# 55th Academy Awards

The 55th Academy Awards were presented April 11, 1983, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Liza Minnelli, Dudley Moore, Richard Pryor, and Walter Matthau. Louis Gossett Jr. became the first African-American actor to win Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the tough and principled drill instructor Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman. Bhanu Athaiya also became the first Indian to win an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for Gandhi. This marked the first of 28 consecutive years where a Barbara Walters interview special aired before the ceremony. Walters had previously aired an interview special in 1981, and in subsequent years, her special aired prior to the Academy's formal broadcast of celebrities walking the red carpet. It was also the only time George C. Scott attended an Oscars ceremony.
Gandhi won eight awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Ben Kingsley. Other winners included E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial with four awards, An Officer and a Gentleman with two, Begin the Beguine, If You Love This Planet, Just Another Missing Kid, Missing, Quest for Fire, A Shocking Accident, Sophie's Choice, Tango, Tootsie, and Victor/Victoria with one.
This was also the last time the 2 highest-grossing films of the year (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Tootsie) were nominated for Best Picture until the 95th Academy Awards, 40 years later (Avatar: The Way of Water and Top Gun: Maverick).

## Awards

The nominations were announced on February 17, 1983. Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).
| Best Picture | Best Directing |
| Gandhi – Richard Attenborough, producer‡ E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, producers Missing – Edward Lewis and Mildred Lewis, producers Tootsie – Sydney Pollack and Dick Richards, producers The Verdict – David Brown and Richard D. Zanuck, producers | Richard Attenborough – Gandhi‡ Wolfgang Petersen – Das Boot Steven Spielberg – E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Sydney Pollack – Tootsie Sidney Lumet – The Verdict |
| Best Actor in a Leading Role | Best Actress in a Leading Role |
| Ben Kingsley – Gandhi as Mahatma Gandhi‡ Dustin Hoffman – Tootsie as Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels Jack Lemmon – Missing as Edmund Horman Paul Newman – The Verdict as Frank Galvin Peter O'Toole – My Favorite Year as Alan Swann | Meryl Streep – Sophie's Choice as Zofia "Sophie" Zawistowski‡ Julie Andrews – Victor/Victoria as Victoria Grant/Count Victor Grazinski Jessica Lange – Frances as Frances Farmer Sissy Spacek – Missing as Beth Horman Debra Winger – An Officer and a Gentleman as Paula Pokrifki |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Best Actress in a Supporting Role |
| Louis Gossett Jr. – An Officer and a Gentleman as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley‡ Charles Durning – The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas as The Governor John Lithgow – The World According to Garp as Roberta Muldoon James Mason – The Verdict as Ed Concannon Robert Preston – Victor/Victoria as Carol "Toddy" Todd | Jessica Lange – Tootsie as Julie Nichols‡ Glenn Close – The World According to Garp as Jenny Fields Teri Garr – Tootsie as Sandra "Sandy" Lester Kim Stanley – Frances as Lillian Van Ornum Farmer Lesley Ann Warren – Victor/Victoria as Norma Cassidy |
| Best Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) | Best Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) |
| Gandhi – John Briley‡ Diner – Barry Levinson E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Melissa Mathison An Officer and a Gentleman – Douglas Day Stewart Tootsie – Larry Gelbart, Murray Schisgal and Don McGuire | Missing – Costa-Gavras and Donald E. Stewart based on the book The Execution of Charles Horman: An American Sacrifice by Thomas Hauser‡ Das Boot – Wolfgang Petersen based on the novel by Lothar G. Buchheim Sophie's Choice – Alan J. Pakula based on the novel by William Styron The Verdict – David Mamet based on the novel by Barry Reed Victor/Victoria – Blake Edwards based on the film Viktor und Viktoria by Reinhold Schünzel |
| Best Foreign Language Film | Best Documentary (Feature) |
