The Longest Oscar Acceptance Speech Does anyone keep track of the longest acceptance speech at the Oscars? The Answer: The folks at Guinness World Records do. According to them, Greer Garson spoke for five minutes and 30 seconds after accepting the award for Best Actress for her role in Mrs. Miniver in 1942. Here's some more information about the 1942 Academy Awards . As an aside, while she didn't take as much time, Olivia de Havilland thanked a record 27 people in her 1947 acceptance speech. —The Editors By the numbers: The Academy Awards | Globalnews.ca February 20, 2012 10:33 am By the numbers: The Academy Awards By Global News What is this? Sponsored content is written by Global News' editorial staff without any editorial influence by the sponsor. If you'd like to learn more... X What is this? Sponsored content is written by Global News' without any editorial influence by the sponsor. If you'd like to learn more... - Listen TORONTO – Who votes for Oscar winners? A new study finds the people who determine the award recipients are mainly white and male.

The Los Angeles Times reports 94 per cent of the Motion Picture Academy’s voting members are white-and 77 per cent are men. The report comes just a week before the next Oscar winners are announced. Global News takes a look at other Academy Awards facts and figures: 84 – Number of ceremonies to date (including 2012) $5 – Cost of Oscar event tickets in 1929 $500 – The approximate cost of making an Oscar statuette 20– Number of hours it takes to make an Oscar statuette (from cast to finish) 6.75 – Weight (in pounds) of an Oscar statuette 13.5– Height (in inches) of an Oscar statuette 15 minutes – Length of shortest Oscar awards ceremony. The winners of the first Academy Awards in 1929 were announced three months before the ceremony. The winners simply showed up to take their statuettes home.

4 hours and 23 minutes – Length of longest Academy Awards telecast (2002) 19 – Number of times Bob Hope has hosted the Academy Awards-an Oscar record One – Number of people named ‘Oscar’ who have won an Oscar statuette. Oscar Hammerstein II won for ‘Best Song’ in 1941 and 1945. 5,765 – Number of voters in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) as of 2012 Three – Number of people who have refused the Oscar. They are: George C. Scott (1971); Marlon Brando (1972); and Dudley Nichols (1935). 26 – The number of Oscars awarded to Walt Disney-the most given to a single individual Three – Number of films to have won the so-called ‘Big Five Academy Awards’ (best picture, director, actor, actress, and writing). The films are: “It Happened One Night” (1934), “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975) and “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991).

One – Number of actors/actresses to win for a one-word role. In the film “The Miracle Worker,” Patty Duke portrayed the blind and deaf Helen Keller. The actress won the award for ‘Best Supporting Actress’ after uttering the word “wah-wah” (the word “water”) in the 1962 movie. Five minutes and 30 seconds– The length of the longest acceptance speech made by an Oscar winner. Greer Garson spoke for five minutes and 30 seconds after accepting the ‘Best Actress’ award for her 1942 role in “Mrs. Miniver.” Tribute to Greer Garson: Midnight, The Stars, And You - YouTube Tribute to Greer Garson: Midnight, The Stars, And You Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Published on Jan 4, 2015 Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson Fogelson, CBE (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996), was a British American actress who was very popular during World War II, being listed by the Motion Picture Herald as one of America's top ten box office draws from 1942 to 1946. As one of MGM's major stars during the 1940s, Garson received seven Academy Award nominations, including a record five consecutive nominations, winning the Best Actress award for Mrs. Miniver (1942). Greer Garson's early professional appearances were on stage, starting at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in January 1932. She appeared on television during its earliest years (the late 1930s), most notably starring in a thirty-minute production of an excerpt of Twelfth Night in May 1937, with Dorothy Black. These live transmissions were part of the BBC's experimental service from Alexandra Palace, and this is the first known instance of a Shakespeare play performed on television. Louis B. Mayer discovered Garson while he was in London looking for new talent.

