Clip of the Oscar telecast when Glenda Jackson won the Oscar

I suspect they were surprised; Jackson had won just 3 years earlier for Women in Love; Ellen Burstyn, on her second nomination, had starred in one of the year's biggest hits and Joanne Woodward had won the NY critics award, so I think they were believed to be the front-runners.

I looks like Burstyn says "What the fuck!" but I don't imagine that was a popular phrase back then.

I think she says, "What a surprise."

Im glad she won!

I remember watching the Oscars that year (yeah, I'm old) and it was a big surprise when Jackson won. As R1 points out, she'd just won three years earlier...plus it was a light comedy and seemed "beneath" Jackson who, at that time, was doing big dramas (Women in Love) and historical sagas (Elizabeth I on TV, etc.) Also I seem to remember that the movie came out really early in the year and was large forgotten by awards time. I still can't figure out how she won except for the fact that there was no clear frontrunner that year and, actually, none of the nominees had much support behind them as I recall.

It's interesting that actors used to not show up for the Oscars. Nowadays, they all do.

Show up, I mean.

People used to be a lot more casual about the Oscars. I can't imagine my parents or anyone they knew (WW2 generation) watching it. There wasn't this huge buildup of 2-3 months to the actual event. Then again, there was a time not so long ago when the whole country wasn't celebrity-mad.

Jackson gave as lousy a performance as I've ever seen in "A Touch of Class, " but she was the official Great Lady Actress at that point in time and this award served to cement that fact and the Academy's good taste in acknowledging same. Jane Fonda got a similar prize when she won for her ghastly turn in the ghastly "Coming Home."

It was a ridiculous win. Woodward was great in a wonderful movie that would never be made today, not even on Liftime. Mason was the flavor of the week because of Neil Simon. Streisand and Burstyn's performances live on 37 years later.

It's interesting that Hollywood used to write great parts for women. Now, they're lucky to be the anonymous love interest in some CGI action shit fest.

I believe Cinderella Liberty was before Mason hooked up with Simon. It's a crappy film, but Mason is wonderful in it, possibly better than she ever would be again.

I don't think Jackson is terrible in A Touch of Class, but I would've voted for either Babs or Burstyn.

For the first half of the century, R9, it was like that...sad.

Everybody looks surprised!

Those awards shows were boring even when they weren't bloated with film clips and endless applause after the name of each nominee, not to mention loooooong speeches.

I'd've voted for Woodward.

A friend who knows Jackson said this: On the phone recently with Glenda Jackson, and she described this night, watching in a hotel room, and feeling terribly sick at the whole affair. Susan Hayward, dying of brain cancer, was shot full of Thorazine, and was believed by many to have been pulled from her deathbed. Jackson was most amused by the derision displayed by Ellen Burstyn, who can be seen mouthing "What? Are they kidding? What a surprise." Jackson met Burstyn several years later, and was promptly told that she had stolen the Oscar from her. Jackson told her she was welcome to have it.

Wow, r13. If Burstyn really said that, she's a cunt. Be gracious, Ellen. honey.

Did you ever stop to think that Ellen had her face smeared with makeup resembling teenage cunt blood and pussy juice for the crucifix scene?

That's worth an Oscar, no?

Burstyn won the Oscar the very next year for "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." While it was a deserving performance, is it possible it was a "consolation prize" for not having won the year before for "The Exorcist?"

I agree with the academy on this one, Jackson was wonderful.

Her second win is much better than the first. "Women in Love" is awful.

They were always boring to a degree. But I liked the no nonsense, just read the nominees and get down to it approach. Nowadays the whole affair is completely overblown and takes itself way too seriously, as if it were a Nobel Prize Ceremony. And I liked the fact that stars back then didn't show up for everything. It only made it more special when they would actually appear on TV.

Hayward was very ill at the time. She could barely get through Marsha Mason's name.

I love your story, r13. Jackson sounds like she'd be fun to hang out with. Burstyn, not so much.

I don't know if Ellen was robbed of the Oscar for The Exorcist but she definitely was for her performance in Requiem for a Dream.

I think Streisand was robbed. Her performance stands the test of time.

[quote]I don't know if Ellen was robbed of the Oscar for The Exorcist but she definitely was for her performance in Requiem for a Dream.

interesting. I thought her acting was over the top in Requeim. I remember feeling kind of bad for her since it didn't seem that the director was giving her guidance. Oh, well.

