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Academy Awards

56th edition

  • April 9, 1984
  • United States

The 56th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 1983 and took place on April 9, 1984, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 22 categories. The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Jack Haley Jr. and directed by Marty Pasetta. Comedian and talk show emcee Johnny Carson hosted the show for the fifth time. He first presided over the 51st ceremony held in 1979 and last hosted the 54th ceremony held in 1982. Nine days earlier, in a ceremony held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, on March 31, the Academy Scientific and Technical Awards were presented by hosts Joan Collins and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Awards

Movie People Status
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment James L. Brooks - as producer(s) Winner
The Big Chill Michael Shamberg - as producer(s)
The Dresser Peter Yates - as producer(s)
The Right Stuff Robert Chartoff, Irwin Winkler - as producer(s)
Tender Mercies Philip S. Hobel - as producer(s)
Best Director
Terms of Endearment James L. Brooks Winner
The Dresser Peter Yates
Fanny and Alexander Ingmar Bergman
Silkwood Mike Nichols
Tender Mercies Bruce Beresford
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Tender Mercies Robert Duvall Winner
Educating Rita Michael Caine
Reuben, Reuben Tom Conti
The Dresser Tom Courtenay
The Dresser Albert Finney
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Terms of Endearment Shirley MacLaine Winner
Terms of Endearment Debra Winger
Testament Jane Alexander
Silkwood Meryl Streep
Educating Rita Julie Walters
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Terms of Endearment Jack Nicholson Winner
Terms of Endearment John Lithgow
To Be or Not to Be Charles Durning
The Right Stuff Sam Shepard
Cross Creek Rip Torn
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
The Year of Living Dangerously Linda Hunt Winner
Silkwood Cher
The Big Chill Glenn Close
Yentl Amy Irving
Cross Creek Alfre Woodard
Best Original Screenplay
Tender Mercies Horton Foote Winner
The Big Chill Lawrence Kasdan, Barbara Benedek
Fanny and Alexander Ingmar Bergman
Silkwood Nora Ephron, Alice Arlen
WarGames Lawrence Lasker, Walter Parkes
Best Adapted Screenplay
Terms of Endearment James L. Brooks Winner
Betrayal Harold Pinter
The Dresser Ronald Harwood
Educating Rita Willy Russell
Reuben, Reuben Julius J. Epstein
Best International Feature Film
Fanny and Alexander Ingmar Bergman Winner
Le Bal Ettore Scola
Carmen Carlos Saura
Entre Nous Diane Kurys
The Revolt of Job Imre Gyöngyössy, Barna Kabay
Best Documentary Feature Film
He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin' Emile Ardolino Winner
Children of Darkness Richard Kotuk, Ara Chekmayan
First Contact Bob Connolly, Robin Anderson
The Profession of Arms Michael Bryans, Tina Viljoen
Seeing Red: Stories of American Communists James Klein, Julia Reichert
Best Original Score
The Right Stuff Bill Conti Winner
Cross Creek Leonard Rosenman
Return of the Jedi John Williams
Terms of Endearment Michael Gore
Under Fire Jerry Goldsmith
Best Cinematography
Fanny and Alexander Sven Nykvist Winner
Flashdance Donald Peterman
The Right Stuff Caleb Deschanel
WarGames William A. Fraker
Zelig Gordon Willis
Best Film Editing
The Right Stuff Glenn Farr, Lisa Fruchtman, Tom Rolf, Stephen A. Rotter, Douglas Stewart Winner
Blue Thunder Frank Morriss, Edward M. Abroms
Flashdance Bud S. Smith, Walt Mulconery
Silkwood Sam O'Steen
Terms of Endearment Richard Marks
Best Sound
The Right Stuff Mark Berger, Tom Scott, Randy Thom, David MacMillan Winner
Never Cry Wolf Alan Splet, Todd Boekelheide, Randy Thom, David Parker
Return of the Jedi Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, Randy Thom, Tony Dawe
Terms of Endearment Donald O. Mitchell, Rick Kline, Kevin O'Connell, James R. Alexander
WarGames Michael J. Kohut, Carlos Delarios, Aaron Rochin, Willie D. Burton
Best Original Song Score
Yentl Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman Winner
The Sting II Lalo Schifrin
Trading Places Elmer Bernstein
Best Original Song
Flashdance Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey, Irene Cara - "Flashdance... What a Feeling" Winner
Flashdance Michael Sembello, Dennis Matkosky - "Maniac"
Tender Mercies Austin Roberts, Bobby Hart - "Over You"
Yentl Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman - "Papa, Can You Hear Me?"
Yentl Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman - "The Way He Makes Me Feel"
Best Sound Editing
The Right Stuff Jay Boekelheide
Return of the Jedi Ben Burtt
Best Production Design
Fanny and Alexander Anna Asp Winner
Return of the Jedi Norman Reynolds, Fred Hole, James L. Schoppe, Michael D. Ford
The Right Stuff Geoffrey Kirkland, Richard Lawrence, W. Stewart Campbell, Peter R. Romero, Jim Poynter, George R. Nelson
Terms of Endearment Polly Platt, Harold Michelson, Tom Pedigo, Anthony Mondello
Yentl Roy Walker, Leslie Tomkins, Tessa Davies
Best Costume Design
Fanny and Alexander Marik Vos Winner
Cross Creek Joe I. Tompkins
Heart Like a Wheel William Ware Theiss
The Return of Martin Guerre Anne-Marie Marchand
Zelig Santo Loquasto
Best Short Film (Live Action)
Boys and Girls Janice L. Platt Winner
Goodie-Two-Shoes Ian Emes
Overnight Sensation Jon N. Bloom
Best Documentary Short Film
Flamenco at 5:15 Cynthia Scott, Adam Symansky Winner
In the Nuclear Shadow: What Can the Children Tell Us? Vivienne Verdon-Roe, Eric Thiermann
Sewing Woman Arthur Dong
Spaces: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph Robert Eisenhardt
You Are Free Dea Brokman, Ilene Landis
Best Animated Short Film
Sundae in New York Jimmy Picker Winner
Mickey's Christmas Carol Burny Mattinson
Sound of Sunshine - Sound of Rain Eda Godel Hallinan
Statistics

