Wins Oscar
Schell wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of a German defense attorney in Stanley Kramer’s Judgment at Nuremberg. Joan Crawford presents the award.
I know this award honors not only me but also the picture “Judgment of Nuremberg.” … When I came first to this country I met the Custom man. And he was asking what I was doing here. I said, “I am going to a film.” He said, “Good luck boy.” And I think that is very unusual for a custom man. I can tell him now that I had it. Thank you very much.
Wins Oscar
Peck wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Atticus Smith in Robert Mulligan’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird. Sophia Loren presents the award. Peck:
Thank you, fellow Academy members. Thank you, Harper Lee, Alan Pakula, Robert Mulligan, Russ Harlan, all of my good friends and associates at the studio. Thank you, members of the press who cover the local scene, critics, columnists across the country who approved of my work and said so. And I want to thank my family, my good, close friends, who have lent me inspiration and moral support and affection. Thank you very much.
Wins Oscar
Poitier is the first African-American to win an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Poitier Plays Homer Smith, a traveling salesman who helps five nuns to build a chapel, in Ralph Nelson’s Lilies of the Field. Anne Bancroft presents the award.
Because it is a long journey to this moment, I am naturally indebted to countless numbers of people, principally among whom are Ralph Nelson, James Poe, William Barrett, Martin Baum, and of course the members of the Academy. For all of them, all I can say is a very special thank you.
Wins Oscar
Rex Harrison wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Professor Henry Higgins, who tries to educate his younger protegé (Audrey Hepburn) in George Cukor’s musical My Fair Lady. Hepburn presents the award.
I feel in a way I should split it in half [referring to Hepburn] between us . . . I would like to thank everybody who had anything to do with the making of My Fair Lady . . . Deep love to, well, two fair ladies I think (he kisses Hepburn).
Wins Oscar
Marvin wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of a drunk hired gun in Elliot Silverstein’s comedy western Cat Ballou. Julie Andrews and Bob Hope present.
Thank you. Thank you all very much. I don’t want to take too much of your time . . . Half of this belongs to a horse somewhere in Nevada.
Wins Oscar
Scofield wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading role for his portrayal of Thomas More in Fred Zinnemann’s adaptation of Robert Bolt’s play A Man For All Seasons. Julie Christie presents and Wendy Hiller accepts the award for Scofield. Hiller:
It is a great joy to me to accept this award on behalf of one of the finest and one of the most loved actors in my country. There is something very special in being recognized in a country other than one’s own and I know that Paul Scofield would want me to say with great warmth and great humility, thank you.
Wins Oscar
Steiger wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of a police detective who investigates a racially motivated murder in a small Southern town in Norman Jewison’s In The Heat of the Night. Audrey Hepburn presents the award. Steiger in his acceptance speech alludes to the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Steiger:
Thank you. Thank you very much. For maharishi’s sake. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you. I find it unbelievable, I find it overwhelming and I wish to thank the members of the Academy for such an experience. Secondly, if I may indulge myself, I would like to thank the people in the public who’ve been so kind to me. Thirdly, I’d like to thank Norman Jewison for his giving an actor freedom to make a mistake. Fourthly, and most importantly, I’d like to thank Mr. Sidney Poitier for the pleasure of his friendship which gave me the knowledge and understanding of prejudice in order to enhance my performance. Thank you, and we shall overcome.
Wins Oscar
Robertson wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of a man with a severe cognitive disability in Ralph Nelson’s Charly. Burt Lancaster presents the award. Frank Sinatra accepts the award for Robertson:
Ladies and gentleman, Mr. Robertson is filming in the Philippines and unfortunately he is steeped in it, couldn’t get away in time. But on his behalf, he thanks the Academy, and I wish him the joyous moment of his life right now. Thank you.
Wins Oscar
John Wayne wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of U.S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn in Henry Hathaway’s western True Grit. Barbara Streisand presents the award.
Wow! If I’d have known that I would have put that patch on thirty-five years earlier. Ladies and gentlemen, I’m no stranger to this podium. I’ve come up here and picked up these beautiful golden men before, but always for friends. One night I picked up two: one for Admiral John Ford, one for our beloved Gary Cooper. I was very clever and witty that night, the envy of even Bob Hope, but tonight I don’t feel very clever or very witty. I feel very grateful, very humble, and all thanks to many, many people. I want to thank the members of the Academy. To all you people who are watching on television, thank you for taking such a warm interest in our glorious industry. Good night.
Wins Oscar
Scott wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance of General George S. Patton in Franklin J. Schaffner’s biopic Patton. Scott is not present at the ceremony and the film’s producer Frank McCarthy accepts the award in his absence. McCarthy:
In voting this award I think that the Academy has distinguished itself. I think it has done itself a great deal of good and shown what a good organization it is by recognizing and honoring so generously a fine performance by a great actor.
Wins Oscar
Hackman wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance as New York City narcotics detective Jimmy Doyle in William Friedkin’s thriller The French Connection. Liza Minnelli presents the award.
Thank you. [Looking at his name in the winner envelope:] That’s what it says . . . . reminds me of my first acting scene ever. It was in New York, and the gentlemen sitting in front of us when we were doing that scene was my acting teacher, and I just have to mention his name: George Morrison. I want to thank him . . . . Thank you.