Garson was signed to a contract with MGM in late 1937, but did not begin work on her first film, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, until late 1938. She received her first Oscar nomination for the role, but lost to Vivien Leigh for Gone with the Wind. She received critical acclaim the next year for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1940 film, Pride and Prejudice. Garson starred with Joan Crawford in When Ladies Meet in 1941, and that same year became a major box office star with the sentimental Technicolor drama, Blossoms in the Dust, which brought her the first of five consecutive Best Actress Oscar nominations, tying Bette Davis' 1938–42 record, a record that still stands. Garson won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1942 for her role as a strong British wife and mother in the middle of World War II in Mrs. Miniver.

(Guinness Book of World Records credits her with the longest Oscar acceptance speech, at five minutes and 30 seconds, after which the Academy Awards instituted a time limit.) She was also nominated for Madame Curie (1943), Mrs. Parkington (1944), and The Valley of Decision (1945). Garson frequently costarred with Walter Pidgeon, ultimately making eight pictures with him: Blossoms in the Dust (1941), Mrs. Miniver (1942), Madame Curie, Mrs. Parkington, Julia Misbehaves (1948), That Forsyte Woman (1949), The Miniver Story (1950) and Scandal at Scourie (1953). Garson was partnered with Clark Gable, after his return from war service, in Adventure (1945). The film was advertised with the catch-phrase "Gable's back and Garson's got him!" Gable argued for "He put the Arson in Garson"; she countered "She put the Able in Gable!"; thereafter, the safer catchphrase was selected.

Garson's popularity dropped somewhat in the late 1940s, but she remained a prominent film star until the mid-1950s. In 1951, she became a naturalised citizen of the United States. She made only a few films after her MGM contract expired in 1954. In 1958, she received a warm reception on Broadway in Auntie Mame, replacing Rosalind Russell, who had gone to Hollywood to make the film version. In 1960, Garson received her seventh and final Oscar nomination for Sunrise at Campobello, in which she played Eleanor Roosevelt, this time losing to Elizabeth Taylor for BUtterfield 8. Greer was special guest on an episode of the TV series Father Knows Best, playing herself. On 4 October 1956, Garson appeared with Reginald Gardiner as the first two guest stars of the series, in the premiere of NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Garson appeared as a mystery guest on What's My Line on 25 October 1953 and on 06 April 1958 to promote her appearance in "Auntie Mame." Garson's last film, in 1967, was Walt Disney's The Happiest Millionaire, although she made infrequent television appearances afterwards. In 1968, she narrated the children's television special The Little Drummer Boy, which continues to be aired on ABC Family. During this time she also appeared on Laugh-in and the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, showing her great sense of humour. Garson received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, her late husband's alma mater, in 1991. In 1993, Queen Elizabeth II recognised Garson's achievements by investing her as Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Category Instant Video Play: Tribute to Greer Garson: Midnight, The Stars, And You Details Tribute to Greer Garson: Midnight, The Stars, And You Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson Fogelson, CBE (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996), was a British American actress who was very popular during World War II, being listed by the Motion Picture Herald as one of America's top ten box office draws from 1942 to 1946. As one of MGM's major stars during the 1940s, Garson received seven Academy Award nominations, including a record five consecutive nominations, winning the Best Actress award for Mrs. Miniver (1942). Greer Garson's early professional appearances were on stage, starting at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in January 1932. She appeared on television during its earliest years (the late 1930s), most notably starring in a thirty-minute production of an excerpt of Twelfth Night in May 1937, with Dorothy Black.

These live transmissions were part of the BBC's experimental service from Alexandra Palace, and this is the first known instance of a Shakespeare play performed on television. Louis B. Mayer discovered Garson while he was in London looking for new talent. Garson was signed to a contract with MGM in late 1937, but did not begin work on her first film, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, until late 1938. She received her first Oscar nomination for the role, but lost to Vivien Leigh for Gone with the Wind. She received critical acclaim the next year for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1940 film, Pride and Prejudice. Garson starred with Joan Crawford in When Ladies Meet in 1941, and that same year became a major box office star with the sentimental Technicolor drama, Blossoms in the Dust, which brought her the first of five consecutive Best Actress Oscar nominations, tying Bette Davis' 1938–42 record, a record that still stands. Garson won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1942 for her role as a strong British wife and mother in the middle of World War II in Mrs. Miniver.

