52nd Academy Awards

The 52nd Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 1979 and took place on April 14, 1980, 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 Howard W. Koch and directed by Marty Pasetta.^[2] Comedian and talk show host Johnny Carson hosted the show for the second consecutive year. Three days earlier, in a ceremony held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, on April 11, the Academy Scientific and Technical Awards were presented by hosts Cloris Leachman and William Shatner.^[3]

52nd Academy Awards
Official poster
Date	April 14, 1980 (1980-04-14)
Site	Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Hosted by	Johnny Carson
Produced by	Howard W. Koch
Directed by	Marty Pasetta
Highlights
Best Picture	Kramer vs. Kramer
Most awards	Kramer vs. Kramer (5)
Most nominations	All That Jazz and Kramer vs. Kramer (9)
TV in the United States
Network	ABC
Duration	3 hours, 15 minutes^[1]
Ratings	49 million 33.7% (Nielsen ratings)
← 51st Academy Awards 53rd →

Kramer vs. Kramer won five awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Robert Benton, Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman, and Best Supporting Actress for Meryl Streep. Sally Field received Best Actress honors for Norma Rae, and Melvyn Douglas won Best Supporting Actor for Being There.^[4] The telecast received a mixed reception with critics praising Carson's hosting performance but criticising the pacing and predictability of the ceremony. It garnered 49 million viewers in the United States which was a 6% increase on the previous year.

Winners and nominees

The nominees for the 52nd Academy Awards were announced on February 25, 1980, by Academy president Fay Kanin and actors Ed Asner and Yvette Mimieux.^[5] All That Jazz and Kramer vs. Kramer tied for the most nominations with nine each.^[6] The winners were announced at the awards ceremony on April 14. At age eight, Best Supporting Actor nominee Justin Henry became the youngest person nominated for an Oscar.^[7]

Awards

 

Dustin Hoffman, Best Actor winner

 

Sally Field, Best Actress winner

 

Melvyn Douglas, Best Supporting Actor winner

 

Meryl Streep, Best Supporting Actress winner

 

Vittorio Storaro, Best Cinematography winner

 

H. R. Giger, Best Visual Effects co-winner

 

Carlo Rambaldi, Best Visual Effects co-winner

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface and indicated with a double dagger (‡).^[8]