Refuses Oscar
Brando wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Don Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. Brando is not present at the ceremony, and instead, Littlefeather (aka Marie Cruz) refuses the award for him and gives a speech about the mistreatment of Native Americans by the Hollywood film industry. Liv Ullmann and Roger Moore present the award, but Littlefeather refuses to accept the statuette.
Hello. My name is Sacheen Littlefeather. I’m Apache and I am president of the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee. I’m representing Marlon Brando this evening and he has asked me to tell you in a very long speech, which I cannot share with you presently because of time but I will be glad to share with the press afterwards, that he very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry – excuse me – and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee. I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening and that we will in the future, our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity. Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando.
Wins Oscar
Lemmon wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Harry Stoner, a conflicted businessman, in John G. Avildsen’s Save the Tiger. Liza Minnelli and Gregory Peck present the award.
Well, I tell you, I had a speech prepared…in 1959. I’ve forgotten it . . . . I’ve never in my life been connected with anything that meant more to me and worked with so many wonderful professional people that cared and loved something so much. And they made it one of the great, great moments of my life, the making of that film, and that’s equal to this honor, just the privilege of working with them, truthfully. And I thank them all and I love them and respect them.
Wins Oscar
Carney wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of a displaced New Yorker who is forced to travel across the country with his cat when his apartment building is demolished in Paul Mazursky’s Harry and Tonto. Glenda Jackson presents the award.
. . . . [Thanks to] my agent/manager/father-confessor, William Francis Xavier McCaffrey, for twenty-five years, who said two words to me: Do it! You are old! Thank you very much.
Wins Oscar
Nicholson wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of a psychiatric patient who rallies his fellow inmates to rebel against the ward’s head nurse Ratchet (Louise Fletcher) in Milos Forman’s adaptation of Ken Kesey’s novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Art Carney presents the award. Nicholson:
Well, I guess this proves there are as many nuts in the Academy as anywhere else. But, since you gave me the chance, I’m really happy to get an opportunity to thank Saul and Michael and Louise and Brad and Lawrence and Bo, and all of the guys in the company, all of the feebs brigade . . . (And) last but not least, my agent, who about ten years ago advised me that I had no business being an actor. Thank you.
Wins Oscar
Finch wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of a disturbed news reporter in Sydney Lumet’s satirical drama Network. Finch’s character Howard Beale breaks down on national television exclaiming, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” Liv Ullmann presents the award and Paddy Chayefsky and Eletha Finch accept the award for the deceased Finch. Finch is the first actor to posthumously win an Academy Award for acting.
. . . . before he died he said to me, “Darling, if I win I want to say thanks to my fellow actors who have given me encouragement over the years; and thanks to Paddy Chayefsky who have given him the part; and thanks to Barry who have tell us to come from Jamaica, to come and do this part.” And he says, “Most of all, thanks to you, darling, for sending the right vibes the right way. And thanks, the members of the Academy Award.” Thank you all.
Wins Oscar
Dreyfuss wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of a feckless Off-Broadway actor who takes in an unemployed dancer (Marsha Mason) and her daughter (Quinn Cummings) in Herbert Ross’s film adaptation of Neil Simon’s The Goodbye Girl. Sylvester Stalone presents the award. Dreyfuss:
I didn’t prepare anything. Ahhm… [laughs]. Wait a second, am I here? Yes, okay. First I will embarrass Ray Stark by saying that I owe him everything; and he is a great man. To Herb Ross, who is the only true gentleman I’ve ever known in my life. To Herb, Marsha, and Neil, and Quinn. I could go on and on and on and I don’t want to leave. Can I rent this [referring to the podium] now? Thank you very much.
Wins Oscar
Jon Voight wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance of a paralyzed Vietnam veteran in Hal Ashby’s Coming Home. Ginger Rogers and Diana Ross present the award. Voight:
I’m carrying with me all the men who gave me so much of their experience to deal with, who have contributed so much: the people in chairs, and the veterans, and the civilians, and the walkers, who are so strongly represented in what I’d call my work. Thank you very much.
Wins Oscar
Hoffman wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of divorced dad Ted Kramer who fights his wife (Meryl Streep) for custody of his son in Robert Benton’s drama Kramer vs. Kramer. Jane Fonda presents the award.
I refuse to believe that I beat Jack Lemmon, that I beat Al Pacino, that I beat Peter Sellers. I refuse to believe that Robert Duvall lost. We are a part of an artistic family. There are sixty thousand actors in this Academy – pardon me – in the Screen Actors Guild, and probably a hundred thousand in Equity. And most actors don’t work, and a few of us are so lucky to have a chance to work with writing and to work with directing. Because when you’re a broke actor you can’t write; you can’t paint; you have to practice accents while you’re driving a taxi cab. And to that artistic family that strives for excellence, none of you have ever lost and I am proud to share this with you. And I thank you.
Wins Oscar
DeNiro nabs the Best Actor win at the Academy Awards for his portrayal of the life and death of middleweight boxer Jake La Motta in Martin Scorcese’s biopic Raging Bull. DeNiro:
I want to thank everyone. Since it’s said so often, but it’s true and it’s…what can I say? I want to thank . . . . Vickie La Motta and all the other wives, and Joey La Motta even though he’s suing us. I hope that settles soon enough so I can go over to his house and eat once in a while.