Another vote for 'what a surprise.'

Clooney said it best, unless all five of us put on the Batman suit you can't compare us.

Nobody got dressed up back then and now, if you don't show up, they don't send someone else to accept for you.

[quote]I thought her acting was over the top in Requeim

It was completely over the top and it's hilarious to watch it was sooo bad.

[quote]If Burstyn really said that, she's a cunt. Be gracious, Ellen. honey.

The Devil made her do it.

I think Glenda Jackson was arch and overrated. At the time of these Oscars I was a mere bairn. Now, I cannot believe Babs or Ellen did not win, having seen all of the films in contention.

Some years later, when Glenda decided she was far too intelligent to be an actress, she deigned to visit an exhibition in Scotland where I was a part-time docent. She demanded VIP treatment (didn't get it since we just did not care) then wrote a bitchy comment and scathing review in the visitors book. Cunt.

[quote]I believe Cinderella Liberty was before Mason hooked up with Simon. It's a crappy film, but Mason is wonderful in it, possibly better than she ever would be again.

That's him sitting next to her. He cast her in his Broadway play, The Good Doctor in 1973. Shortly afterwords, Mason and Simon fell in love and got married. Simon had been a widower. Earlier that year she filmed Cinderella Liberty which netted her an Oscar nomination as Best Actress but they were an item by nomination time.

Watch the guy go to the podium to accept for Glenda. Linda Blair has her arm on the armrest and her hand holding her head, not applauding. She too knew it was just wrong.

[quote] She demanded VIP treatment (didn't get it since we just did not care) then wrote a bitchy comment and scathing review in the visitors book.

That makes me like her even more.

Glenda was terrific, but Streisand deserved the Best Actress Oscar for "The Way Way Were." Reports were that during that year, Barbra wasn't particularly popular in Hollywood and it cost her the Academy Award.

In 1968, Barbra was the darling of Hollywood and she won Best Actress for "Funny Girl" (tying with Katharine Hepburn for "The Lion in Winter"); however, five years later, things had changed. Of course, things changed once again, and she's now considered the grand dame of show business. But back back in the early days, there may have been some growing pains.

[quote]Also I seem to remember that the movie came out really early in the year and was large forgotten by awards time.

A Touch Of Class was a Best Picture Nominee and had four other nominations. It was a summer movie.

[quote]Jackson met Burstyn several years later, and was promptly told that she had stolen the Oscar from her. Jackson told her she was welcome to have it.

Burstyn at the time was apprehensive about award shows, so if she did say it, I doubt she was serious. According to her autobiography, the Oscar she really wanted was for Resurrection because the project was close to her heart.

Woodward's film came and went without much fan fare and I don't think it got much support by the studio during Oscar season.

Burstyn's chances where hurt because a number of academy members refused to see The Exorcist and others had reservations about the film and ultimately went with a safe choice in The Sting.

One rumor about the Best Actress race was that it was that at the time it was the closest race in history with only a few votes separating the winner (Jackson) and the 5th place finisher. Also there was no clear front runner that year.

[quote]While it was a deserving performance, is it possible it was a "consolation prize" for not having won the year before for "The Exorcist?"

Bustyn was up against:

Diahann Carroll - Claudine Faye Dunaway - Chinatown Valerie Perrine - Lenny as Honey Bruce Gena Rowlands - A Woman Under the Influence

Perrine should have been put in supporting, I think she would have beat Ingrid Bergman allowing Bergman to win for Autumn Sonata four years later.

In a perfect Oscar world where they would all have Oscars

Faye would have won for Bonnie and Clyde over Katharine Hepburn

Ellen would have won for The Exorcist

Gena Rowlands would have won for Woman

How could Susan Hayward have pulled from her deathbed? Glenda Jackson won her Oscar in the ceremony on April 2 1974, while Hayward didn't pass on until March of 1975, almost a year later.

Hayward may not have been pulled from her deathbed, but she was gravely ill.

I love Ellen Burstyn and I enjoyed her biography very, very much.

But I do not read many nice things about her here. Stories have always been that she is a cunt. Which strikes me as sad because she is very spiritual.

i like how Glenda got it about Hollywood. she never took it all seriously.

r34 - Here, Here!