(Guinness Book of World Records credits her with the longest Oscar acceptance speech, at five minutes and 30 seconds, after which the Academy Awards instituted a time limit.) She was also nominated for Madame Curie (1943), Mrs. Parkington (1944), and The Valley of Decision (1945). Garson frequently costarred with Walter Pidgeon, ultimately making eight pictures with him: Blossoms in the Dust (1941), Mrs. Miniver (1942), Madame Curie, Mrs. Parkington, Julia Misbehaves (1948), That Forsyte Woman (1949), The Miniver Story (1950) and Scandal at Scourie (1953). Garson was partnered with Clark Gable, after his return from war service, in Adventure (1945). The film was advertised with the catch-phrase "Gable's back and Garson's got him!" Gable argued for "He put the Arson in Garson"; she countered "She put the Able in Gable!"; thereafter, the safer catchphrase was selected.

Garson's popularity dropped somewhat in the late 1940s, but she remained a prominent film star until the mid-1950s. In 1951, she became a naturalised citizen of the United States. She made only a few films after her MGM contract expired in 1954. In 1958, she received a warm reception on Broadway in Auntie Mame, replacing Rosalind Russell, who had gone to Hollywood to make the film version. In 1960, Garson received her seventh and final Oscar nomination for Sunrise at Campobello, in which she played Eleanor Roosevelt, this time losing to Elizabeth Taylor for BUtterfield 8. Greer was special guest on an episode of the TV series Father Knows Best, playing herself. On 4 October 1956, Garson appeared with Reginald Gardiner as the first two guest stars of the series, in the premiere of NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Garson appeared as a mystery guest on What's My Line on 25 October 1953 and on 06 April 1958 to promote her appearance in "Auntie Mame." Garson's last film, in 1967, was Walt Disney's The Happiest Millionaire, although she made infrequent television appearances afterwards. In 1968, she narrated the children's television special The Little Drummer Boy, which continues to be aired on ABC Family. During this time she also appeared on Laugh-in and the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, showing her great sense of humour. Garson received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, her late husband's alma mater, in 1991. In 1993, Queen Elizabeth II recognised Garson's achievements by investing her as Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Greer Garson - Actresses - Bellazon Greer Garson · Report post Greer Garson, CBE (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996) was a British-born actress who was very popular during World War II, being listed by the Motion Picture Herald as one of America's top ten box office draws in 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, and 1946. As one of MGM's major stars of the 1940s, Garson received seven Academy Award nominations, winning the Best Actress award for Mrs. Miniver (1942). Early life Greer Garson was born Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson in Manor Park, Essex (now Greater London), England in 1904, the only child of George Garson (1865–1906), a clerk born in London, but with Scottish lineage, and his wife, Nina (née Nancy Sophia Greer; died 1958).

Her maternal grandfather was David Greer, a RIC sergeant in Castlewellan, County Down, Ireland in the 1880s and who later became a land steward to the Annesley family (wealthy landlords who built the town of Castlewellan). He lived in a large detached house built on the lower part of what was known as Pig Street or known locally as the Back Way near Shilliday's builder's yard. The house was called ‘Claremount’ and today the street is named Claremount Avenue. It was often reported that Garson was born in this house. She was, in fact, born in London, but spent much of her childhood in Castlewellan. Education She was educated at King's College London, where she earned degrees in French and 18th century literature, and at the University of Grenoble in France. She had intended to become a teacher, but instead began working with an advertising agency, and appeared in local theatrical productions. Career Greer Garson's early professional appearances were on stage, starting at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in January 1932.

She appeared on television during its earliest years (the late 1930s), most notably starring in a thirty-minute production of an excerpt of Twelfth Night in May 1937, with Dorothy Black. These live transmissions were part of the BBC's experimental service from Alexandra Palace and this is the first known instance of a Shakespeare play performed on television. Louis B. Mayer discovered Garson while he was in London looking for new talent. Garson was signed to a contract with MGM in late 1937, but did not begin work on her first film, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, until late 1938. She received her first Oscar nomination for the role, but lost to Vivien Leigh for Gone with the Wind. She received critical acclaim the next year for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1940 film, Pride and Prejudice.