Table featuring winners and nominees of the 53rd Academy Awards

Best Picture Kramer vs. Kramer – Stanley R. Jaffe, producer‡ All That Jazz – Robert Alan Aurthur, producer Apocalypse Now – Francis Coppola, producer; Fred Roos, Gray Frederickson and Tom Sternberg, co-producers Breaking Away – Peter Yates, producer Norma Rae – Tamara Asseyev and Alex Rose, producers	Best Director Robert Benton – Kramer vs. Kramer‡ Bob Fosse – All That Jazz Francis Ford Coppola – Apocalypse Now Peter Yates – Breaking Away Édouard Molinaro – La Cage aux Folles
Best Actor Dustin Hoffman – Kramer vs. Kramer as Ted Kramer‡ Jack Lemmon – The China Syndrome as Jack Godell Al Pacino – ...And Justice for All. as Arthur Kirkland Roy Scheider – All That Jazz as Joseph "Joe" Gideon Peter Sellers – Being There as Chance	Best Actress Sally Field – Norma Rae as Norma Rae Webster‡ Jill Clayburgh – Starting Over as Marilyn Holmberg Jane Fonda – The China Syndrome as Kimberly Wells Marsha Mason – Chapter Two as Jennie MacLaine Bette Midler – The Rose as Mary Rose Foster
Best Supporting Actor Melvyn Douglas – Being There as Ben Rand‡ Robert Duvall – Apocalypse Now as Lieutenant Colonel William "Bill" Kilgore Frederic Forrest – The Rose as Huston Dyer Justin Henry – Kramer vs. Kramer as Billy Kramer Mickey Rooney – The Black Stallion as Henry Dailey	Best Supporting Actress Meryl Streep – Kramer vs. Kramer as Joanna Kramer‡ Jane Alexander – Kramer vs. Kramer as Margaret Phelps Barbara Barrie – Breaking Away as Evelyn Stoller Candice Bergen – Starting Over as Jessica Potter Mariel Hemingway – Manhattan as Tracy
Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen Breaking Away – Steve Tesich‡ All That Jazz – Robert Alan Aurthur and Bob Fosse ...And Justice for All. – Valerie Curtin and Barry Levinson The China Syndrome – Mike Gray, T. S. Cook, and James Bridges Manhattan – Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman	Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Kramer vs. Kramer – Robert Benton based on the novel by Avery Corman‡ Apocalypse Now – Francis Coppola and John Milius based on the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad La Cage aux Folles – Francis Veber, Édouard Molinaro, Marcello Danon and Jean Poiret based on the play by Jean Poiret A Little Romance – Allan Burns based on the novel E=mc^2 mon amour by Patrick Cauvin Norma Rae – Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank Jr. based on the book Crystal Lee, a Woman of Inheritance by Hank Leiferman
Best Foreign Language Film The Tin Drum (Federal Republic of Germany) in German – directed by Volker Schlöndorff ‡ The Maids of Wilko (Poland) in Polish – directed by Andrzej Wajda Mama Turns 100 (Spain) in Spanish – directed by Carlos Saura A Simple Story (France) in English and French – directed by Claude Sautet To Forget Venice (Italy) in Italian – directed by Franco Brusati	Best Documentary Feature Best Boy – Ira Wohl‡ Generation on the Wind – David A. Vassar Going the Distance – Paul Cowan, Robert Verrall and Jacques Bobet The Killing Ground – Steve Singer and Tom Priestley The War at Home – Glenn Silber and Barry Alexander Brown
Best Documentary Short Subject Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist – Saul J. Turell‡ Dae – Risto Teofilovski Koryo Celadon – Donald A. Connolly and James R. Messenger Nails – Phillip Borsos Remember Me – Dick Young	Best Live Action Short Film Board and Care – Sarah Pillsbury and Ron Ellis‡ Bravery in the Field – Roman Kroitor and Stefan Wodoslawsky Oh Brother, My Brother – Carol Lowell and Ross Lowell The Solar Film – Saul Bass and Michael Britton Solly's Diner – Harry Mathias, Jay Zukerman and Larry Hankin
Best Animated Short Film Every Child – Derek Lamb‡ Dream Doll – Bob Godfrey and Zlatko Grgić It's So Nice to Have a Wolf Around the House – Paul Fierlinger	Best Original Score A Little Romance – Georges Delerue‡ 10 – Henry Mancini The Amityville Horror – Lalo Schifrin The Champ – Dave Grusin Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Jerry Goldsmith
Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score All That Jazz – Ralph Burns‡ Breaking Away – Patrick Williams The Muppet Movie – Songs by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher; Adaptation by Paul Williams	Best Original Song "It Goes Like It Goes" from Norma Rae – Music by David Shire; lyrics by Norman Gimbel‡ "I'll Never Say Goodbye" from The Promise – Music by David Shire; lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman "It's Easy to Say" from 10 – Music by Henry Mancini; lyrics by Robert Wells "Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie – Music and lyrics by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher "Through the Eyes of Love" from Ice Castles – Music by Marvin Hamlisch; lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager
Best Sound Apocalypse Now – Walter Murch, Mark Berger, Richard Beggs and Nat Boxer‡ 1941 – Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, Don MacDougall and Gene Cantamessa The Electric Horseman – Arthur Piantadosi, Les Fresholtz, Michael Minkler and Al Overton Jr. Meteor – William McCaughey, Aaron Rochin, Michael J. Kohut and Jack Solomon The Rose – Theodore Soderberg, Douglas Williams, Paul Wells and Jim Webb	Best Costume Design All That Jazz – Albert Wolsky‡ Agatha – Shirley Russell Butch and Sundance: The Early Days – William Ware Theiss The Europeans – Judy Moorcroft La Cage aux Folles – Piero Tosi and Ambra Danon
Best Art Direction All That Jazz – Art Direction: Philip Rosenberg and Tony Walton; Set Decoration: Edward Stewart and Gary J. Brink‡ Alien – Art Direction: Michael Seymour, Leslie Dilley and Roger Christian; Set Decoration: Ian Whittaker Apocalypse Now – Art Direction: Dean Tavoularis and Angelo P. Graham; Set Decoration: George R. Nelson The China Syndrome – Art Direction: George Jenkins; Set Decoration: Arthur Jeph Parker Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Art Direction: Harold Michelson, Joe Jennings, Leon Harris and John Vallone; Set Decoration: Linda DeScenna	Best Cinematography Apocalypse Now – Vittorio Storaro‡ 1941 – William A. Fraker All That Jazz – Giuseppe Rotunno The Black Hole – Frank Phillips Kramer vs. Kramer – Néstor Almendros
Best Film Editing All That Jazz – Alan Heim‡ Apocalypse Now – Richard Marks, Walter Murch, Gerald B. Greenberg and Lisa Fruchtman The Black Stallion – Robert Dalva Kramer vs. Kramer – Jerry Greenberg The Rose – Robert L. Wolfe and C. Timothy O'Meara	Best Visual Effects Alien – H. R. Giger, Carlo Rambaldi, Brian Johnson, Nick Allder and Dennis Ayling‡ 1941 – Gregory Jein, William A. Fraker and A. D. Flowers The Black Hole – Peter Ellenshaw, Art Cruickshank, Eustace Lycett, Danny Lee, Harrison Ellenshaw and Joe Hale Moonraker – Derek Meddings, Paul Wilson and John Evans Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Douglas Trumbull, John Dykstra, Richard Yuricich, Robert Swarthe, Dave Stewart and Grant McCune

