Oscars flashback 60 years ago to 1964: Sidney Poitier makes history, ‘Tom Jones’ wins top prize

“It is a long journey to this moment … ” Sidney Poitier‘s historic win at the 36th Academy Awards made an otherwise rather dull ceremony memorable. On April 13, 1964, Jack Lemmon hosted the ceremony in which a raunchy British comedy battled with a historic epic, there were a few firsts, and many of the big winners weren’t even there. Read on for Gold Derby’s Oscars flashback 60 years ago to 1964.

In 1959, Poitier had become the first Black man to be nominated for Best Actor (for “The Defiant Ones”), 19 years after Hattie McDaniel had become the first African American to be nominated for and win an Academy Award. In 1964, he became the second Black person to win an acting Oscar, and the first to win lead, for “Lilies of the Field.” His portrayal of a reluctant handyman finagled by a group of European nuns into building a chapel triumphed over Albert Finney and Paul Newman as the title characters “Tom Jones” and “Hud,” respectively, as well as Richard Harris for “This Sporting Life” and Rex Harrison for “Cleopatra.” Poitier’s was the only win out of five nominations, including Best Picture, for “Lilies of the Field;” two wildly different period films tied for most wins at four at the end of the evening.

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A frolicking British comedy about the romantic adventures of “Tom Jones” led the nominations with 10, followed closely by the most expensive film produced up to that time, the historic epic “Cleopatra,” which received nine. In the end, the they would tie for most wins at four, with Tony Richardson, who was not in attendance, earning statues for Best Picture and Director for “Tom Jones;” it also earned Best Adapted Screenplay and Music Score. “Cleopatra” claimed Best Color Art Direction, Cinematography and Costume Design, as well as Best Special Effects. Neither of these Best Picture nominees snagged an acting award — in fact, three out of four wins went to performers in films not nominated in the top category at all.

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“Hud” became the second (after “The Miracle Worker” from the prior year), and to date last, film to win two acting awards without a Best Picture nom. Patricia Neal won for Best Actress, which sparked controversy as she had just a little over 20 minutes of screen time in the 112-minute film. Although originally intended to be considered for supporting, Neal’s powerful performance as down-to-earth housekeeper Alma opposite Newman’s boozy and amorous Hud earned her numerous Best Actress awards leading up to the Academy Awards, and she seemed a shoo-in by Oscar night. Hers remains the shortest Best Actress performance ever, and beat out Leslie Caron (“The L-Shaped Room”), Shirley MacLaine (“Irma la Douce”), Rachel Roberts (“This Sporting Life”) and Natalie Wood (“Love with the Proper Stranger”). Elizabeth Taylor did not receive a bid for “Cleopatra,” three years after her own controversial victory for “BUtterfield 8.”

Poitier was the only acting winner to receive his award in person. At eight-months pregnant, Neal declined to attend. Also absent was Neal’s costar and Best Supporting Actor winner Melvyn Douglas, whose performance as Hud’s stern rancher father triumphed over Nick Adams (“Twilight of Honor”), Bobby Darin (“Captain Newman, M.D.”), Hugh Griffith (“Tom Jones”) and John Huston (“The Cardinal”).

The Best Supporting Actress competition was unique in that it’s the only year in which one film claimed three spots in that category, and all the nominees were born outside the U.S. “Tom Jones” earned spots for Australian Diane Cilento, Brit Edith Evans and Anglo-Irish Joyce Redman, while Austro-Hungarian actress Lilia Skala scored a bid for her role as Mother Maria opposite Poitier in “Lilies of the Field.” However, it was the British actress who is largely remembered for her role as Agatha Christie‘s Miss Marple, who won top honors — for another film starring Taylor and Richard Burton. Margaret Rutherford claimed victory for “The V.I.P.s,” and was also not in attendance.

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This was also an unusual year in that only two Best Picture nominees claimed a spot for its directors. In addition to winner “Tom Jones,” the epic drama “America America” earned citations for Elia Kazan in both categories. Inspired by the life of his uncle, the nearly three-hour film garnered Kazan a third nomination in Best Original Screenplay; he lost all three, but the film won Best Black-and White Art Direction. Rounding out the Best Picture ballot was “How the West Was Won,” which tied with fellow western “Hud” for second place in wins with three, including original screenplay, sound and editing; besides its two acting statues, “Hud” also won for its black-and-white cinematography.

Although “Hud” somehow lost out on a Best Picture bid, it scored seven nominations, including Best Director for Martin Ritt. Also nominated were Otto Preminger for “The Cardinal,” and Federico Fellini for the influential avant-garde film “8 1/2,” which won two of its five nominations (Best Foreign Language Film and Black-and-White Costume Design).

This was also the inaugural year for the Best Sound Effects category, which went to “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” And for the first time ever, a film that previously had been broadcast on TV won an Oscar. “The Twilight Zone” had bought the rights to and aired the French film “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” which claimed the statue for Best Live Action Short Subject.

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