The nominees for the 50th Academy Awards were announced on February 21, 1978. Julia and The Turning Point tied for the most nominations with eleven each.[6] The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on April 3. Woody Allen became the first person to receive nominations for acting, directing, and screenwriting for the same film since Orson Welles, who previously achieved this feat for 1941's Citizen Kane.[7] With its 11 nominations and zero wins, The Turning Point was the most nominated film in Oscar history without a win.[a] By virtue of her win for her role as the titular character in Julia, Vanessa Redgrave became the first and only performer to win in a supporting acting category for playing a titular role.[9]
Awards
Woody Allen, Best Director winner and Best Original Screenplay co-winner
In December 1977, the Academy announced that actor and comedian Bob Hope was chosen to host the 1978 ceremony. As a result of his selection, he became the first person to emcee the Oscars gala solo since the 40th ceremony held in 1968. Oscars gala producer Howard W. Koch explained his decision to hire Hope as host, stating, "The multiple emcee system of recent years is a good one, but we decided this year's show called for a single master of ceremonies. And we couldn't think of anyone better suited for the role than Bob Hope."[22]
In celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Academy and the Oscars, AMPAS hosted a dinner reception at the Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel on May 11, 1977. The gala, which Hope also hosted, took place in the same spot as the organization's first meeting, exactly 50 years later.[23] ABC also aired specials prior to the ceremony, highlighting the history of the awards.[24]
Vanessa Redgrave's speech
Prior to the ceremony, Vanessa Redgrave's Best Supporting Actress nomination was met with controversy due to her recent involvement with The Palestinian, a documentary chronicling the activities of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).[25] The film garnered controversy from several Jewish groups for its anti-Israel commentary.[26] Outside of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on the day of the ceremony, Jewish Defense League protestors burned a statue of the actress, while counter-protestors waved Palestinian flags.[27] After paying tribute to writer Lillian Hellman and the titular character of Julia for which she won the Best Supporting Actress award, Redgrave remarked in her acceptance speech, "And I salute you, and I pay tribute to you, and I think you should be very proud that in the last few weeks you've stood firm, and you have refused to be intimidated by the threats of a small bunch of Zionist hoodlums." She concluded her speech stating, "I salute you and I thank you and I pledge to you that I will continue to fight against Antisemitism and fascism." The comments received both applause and booing amongst the audience.[28] Later during the ceremony, screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky prefaced his presentation of the screenplay awards, saying, "I would like to suggest to Miss Redgrave that her winning an Academy Award is not a pivotal moment in history, does not require a proclamation and a simple ‘Thank you’ would’ve sufficed."[27]
Critical reviews
Los Angeles Times film critic Charles Champlin wrote, "The Oscar show as a show had more of what it has recently been short of, which is the presence of authentic film stars. It had refreshingly less of what it has sometimes had too much of, which is awkward and underrehearsed cross-talk."[29] Columnist Aaron Gold of the Chicago Tribune remarked, "Howard Koch and Allan Carr deserve Oscars for the work they did in creating an exciting and glamorous show, as they promised. Master of ceremonies Bob Hope... brought the air of dignity and continuity to the show that it lacked last year."[30]The News & Observer entertainment columnist commented, "If the evening was never as nimble as a dance by Fred Astaire, it was jam-packed with nostalgia, suspense, laughter, a few tears, and production numbers as striking as anything in Oscar's history."[1]
John Huddy of the Miami Herald observed, "The Redgrave-Chayevsky exchange enlivened a long Oscar night in which there were too many silly songs, too many special awards that nobody gave a hoot about, and too many dreary acceptance speeches by obscure if talented short-subject makers."[31]The Arizona Republic columnist Mike Petryni wrote, "Produced this year by Howard Koch, who incidentally co-wrote Casablanca, the show seemed, as usual, rather dull, draggy and sluggish.[32]
Ratings and reception
The American telecast on ABC drew in an average of 48.5 million people over the length of the entire ceremony, which was a 22% increase from the previous year's ceremony.[33] Moreover, the show drew higher Nielsen ratings compared to the previous ceremony, with 36.3% of households watching with a 68% share.[34] Additionally, the ceremony presentation received five nominations at the 30th Primetime Emmys, but failed to win any of its nominations.[35]
Franks, Don (2005), Entertainment Awards: A Music, Cinema, Theatre and Broadcasting Guide, 1928 through 2003 (3rd ed.), Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: McFarland & Company, ISBN978-1-5791-2396-3
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