Academy Honorary Awards

• Hal Elias – "For his dedication and distinguished service to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences."^[9]
• Alec Guinness – "For advancing the art of screen acting through a host of memorable and distinguished performances."^[9]

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

The award recognizes individuals whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the motion picture industry.^[10]

• Robert Benjamin^[9]

Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

The award honors "creative producers whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production".^[11]

• Ray Stark^[12]

Special Achievement Award

• Alan Splet for the sound effects editing in The Black Stallion^[13]

Academy Award for Technical Achievement

• Mark Serrurier – "For the progressive development of the Moviola from the 1924 invention of his father, Iwan Serrurier, to the present Series 20 sophisticated film editing equipment."^[14]

Multiple nominations and awards

Films with multiple nominations Nominations Film 9 All That Jazz Kramer vs. Kramer 8 Apocalypse Now 5 Breaking Away 4 The China Syndrome Norma Rae The Rose 3 1941 The Black Stallion La Cage aux Folles Star Trek: The Motion Picture 2 Alien ...And Justice for All. Being There The Black Hole A Little Romance Manhattan The Muppet Movie Starting Over 10

Films with multiple wins Wins Film 5 Kramer vs. Kramer 4 All That Jazz 2 Apocalypse Now Norma Rae

Presenters and performers

The following individuals, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers.^[15]

Presenters

Table featuring presenters for the 52nd Academy Awards

Name(s)	Role
Hank Simms^[16]	Announcer of the 52nd Academy Awards
Fay Kanin (AMPAS president)	Gave opening remarks welcoming guests to the awards ceremony
Patrick Wayne	Explained the voting rules to the public
Cloris Leachman Jack Lemmon	Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actress
Ann Miller Mickey Rooney	Presenters of the award for Best Art Direction
Dolly Parton Ben Vereen	Presenters of the awards for Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score and Best Original Score
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.	Presenter of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Robert Benjamin
Robert Hays Kristy McNichol	Presenters of the award for Best Costume Design
Farrah Fawcett Harold Russell	Presenters of the award for Best Visual Effects
Persis Khambatta William Shatner	Presenters of the awards Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short
Lauren Hutton Telly Savalas	Presenters of the awards for Best Animated Short Film and Best Live Action Short Film
Richard Gere	Presenter of the Academy Award for Technical Achievement to Mark Serrurier
Ann-Margret Jack Valenti	Presenters of the award for Best Foreign Language Film
Sally Kellerman Rod Steiger	Presenters of the award for Best Sound
Kirk Douglas	Presenter of the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to Ray Stark
Jamie Lee Curtis George Hamilton	Presenters of the award for Best Cinematography
Gene Kelly Olivia Newton-John	Presenters of the award for Best Original Song
Bo Derek Christopher Reeve	Presenters of the award for Best Film Editing
Walter Matthau Liza Minnelli	Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actor
Dustin Hoffman	Presenter of the Academy Honorary Award to Alec Guinness
Neil Simon	Presenter of the awards for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen and Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
Walter Mirisch	Presenter of the Academy Honorary Award to Hal Elias
Jane Fonda	Presenter of the award for Best Actor
Richard Dreyfuss	Presenter of the award for Best Actress
Goldie Hawn Steven Spielberg	Presenters of the award for Best Director
Charlton Heston	Presenter of the award for Best Picture