Garson starred with Joan Crawford in When Ladies Meet in 1941, and that same year became a major box office star with the sentimental Technicolor drama, Blossoms in the Dust, which brought her the first of five consecutive Best Actress Oscar nominations, tying Bette Davis' 1938-1942 record, a record that still stands.Garson won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1942 for her role as a strong British wife and mother in the middle of World War II in Mrs. Miniver. (Guinness Book of World Records credits her with the longest Oscar acceptance speech, at five minutes and 30 seconds, after which the Academy Awards instituted a time limit.) She was also nominated for Madame Curie (1943), Mrs. Parkington (1944), and The Valley of Decision (1945). Garson was partnered with Clark Gable, after his return from war service, in Adventure (1945).

The film was advertised with the catch-phrase "Gable's back and Garson's got him!" Gable argued for "He put the Arson in Garson"; she countered "She Put the Able in Gable!"; thereafter, the safer catchphrase was selected. Garson's popularity dropped somewhat in the late 1940s, but she remained a prominent film star until the mid-1950s, as she was known for her gorgeous red hair. In 1951, she became a naturalized citizen of the United States. She made only a few films after her MGM contract expired in 1954. In 1958, she received a warm reception on Broadway in Auntie Mame, replacing Rosalind Russell, who had gone to Hollywood to make the film version. In 1960, Garson received her seventh and final Oscar nomination for Sunrise at Campobello, in which she played Eleanor Roosevelt, this time losing to Elizabeth Taylor for Butterfield 8. Greer was special guest on an episode of Father Knows Best (television series) playing herself.

On October 4, 1956, Garson appeared with Reginald Gardiner as the first two guest stars in the series premiere of NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford. Garson's last film, in 1967, was Disney's The Happiest Millionaire, although she made infrequent television appearances. In 1968, she narrated the children's television special The Little Drummer Boy, which is now seldom aired. Personal life Garson was married three times. Her first marriage, on 28 September 1933, was to Edward Alec Abbot Snelson (1904–1992), later Sir Edward, a British civil servant who became a noted judge and expert in Indian and Pakistani affairs. The actual marriage reportedly lasted only a few weeks, but was not formally dissolved until 1943. Her second husband, whom she married (at age 39) in 1943, was Richard Ney (1916–2004), the younger actor (27 years old) who played her son in Mrs. Miniver.

They divorced in 1947, with Garson claiming that Ney called her a "has-been" and belittled her age, as well as testimony from Garson that he also physically abused her. Ney eventually became a respected stock-market analyst and financial consultant. In 1949, she married a millionaire Texas oilman and horse breeder, E. E. "Buddy" Fogelson (1900–1987), and in 1967, the couple retired to their "Forked Lightning Ranch" in New Mexico. They purchased the U.S. Hall of Fame champion Thoroughbred Ack Ack from the estate of Harry F. Guggenheim in 1971, and were highly successful as breeders. They also maintained a home in Dallas, Texas, where Garson funded the Greer Garson Theater facility at Southern Methodist University.

Garson donated millions for the construction of the Greer Garson Theater at both the Santa Fe University of Art and Design and The Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University on three conditions: 1) that the stages be circular, 2) that the premiere production be William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and 3) that they have large ladies' rooms. Garson was a devout Presbyterian. Death Greer Garson died from heart failure at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas on 6 April 1996, at the age of 91. She is interred beside her husband in the Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Dallas. Filmography Greer Garson (Actress) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Greer Garson Female Born Sep 29, 1904 Greer Garson, CBE was a British actress who was very popular during World War II, being listed by the Motion Picture Herald as one of America's top ten box office draws in 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, and 1946.

