1983 Oscars 55th Academy Awards

1983 Oscars 55th Academy Awards

  • Winners Announced: April 11, 1983
  • Held at: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, California
  • Hosts: Liza Minnelli, Dudley Moore, Richard Pryor, Walter Matthau
  • Eligibility Year: 1982

Trivia

  1. Host Versatility: The hosting ensemble included a diverse blend of talents. Liza Minnelli represented the musical theater community, Dudley Moore brought comedic flavor, Richard Pryor offered edgier comedy, and Walter Matthau provided dramatic gravitas.
  2. Gandhi’s Grand Night: The film Gandhi swept major categories. Richard Attenborough won Best Director and Ben Kingsley, Best Actor, and the film taking Best Picture.
  3. E.T. Comes Close: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was a major contender but lost out in some major categories. It did win for Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, and a Special Achievement Award for Visual Effects.
  4. Historical Win for Louis Gossett Jr.: Louis Gossett Jr. became the first African American to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for performing in An Officer and a Gentleman.
  5. Musical Milestone: Up Where We Belong from An Officer and a Gentleman won Best Original Song.
  6. No Visual Effects Category: There was no standard award for Best Visual Effects this year. Instead, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial received a Special Achievement Award for visual effects.
  7. Not Just Movies: The evening honored veterans in the film industry. Mickey Rooney received a special Honorary Award for his lifetime of achievement in film.
  8. Foreign Film Winner: Best Foreign Language Film went to Volver a Empezar (‘To Begin Again’) from Spain.
  9. Celebrating Animation: The short film Tango won Best Animated Short Film, a significant achievement for Polish filmmaker Zbigniew Rybczyński.

