1942 Oscars 14th Academy Awards

1942 Oscars 14th Academy Awards

Winners Announced: February 26, 1942
Held at: Biltmore Bowl, Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, California
Host: Bob Hope
Eligibility Year: 1941
  • The 14th Academy Awards unfolded on February 26, 1942, gracing the Biltmore Bowl in the Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, California.
  • Bob Hope returned as the evening’s host.
  • Films from the eligibility year of 1941 were spotlighted.

Major Highlights:

  • The war drama Sergeant York was among the most nominated films, but How Green Was My Valley walked away with the Best Picture award.
  • Gary Cooper snagged the Best Actor award for his role in Sergeant York.
  • John Ford clinched another Best Director trophy, this time for How Green Was My Valley.
  • The Little Foxes had nine nominations, but won zero Oscars.
  • Sergeant York was nominated for 11 Oscars, and won 2.
  • Joan Fontaine was the only actress/actor to win for a role in a Hitchcock film.
  • The first Oscar for a documentary was awarded in 1942 to Churchill’s Island.

Trivia Tidbits:

  1. This was the first Oscars ceremony broadcast widely via radio, allowing more people to tune in.
  2. Citizen Kane, often considered one of the greatest films of all time, won only for Best Original Screenplay.
  3. The Best Animated Short Film went to Disney’s Lend a Paw, featuring Pluto, Mickey Mouse’s pet.

