Rated one notch under the 1952 awards, this is a great show. Whereas 1952 used former Oscar Winners, 1954 used current nominees as presenters. Among the memorable moments: a very pregnant winner Eva Marie Saint "I may have the baby right here.", Dean Martin crooning "Three Coins in the Fountain", a very happy Edmund O' Brien, a nervous and proud Dorothy Dandridge- the first female African-American to present an Oscar, Grace Kelly, Marlon Brando and Bob Hope banter, Dimitri Tiomkin thanking the classical masters, etc. There is so much in this show. Bette Davis appears in skull-cap to give Brando the Award and Rosemary Clooney gives "The Man That Got Away" a turn you'll never forget.
A previous post mentions the fact that the presenters only announced the winners' names. A check of history reveals that sponsors were beginning to be concerned with the length of the show (it ran appox. 90 mins. that year!!!!!) so they ran a superimposed list of the nominees during the opening of the show. This led them to omit the nominees later and get right to the envelope.
All the winners were present except for the winner of the Honorary Award, who at 49 was the youngest ever to receive that Award. It was accepted by the great stage actress Nancy Kelly who said, "In a year where there can be more than one Kelly, there can only be one Garbo" Enough said!
A previous post mentions the fact that the presenters only announced the winners' names. A check of history reveals that sponsors were beginning to be concerned with the length of the show (it ran appox. 90 mins. that year!!!!!) so they ran a superimposed list of the nominees during the opening of the show. This led them to omit the nominees later and get right to the envelope.
All the winners were present except for the winner of the Honorary Award, who at 49 was the youngest ever to receive that Award. It was accepted by the great stage actress Nancy Kelly who said, "In a year where there can be more than one Kelly, there can only be one Garbo" Enough said!
