The Ladies Who Took Home the Oscar

[Big Magilla]

Thanks, Damien, that seems about right.

[Damien]

It would appear from comments on the show that Robert Osborne's Academy Awards Illustrated had just been published, but I could swear there had been a book on the history of the Oscars published at least ten years earlier, whether it was an earlier edition of the Osborne book or not I can't recall.

Academy Awards Illustrated was first published in the mid-60s (I believe 1965) and he would bring an updated version every year or two for a little while.

In 1978, he came out with his first coffee table book, "50 Golden Years of Oscar."

[Big Magilla]

This show, broadcast sometime between the 1976 Oscar nominations and the awards, was technically the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of AMPAS, not the awards themselves which were not handed out until 1929 for 1927-1928. The official 50th anniversary celebration would be held the following year.

It would appear from comments on the show that Robert Osborne's Academy Awards Illustrated had just been published, but I could swear there had been a book on the history of the Oscars published at least ten years earlier, whether it was an earlier edition of the Osborne book or not I can't recall.

What struck me most was how little these four Oscar winning actresses knew about Oscar history, even to the point of remembering who else won the years they did.

Shelley Winters, no surprise, comes off quite ditzy. She insists she was nominated for A Double Life (she wasn't) and won best actress for The Diary of Anne Frank, refusing to acknowledge she won supporting actress and Simone Signoret best actress that year.

Shirley Jones insisted Elmer Gantry won best picture. Eva Marie Saint was hesitant to name Grace Kelly as the best actress winner the year she (Saint) won in support.

The more knowledgable Olivia de Havilland was shocked to learn Irene Dunne had never won an Oscar and Myrna Loy had never even been nominated for one.

Winters kept insisting that Barbara Stanwyck won for Sorry, Wrong Number.

Dinah Shore was hilarious, ignoring Winters' wanting to discuss A Patch of Blue to sing High Hopes instead.

[Penelope]

Olivia de Havilland, Shirley Jones, Eva Marie Saint and Shelley Winters appearing on Dinah Shore's talk show during the 50th Anniversary of the Oscars: Part 1 of several vids.