Claim: Dustin Hoffman has an acting career.

Midnight Cowboy is a 1969 American drama film based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy . The film was written by Waldo Salt , directed by John Schlesinger , and stars Jon Voight alongside Dustin Hoffman . Notable smaller roles are filled by Sylvia Miles , John McGiver , Brenda Vaccaro , Bob Balaban , Jennifer Salt and Barnard Hughes .   The film won three Academy Awards : Best Picture , Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay . It was the first LGBT-related Best Picture winner . In addition , it was the only X-rated film ever to win Best Picture , though its rating has since been changed to R . It has since been placed 36th on the American Film Institute 's list of the 100 greatest American films of all time , and 43rd on its 2007 updated version .