As one of MGM's major stars of the 1940s, Garson received seven Academy Award nominations, winning the Best Actress award for Mrs. Miniver (1942).… Read More related links Posthumous Glory For The Last But Not Least The Australian Google News - Aug 26, 2011 'And brief mentions for Random Harvest (Saturday, 9.25pm, Fox Classics), one of the imperishable Hollywood tear-jerkers, about a war veteran (Ronald Colman) who loses his memory and the wife (<mark>Greer Garson</mark>) who waits for him; Of Mice and Men (Tuesday,' I. Beacham Left Lion Google News - Aug 25, 2011 'I am the ultimate Hollywood romance black and white movie sap who grew up with Bette Davis, Ronald Colman, <mark>Greer Garson</mark> et al. If I&#39;m reading a romance, I want to be lifted up and feel the heart strings tingling.

I don&#39;t mind the angst it takes to get' read full article Related Articles Video: Renovations Refresh Campus The Daily Campus Google News - Aug 24, 2011 'The Bob Hope Lobby, Taubman Atrium and <mark>Greer Garson</mark> second floor lobby have had a furniture remodel. Three years ago, the Starbucks coffee cart was added to the Taubman Atrium. According to Jay Hengst, the Meadows facilities manager,' Joan Crawford Movie Schedule: Forsaking All Others, Possessed Alt Film Guide (Blog) Google News - Aug 22, 2011 'Cast: Joan Crawford, Robert Taylor, <mark>Greer Garson</mark>. BW-105 mins. 12:45 PM DAISY KENYON (1947) On the rebound from a married man, a woman marries a veteran, just as her lover becomes available. Dir: Otto Preminger. Cast: Joan Crawford, Dana Andrews,' Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Greer Garson.

CHILDHOOD 1904 Birth Greer Garson was born on 29 September 1904 in Manor Park, East Ham, Essex, the only child of Nina (nÃ©e Nancy Sophia Greer; died 1958) and George Garson (1865â1906), a commercial clerk in a London importing business. … Read More Her father was born in London, to Scottish parents, and her mother was from Drumaloor, Casar, County Down, Northern Ireland. The name "Greer" is a contraction of "MacGregor", another family name.<br /><br /> Her maternal grandfather was David Greer, an RIC sergeant in Castlewellan, County Down, Northern Ireland, in the 1880s, who later became a land steward to the Annesley family, wealthy landlords who built the town of Castlewellan. David Greer lived in a large detached house built on the lower part of what was known as Pig Street or known locally as the Back Way near Shilliday's builder's yard. The house was called "Claremount" and today the street is named Claremount Avenue.

It was often reported that Garson was born in this house.<br /><br /> Garson was educated at King's College London, where she earned degrees in French and 18th-century literature, and at the University of Grenoble in France at a time when few actors had university degrees. She had intended to become a teacher, but instead began working with an advertising agency, and appeared in local theatrical productions. Read Less 1908 3 Years Old … This may have been a canny business decision made by MGM, in an attempt to extend her run as a popular romantic leading lady. Certainly, her busy period in films ended in 1955, soon after she was believed to have turned 40, although she was, in fact, over 50. <br /><br />From the early 1970s, interest was renewed in the stars of Hollywood's golden age, as their films received regular TV airings, and more facts about performers, as opposed to the information that the studios had circulated about them, came to light. Read Less Around this time, a more plausible year of birth for Garson, 1908, began to appear in print.

… Read More This could have been the year she had given when she took to the stage in the UK, conscious that she was a late starter or, for similar reasons, to MGM at the time she first signed with them. This second date achieved wide credence, until after Garson's death, when obituaries revealed that she had been born four years earlier, in 1904. Read Less 1910 5 Years Old … On August 20, 1949, Greer sailed on the Queen Elizabeth from New York. Read Less On the official passenger manifest she was listed under her married name, Greer Fogelson with an age of 39 years - making her year of birth 1910. 1914 9 Years Old For much of her life, Garson's true age was concealed from the public. When she was making feature films, her year of birth was given as 1914, making her 10 years younger than she really was. TWENTIES 1932 27 Years Old Greer Garson's early professional appearances were on stage, starting at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in January 1932.

