# 47th Academy Awards

The 47th Academy Awards were presented Tuesday, April 8, 1975, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California, honoring the best films of 1974. The ceremonies were presided over by Bob Hope, Shirley MacLaine, Sammy Davis Jr., and Frank Sinatra. Before ABC, the ceremony's current broadcaster, acquired the U.S. broadcast rights, this was the last ceremony to air on NBC.
The success of The Godfather Part II was notable; it received twice as many Oscars as its predecessor (six) and duplicated its feat of three Best Supporting Actor nominations (as of the 96th Academy Awards, it is the last film to receive three nominations in a single acting category). Between the two of them, father and son Carmine and Francis Ford Coppola won four awards, with Carmine winning for Best Original Dramatic Score (with Nino Rota) and Francis for Picture, Director, and Best Screenplay Adapted from Other Material (with Mario Puzo).
Prior to the ceremony, Dustin Hoffman, who was nominated for his performance in the film Lenny, described the awards as "ugly" and "grotesque" and likened the ceremony to a beauty pageant, causing host Hope to remark that "if Dustin Hoffman wins tonight, he's going to have a friend pick it up for him—George C. Scott." Ingrid Bergman felt that she won her Academy Award out of a collective showbusiness guilt over her being ostracized from Hollywood in 1949 due to her affair with director Roberto Rossellini and that Valentina Cortese was worthy of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Upon winning the Best Documentary Feature Oscar for Hearts & Minds, co-producer Bert Schneider said, "It's ironic that we're here at a time just before Vietnam is about to be liberated," and then read a telegram containing "Greetings of Friendship to All American People" from Ambassador Dinh Ba Thi of the Provisional Revolutionary Government (Viet Cong) delegation to the Paris Peace Accords. The telegram thanked the anti-war movement "for all they have done on behalf of peace". The speech infuriated Hope, who later wrote a telegram that he had Sinatra read to the divided audience. The note said: "The academy is saying, 'We are not responsible for any political references made on the program, and we are sorry they had to take place this evening.'" This speech infuriated a third co-host, Shirley MacLaine, and actor Warren Beatty, who sarcastically retorted "thank you, Frank, you old Republican". MacLaine, for her part, remarked "You said you were speaking for the Academy. Well, I'm a member of the Academy and you didn't ask me!".
This was the only Oscar ceremony in which all five of the nominees in a single category were released by the same studio: all five Best Costume Design nominations were for films released by Paramount Pictures.