What a smart and classy woman. She made three dozen films then decided to switch gears and focus on what's really important -- public service. She has been a Member of Parliament since 1992.

I was referring to R13's comments, R34. It doesn't make sense that Glenda Jackson would tell a friend, decades after the incident, that people thought Hayward was "pulled from her deathbed" when she didn't die for almost a full year afterwards. At best, Jackson was lying/exaggerating when telling the story to that friend R13 claims to know.

"Burstyn's chances where hurt because a number of academy members refused to see The Exorcist and others had reservations about the film and ultimately went with a safe choice in The Sting."

That makes the most sense to me. Its 40 years later and "The Exorcist" is still pretty shocking. I can only imagine what the old Academy coots thought of it in 1973. Babs was a superstar and didn't "need" the award. Jackson's win is a very Hillary Swank in the boxing movie situation.

I have met Burstyn at a few industry functions and she has been rude, cold and curt to anyone she doesn't know or who are not among the most powerful people in the room. Gracious is the last thing she is. And she's had work done.

How the fuck do you know Jackson was lying? Were you there? Haywood looked like she was going to keel over any second, obviously people thought she looked like she had been pulled from her death bed.

This type of bullshit is why so few people share their showbiz stories on the DL anymore.

1973 Oscar nominees for Best Actress: Ellen Burstyn, [italic]The Exorcist[/italic]; Glenda Jackson, [italic]A Touch of Class[/italic]; Marsha Mason, [italic]Cinderella Liberty[/italic]; Barbra Streisand, [italic]The Way We Were[/italic]; Joanne Woodward, [italic]Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams[/italic].

Jackson was a fine choice. But all in all, the Academy did a lousy job nominating the category, and I could've done without Mason, Streisand, and Woodward.

Best Supporting Actress Tatum O'Neal ([italic]Paper Moon[/italic]) should've contended in lead actress. Jennifer Salt ([italic]Sisters[/italic]) should've been nodded (given the Acad recognizing Burstyn in the horror genre - and that Salt was aces in Brian DePalma's campy horror classic, available in The Criterion Collection). And Liv Ullmann - arguably the best actress of the decade - should've taken home the gold for [italic]Cries and Whispers[/italic], Ingmar Bergman's classic and deep story about mortality and love.

God #38, that SUCKS.

I never read anything nice about her. If you have read her biography it makes it even more shocking.

And I know she had work done. She had an obvious facelift right after Requiem For A Dream was filmed. She looked STUNNING at the Oscars when she was nominated that year, and it was obvious that she had had a face lift and her eyes done too. I don't think se had done anything since (at least, major).

Where was Barbra? She's never one to pass up an opportunity to take home a prize.

Didn't Glenda win because she convincingly pretended Walter Matthau was fuckable?

In "Hopscotch," of course.

Walter Matthau is TOTALLY fuckable! And hung, rumor has it.

[quote]And I know she had work done. She had an obvious facelift right after Requiem For A Dream was filmed. She looked STUNNING at the Oscars when she was nominated that year, and it was obvious that she had had a face lift and her eyes done too. I don't think se had done anything since (at least, major).

Probably has, but you do realize that was special effect make-up in Requiem don't you? It's not like she showed up without anything and looked like that in real life. It actually took a couple of hours a day to do.

Its a great clip - Susan Hayward's final apperance, propped up by Chuck Heston.

I was astonished Glenda won - how often does it happen that a serious actress wins a second award a few years later for a routine comedy which I for one had no interest in seeing?

It must also have annoyed the others too that they kept referring to her as a great lady - she did not even bother to turn up!

Faye should have won it that year for Chinatown.

[quote]Where was Barbra? She's never one to pass up an opportunity to take home a prize.

Rumor has it that she was standing-by backstage.

I see Helen was practically falling down drunk again.

r47, Chinatown came out a year later.

r40, Liv Ullmann's was a supporting role in that film. Ingrid Thulin gave the strongest performance in Cries and Whispers, anyway. She should have been nominated (in supporting), and WON.

Liv Ullmann should have won for Face to Face.

In any case, it's a crime neither Thulin nor Bibi Andersson were ever nominated.

r40, I woulda nominated Margot Kidder in Sisters before Jennifer Salt. Hell, if Kidder had really been nominated, she shoulda won.