Most Awarded

2 or more wins
  • Terms of Endearment 5
  • Fanny and Alexander 4
  • The Right Stuff 3
  • Tender Mercies 2

Most Nominated

3 or more nominations
  • Terms of Endearment 11
  • The Right Stuff 8
  • Fanny and Alexander 6
  • The Dresser 5
  • Silkwood 5
  • Tender Mercies 5
  • Yentl 5
  • Cross Creek 4
  • Flashdance 4
  • Return of the Jedi 4
  • The Big Chill 3
  • Educating Rita 3
  • WarGames 3

Most Unluckiest

wins / nominations
  • Terms of Endearment 5 / 11
  • The Right Stuff 3 / 8
  • The Dresser 0 / 5
  • Silkwood 0 / 5
  • Yentl 1 / 5
  • Cross Creek 0 / 4
  • Return of the Jedi 0 / 4
  • Tender Mercies 2 / 5
  • Flashdance 1 / 4
  • The Big Chill 0 / 3
  • Educating Rita 0 / 3
  • WarGames 0 / 3
  • Fanny and Alexander 4 / 6

Only one nomination

31 movies:
  • Le Bal
  • Betrayal
  • Blue Thunder
  • Boys and Girls
  • Carmen
  • Children of Darkness
  • Entre Nous
  • First Contact
  • Flamenco at 5:15
  • Goodie-Two-Shoes
  • He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin'
  • Heart Like a Wheel
  • In the Nuclear Shadow: What Can the Children Tell Us?
  • Mickey's Christmas Carol
  • Never Cry Wolf
  • Overnight Sensation
  • The Profession of Arms
  • The Return of Martin Guerre
  • The Revolt of Job
  • Seeing Red: Stories of American Communists
  • Sewing Woman
  • Sound of Sunshine - Sound of Rain
  • Spaces: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph
  • The Sting II
  • Sundae in New York
  • Testament
  • To Be or Not to Be
  • Trading Places
  • Under Fire
  • The Year of Living Dangerously
  • You Are Free

Updated at