The 27th Annual Academy Awards (1955) (TV)

Directors:

Bill Bennington
Grey Lockwood

Release Date:

30 March 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Family

Plot Keywords:

Awards Show | TV Special | Number In Title

Cast

Bob Hope	...	Himself - Host
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Buddy Adler	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Picture
Lauren Bacall	...	Herself - Presenter: Scientific & Technical Awards
Humphrey Bogart	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role & Presenter: Best Cinematography, Black-and-White
Charles Brackett	...	Himself - Presenter: Honorary Awards
Marlon Brando	...	Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Leading Role & Presenter: Best Director
Jeff Chandler	...	Himself
Rosemary Clooney	...	Herself - Performer
Lee J. Cobb	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role & Presenter: Best Special Effects
Bing Crosby	...	Himself - Presenter: Music Awards
Dorothy Dandridge	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role & Presenter: Best Film Editing
Bette Davis	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Johnny Desmond	...	Himself - Performer
Nina Foch	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role & Co-Presenter: Costume Design Awards
Glenn Ford	...	Himself
Audrey Hepburn	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Writing, Story and Screenplay
William Holden	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Jean Marie Ingels	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Foreign Language Film (as Jean Marie)
Katy Jurado	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role & Presenter: Best Cinematography, Color
Elia Kazan	...	Himself - Winner: Best Director
Grace Kelly	...	Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Leading Role & Presenter: Documentary Awards
Peggy King	...	Herself - Performer
Karl Malden	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role & Presenter: Best Writing, Screenplay
Muzzy Marcellino	...	Himself - Performer
Dean Martin	...	Himself - Performer
Tony Martin	...	Himself - Performer
Merle Oberon	...	Herself - Presenter: Honorary Awards - Juvenile Performances
Edmond O'Brien	...	Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Supporting Role & Co-Presenter: Short Subject Awards
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role & Co-Presenter: Art Direction-Set Decoration Awards
Donna Reed	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actor
Thelma Ritter	...	Herself - Host (New York)
Eva Marie Saint	...	Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Supporting Role & Co-Presenter: Short Subject Awards
Frank Sinatra	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actress
Sam Spiegel	...	Himself - Best Picture Winner, as producer
Rod Steiger	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role & Co-Presenter: Short Subject Awards
Jan Sterling	...	Herself (Nominee / Co-Presenter)
Dimitri Tiomkin	...	Himself - Winner: Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture & Nominee: Best Original Song
Claire Trevor	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role & Presenter: Best Writing, Motion Picture Story
Tom Tully	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role & Presenter: Best Sound
Jane Wyman	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role & Co-Presenter: Costume Design Awards

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Century Theater - 21 Central Park West, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)

Trivia:

This was the first year in which the academy attempted to have a live broadcast of the nominees. The show was a disaster and the annual live announcements wouldn't be instituted until 1986.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Best of Film Noir (1999) (V)

Soundtrack:

Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep

Another Excellent Show!!

Rated one notch under the 1952 awards, this is a great show. Whereas 1952 used former Oscar Winners, 1954 used current nominees as presenters. Among the memorable moments: a very pregnant winner Eva Marie Saint "I may have the baby right here.", Dean Martin crooning "Three Coins in the Fountain", a very happy Edmund O' Brien, a nervous and proud Dorothy Dandridge- the first female African-American to present an Oscar, Grace Kelly, Marlon Brando and Bob Hope banter, Dimitri Tiomkin thanking the classical masters, etc. There is so much in this show. Bette Davis appears in skull-cap to give Brando the Award and Rosemary Clooney gives "The Man That Got Away" a turn you'll never forget.

A previous post mentions the fact that the presenters only announced the winners' names. A check of history reveals that sponsors were beginning to be concerned with the length of the show (it ran appox. 90 mins. that year!!!!!) so they ran a superimposed list of the nominees during the opening of the show. This led them to omit the nominees later and get right to the envelope.

All the winners were present except for the winner of the Honorary Award, who at 49 was the youngest ever to receive that Award. It was accepted by the great stage actress Nancy Kelly who said, "In a year where there can be more than one Kelly, there can only be one Garbo" Enough said!