| Begin the Beguine (Spain)‡ Alsino and the Condor (Nicaragua) Clean Slate (France) Flight of the Eagle (Sweden) Private Life (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) | Just Another Missing Kid – John Zaritsky‡ After the Axe – Sturla Gunnarsson and Steve Lucas Ben's Mill – John Karol and Michel Chalufour In Our Water – Meg Switzgable A Portrait of Giselle – Joseph Wishy |
| Best Documentary (Short Subject) | Best Short Film (Live Action) |
| If You Love This Planet – Edward Le Lorrain and Terre Nash‡ Gods of Metal – Robert Richter The Klan: A Legacy of Hate in America – Charles Guggenheim and Werner Schumann To Live or Let Die – Freida Lee Mock Traveling Hopefully – John G. Avildsen | A Shocking Accident – Christine Oestreicher‡ Ballet Robotique – Bob Rogers The Silence – Michael Toshiyuki Uno and Joseph Benson Split Cherry Tree – Jan Saunders Sredni Vashtar – Andrew Birkin |
| Best Short Film (Animated) | Best Music (Original Score) |
| Tango – Zbigniew Rybczyński‡ The Great Cognito – Will Vinton The Snowman – John Coates | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – John Williams‡ Gandhi – Ravi Shankar and George Fenton An Officer and a Gentleman – Jack Nitzsche Poltergeist – Jerry Goldsmith Sophie's Choice – Marvin Hamlisch |
| Best Music (Original Song Score and Its Adaptation -or- Adaptation Score) | Best Music (Original Song) |
| Victor/Victoria – Henry Mancini and Leslie Bricusse‡ Annie – Adaptation Score by Ralph Burns One from the Heart – Song Score by Tom Waits | "Up Where We Belong" from An Officer and a Gentleman – Music by Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie; Lyrics by Will Jennings‡ "Eye of the Tiger" from Rocky III – Music and Lyrics by Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" from Best Friends – Music by Michel Legrand; Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman "If We Were In Love" from Yes, Giorgio – Music by John Williams; Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman "It Might Be You" from Tootsie – Music by Dave Grusin; Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman |
| Best Sound Effects Editing | Best Sound |
| E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Charles L. Campbell and Ben Burtt‡ Das Boot – Mike Le Mare Poltergeist – Stephen Hunter Flick and Richard Anderson | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, Don Digirolamo and Gene Cantamessa‡ Das Boot – Milan Bor, Trevor Pyke and Mike Le Mare Gandhi – Gerry Humphreys, Robin O'Donoghue, Jonathan Bates and Simon Kaye Tootsie – Arthur Piantadosi, Les Fresholtz, Dick Alexander and Les Lazarowitz Tron – Michael Minkler, Bob Minkler, Lee Minkler and James LaRue |
| Best Makeup | Best Costume Design |
| Quest for Fire – Sarah Monzani and Michèle Burke‡ Gandhi – Tom Smith | Gandhi – John Mollo and Bhanu Athaiya‡ Sophie's Choice – Albert Wolsky La Traviata – Piero Tosi Tron – Elois Jenssen and Rosanna Norton Victor/Victoria – Patricia Norris |
| Best Art Direction | Best Cinematography |
| Gandhi – Art Direction: Stuart Craig and Robert W. Laing; Set Decoration: Michael Seirton‡ Annie – Art Direction: Dale Hennesy (posthumous nomination); Set Decoration: Marvin March Blade Runner – Art Direction: Lawrence G. Paull and David Snyder; Set Decoration: Linda DeScenna La Traviata – Art Direction: Franco Zeffirelli; Set Decoration: Gianni Quaranta Victor/Victoria – Art Direction: Rodger Maus, Tim Hutchinson and William Craig Smith; Set Decoration: Harry Cordwell | Gandhi – Billy Williams and Ronnie Taylor‡ Das Boot – Jost Vacano E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Allen Daviau Sophie's Choice – Néstor Almendros Tootsie – Owen Roizman |
| Best Film Editing | Best Visual Effects |
| Gandhi – John Bloom‡ Das Boot – Hannes Nikel E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Carol Littleton An Officer and a Gentleman – Peter Zinner Tootsie – Fredric Steinkamp and William Steinkamp | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Carlo Rambaldi, Dennis Muren and Kenneth F. Smith‡ Blade Runner – Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich and David Dryer Poltergeist – Richard Edlund, Michael Wood and Bruce Nicholson |

### Honorary Award

* To Mickey Rooney, in recognition of his 60 years of versatility in a variety of memorable film performances.

### Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

* Walter Mirisch

### Films with multiple nominations and awards

Films with multiple nominations :
| Nominations | Film |
| 11 | Gandhi |
| 10 | Tootsie |
| 9 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial |
| 7 | Victor/Victoria |
| 6 | Das Boot |
| 6 | An Officer and a Gentleman |
| 5 | Sophie's Choice |
| 5 | The Verdict |
| 4 | Missing |
| 3 | Poltergeist |
| 2 | Annie |
| 2 | Blade Runner |
| 2 | Frances |
| 2 | La Traviata |
| 2 | Tron |
| 2 | The World According to Garp |
Films with multiple wins :
| Awards | Film |
| 8 | Gandhi |
| 4 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial |
| 2 | An Officer and a Gentleman |

## Presenters and performers

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

### Presenters

| Name(s) | Role |
| Hank Simms | Announcer for the 55th Academy Awards |
| Fay Kanin (AMPAS President) | Gave opening remarks welcoming guests to the awards ceremony |
| Luise Rainer Jack Valenti | Presenters of the award for Best Foreign Language Film |
| Christopher Reeve Susan Sarandon | Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actor |
| Jane Russell Cornel Wilde | Presenters of the award for Best Makeup |
| Matt Dillon Kristy McNichol | Presenters of the Short Films awards |
| Charlton Heston | Presenter of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Walter Mirisch |
| Cher Plácido Domingo | Presenters of the Music Awards |
| Steve Guttenberg Ann Reinking | Presenters of the award for Best Costume Design |
| Elizabeth McGovern Eddie Murphy | Presenters of the award for Best Visual Effects |
| Jamie Lee Curtis Carl Weathers | Presenters of the award for Best Sound Effects Editing |
| JoBeth Williams David L. Wolper | Presenters of the Documentary Awards |
| Margot Kidder William Shatner | Presenters of the award for Best Art Direction |
| Michael Keaton Nastassja Kinski | Presenters of the award for Best Cinematography |
| Bob Hope | Presenter of the Honorary Award to Mickey Rooney |
| Lisa Eilbacher David Keith | Presenters of the award for Best Sound |
| Tom Selleck Raquel Welch | Presenters of the award for Best Film Editing |
| Olivia Newton-John | Presenter of the award for Best Original Song |
| Robert Mitchum Sigourney Weaver | Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actress |
| Philip Dunne | Presenter of the awards for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen and Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium |
| Billy Wilder | Presenter of the award for Best Director |
| Sylvester Stallone | Presenter of the award for Best Actress |
| John Travolta | Presenter of the award for Best Actor |
| Carol Burnett | Presenter of the award for Best Picture |

### Performers

| Person | Role | Performed |
| Bill Conti | Musical arranger and conductor | Orchestral |
| Walter Matthau Liza Minnelli Dudley Moore Richard Pryor | Performers | "It All Comes Down to This" |
| The Temptations Sandahl Bergman | Performers | "Eye of the Tiger" from Rocky III |
| Patti Austin James Ingram | Performers | "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" from Best Friends |
| Joe Cocker Jennifer Warnes | Performers | "Up Where We Belong" from An Officer and a Gentleman |
| Stephen Bishop | Performer | "It Might Be You" from Tootsie |
| Peter Allen Bernadette Peters Academy Awards Chorus | Performers | Salute to Irving Berlin: "Alexander's Ragtime Band", "I Love a Piano", "Play a Simple Melody", "It's a Lovely Day Today", "Blue Skies", "I Got the Sun in the Mornin' (and the Moon at Night)", "Let's Face the Music and Dance", "Let Yourself Go", "Puttin' On the Ritz", "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails", "Steppin' Out with My Baby", "Shakin' the Blues Away", "What'll I Do", "A Pretty Girl Is like a Melody" and "There's No Business Like Show Business" |
| Melissa Manchester | Performer | "If We Were in Love" from Yes, Giorgio |
| Academy Awards Chorus | Performers | "That's Entertainment" |