I don't think Jackson was lying when she spoke of Susan Hayward being pulled from her deathbed. That was the story reported in the media after her Oscar presentation -- that Hayward was deathly ill and heroically made her last public appearance while being supported by Charlton Heston. According to stories at the time, she was having seizures many times a day and the cameramen were ready to pull the cameras away if she began to have a seizure on stage that night.

extremely funny - extremely different than today.

two nominees, huge movie stars of the day, Glenda and Barbra, aren't even there

hardly any applause (a little for Marsha but that's it)

Joanne and Ellen showing hilarious and unabashed surprise that Glenda wins!!!

understated clothing.

presentation by actual movie stars.

On the other hand, I have no problem with the result.

Jackson is the most over-rated film actress almost of all time. Well, second only to Vivien Leigh. People were shocked and impressed at the time that she was so "ugly" and yet so compelling - she does have presence, even though she's a wretched actress. And there was lots of press about how willing she was to get naked. Her lack of vanity. And the edgy projects she chose, starting with MARAT/SADE, which was when people first started noticing her. Plus, her association with Ken Russell made her seem like an actor with no shame or limits or taste or boundaries or fear. Wow, though, she's one-note. Her best performance, in my opinion, was in SUNDAY, BLOODY SUNDAY, where she shared her boyfriend Murray Head with Peter Finch. She got points for making that kind of film: a woman in love with a bisexual; a woman in love with a homosexual (Tchaikovsky, in THE MUSIC LOVERS); a woman in love with a bisexual (Oliver Reed in WOMEN IN LOVE, and don't tell me the film doesn't say that Reed and Alan Bates are latent homo lovers); a woman in love with Walter Matthau!

She could be weird and fun on film, but, ugh, anybody who saw her Lady MacBeth with Christopher Plummer would not be tempted to call her an actress.

She was fantastic in all those films, r54, and rightfully a big movie star at the time.

Many actresses with limited range can be compelling to watch, like Jodie Foster and Jane Fonda to name just two contemporaries.

You only pick on her because she wasn't considered pretty, and because she has a devoted following to this day.

Poor.

Her best performance, bar none, was in "Hedda". She was nothing short of astounding.

And I just re-watched Elizabeth. Truly great work.

[quote]Jackson is the most over-rated film actress almost of all time.

Ingrate!

[quote] At the time of these Oscars I was a mere bairn.

R28, I suspect I want you in me quite deeply.

r54, you did NOT diss Vivien Leigh.

Oh no you d'in't!!!

You Cunt!!!

I don't know what Glenda knew or didn't know at the time - she was relaying her impression of being in a hotel room and watching the ceremony on TV. It was known that Hayward was quite ill and doped up and she looked ghastly. Glenda is remembering this impression.

A friend of mine was writing a book on a particular author and had occasion to speak to Glenda in reference to this era of her career.

Glenda Jackson still looks good. I suppose there is no chance she'd ever do another film.

I think Ellen Burstyn's performance in the Exorcist is almost comical today. She is a good actress but there is just something extremely neurotic/ticky about her acting.

"According to stories at the time, [Hayward] was having seizures many times a day and the cameramen were ready to pull the cameras away if she began to have a seizure on stage that night."

My God, she really IS Helen Lawson!

r63 she is the only sane thing about that movie.

Thanks, R61. I suppose she was remembering the press/tabloid more than the actual dates of when things happened, which makes sense and explains her comment.

Whatshisface upthread called what I said "bullshit" that prevents people from sharing gossip, but the story just didn't make any sense to me... and it's not like actors don't lie or exaggerate when giving interviews.

It's heartwarming to see Glenda Jackson's exhilirating genius lovingly embraced by the datalounge community, by most anyway. Her Gudrun Brangwen bests Vivien Leigh's Scarlett in my book, as far as literary adaptions go. Both were made of the same stock, although DH Lawrence was an infinitely better writer than that one trick pony Margaret Mitchell.

That clip is such a blast from the past- the early 70s!

Touch of Class is a bit better than a TV sitcom of that time. One of the dumbest Oscars ever.

Barbra was so hugely successful by that time that she was almost resented- particularly since she remained pretty aloof from the Hollywood establishment. She is very much part of it now.

Exorcist was a terrific film. I always though Burstyn made the film because she was so believable in her distress.

Cinderella Liberty was just a tad better than Touch of Class.

It's interesting how some films just die away and other last.