1933 28 Years Old Garson was married three times. Her first marriage, on 28 September 1933, was to Edward Alec Abbot Snelson (1904â1992), later Sir Edward, a British civil servant who became a noted judge and expert in Indian affairs. … Read More She lived with him briefly in Nagpur, a small town in central India, but pined for the theatre and finally succumbed to its calling. A besotted Sir Edward reportedly grieved at losing her and would watch multiple screenings of any film of hers that played in Nagpur. Read Less THIRTIES Show Less She appeared on television during its earliest years (the late 1930s), most notably starring in a 30-minute production of an excerpt of Twelfth Night in May 1937, with Dorothy Black. … Read More These live transmissions were part of the BBC's experimental service from Alexandra Palace, and this is the first known instance of a Shakespeare play performed on television. Read Less Louis B. Mayer discovered Garson while he was in London looking for new talent.

Garson was signed to a contract with MGM in late 1937, but did not begin work on her first film, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, until late 1938. … Read More She received her first Oscar nomination for the role, but lost to Vivien Leigh for Gone with the Wind. Read Less 1940 35 Years Old She received critical acclaim the next year for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1940 film, Pride and Prejudice. 1941 36 Years Old Garson starred with Joan Crawford in When Ladies Meet in 1941, and that same year became a major box-office star with the sentimental Technicolor drama, Blossoms in the Dust, which brought her the first of five consecutive Best Actress Oscar nominations, tying Bette Davis' 1938â42 record, which still stands. 1942 37 Years Old Garson won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1942 for her role as a strong British wife and mother in the middle of World War II in Mrs. Miniver.

(Guinness Book of World Records credits her with the longest Oscar acceptance speech, at five minutes and 30 seconds, after which the Academy Awards instituted a time limit.) She was also nominated for Madame Curie (1943), Mrs. Parkington (1944), and The Valley of Decision (1945). … Read More Garson frequently costarred with Walter Pidgeon, ultimately making eight pictures with him: Blossoms in the Dust (1941), Mrs. Miniver (1942), Madame Curie, Mrs. Parkington, Julia Misbehaves (1948), That Forsyte Woman (1949), The Miniver Story (1950), and Scandal at Scourie (1953).<br /><br /> Garson was partnered with Clark Gable, after his return from war service, in Adventure (1945). The film was advertised with the catch-phrase "Gable's back and Garson's got him!" Gable argued for "He put the Arson in Garson"; she countered "She put the Able in Gable!"; thereafter, the safer catchphrase was selected.

Garson's popularity declined somewhat in the late 1940s, but she remained a prominent film star until the mid-1950s. Read Less Show Less The actual marriage reportedly lasted only a few weeks, but it was not formally dissolved until 1943. … Read More Garson was the mistress of MGM casting director Benny Thau during her early days at the studio. Read Less Her second husband, whom she married (at age 39) on 24 July 1943, was Richard Ney (1916â2004), the younger actor (27 years old) who played her son in Mrs. Miniver. They divorced in 1947. … Read More Ney said the divorce was due to the pressure of sharing a home with his mother-in-law, while Garson testified in court that Ney was critical of her work and accused her of being a "has-been". Ney eventually became a stock-market analyst, financial consultant, and author. Read Less FORTIES 1949 44 Years Old In 1949, Garson married a millionaire Texas oilman and horse breeder, E.E.

"Buddy" Fogelson (1900â1987). In 1967, the couple retired to their "Forked Lightning Ranch" in New Mexico. They purchased the U.S. Hall of Fame champion Thoroughbred Ack Ack from the estate of Harry F. Guggenheim in 1971 and were highly successful as breeders. … Read More They also maintained a home in Dallas, Texas, where Garson funded the Greer Garson Theatre facility at Southern Methodist University.<br /><br /> During her later years, Garson was recognised for her philanthropy and civic leadership. She donated several million dollars for the construction of the Greer Garson Theatre at both the Santa Fe University of Art and Design and at Southern Methodist University's Meadows School of the Arts on three conditions: 1) the stages be circular, 2) the premiere production be William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and 3) they have large ladies' rooms. Garson was a devout Presbyterian. Read Less 1951 46 Years Old In 1951, she became a naturalised citizen of the United States.

