1981
The 53rd Academy Awards | 1981
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Tuesday, March 31, 1981
Honoring movies released in 1980
Highlights
Memorable Moments
Winners & Nominees
Actor in a Leading Role
Winner
Robert De Niro
Raging Bull
Nominees
Robert Duvall
The Great Santini
John Hurt
The Elephant Man
Jack Lemmon
Tribute
Peter O'Toole
The Stunt Man
Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner
Timothy Hutton
Ordinary People
Nominees
Michael O'Keefe
The Great Santini
Joe Pesci
Raging Bull
Jason Robards
Melvin and Howard
Judd Hirsch
Ordinary People
Actress in a Leading Role
Winner
Sissy Spacek
Coal Miner's Daughter
Nominees
Ellen Burstyn
Resurrection
Goldie Hawn
Private Benjamin
Mary Tyler Moore
Ordinary People
Gena Rowlands
Gloria
Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner
Mary Steenburgen
Melvin and Howard
Nominees
Eileen Brennan
Private Benjamin
Eva Le Gallienne
Resurrection
Cathy Moriarty
Raging Bull
Diana Scarwid
Inside Moves
Best Picture
Winner
Ordinary People
Ronald L. Schwary, Producer
Nominees
Coal Miner's Daughter
Bernard Schwartz, Producer
The Elephant Man
Jonathan Sanger, Producer
Raging Bull
Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, Producers
Tess
Claude Berri, Producer; Timothy Burrill, Co-Producer
Cinematography
Winner
Tess
Geoffrey Unsworth, Ghislain Cloquet
Nominees
The Blue Lagoon
Nestor Almendros
Coal Miner's Daughter
Ralf D. Bode
The Formula
James Crabe
Raging Bull
Michael Chapman
Costume Design
Winner
Tess
Anthony Powell
Nominees
The Elephant Man
Patricia Norris
My Brilliant Career
Anna Senior
Somewhere in Time
Jean-Pierre Dorleac
When Time Ran Out
Paul Zastupnevich
Directing
Winner
Ordinary People
Robert Redford
Nominees
The Stunt Man
Richard Rush
Tess
Roman Polanski
The Elephant Man
David Lynch
Raging Bull
Martin Scorsese
Film Editing
Winner
Raging Bull
Thelma Schoonmaker
Nominees
Coal Miner's Daughter
Arthur Schmidt
The Competition
David Blewitt
The Elephant Man
Anne V. Coates
Fame
Gerry Hambling
Foreign Language Film
Winner
Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Nominees
Confidence
Hungary
Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior)
Japan
The Last Metro
France
The Nest
Spain
Art Direction
Winner
Tess
Art Direction: Pierre Guffroy, Jack Stephens
Nominees
The Empire Strikes Back
Art Direction: Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley, Harry Lange, Alan Tomkins; Set Decoration: Michael Ford
Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior)
Yoshiro Muraki
Coal Miner's Daughter
Art Direction: John W. Corso; Set Decoration: John M. Dwyer
The Elephant Man
Art Direction: Stuart Craig, Bob Cartwright; Set Decoration: Hugh Scaife
Music (Original Score)
Winner
Fame
Michael Gore
Nominees
Altered States
John Corigliano
The Elephant Man
John Morris
The Empire Strikes Back
John Williams
Tess
Philippe Sarde
Documentary (Short Subject)
Winner
Karl Hess: Toward Liberty
Karl Hess: Toward Liberty
Nominees
Don't Mess with Bill
John Watson and Pen Densham, Producers
The Eruption of Mount St. Helens
George Casey, Producer
It's the Same World
Dick Young, Producer
Luther Metke at 94
Richard Hawkins and Jorge Preloran, Producers
Documentary (Feature)
Winner
From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China
Murray Lerner, Producer
Nominees
Agee
Ross Spears, Producer
The Day after Trinity
Jon Else, Producer
Front Line
David Bradbury, Producer
The Yellow Star - The Persecution of the Jews in Europe 1933-45
Bengt von zur Muehlen and Arthur Cohn, Producers
Sound
Winner
The Empire Strikes Back
Bill Varney, Steve Maslow, Gregg Landaker, Peter Sutton
Nominees
Altered States
Arthur Piantadosi, Les Fresholtz, Michael Minkler, Willie D. Burton
Coal Miner's Daughter
Richard Portman, Roger Heman, Jim Alexander
Fame
Michael J. Kohut, Aaron Rochin, Jay M. Harding, Chris Newman
Raging Bull
Donald O. Mitchell, Bill Nicholson, David J. Kimball, Les Lazarowitz
Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects)
Winner
The Empire Strikes Back
Brian Johnson, Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Bruce Nicholson
Short Film (Animated)
Winner
The Fly
Ferenc Rofusz, Producer
Nominees
All Nothing
Frédéric Back, Producer
History of the World in Three Minutes Flat
Michael Mills, Producer
Music (Original Song)
Winner
Fame
