I am in excitement mode. I love Christmas and Halloween, but after those two holidays, the biggest holiday of the year to me is Oscar Night. Well, actually, I should say Oscar Day because for me, it is an all day event. Coverage in our house starts around noon and does not end for at least the next 12 hours. Here is a look back at some interesting Oscar moments:
We Liked Her, We Really Liked Her
She already had one Oscar sitting on her shelf (for Norma Rae), but when Sally Field won again in 1985 for Places in the Heart, no one can forget her “You like me” speech.
Ironman Jack
Septuagenarian Jack Palance inspired seniors everywhere when in his excitement over his Best Support Actor win; he dropped to the floor of the Oscar auditorium and began doing one-armed pushups.
Oops!
Okay, this was backing 1933, so there are probably few if any of us that remember it, but it was definitely an Oscar moment. Frank Capra was so sure he was going to win Best Director for Lady for a Day that he stood up before Will Rogers announced the winner. Unfortunately, for Capra, another Frank – Frank Lloyd – was also nominated that night. When the announcement that Lloyd had won was made, Capra was stunned. To make matters even worse, Rogers said “Come on up and get it, Frank.” Capra had already started walking towards the stage, so he had to return to his seat, embarrassed.
Political Moments
I think Oscar Night is not a night for personal politics, but Vanessa Redgrave thought it was in 1977 when after winning her Best Supporting Actress award, she started into a rant about her pro-Palestinian beliefs. Marlon Brando pulled a similar stunt when he refused his 1972 Best Actor award for The Godfather. Instead, he sent Sacheen Littlefeather to read a statement about the mistreatment of Native Americans. Only problem was she was not Native American and she was an actress.
A Kiss is Just a Kiss
My personal favorite Oscar moment was when Adrien Brody laid the Hollywood movie kiss on presenter Halle Berry after his surprising Best Actor win for The Pianist.
Keeping Your Ego in Check
Okay, Titanic was THE movie of the year, but really, did James Cameron have to do his “I’m the king of the world” speech while accepting his Best Director award?
The Indestructible Oscar
Do you remember the 49th annual Academy Awards when funnyman Marty Feldman decided to throw the Live Action Short Oscar on the floor, causing it to break in two? As he picked it up to hand it to the winners, he looked on the bottom and said, “It said ‘Made in Hong Kong.’”
They Call Me the Streak
Ah, that crazy decade the 70s. I remember watching David Niven announcing Best Picture when the streaker (that’s someone naked for you youngsters) ran past. What was even funnier was Niven’s reply – “…The only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping… and showing his shortcomings.”