1954 49 Years Old She made only a few films after her MGM contract expired in 1954. … Read More In 1958, she received a warm reception on Broadway in Auntie Mame, replacing Rosalind Russell, who had gone to Hollywood to make the film version. Read Less FIFTIES 1956 51 Years Old On 4 October 1956, Garson appeared with Reginald Gardiner as the first two guest stars of the series, in the premiere of NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford. … Read More Garson appeared as a mystery guest on What's My Line on 25 October 1953 and on 6 April 1958 to promote her appearance in Auntie Mame. Read Less 1957 52 Years Old She was a panelist on the 12 May 1957 episode. 1960 55 Years Old In 1960, Garson received her seventh and final Oscar nomination for Sunrise at Campobello, in which she played Eleanor Roosevelt, this time losing to Elizabeth Taylor for BUtterfield 8.

… Read More Greer was special guest on an episode of the TV series Father Knows Best, playing herself. Read Less LATE ADULTHOOD 1967 - 1982 3 More Events 1967 62 Years Old Garson's last film, in 1967, was Walt Disney's The Happiest Millionaire, although she made infrequent television appearances afterwards. 1968 63 Years Old In 1968, she narrated the children's television special The Little Drummer Boy, which continues to be aired on ABC Family. … Read More During this time, she also appeared on Laugh-in and the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Read Less 1982 77 Years Old At age 78, Garson's final role for television was in a 1982 episode of The Love Boat, as a clairvoyant. 1991 86 Years Old Garson received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, her late husband's alma mater, in 1991.

1993 88 Years Old In 1993, Queen Elizabeth II recognised Garson's achievements by investing her as Commander of the Order of the British Empire. 1996 92 Years Old In her final years, Garson occupied a penthouse suite at the Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. She died there from heart failure on 6 April 1996, at the age of 91. … Read More She is interred beside her late husband in the Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Dallas. Read Less Original Authors of this text are noted on . Greer Garson Greer Garson Role: Old Time Radio Star Born: September 29, 1904 Old Time Radio, London, England, UK Died: April 6, 1996, Dallas, Texas, USA Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson, CBE (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996) was a British actress who was very popular during World War II, being listed by the Motion Picture Herald as one of America's top ten box office draws in 1942–46.

As one of MGM's major stars of the 1940s, Garson received seven Academy Award nominations, winning the Best Actress award for Mrs. Miniver (1942). Early life Born in Manor Park, Essex, England in 1904, the only child of George Garson (1865–1906), a clerk born in London, but with Scottishlineage, and his wife, Nina (née Nancy Sophia Greer; died 1958). (The name "Greer" is a contraction of "MacGregor," another family name.) Her maternal grandfather was David Greer, a RIC sergeant in Castlewellan, County Down, Ireland in the 1880s and who later became a land steward to the Annesley family (wealthy landlords who built the town of Castlewellan). He lived in a large detached house built on the lower part of what was known as Pig Street or known locally as the Back Way near Shilliday's builder's yard. The house was called ‘Claremount’ and today the street is named Claremount Avenue. It was often reported that Garson was born in this house.

She was, in fact, born in London, but spent much of her childhood in Castlewellan. Education She was educated at King's College London, where she earned degrees in French and 18th century literature, and at the University of Grenoble in France. She had intended to become a teacher, but instead began working with an advertising agency, and appeared in local theatrical productions. Career Greer Garson's early professional appearances were on stage, starting at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in January 1932. She appeared on television during its earliest years (the late 1930s), most notably starring in a thirty-minute production of an excerpt of Twelfth Night in May 1937, with Dorothy Black. These live transmissions were part of the BBC's experimental service from Alexandra Palace and this is the first known instance of a Shakespeare play performed on television. Louis B. Mayer discovered Garson while he was in London looking for new talent. Garson was signed to a contract with MGM in late 1937, but did not begin work on her first film, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, until late 1938.

