of The New York Times wrote, "The tone of the proceedings was set and maintained by a spiritedly genial Mr. Carson." He also added that Carson was able to "provide with eternally boyish grace his typical comedy mix." The Baltimore Sun film critic Stephen Hunter quipped, "The show, one of the crispest and most swiftly-paced in recent years, enjoyed its greatest asset in the return of Johnny Carson to the role of master of ceremonies. Mr. Carson was in top form." Mike Duffy of the Detroit Free Press wrote, "Johnny Carson, once again the invaluable host, added some much needed spice with well-timed zingers. And I especially enjoyed Jack Nicholson's impersonation of a Blues Brother behind those black be-bopper shades."

### Ratings and reception

The American telecast on ABC drew in an average of 42.1 million people over the length of the entire ceremony, which was a 21% decrease from the previous year's ceremony. Moreover, the show drew lower Nielsen ratings compared to the previous ceremony, with 30.3% of households watching with a 50% share. Nevertheless, the ceremony presentation received four nominations at the 36th Primetime Emmy Awards in August 1984. The following month, the ceremony won one of those nominations for Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety Program (Roy Christopher).