## Winners and nominees

Nominees were announced on February 24, 1975. Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface and indicated with a double dagger (‡).
| Best Picture | Best Directing |
| The Godfather Part II – Francis Ford Coppola, producer; Gray Frederickson and Fred Roos, co–producers‡ Chinatown – Robert Evans, producer The Conversation – Francis Ford Coppola, producer; Fred Roos, co-producer Lenny – Marvin Worth, producer The Towering Inferno – Irwin Allen, producer | Francis Ford Coppola – The Godfather Part II‡ Roman Polanski – Chinatown François Truffaut – Day for Night Bob Fosse – Lenny John Cassavetes – A Woman Under the Influence |
| Best Actor | Best Actress |
| Art Carney – Harry and Tonto as Harry Coombes‡ Albert Finney – Murder on the Orient Express as Hercule Poirot Dustin Hoffman – Lenny as Lenny Bruce Jack Nicholson – Chinatown as J.J. "Jake" Gittes Al Pacino – The Godfather Part II as Michael Corleone | Ellen Burstyn – Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore as Alice Hyatt‡ Diahann Carroll – Claudine as Claudine Price Faye Dunaway – Chinatown as Evelyn Cross Mulwray Valerie Perrine – Lenny as Honey Bruce Gena Rowlands – A Woman Under the Influence as Mabel Longhetti |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Best Actress in a Supporting Role |
| Robert De Niro – The Godfather Part II as Vito Corleone‡ Fred Astaire – The Towering Inferno as Harlee Claiborne Jeff Bridges – Thunderbolt and Lightfoot as Lightfoot Michael V. Gazzo – The Godfather Part II as Frank Pentangeli Lee Strasberg – The Godfather Part II as Hyman Roth | Ingrid Bergman – Murder on the Orient Express as Greta Ohlsson‡ Valentina Cortese – Day for Night as Severine Madeline Kahn – Blazing Saddles as Lili von Shtupp Diane Ladd – Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore as Florence "Flo" Castleberry Talia Shire – The Godfather Part II as Connie Corleone |
| Best Writing (Original Screenplay) | Best Writing (Screenplay Adapted from Other Material) |
| Chinatown – Robert Towne‡ Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore – Robert Getchell The Conversation – Francis Ford Coppola Day for Night – François Truffaut, Suzanne Schiffman and Jean-Louis Richard Harry and Tonto – Paul Mazursky and Josh Greenfeld | The Godfather Part II – Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo based on the novel The Godfather by Mario Puzo ‡ The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz – Mordecai Richler and Lionel Chetwynd based on the novel by Mordecai Richler Lenny – Julian Barry based on his play Murder on the Orient Express – Paul Dehn based on the novel by Agatha Christie Young Frankenstein – Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks based on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein |
| Best Foreign Language Film | Best Documentary (Feature) |
| Amarcord – Italy‡ Cats' Play – Hungary The Deluge – Poland Lacombe, Lucien – France The Truce – Argentina | Hearts and Minds – Peter Davis‡ The 81st Blow – Haim Gouri Antonia: A Portrait of the Woman – Judy Collins and Jill Godmilow The Challenge... A Tribute to Modern Art – Herbert Kline The Wild and the Brave – Natalie R. Jones and Eugene S. Jones |
| Best Documentary (Short Subject) | Best Short Film (Live Action) |
| Don't – Robin Lehman‡ City Out of Wilderness Exploratorium John Muir's High Sierra Naked Yoga | One-Eyed Men Are Kings – Paul Claudon and Edmond Sechan‡ Climb – Dewitt Jones The Concert – Julian Chagrin and Claude Chagrin Planet Ocean – George V. Casey The Violin – Andrew Welsh and George Pastic |
| Best Short Film (Animated) | Best Music (Original Dramatic Score) |
| Closed Mondays – Will Vinton and Bob Gardiner‡ The Family That Dwelt Apart – Yvon Mallette and Robert Verrall Hunger – Peter Foldes and René Jodoin Voyage to Next – John Hubley and Faith Hubley Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too – Wolfgang Reitherman | The Godfather Part II – Nino Rota and Carmine Coppola‡ Chinatown – Jerry Goldsmith Murder on the Orient Express – Richard Rodney Bennett Shanks – Alex North The Towering Inferno – John Williams |
| Best Music (Scoring: Original Song Score and Adaptation -or- Scoring: Adaptation) | Best Music (Song) |
| The Great Gatsby – Adapted by Nelson Riddle‡ The Little Prince – Song Score by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe; Adapted by Angela Morley and Douglas Gamley Phantom of the Paradise – Song Score by Paul Williams; Adapted by Paul Williams and George Aliceson Tipton | "We May Never Love Like This Again" — The Towering Inferno • Music and Lyrics by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn‡ "Benji's Theme (I Feel Love)" — Benji • Music by Euel Box • Lyrics by Betty Box "Blazing Saddles" — Blazing Saddles • Music by John Morris • Lyrics by Mel Brooks "Little Prince" — The Little Prince • Music by Frederick Loewe • Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner "Wherever Love Takes Me" — Gold • Music by Elmer Bernstein • Lyrics by Don Black |
| Best Costume Design | Best Sound |
| The Great Gatsby – Theoni V. Aldredge‡ Chinatown – Anthea Sylbert Daisy Miller – John Furniss The Godfather Part II – Theadora Van Runkle Murder on the Orient Express – Tony Walton | Earthquake – Ronald Pierce and Melvin Metcalfe Sr.‡ Chinatown – Bud Grenzbach and Larry Jost The Conversation – Walter Murch and Arthur Rochester The Towering Inferno – Theodore Soderberg and Herman Lewis Young Frankenstein – Richard Portman and Gene Cantamessa |
| Best Art Direction | Best Cinematography |
| The Godfather Part II – Art Direction: Dean Tavoularis and Angelo P. Graham: Set Decoration: George R. Nelson‡ Chinatown – Art Direction: Richard Sylbert and W. Stewart Campbell; Set Decoration: Ruby R. Levitt Earthquake – Art Direction: Alexander Golitzen and E. Preston Ames; Set Decoration: Frank R. McKelvy The Island at the Top of the World – Art Direction: Peter Ellenshaw, John B. Mansbridge, Walter H. Tyler and Al Roelofs; Set Decoration: Hal Gausman The Towering Inferno – Art Direction: William J. Creber and Ward Preston; Set Decoration: Raphaël Bretton | The Towering Inferno – Joseph Biroc and Fred J. Koenekamp‡ Chinatown – John A. Alonzo Earthquake – Philip H. Lathrop Lenny – Bruce Surtees Murder on the Orient Express – Geoffrey Unsworth |
| Best Film Editing ||
| The Towering Inferno — Harold F. Kress and Carl Kress‡ Blazing Saddles — John C. Howard and Danford Greene Chinatown — Sam O'Steen Earthquake — Dorothy Spencer The Longest Yard — Michael Luciano ||

### Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects)

* Earthquake — Frank Brendel, Glen Robinson and Albert Whitlock.