Fame in "Fame" Music by Michael Gore; Lyric by Dean Pitchford
Nominees
Nine to Five
Nine To Five in "Nine to Five" Music and Lyric by Dolly Parton
Honeysuckle Rose
On The Road Again in "Honeysuckle Rose" Music and Lyric by Willie Nelson
Fame
Out Here On My Own in "Fame" Music by Michael Gore; Lyric by Lesley Gore
The Competition
People Alone in "The Competition" Music by Lalo Schifrin; Lyric by Wilbur Jennings
Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium)
Winner
Ordinary People
Alvin Sargent
Nominees
Breaker Morant
Jonathan Hardy, David Stevens, Bruce Beresford
Coal Miner's Daughter
Tom Rickman
The Elephant Man
Christopher DeVore, Eric Bergren, David Lynch
The Stunt Man
Screenplay by Lawrence B. Marcus; Adaptation by Richard Rush
Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen)
Winner
Melvin and Howard
Bo Goldman
Nominees
Brubaker
Screenplay by W. D. Richter; Story by W. D. Richter, Arthur Ross
Fame
Christopher Gore
Mon Oncle D'Amerique
Jean Gruault
Private Benjamin
Nancy Meyers, Charles Shyer, Harvey Miller
Short Film (Dramatic Live Action)
Winner
The Dollar Bottom
Lloyd Phillips, Producer
Nominees
Fall Line
Bob Carmichael and Greg Lowe, Producers
A Jury of Her Peers
Sally Heckel, Producer
A
Agee
1 Nomination
Documentary (Feature) - Ross Spears, Producer
All Nothing
1 Nomination
Short Film (Animated) - Frédéric Back, Producer
Altered States
2 Nominations
Sound - Arthur Piantadosi, Les Fresholtz, Michael Minkler, Willie D. Burton
Music (Original Score) - John Corigliano
B
The Blue Lagoon
1 Nomination
Cinematography - Nestor Almendros
Breaker Morant
1 Nomination
Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) - Jonathan Hardy, David Stevens, Bruce Beresford
Brubaker
1 Nomination
Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) - Screenplay by W. D. Richter; Story by W. D. Richter, Arthur Ross
C
Coal Miner's Daughter
7 Nominations, 1 Win
Art Direction - Art Direction: John W. Corso; Set Decoration: John M. Dwyer
Film Editing - Arthur Schmidt
Best Picture - Bernard Schwartz, Producer
Cinematography - Ralf D. Bode
Sound - Richard Portman, Roger Heman, Jim Alexander
Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) - Tom Rickman
* Actress in a Leading Role - Sissy Spacek in "Coal Miner's Daughter"
The Competition
2 Nominations
Film Editing - David Blewitt
Music (Original Song) - People Alone in "The Competition" Music by Lalo Schifrin; Lyric by Wilbur Jennings
Confidence
1 Nomination
Foreign Language Film - Hungary
D
The Day after Trinity
1 Nomination
Documentary (Feature) - Jon Else, Producer
The Dollar Bottom
1 Win, 1 Nomination
* Short Film (Dramatic Live Action) - Lloyd Phillips, Producer
Don't Mess with Bill
1 Nomination
Documentary (Short Subject) - John Watson and Pen Densham, Producers
E
The Elephant Man
8 Nominations
Film Editing - Anne V. Coates
Art Direction - Art Direction: Stuart Craig, Bob Cartwright; Set Decoration: Hugh Scaife
Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) - Christopher DeVore, Eric Bergren, David Lynch
Directing - David Lynch
Actor in a Leading Role - John Hurt in "The Elephant Man"
Music (Original Score) - John Morris
Best Picture - Jonathan Sanger, Producer
Costume Design - Patricia Norris
The Empire Strikes Back
4 Nominations, 2 Wins
Art Direction - Art Direction: Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley, Harry Lange, Alan Tomkins; Set Decoration: Michael Ford
Music (Original Score) - John Williams
* Sound - Bill Varney, Steve Maslow, Gregg Landaker, Peter Sutton
* Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects) - Brian Johnson, Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Bruce Nicholson
The Eruption of Mount St. Helens
1 Nomination
Documentary (Short Subject) - George Casey, Producer
F
Fall Line
1 Nomination
Short Film (Dramatic Live Action) - Bob Carmichael and Greg Lowe, Producers
Fame
6 Nominations, 2 Wins
Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) - Christopher Gore
Film Editing - Gerry Hambling
Sound - Michael J. Kohut, Aaron Rochin, Jay M. Harding, Chris Newman
Music (Original Song) - Out Here On My Own in "Fame" Music by Michael Gore; Lyric by Lesley Gore
* Music (Original Song) - Fame in "Fame" Music by Michael Gore; Lyric by Dean Pitchford
* Music (Original Score) - Michael Gore
The Fly
1 Win, 1 Nomination
* Short Film (Animated) - Ferenc Rofusz, Producer