Performers

Table featuring performers for the 52nd Academy Awards

Name	Role	Performed
Henry Mancini	Musical arranger Conductor	Orchestral
Kermit the Frog	Performer	"Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie
Dudley Moore Helen Reddy	Performers	"Song from 10 (It's Easy to Say)" from 10
Melissa Manchester	Performer	"Through the Eyes of Love" from Ice Castles and "I'll Never Say Goodbye" from The Promise
Donald O'Connor	Performer	"Dancin' on the Silver Screen"
Dionne Warwick	Performer	"It Goes Like It Goes" from Norma Rae
Academy Awards Chorus	Performers	"That's Entertainment" during the closing credits

Ceremony information

 

Johnny Carson hosted the 52nd Academy Awards.

In September 1979, the Academy hired film producer Howard W. Koch to produce the telecast for the sixth time.^[17] Upon being named producer, Koch responded in a press release stating, "I plan to involve all the professional and creative talents of the motion picture community in this program, as the Academy Awards, in the public's mind, represents the entire field of filmmaking."^[18] Two months later, it was announced that comedian and The Tonight Show host Johnny Carson would preside over emceeing duties for the 1980 ceremony.^[19] "Johnny Carson is one of our national treasures. He was selected as this year's host because his wit and verve made him an outstanding master of ceremonies at last year's show," said Koch in a statement justifying his selection for host.^[20]

Marty Pasetta directed the telecast.^[21] Henry Mancini served as musical director and conductor for the ceremony where he conducted an overture performed by the orchestra at the beginning of the show.^[22] A song-and-dance number featuring actor and singer Donald O'Connor paid tribute to choreography in film.^[23]

Critical reviews

The ceremony received a mixed reception from critics. The Arizona Republic columnist Michael Maza wrote, "Watching last night's 52nd Annual Academy Award ceremonies was like sitting through three hours and 15 minutes of near-flawless close order drill. It wasn't long before the feet seemed to blur."^[24] Jack Mathews of the Detroit Free Press commented, "In any event, the 52nd Academy Awards presentation will stand as one of the smoothest, most predictable, most reasonable Oscar nights in history. Also, alas, one of the most boring."^[25] The Baltimore Sun television critic Bill Carter quipped, "We found out Monday night when this year's edition of the Oscarcast streamlined to the point of emaciation (and still more than three hours long), thudded along like some awards dinner of the meat-packing industry." He praised Carson's hosting performance, but said, "For all the excitement this parade of stars provided, they might as well have sent in their stand-ins, or maybe some robot, or well dressed mannequins from a boutique on Rodeo Drive. This just wasn't a little boring, this was mind-numbingly boring."^[26]

Others received the broadcast more positively. Los Angeles Times film critic Charles Champlin mused, "As a show, the Marty Pasetta-Howard Koch special revealed again a gift for all that pizzazz." He added, "If nobody in fact was dozing, it was thanks to Carson's own relaxed and engaging presence. Among his virtues, he is an emcee who seems to love the movies."^[27] Film critic Gene Siskel from the Chicago Tribune commented, "The show was a visual delight, thanks to special electronic effects that presented scenes from each nominated film as its title was announced."^[28] Columnist Patrick Taggart of the Austin American-Statesman wrote, "Aren't we entitled to at least one upset victory among the nominees? The 52nd running of the Academy Awards was distinguished by the utter lack of any such color; but somehow, in spite of its slickness, Monday's show was a relatively good one."^[29]

Ratings and reception

The American telecast on ABC drew in an average of 49 million people over the length of the entire ceremony, which was a 6% increase from the previous year's ceremony.^[30] However, the show drew lower Nielsen ratings compared to the previous ceremony with 33.7% of households watching with a 55% share.^[31] Furthermore, the ceremony presentation received five nominations at the 32nd Primetime Emmys, but failed to win any of its nominations.^[32][33]