### Honorary Award

* To Howard Hawks - a master American filmmaker whose creative efforts hold a distinguished place in world cinema.
* To Jean Renoir - a genius who, with grace, responsibility and enviable devotion through silent film, sound film, feature, documentary and television, has won the world's admiration.

### Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

* Arthur B. Krim

### Multiple nominations and awards

Films with multiple nominations :
| Nominations | Film |
| 11 | Chinatown |
| 11 | The Godfather Part II |
| 8 | The Towering Inferno |
| 6 | Lenny |
| 6 | Murder on the Orient Express |
| 4 | Earthquake |
| 3 | Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore |
| 3 | Blazing Saddles |
| 3 | The Conversation |
| 3 | Day for Night |
| 2 | The Great Gatsby |
| 2 | Harry and Tonto |
| 2 | The Little Prince |
| 2 | A Woman Under the Influence |
| 2 | Young Frankenstein |
Films with multiple awards :
| Awards | Film |
| 6 | The Godfather Part II |
| 3 | The Towering Inferno |
| 2 | Earthquake |
| The Great Gatsby |

## Presenters and performers

The following individuals, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers:

### Presenters

| Name | Role |
| Hank Simms | Announcer for the 47th Academy Awards |
| Walter Mirisch (AMPAS President) | Giver of opening remarks welcoming guests to the awards ceremony |
| Ryan O'Neal Tatum O'Neal | Explainers of the voting rules to the public and presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actor |
| Francis Ford Coppola | Recipient of the award for Best Supporting Actor on behalf of Robert De Niro |
| Roddy McDowall Brenda Vaccaro | Presenters of the Short Films Awards |
| Lauren Hutton Danny Thomas | Presenters of the Documentary Awards |
| Ingrid Bergman | Presenter of the Honorary Award to Jean Renoir |
| Bob Hope | Presenter of the Special Achievement Award to Frank Brendel, Glen Robinson and Albert Whitlock for their work in Earthquake |
| Gene Kelly | Presenter of the award for Best Original Song |
| Joseph Bottoms Deborah Raffin | Presenters of the award for Best Sound |
| John Wayne | Presenter of the Honorary Award to Howard Hawks |
| Diahann Carroll Johnny Green | Presenters of the Music Awards |
| Lauren Bacall | Presenter of the award for Best Costume Design |
| Peter Falk Katharine Ross | Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actress |
| Susan Blakely O. J. Simpson | Presenters of the award for Best Art Direction |
| Jon Voight Raquel Welch | Presenters of the award for Best Cinematography |
| Macdonald Carey Jennifer O'Neill | Presenters of the award for Best Film Editing |
| Susan George Jack Valenti | Presenters of the award for Best Foreign Language Film |
| Frank Sinatra | Presenter of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Arthur J. Krim |
| Goldie Hawn Robert Wise | Presenters of the award for Best Director |
| James Michener | Presenter of the awards for Best Screenplay Adapted from Other Material and Best Original Screenplay |
| Glenda Jackson | Presenter of the award for Best Actor |
| Jack Lemmon | Presenter of the award for Best Actress |
| Warren Beatty | Presenter of the award for Best Picture |

### Performers

| Name | Role | Performed |
| Johnny Green | Musical arranger and conductor | Orchestral |
| Frankie Laine | Performer | "Blazing Saddles" from Blazing Saddles |
| Jack Jones | Performer | “Little Prince” from The Little Prince |
| Aretha Franklin | Performer | "Wherever Love Takes Me" from Gold |
| Frankie Laine Jack Jones Aretha Franklin | Performers | "We May Never Love Like This Again" from The Towering Inferno and "Benji's Theme (I Feel Love)" from Benji |
| Frank Sinatra Shirley MacLaine Sammy Davis Jr. Bob Hope Academy Awards Orchestra | Performers | "That's Entertainment!" |