She received her first Oscar nomination for the role, but lost to Vivien Leigh for Gone with the Wind. She received critical acclaim the next year for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1940 film, Pride and Prejudice. Garson starred with Joan Crawford in When Ladies Meet in 1941, and that same year became a major box office star with the sentimental Technicolor drama, Blossoms in the Dust, which brought her the first of five consecutive Best Actress Oscar nominations, tying Bette Davis' 1938–42 record, a record that still stands. Garson won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1942 for her role as a strong British wife and mother in the middle of World War II in Mrs. Miniver. (Guinness Book of World Records credits her with the longest Oscar acceptance speech, at five minutes and 30 seconds, after which the Academy Awards instituted a time limit.) She was also nominated for Madame Curie (1943), Mrs. Parkington (1944), and The Valley of Decision (1945).

Garson was a frequent costar of Walter Pidgeon, ultimately making eight pictures with him: Blossoms in the Dust (1941), Mrs. Miniver(1942), Madame Curie, Mrs. Parkington, Julia Misbehaves (1948), That Forsyte Woman (1949), The Miniver Story (1950), and Scandal at Scourie (1953). Garson was partnered with Clark Gable, after his return from war service, in Adventure (1945). The film was advertised with the catch-phrase "Gable's back and Garson's got him!" Gable argued for "He put the Arson in Garson"; she countered "She put the Able in Gable!"; thereafter, the safer catchphrase was selected. Garson's popularity dropped somewhat in the late 1940s, but she remained a prominent film star until the mid-1950s. In 1951, she became a naturalised citizen of the United States. She made only a few films after her MGM contract expired in 1954.

In 1958, she received a warm reception on Broadway in Auntie Mame, replacing Rosalind Russell, who had gone to Hollywood to make the film version. In 1960, Garson received her seventh and final Oscar nomination for Sunrise at Campobello, in which she played Eleanor Roosevelt, this time losing to Elizabeth Taylor for Butterfield 8. Greer was special guest on an episode of the TV series Father Knows Best, playing herself. On 4 October 1956, Garson appeared with Reginald Gardiner as the first two guest stars in the series premiere of NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford. Garson appeared as a mystery guest on What's My Line on 6 April 1958. She stumped the panel. She also appeared in Laugh-inshowing her comic side. Garson's last film, in 1967, was Walt Disney's The Happiest Millionaire, although she made infrequent television appearances afterwards. In 1968, she narrated the children's television special The Little Drummer Boy, which continues to be aired on ABC Family.

Also during this time, she also appeared in Laugh-in and the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour showing her great sense of humor. Personal life Garson was married three times. Her first marriage, on 28 September 1933, was to Edward Alec Abbot Snelson (1904–1992), later Sir Edward, a British civil servant who became a noted judge and expert in Indian affairs. The actual marriage reportedly lasted only a few weeks, but it was not formally dissolved until 1943. Her second husband, whom she married (at age 39) on 24 Jul 1943, was Richard Ney (1916–2004), the younger actor (27 years old) who played her son in Mrs. Miniver. They divorced in 1947. Ney claimed the divorce was due to the pressure of sharing a home with his mother-in-law, while Garson testified in court that Ney was critical of her work and accused her of being a "has-been." Ney eventually became a respected stock market analyst, financial consultant, and author.

In 1949, she married a millionaire Texas oilman and horse breeder, E.E. "Buddy" Fogelson (1900–1987), and in 1967, the couple retired to their "Forked Lightning Ranch" in New Mexico. They purchased the U.S. Hall of Fame champion Thoroughbred Ack Ack from the estate of Harry F. Guggenheim in 1971 and were highly successful as breeders. They also maintained a home in Dallas, Texas, where Garson funded the Greer Garson Theatre facility at Southern Methodist University. Garson donated millions for the construction of the Greer Garson Theatre at both the Santa Fe University of Art and Design and at Southern Methodist University's Meadows School of the Arts on three conditions: 1) the stages be circular, 2) the premiere production be William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and 3) they have large ladies' rooms. Garson was a devout Presbyterian. Death Greer Garson died from heart failure at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas on 6 April 1996 at the age of 91.

She is interred beside her husband in the Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Dallas. Source: Wikipedia

Question: Who made the longest Oscar acceptance speech, at five minutes and 30 seconds, when collecting her Oscar for Best Actress in 1942 for her role as Mrs. Miniver?
Answer: Greer Garson