See also

• List of submissions to the 52nd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film

References

1. Labonte, Richard (April 15, 1980). "Academy Awards Ceremony Called a 'Show Biz Miracle'". Ottawa Citizen. p. 31.
2. Osborne 2013, p. 413
3. . Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on February 13, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
4. Harmetz, Aljean (April 15, 1980). "Oscars Won by Kramer, Hoffman and Miss Field; All That Jazz Takes Craft Awards Kramer vs. Kramer Is the Oscar Leader 'New and Old Managements' Carson's 2d Year as Emcee Honorary Awards Streets Are Quieter". The New York Times. from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
5. Thomas, Bob (February 26, 1980). "All That Jazz, Kramer Lead Oscar Nominations". The Spokesman-Review. p. 14.
6. Arnold, Gary (February 26, 1980). "Kramer and Jazz . . ". The Washington Post. from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
7. Kinn & Piazza 2002, p. 219
8. "The 52nd Academy Awards (1980) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
9. "Academy Awards Acceptance Speech Database". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
10. "Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
11. "Irvin G. Thalberg Memorial Award". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
12. "Hollywood Film Producer, Power Broker Ray Stark". The Washington Post. January 20, 2004. from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
13. "Academy Awards Acceptance Speech Database". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
14. Kinn & Piazza 2002, p. 221
15. Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 578
16. Terrance 2013, p. 14
17. "Koch Again". South Bend Tribune. September 30, 1979. p. 61.
18. "Howard W. Koch to Produce 52nd Annual Oscar Show". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. September 7, 1979. from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
19. "Carson to Host Show". Reno Gazette-Journal. November 27, 1979. p. 10.
20. "Johnny Carson Set As Master of Ceremonies for 52nd Annual Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. November 6, 2013. from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
21. Boyer, Peter J. (April 14, 1980). "Marty Pasetta Has Hopes for a Lively Oscar Show". The Baltimore Sun. p. B6.
22. Osborne 2013, p. 413
23. Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 580
24. Maza, Michael (April 15, 1980). "Ho-Hum Oscars Was a 'Bowling Boquet of Stars'". The Arizona Republic. p. B5.
25. Mathews, Jack (April 15, 1980). "How Divorce, War and Death Can Turn Into a Big Yawner". Detroit Free Press. p. 12C.
26. Carter, Bill (April 16, 1980). "Oscarcast Without Silliness: How Boring". The Baltimore Sun. p. B4.
27. Champlin, Charles (April 16, 1980). "The Oscar Derby: A Horse Race After All". Los Angeles Times. p. 100.
28. Siskel, Gene (April 15, 1980). "Oscars to Field, Hoffman, Kramer". Chicago Tribune. p. 14.
29. Taggart, Patrick (April 16, 1980). "Awards Show Sailed on Calm Waters". Austin American-Statesman. p. E7.
30. Consoli, Jon (February 21, 2013). "Spotlight's on Oscars But for ABC, Ratings Wins Begin on Red Carpet". Broadcasting & Cable. from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
31. Margulies, Lee (April 18, 1980). "Ratings Race a Photo Finish?". Los Angeles Times. p. 119.
32. "Primetime Emmy Awards Database". Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
33. "Academy of TV Arts & Sciences 1979-80 Emmy Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 262, no. 48. August 8, 1980. pp. 5, 29. ProQuest 2598133563.

Bibliography

• Kinn, Gail; Piazza, Jim (2002), The Academy Awards: The Complete Unofficial History, New York, New York, United States: Workman Publishing Company, ISBN 978-1-5791-2396-3
• Osborne, Robert (2013). 85 Years of the Oscar: The Complete History of the Academy Awards. New York, New York, United States: Abbeville Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-7892-1142-2. OCLC 856879222.
• Terrance, Vincent (2013). Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936–2012 (5 ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: Ballantine Books, McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-1-4766-1240-9. OCLC 844373010.
• Wiley, Mason; Bona, Damien (1996), Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards (5 ed.), New York, New York, United States: Ballantine Books, ISBN 978-0-3454-0053-6, OCLC 779680732