Bette Davis cited Glenda in A TOUCH OF CLASS as one of her favorite performances of all time. Suck it up.

What about Elizabeth R, the BBC series? I haven't seen it, but I see that Netflix has it. Worth watching?

It's only the greatest "miniseries" ever, r70.

Such detail - who else gets to play one historical character for weeks (and weeks and weeks)?

Thanks, R71. I will check it out.

Indeed, Glenda Jackson was born to define our perception of Elizabeth I in art for the 20th century. If you haven't seen her in action as the famed genius monarch, you are in for a regal treat and the most exciting 5 hours of televised drama IMAGINABLE. Glenda as Elizabeth is like watching an actual goddess of myth and legend come to life, then see the woman behind her as she withers and dies in grotesque grandeur.

[quote]Glenda and Barbra, aren't even there

Babs was there, but hiding backstage.

A biography was written about Glenda called 'Fire and Ice' - it's a brilliant read. I laughed out loud reading about how burglers targeted Glenda's home, broke in and then, much to Glenda's embarrasment, didn't see fit to steal anything. Apparently, all Glenda had of value in her home was an original painting of DH Lawrence! She lives in very mundane, practical settings. God love her.

r75 - that's certainly a world away from the narcissism of Barbra Streisand and her anally retentive ideas on domestic matters and interior design representations of her mammoth ego. Interesting parralels between Barbra and Glenda actually - both very plain, but with a truly beautiful gift, each.

It's only 5 hours, r73???

My god, it felt like a solid week of film when it came out, and I mean that in a good way. I just lost myself in it, week after week. We'd have friends over and have dinner (I believe it aired on Sunday evenings) and then just bask in it.

The sets are cheap, but they spent money on the wonderful SCRIPT (not to mention the sumptious wardrobes) and the few outdoor shots are lovely too.

Glenda is the anti-Marilyn Monroe. Had Marilyn lived, they would have been interesting to watch on screen together, although in God knows what.

There are six episodes and each is around 90 minutes. I watched the first one last night, and you WERE RIGHT!!! The writing is better than  of films today. Glenda is extraordinary in the part. There is so much going on on that face, she's mesmerising. And she was 34 when she did the series and she looked twenty. As I was watching the episode last night I could not help but thinking where did all the good acting go? I mean, who are the talents under 34 who could deliver such a performance today? Can't wait to watch part two tonight.

r79 - I fucking ADORE that terrifying and euphoric scene when Elizabeth negotiates for her owbn life in the tower, wondering why Bishop Gardiner signed her death warrant, instead of the queen herself? After her tactical triumoph (in saving her own life!!!). She keeps her head (literally and emotionally!) and coolly says - "Good sir, if you value your life, go not to the first man... but to the first WOMAN in this kingdom. See if she will kill her sister without witnesses and without trial."

Glenda jumps up and screams "I HAVE WON! I HAVE WON!!!!" - it's one of the mopst exhilirating moments ever captured on screen - magnificently expressed with absolute poetic precision by the ever astonishing Glenda Jackson.

What was quite amazing on a physical level about Glenda Jackson's performance as Elizabeth is that she seemed to have not only the looks of Keith Michell but the exact poise of Dorothy Tutin (who played Henry and Anne Boleyn in the prequel Six Wives). Study the way Dorothy Tutin's Anne holds herself and walks with brash grace and fiery presence - it's exactly like Glenda as Elizabeth. I always wondered if Glenda intentionally studied them, or if it was just a happy accident. She really does look scarily like Keith Michell! If you're watching Elizabeth R, make sure to watch Six Wives of Henry VIII as well - they are essentially the same series.

The actor playing Thomas Cranmer was magnificent. Here he is in a scene with Tutin:

... and with Jackson. Same vibe:

Barbra Streisand should have won, no question. However her popularity in Hollywood was not high. She didn't have many fans, and didn't endear herself to Academy members when she refused repeatedly over the years to sing on the telecast. That year she refused yet again to sing 'The Way We Were', and Academy voters had had enough. If she is not going to be part of the community, then why bother giving her the award?

Ellen Burstyn film was too commercial, and no one saw Joanne Woodward's film, and Marsha Mason was too limited.

That left Glenda Jackson, and no one could argue with giving the award to an actress of that caliber.

Can you imagine Streisand directing Jackson?!