The Formula
1 Nomination
Cinematography - James Crabe
From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China
1 Win, 1 Nomination
* Documentary (Feature) - Murray Lerner, Producer
Front Line
1 Nomination
Documentary (Feature) - David Bradbury, Producer
G
Gloria
1 Nomination
Actress in a Leading Role - Gena Rowlands in "Gloria"
The Great Santini
2 Nominations
Actor in a Supporting Role - Michael O'Keefe in "The Great Santini"
Actor in a Leading Role - Robert Duvall in "The Great Santini"
H
History of the World in Three Minutes Flat
1 Nomination
Short Film (Animated) - Michael Mills, Producer
Honeysuckle Rose
1 Nomination
Music (Original Song) - On The Road Again in "Honeysuckle Rose" Music and Lyric by Willie Nelson
I
Inside Moves
1 Nomination
Actress in a Supporting Role - Diana Scarwid in "Inside Moves"
It's the Same World
1 Nomination
Documentary (Short Subject) - Dick Young, Producer
J
A Jury of Her Peers
1 Nomination
Short Film (Dramatic Live Action) - Sally Heckel, Producer
K
Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior)
2 Nominations
Foreign Language Film - Japan
Art Direction - Yoshiro Muraki
Karl Hess: Toward Liberty
1 Win, 1 Nomination
* Documentary (Short Subject) - Karl Hess: Toward Liberty
L
The Last Metro
1 Nomination
Foreign Language Film - France
Luther Metke at 94
1 Nomination
Documentary (Short Subject) - Richard Hawkins and Jorge Preloran, Producers
M
Melvin and Howard
3 Nominations, 2 Wins
* Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) - Bo Goldman
* Actress in a Supporting Role - Mary Steenburgen in "Melvin and Howard"
Actor in a Supporting Role - Jason Robards in "Melvin and Howard"
Mon Oncle D'Amerique
1 Nomination
Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) - Jean Gruault
Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears
1 Win, 1 Nomination
* Foreign Language Film - Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
My Brilliant Career
1 Nomination
Costume Design - Anna Senior
N
The Nest
1 Nomination
Foreign Language Film - Spain
Nine to Five
1 Nomination
Music (Original Song) - Nine To Five in "Nine to Five" Music and Lyric by Dolly Parton
O
Ordinary People
6 Nominations, 4 Wins
* Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) - Alvin Sargent
* Directing - Robert Redford
* Best Picture - Ronald L. Schwary, Producer
* Actor in a Supporting Role - Timothy Hutton in "Ordinary People"
Actor in a Supporting Role - Judd Hirsch in "Ordinary People"
Actress in a Leading Role - Mary Tyler Moore in "Ordinary People"
P
Private Benjamin
3 Nominations
Actress in a Supporting Role - Eileen Brennan in "Private Benjamin"
Actress in a Leading Role - Goldie Hawn in "Private Benjamin"
Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) - Nancy Meyers, Charles Shyer, Harvey Miller
R
Raging Bull
8 Nominations, 2 Wins
Actress in a Supporting Role - Cathy Moriarty in "Raging Bull"
Sound - Donald O. Mitchell, Bill Nicholson, David J. Kimball, Les Lazarowitz
Best Picture - Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, Producers
Actor in a Supporting Role - Joe Pesci in "Raging Bull"
Directing - Martin Scorsese
Cinematography - Michael Chapman
* Actor in a Leading Role - Robert De Niro in "Raging Bull"
* Film Editing - Thelma Schoonmaker
Resurrection
2 Nominations
Actress in a Leading Role - Ellen Burstyn in "Resurrection"
Actress in a Supporting Role - Eva Le Gallienne in "Resurrection"
S
Somewhere in Time
1 Nomination
Costume Design - Jean-Pierre Dorleac
The Stunt Man
3 Nominations
Actor in a Leading Role - Peter O'Toole in "The Stunt Man"
Directing - Richard Rush
Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) - Screenplay by Lawrence B. Marcus; Adaptation by Richard Rush
T
Tess
6 Nominations, 3 Wins
* Costume Design - Anthony Powell
* Art Direction - Art Direction: Pierre Guffroy, Jack Stephens
* Cinematography - Geoffrey Unsworth, Ghislain Cloquet
Best Picture - Claude Berri, Producer; Timothy Burrill, Co-Producer
Music (Original Score) - Philippe Sarde
Directing - Roman Polanski
Tribute
1 Nomination
Actor in a Leading Role - Jack Lemmon in "Tribute"
W
When Time Ran Out
1 Nomination
Costume Design - Paul Zastupnevich
Y
The Yellow Star - The Persecution of the Jews in Europe 1933-45
1 Nomination
Documentary (Feature) - Bengt von zur Muehlen and Arthur Cohn, Producers