The 69th Annual Academy Awards (1997)

Directors:

Louis J. Horvitz, Shanda Sawyer

Writers:

Joe Bolster (special material), Billy Crystal (special material),

Stars:

Billy Crystal, Muhammad Ali, Joan Allen

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 7 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Billy Crystal	...	Himself - Host
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Muhammad Ali	...	Himself
Joan Allen	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
John Alton	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute
David LeRoy Anderson	...	Himself - Winner: Best Makeup
Julie Andrews	...	Herself
Lew Ayres	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Hank Azaria	...	Himself - Audience Member
Lauren Bacall	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
David Bacon	...	Performer -The Wonders Guitar Player (as The Wonders)
Rick Baker	...	Himself - Winner: Best Makeup
Saul Bass	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute
Angela Bassett	...	Herself
Mark Berger	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound Mixing
Pandro S. Berman	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

tv special | voice impressionist | awards show | number in title

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 March 1997 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Shrine Auditorium - 665 W. Jefferson Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Columbia Pictures would not issue Larry Flynt a ticket to the awards (his biography The People vs. Larry Flynt was up for two Oscars) because they were afraid that he would pull some kind of vulgar stunt and embarrass them. Flynt became angry and began railing against the studio for allowing the film to be made but then censoring him in real life. At the very last minute, Woody Harrelson (who played him in the film) gave him his agent's ticket.

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Quotes

Frances McDormand: What am I doing here? Especially considering the extraordinary group of women with whom I was nominated.

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Connections

Follows The 62nd Annual Academy Awards (1990)

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Soundtracks

"Secrets & Lies"
to the tune of "Theme from The Brady Bunch"
Music by Frank De Vol & Sherwood Schwartz
Performed by Billy Crystal

User Reviews

How could they snub "Shine"?

OK, so Billy Crystal is little more than a joke machine when hosting the Oscars, but he does tell some good ones. But I can't understand why the Oscars gave Best Picture to "The English Patient" (which I found uninspired when I saw it) when there were "Shine" and "Secrets and Lies".

But otherwise, I enjoyed "The 69th Annual Academy Awards", especially when David Helfgott played the piano, and when Muhammad Ali came up on the stage (it would have been neat to have Larry Flynt on the stage).

So, it was an OK ceremony. But it seems like this one paved the way for them to over-award "Titanic".