Sunday, March 2, 2014

At look back at the 61st Academy Awards


It has been 25 years since the 61st Academy Awards took place.  By many is has been labeled as "the worst Oscars" ever.  There is is a lot to look back at with the awards show in in 1989.  Here are some of the good and the bad of that year:

Notable Points in History:
 The 61st Academy Awards took place on March 29, 1989, a rare Wednesday night  for this event.



Rain Man was the biggest winner of the night with four awards, including Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman, Best Director for Barry Levinson, and Best Picture.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit also won four awards.

Best Actor winner Dustin Hoffman was the fifth person to win the aforementioned category twice.

 Sigourney Weaver became the fifth performer to receive two acting nominations in the same year. However, she also became the first nominee to unsuccessfully win in either category after receiving these nominations.

For the first time, presenters announced each winner with the phrase "And the Oscar goes to..." rather than "And the winner is..."
The telecast was also remembered for being the final public appearance of actress and comedienne Lucille Ball, where she and co-presenter Bob Hope were given a standing ovation.

In an effort to showcase more glamour and showmanship in the ceremony, producer Carr hired playwright Steve Silver to co-produce an opening number inspired by Silver's long-running musical revue Beach Blanket Babylon. The segment consisted of an elaborate stage-show centered around actress Eileen Bowman dressed as Snow White from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, who comes to Hollywood and is entranced by its glamour. Like Beach Blanket Babylon, the opening act also featured dancers wearing giant, elaborate hats. In a setting designed to resemble the Cocoanut Grove nightclub, Hollywood dignitaries such as actress Cyd Charisse were prominently featured, while singer and television producer Merv Griffin sang a rendition of the song "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts" (of which he had had a hit recording in 1949). Bowman and actor Rob Lowe then sang a reworked version of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary", with lyrics rewritten to refer to the film industry; it is this song for which the act is infamously remembered.


Here is a list of the "stars" featured in this fail attempt at an entertaining opening number:
Army Archerd
Eileen Bowman
Coral Browne
Cyd Charisse
Dale Evans
Alice Faye
Merv Griffin
Dorothy Lamour
Rob Lowe
Tony Martin
Vincent Price
Buddy Rogers
Roy Rogers
Lily Tomlin

''I Wanna Be An Oscar Winner'' Production Number
Walter Matthau introduces Bob Hope and Lucille Ball, who will present the Young Hollywood production number: "I Wanna be an Oscar Winner." Features: Keith Coogan, Patrick Dempsey, Corey Feldman, Joely Fisher, Tricia Leigh Fisher, Savion Glover, Carrie Hamilton, Page Hannah, Ricki Lake, Matt Lattanzi, Chad Lowe, Tracy Nelson, Patrick O'Neal, Corey Parker, D.A. Pawley, Tyrone Power Jr., Holly Robinson, Christian Slater and Blair Underwood.
Music and Lyrics by Marvin Hamlisch, Fred Ebb (among others)

This was the last public appearance of the first lady of television, Lucille Ball. She died a month later on April 26.



Some of the these "future Oscar winners" would go on to make a name for themselves, on a few have found success and none have yet to win an Oscar or even a nomination:

Keith Coogan 
Grandson of actor Jackie Coogan
Young Artist Award
6 Nominations and 1 Win 
Last Acting Role 
2014 TV Movie  
Off The Record

Patrick Dempsey 
Dr. Derek Shepherd ("McDreamy") - Grey's Anatomy
 Golden Globes
0 Wins and 2 Nominations
 Other Awards
5 Wins and  16 Nominations 
Last Acting Role
TV Series
2005 to Present
Grey's Anatomy 

Corey Feldman
Young Artist Award
4 Wins and 4 Nominations
  Other Awards
2 Wins and 1 Nomination 
Last Acting Role 
2014 Movie 
Intrusion: Disconnected

Joely Fisher 
Daughter of Eddie Fisher and Connie Stevens
Golden Globe
0 Wins and  1 Nomination
Last Acting Role
2012 TV Movie
Cupid, Inc.

Tricia Leigh Fisher 
Daughter of Eddie Fisher and Connie Stevens,
0 Nominations or Wins
Last Acting Role 
2013 TV Series
 Guest Role
Rizzoli & Isles

Savion Glover 
Tony Awards
2 Nominations and  1 Win (Choreography) 
Other Awards
 3 Nominations and One Win
Last Acting Role
2003 TV Series
Guest Role
Cedric the Entertainer Presents

Carrie Hamilton
Daughter of comedienne Carol Burnett
 0 Nominations or Wins
Last Acting Role
2000 TV Series
 Guest Role
The Pretender
Died from lung and brain cancer January 20, 2002

Melora Hardin
Jan Levenson on NBC's The Office
Screen Actors Guild Awards
3 wins and 3 nominations   
Last Acting Role
2014 TV Series
Guest Role
Killer Women

Ricki Lake
1988 film debut as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray
Daytime Emmy Awards
1 Win and 1 Nomination  (Talk Show Host)
Other Awards
1 Win and 2 Nominations 
Last Acting Role
2011 Short Movie
Dan Savage's New Threat to Rick Santorum

Matt Lattanzi
First husband of Olivia Newton-John
0 Nominations or Wins
Last Acting Role
1993 TV Series
Paradise Beach

Chad Lowe
Younger brother of actor Rob Lowe
Primetime Emmy Awards
1 Win and  0 nominations
Other Awards
2 Wins and 1 Nominations 

Tracy Nelson 
Daughter of  Ricky Nelson
0 Nominations or Wins
Last Acting Role
2013 Movie
My Stepbrother Is a Vampire!?!

Patrick O'Neal, Jr 
Son of actor Patrick O'Neal 
No other information found

Corey Parker 
0 Nominations or Wins
Last Acting Role
2012 Short Movie
Tupelove 

Tyrone Power, Jr. 
Only son of Hollywood star Tyrone Power
0 Nominations or Wins
Last Acting Role
2014 Movie
The Extra

Holly Robinson Peete
Judy Hoffs on the Fox TV police drama 21 Jump Street
Image Awards
0 Wins and 6 Nominations
Kids' Choice Awards
0 Wins and 1 Nomination
Last Acting Role
2013 TV Series
Guest Role
Blue

Christian Slater
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards 
1 Win and 1 Nomination
Other Awards 
4 Wins and 8 Nominations
Last Acting Role
2014 TV Series
Mind Games

Blair Underwood 
Jonathan Rollins on  L.A. Law,
 Golden Globes 
0 Wins and 2 Nominations
Other Awards 
6 Wins and 11 Nominations
Last Acting Role
2013 TV Series
Ironside 

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