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The 46th Academy Awards were presented April 2, 1974 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by John Huston, Diana Ross, Burt Reynolds, David Niven.
[edit] Winners
[edit] Feature Films
[edit] Acting
[edit] Screenplay & Direction
[edit] Streaking incident
Robert Opel streaking at the 46th Academy Awards ceremony.
The 46th Academy Awards ceremony is perhaps best remembered as the ceremony in which a streaker named Robert Opel ran across the stage naked while flashing a peace sign with his hand. In response, host David Niven jokingly quipped, "The only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping... and showing his shortcomings." In 2001, this incident was voted as the most memorable Oscar moment in history, coming in first over Marlon Brando's infamous 1972 boycott of the 45th Academy Awards, in which he sent Sacheen Littlefeather to explain why he would not be coming to collect his Oscar for The Godfather.
[edit] Other Notable Events
- First-time nominee George Lucas made his debut at the Academy Awards with his nostalgic teen drama American Graffiti. It was nominated for Best Picture (Francis Ford Coppola and Gary Kurtz), Director & Original Screenplay (Lucas), Editor (Marcia Lucas), and Candy Clark for Best Supporting Actress.
- Jack Lemmon won his second career Oscar that night; his first for 1956's Mister Roberts. As he accepted the award, he announced that "In recent years, especially, there has been a great deal of criticism about this award. And probably, a great deal of that criticism is very justified; I would just like to say that, whether it is justified or not, I think it is one hell of a honor and I am thrilled, and I thank you all, very, very much."
- Katharine Hepburn made her first and only appearance at the ceremony to present The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to her longtime friend Lawrence Weingarten. Whenever she won an Oscar, she always had either the presenter or another person associated with her film accept it on her behalf. Upon taking the stage, she received a standing ovation, to which she replied "I'm living proof that a person can wait forty-one years to be unselfish."
- Coincidentally, Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor and Connie Stevens, who were all ex-wives of Eddie Fisher each appeared in some form.
- This was Susan Hayward's last public appearance, before she died of brain cancer.
- At ten years and 148 days of age, Tatum O'Neal won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Paper Moon. She became the youngest winner of an Oscar, and this feat is unmatched to this day.
- During the ceremony, the whole in memoriam tribute was for legendary producer Samuel Goldwyn, who died at ninety-one three months prior to the event. He is the only person to have an Academy Awards ceremony solely dedicated to him.
- Longtime film veteran/comedian Groucho Marx was honored for his contributions to the cinema with an Honorary Academy Award.