1942 Oscar Nominees & Winners

Outstanding Motion Picture:
How Green Was My Valley – Darryl F. Zanuck for 20th Century Fox (WINNER)
Blossoms in the Dust – Irving Asher for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Citizen Kane – Orson Welles for RKO Radio
Here Comes Mr. Jordan – Everett Riskin for Columbia
Hold Back the Dawn – Arthur Hornblow Jr. for Paramount
The Little Foxes – Samuel Goldwyn for RKO Radio
The Maltese Falcon – Hal B. Wallis for Warner Bros.
One Foot in Heaven – Hal B. Wallis for Warner Bros.
Sergeant York – Hal B. Wallis and Jesse L. Lasky for Warner Bros.
Suspicion – Alfred Hitchcock for RKO Radio
Best Director:
John Ford – How Green Was My Valley (WINNER)
Orson Welles – Citizen Kane
Alexander Hall – Here Comes Mr. Jordan
William Wyler – The Little Foxes
Howard Hawks – Sergeant York
Best Actor:
Gary Cooper – Sergeant York as Alvin C. York (WINNER)
Cary Grant – Penny Serenade as Roger Adams
Walter Huston – All That Money Can Buy as Mr Scratch
Robert Montgomery – Here Comes Mr. Jordan as Joe Pendleton
Orson Welles – Citizen Kane as Charles Foster Kane
Best Actress:
Joan Fontaine – Suspicion as Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth (WINNER)
Bette Davis – The Little Foxes as Regina Hubbard Giddens
Olivia de Havilland – Hold Back the Dawn as Emmy Brown
Greer Garson – Blossoms in the Dust as Edna Kahly Gladney
Barbara Stanwyck – Ball of Fire as Katherine “Sugarpuss” O’Shea
Best Supporting Actor:
Donald Crisp – How Green Was My Valley as Gwilym Morgan (WINNER)
Walter Brennan – Sergeant York as Pastor Rosier Pile
Charles Coburn – The Devil and Miss Jones as John P Merrick
James Gleason – Here Comes Mr. Jordan as Max “Pop” Corkle
Sydney Greenstreet – The Maltese Falcon as Kasper Gutman
Best Supporting Actress:
Mary Astor – The Great Lie as Sandra Kovak (WINNER)
Sara Allgood – How Green Was My Valley as Mrs Beth Morgan
Patricia Collinge – The Little Foxes as Birdie Hubbard
Teresa Wright – The Little Foxes as Alexandra Giddens
Margaret Wycherly – Sergeant York as Mary Brooks York
Best Original Screenplay:
Citizen Kane – Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles (WINNER)
The Devil and Miss Jones – Norman Krasna
Sergeant York – John Huston, Howard Koch, Abem Finkel, and Harry Chandlee
Tall, Dark and Handsome – Karl Tunberg and Darrell Ware
Tom, Dick and Harry – Paul Jarrico
Best Screenplay:
Here Comes Mr. Jordan – Sidney Buchman and Seton I. Miller, based on the play Heaven Can Wait by Harry Segall (WINNER)
Hold Back the Dawn – Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder, based on “Memo to a Movie Producer” by Ketti Frings
How Green Was My Valley – Philip Dunne, based on the novel by Richard Llewellyn
The Little Foxes – Lillian Hellman, based on the play by Lillian Hellman
The Maltese Falcon – John Huston, based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett
Best Original Story:
Here Comes Mr. Jordan – Harry Segall (WINNER)
Ball of Fire – Billy Wilder and Thomas Monroe
The Lady Eve – Monckton Hoffe
Meet John Doe – Richard Connell and Robert Presnell Sr.
Night Train to Munich – Gordon Wellesley
Best Documentary:
Churchill’s Island – National Film Board of Canada and United Artists (WINNER)
Adventure in the Bronx – Film Associates
Bomber: A Defense Report on Film – U.S. Office for Emergency Management Film Unit and Motion Picture Committee Cooperating for National Defense
Christmas Under Fire – British Ministry of Information and Warner Bros.
A Letter from Home – British Ministry of Information and United Artists
Life of a Thoroughbred – Truman Talley and 20th Century Fox
Norway in Revolt – The March of Time and RKO Radio
A Place to Live – Philadelphia Housing Authority and Philadelphia Housing Association
Russian Soil – Amkino
Soldiers of the Sky – Truman Talley and 20th Century Fox
War Clouds in the Pacific – National Film Board of Canada and MGM
Best Live Action Short Subject, One-Reel:
Of Pups and Puzzles – MGM (WINNER)
Army Champions – Pete Smith and MGM
Beauty and the Beach – Paramount
Down on the Farm – Paramount
Forty Boys and a Song – Warner Bros.
Kings of the Turf – Warner Bros.
Sagebrush and Silver – 20th Century Fox
Best Live Action Short Subject, Two-Reel:
Main Street on the March! – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (WINNER)
Alive in the Deep – Woodard Productions, Inc.
Forbidden Passage – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
The Gay Parisian – Warner Bros.
The Tanks Are Coming – U.S. Army and Warner Bros.
Best Short Subjects – Cartoons:
Lend a Paw – Walt Disney Productions and RKO Radio (WINNER)
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B – Walter Lantz Productions and Universal
Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt – Leon Schlesinger and Warner Bros.
How War Came – Columbia
The Night Before Christmas – MGM
Rhapsody in Rivets – Leon Schlesinger and Warner Bros.
Rhythm in the Ranks – George Pal Productions and Paramount
The Rookie Bear – MGM
Superman – Fleischer Studios and Paramount
Truant Officer Donald – Walt Disney Productions and RKO Radio
Best Scoring of a Dramatic Picture:
All That Money Can Buy – Bernard Herrmann (WINNER)
Back Street – Frank Skinner
Ball of Fire – Alfred Newman
Cheers for Miss Bishop – Edward Ward
Citizen Kane – Bernard Herrmann
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Franz Waxman
Hold Back the Dawn – Victor Young
How Green Was My Valley – Alfred Newman
King of the Zombies – Edward J. Kay
Ladies in Retirement – Morris Stoloff and Ernst Toch
The Little Foxes – Meredith Willson
Lydia – Miklós Rózsa
Mercy Island – Cy Feuer and Walter Scharf
Sergeant York – Max Steiner
So Ends Our Night – Louis Gruenberg
Sundown – Miklós Rózsa
Suspicion – Franz Waxman
Tanks a Million – Edward Ward
That Uncertain Feeling – Werner R. Heymann
This Woman is Mine – Richard Hageman