1983 Oscar Nominees and Winners

Best Picture:
Gandhi – Richard Attenborough, producer (WINNER)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, producers
Missing – Edward Lewis and Mildred Lewis, producers
Tootsie – Sydney Pollack and Dick Richards, producers
The Verdict – David Brown and Richard D. Zanuck, producers
Best Director:
Richard Attenborough – Gandhi (WINNER)
Wolfgang Petersen – Das Boot
Steven Spielberg – E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Sydney Pollack – Tootsie
Sidney Lumet – The Verdict
Best Actor:
Ben Kingsley – Gandhi as Mahatma Gandhi (WINNER)
Dustin Hoffman – Tootsie as Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels
Jack Lemmon – Missing as Edmund Horman
Paul Newman – The Verdict as Frank Galvin
Peter O’Toole – My Favorite Year as Alan Swann
Best Actress:
Meryl Streep – Sophie’s Choice as Zofia “Sophie” Zawistowski (WINNER)
Julie Andrews – Victor/Victoria as Victoria Grant/Count Victor Grazinski
Jessica Lange – Frances as Frances Farmer
Sissy Spacek – Missing as Beth Horman
Debra Winger – An Officer and a Gentleman as Paula Pokrifki
Best Supporting Actor:
Louis Gossett Jr. – An Officer and a Gentleman as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley (WINNER)
Charles Durning – The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas as The Governor
John Lithgow – The World According to Garp as Roberta Muldoon
James Mason – The Verdict as Ed Concannon
Robert Preston – Victor/Victoria as Carol “Toddy” Todd
Best Supporting Actress:
Jessica Lange – Tootsie as Julie Nichols (WINNER)
Glenn Close – The World According to Garp as Jenny Fields
Teri Garr – Tootsie as Sandra “Sandy” Lester
Kim Stanley – Frances as Lillian Van Ornum Farmer
Lesley Ann Warren – Victor/Victoria as Norma Cassidy
Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen:
Gandhi – John Briley (WINNER)
Diner – Barry Levinson
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Melissa Mathison
An Officer and a Gentleman – Douglas Day Stewart
Tootsie – Larry Gelbart, Murray Schisgal and Don McGuire
Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium:
Missing – Costa-Gavras and Donald E. Stewart based on the book The Execution of Charles Horman: An American Sacrifice by Thomas Hauser (WINNER)
Das Boot – Wolfgang Petersen based on the novel by Lothar G. Buchheim
Sophie’s Choice – Alan J. Pakula based on the novel by William Styron
The Verdict – David Mamet based on the novel by Barry Reed
Victor/Victoria – Blake Edwards based on the film Viktor und Viktoria by Reinhold Schünzel
Best Foreign Language Film:
Begin the Beguine (Spain) (WINNER)
Alsino and the Condor (Nicaragua)
Clean Slate (France)
Flight of the Eagle (Sweden)
Private Life (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
Best Documentary Feature:
Just Another Missing Kid – John Zaritsky (WINNER)
After the Axe – Sturla Gunnarsson and Steve Lucas
Ben’s Mill – John Karol and Michel Chalufour
In Our Water – Meg Switzgable
A Portrait of Giselle – Joseph Wishy
Best Documentary Short Subject: Best Live Action Short Film:
If You Love This Planet – Edward Le Lorrain and Terre Nash (WINNER)
Gods of Metal – Robert Richter
The Klan: A Legacy of Hate in America – Charles Guggenheim and Werner Schumann
To Live or Let Die – Freida Lee Mock
Traveling Hopefully – John G. Avildsen
Best Live Action Short Film:
A Shocking Accident – Christine Oestreicher (WINNER)
Ballet Robotique – Bob Rogers
The Silence – Michael Toshiyuki Uno and Joseph Benson
Split Cherry Tree – Jan Saunders
Sredni Vashtar – Andrew Birkin
Best Animated Short Film: Best Original Score:
Tango – Zbigniew Rybczynski (WINNER)
The Great Cognito – Will Vinton
The Snowman – John Coates
Best Original Score:
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – John Williams (WINNER)
Gandhi – Ravi Shankar and George Fenton
An Officer and a Gentleman – Jack Nitzsche
Poltergeist – Jerry Goldsmith
Sophie’s Choice – Marvin Hamlisch
Best Original Song: Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score
Victor/Victoria – Henry Mancini and Leslie Bricusse (WINNER)
Annie – Adaptation Score by Ralph Burns
One from the Heart – Song Score by Tom Waits
Best Original Song:
“Up Where We Belong” from An Officer and a Gentleman – Music by Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie; Lyrics by Will Jennings (WINNER)
“Eye of the Tiger” from Rocky III – Music and Lyrics by Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan
“How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” from Best Friends – Music by Michel Legrand; Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
“If We Were In Love” from Yes, Giorgio – Music by John Williams; Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
“It Might Be You” from Tootsie – Music by Dave Grusin; Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Best Sound Effects Editing:
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Charles L. Campbell and Ben Burtt (WINNER)
Das Boot – Mike Le Mare
Poltergeist – Stephen Hunter Flick and Richard Anderson
Best Sound:
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, Don Digirolamo and Gene Cantamessa (WINNER)
Das Boot – Milan Bor, Trevor Pyke and Mike Le Mare
Gandhi – Gerry Humphreys, Robin O’Donoghue, Jonathan Bates and Simon Kaye
Tootsie – Arthur Piantadosi, Les Fresholtz, Dick Alexander and Les Lazarowitz
Tron – Michael Minkler, Bob Minkler, Lee Minkler and James LaRue
Best Makeup:
Quest for Fire – Sarah Monzani and Michèle Burke (WINNER)
Gandhi – Tom Smith
Best Costume Design:
Gandhi – John Mollo and Bhanu Athaiya (WINNER)
La Traviata – Piero Tosi
Sophie’s Choice – Albert Wolsky
Tron – Elois Jenssen and Rosanna Norton
Victor/Victoria – Patricia Norris
Best Art Direction:
Gandhi – Art Direction: Stuart Craig and Robert W. Laing; Set Decoration: Michael Seirton (WINNER)
Annie – Art Direction: Dale Hennesy (posthumous nomination); Set Decoration: Marvin March
Blade Runner – Art Direction: Lawrence G. Paull and David Snyder; Set Decoration: Linda DeScenna
La Traviata – Art Direction: Franco Zeffirelli; Set Decoration: Gianni Quaranta
Victor/Victoria – Art Direction: Rodger Maus, Tim Hutchinson and William Craig Smith; Set Decoration: Harry Cordwell
Best Cinematography:
Gandhi – Billy Williams and Ronnie Taylor (WINNER)
Das Boot – Jost Vacano
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Allen Daviau
Sophie’s Choice – Néstor Almendros
Tootsie – Owen Roizman
Best Film Editing:
Gandhi – John Bloom (WINNER)
Das Boot – Hannes Nikel
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Carol Littleton
An Officer and a Gentleman – Peter Zinner
Tootsie – Fredric Steinkamp and William Steinkamp
Best Visual Effects:
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Carlo Rambaldi, Dennis Muren and Kenneth F. Smith (WINNER)
Blade Runner – Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich and David Dryer
Poltergeist – Richard Edlund, Michael Wood and Bruce Nicholson
Honorary Academy Award:
Mickey Rooney
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award:
Walter Mirisch