Best Scoring of a Musical Picture:
Dumbo – Frank Churchill and Oliver Wallace (WINNER)
All-American Co-Ed – Edward Ward
Birth of the Blues – Robert Emmett Dolan
Buck Privates – Charles Previn
The Chocolate Soldier – Herbert Stothart and Bronislaw Kaper
Ice-Capades – Cy Feuer
The Strawberry Blonde – Heinz Roemheld
Sun Valley Serenade – Emil Newman
Sunny – Anthony Collins
You’ll Never Get Rich – Morris Stoloff
Best Original Song:
“The Last Time I Saw Paris” from Lady Be Good – Music by Jerome Kern; Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II (WINNER)
“Baby Mine” from Dumbo – Music by Frank Churchill; Lyrics by Ned Washington
“Be Honest With Me” from Ridin’ on a Rainbow – Music and Lyrics by Gene Autry and Fred Rose
“Blues in the Night” from Blues in the Night – Music by Harold Arlen; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B” from Buck Privates – Music by Hugh Prince; Lyrics by Don Raye
“Chattanooga Choo Choo” from Sun Valley Serenade – Music by Harry Warren; Lyrics by Mack Gordon
“Dolores” from Las Vegas Nights – Music by Louis Alter; Lyrics by Frank Loesser
“Out of the Silence” from All-American Co-ed – Music and Lyrics by Lloyd B. Norlin
“Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye” from You’ll Never Get Rich – Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Best Sound Recording:
That Hamilton Woman – Jack Whitney (WINNER)
Appointment for Love – Bernard B. Brown
Ball of Fire – Thomas T. Moulton
The Chocolate Soldier – Douglas Shearer
Citizen Kane – John O. Aalberg
The Devil Pays Off – Charles L. Lootens
How Green Was My Valley – E. H. Hansen
The Men in Her Life – John P. Livadary
Sergeant York – Nathan Levinson
Skylark – Loren L. Ryder
Topper Returns – Elmer Raguse
Best Art Direction – Interior Decoration, Black-and-White:
How Green Was My Valley – Art Direction: Richard Day and Nathan H. Juran; Interior Decoration: Thomas Little (WINNER)
Citizen Kane – Art Direction: Perry Ferguson and Van Nest Polglase; Interior Decoration: Al Fields and Darrell Silvera
The Flame of New Orleans – Art Direction: Martin Obzina and Jack Otterson; Interior Decoration: Russell A. Gausman
Hold Back the Dawn – Art Direction: Hans Dreier and Robert Usher; Interior Decoration: Samuel M. Comer
Ladies in Retirement – Art Direction: Lionel Banks; Interior Decoration: George Montgomery
The Little Foxes – Art Direction: Stephen Goosson; Interior Decoration: Howard Bristol
Sergeant York – Art Direction: John Hughes; Interior Decoration: Fred M. MacLean
The Son of Monte Cristo – Art Direction: John DuCasse Schulze; Interior Decoration: Edward G. Boyle
Sundown – Art Direction: Alexander Golitzen; Interior Decoration: Richard Irvine
That Hamilton Woman – Art Direction: Vincent Korda; Interior Decoration: Julia Heron
When Ladies Meet – Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons and Randall Duell; Interior Decoration: Edwin B. Willis
Sis Hopkins – N/A (Nomination withdrawn)
Best Art Direction – Interior Decoration, Color:
Blossoms in the Dust – Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons and Urie McCleary; Interior Decoration: Edwin B. Willis (WINNER)
Blood and Sand – Art Direction: Richard Day and Joseph C. Wright; Interior Decoration: Thomas Little
Louisiana Purchase – Art Direction: Raoul Pene Du Bois; Interior Decoration: Stephen Seymour
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White:
How Green Was My Valley – Arthur Miller (WINNER)
The Chocolate Soldier – Karl Freund
Citizen Kane – Gregg Toland
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Joseph Ruttenberg
Here Comes Mr. Jordan – Joseph Walker
Hold Back the Dawn – Leo Tover
Sergeant York – Sol Polito
Sun Valley Serenade – Edward Cronjager
Sundown – Charles Lang
That Hamilton Woman – Rudolph Maté
Best Cinematography, Color:
Blood and Sand – Ernest Palmer and Ray Rennahan (WINNER)
Aloma of the South Seas – Wilfred M. Cline, Karl Struss, and William Snyder
Billy the Kid – William V. Skall and Leonard Smith
Blossoms in the Dust – Karl Freund and W. Howard Greene
Dive Bomber – Bert Glennon
Louisiana Purchase – Harry Hallenberger and Ray Rennahan
Best Film Editing:
Sergeant York – William Holmes (WINNER)
Citizen Kane – Robert Wise
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Harold F. Kress
How Green Was My Valley – James B. Clark
The Little Foxes – Daniel Mandell
Best Special Effects:
I Wanted Wings – Photographic Effects Farciot Edouart and Gordon Jennings; Sound Effects: Louis Mesenkop (WINNER)
Aloma of the South Seas – Photographic Effects: Farciot Edouart and Gordon Jennings; Sound Effects: Louis Mesenkop
Flight Command – Photographic Effects: A. Arnold Gillespie; Sound Effects: Douglas Shearer
The Invisible Woman – Photographic Effects: John P. Fulton; Sound Effects: John D. Hall
The Sea Wolf – Photographic Effects: Byron Haskin; Sound Effects: Nathan Levinson
That Hamilton Woman – Photographic Effects: Lawrence W. Butler; Sound Effects: William H. Wilmarth
Topper Returns – Photographic Effects: Roy Seawright; Sound Effects: Elmer Raguse
A Yank in the R.A.F. – Photographic Effects: Fred Sersen; Sound Effects: Edmund H. Hansen
Dive Bomber – Photographic Effects: Byron Haskin; Sound Effects: Nathan Levinson (disqualified)
Academy Honorary Awards:
Rey Scott for Kukan
The British Ministry of Information for Target for Tonight
Leopold Stokowski for Fantasia
Walt Disney, William Garity, John N. A. Hawkins, and the RCA Manufacturing Company for Fantasia
Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award:
Walt Disney
Oscar® and Academy Awards® and Oscar® design mark are the trademarks and service marks and the Oscar© statuette the copyrighted property, of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Pop Culture Madness is neither endorsed by nor affiliated with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.