R83 you are full of shit. Barbra won no critics awards that year, and there were a number of winners in the 70's that were anti-establishment (which Streisand wasn't).

[quote]Ellen Burstyn film was too commercial,

Uh. No. A number of academy member refused to see The Exorcist because of the subject matter and the graphic scenes.

Burstyn and Woodward were better then Babs in their respective roles.

[quote]Ellen Burstyn film was too commercial, and no one saw Joanne Woodward's film, and Marsha Mason was too limited.

Sweetie, it was the 70's, movies like this, that would never be made today most certainly was seen. Sylvia Sidney was also nominated for the Supporting Oscar and she was only in it for ten minutes, she was that good. She and Joanne Woodward were also nominated for Golden Globes with Woodward winning the British Bafta and New York Film Critics Circle Awards and Sydney winning the National Board of Review.

Glenda does look a little like Keith Michell, except that Keith is much prettier.

LOL!

WTF with all the extra people standing in the aisles! And then the guy who accepts for Jackson walks past a bunch of ushers who are in polyester suit jackets...too funny seeing how less formal it all was.

And Susan Hayward, for someone as ill as she was, looks beautiful.

They were boring but there were real stars back then and there was still an element of surprise since there was no "award season" preceeding it with the winners being pretty much decided before the Oscars due to multiple award shows. I did not think that was a very good year for actresses. They were all good but no standouts.

Marsha .......................................................................................................... Mason

For chrissakes, I had blood and pussy juice smeared all over my face! What more does the Academy want?!

Press THAT in your book of memories.

In those days the Academy would throw an Oscar at anyone with a British accent. Marissa Tome broke that streak when all her competition were British and for a comedic role, no less.

[quote]A number of academy member refused to see The Exorcist because of the subject matter and the graphic scenes

Listen to what Elizabeth Taylor (who obviously didn't come to rehearsal) says before she announces the winner of The Best Picture that year.

Barbra was backstage in the wings in case she won but refused to sit in the audience.

Burstyn was bitter about this and the next year (when she won) she refused to go fearing Faye Dunaway would beat her.

[quote]I think Streisand was robbed. Her performance stands the test of time.

Says the eldergay in her caftan surrounded by framed posters of "On a Clear day" and "The Broadway Album."

[quote]Burstyn was bitter about this and the next year (when she won) she refused to go fearing Faye Dunaway would beat her.

I don't blame her... Faye packs quite a punch.

[quote]Jennifer Salt (Sisters) should've been nodded (given the Acad recognizing Burstyn in the horror genre - and that Salt was aces in Brian DePalma's campy horror classic, available in The Criterion Collection).

Are you kidding? That's one fo the worst performances ever in any film released on Criterion. She only got it because she was personal friends with De Palma--she's wretched in it.

Margot Kidder (another of De Palma's personal friends), on the other hand, is sensational in it. SHE should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

The problem with Streisand's performance is that it isn't really an example of good acting at all. She's merely playing a character who's a lot like herself and her performance in the dramatic scenes isn't very different from her Oscar-winning turn in FUNNY GIRL. Of the nominated women, I think Burstyn, Mason and Woodward were all better than Jackson and Streisand.

Well, I won it, and they lost, and there's the end of it.

I respect that Glenda Jackson left acting in order to pursue a career in public service. She has also quite obviously left all vanity aside to do it so good for her. Vanessa Redgrave is very close in age to Glenda Jackson but you would not think that by comparing pictures of the two of them from this year at all.

Did Glenda Jackson ever publicly accept an award or do an interview? I am just curious because I cannot find anything nice over on YouTube.

Why don't you all fuck off, ya doss cunts!

All of Elizabeth R is uploaded to youtube. Glenda's legacy as the definitive Elizabeth is secure!

r101, here's a very extensive and fascinating interview with Glenda from 1976.

Those people saying "Nobody showed up back then" and "Nobody took it seriously" are forgetting that it was the seventies, when the Oscars were seen as passe. In fact, it started in the late sixties, when most everyone was rebelling against "the man" or establishment. 1967 was the beginning of the New Hollywood, when films like BONNIE AND CLYDE and THE GRADUATE began a revolution in filmmaking., and around that time the Hayes Code was dropped for good.

But before that, for the first nearly forty years of the awards' existence, it was very much a big deal. Stars attended and dressed up for the Oscars in the late '20s, '30s, '40s, '50s, and early '60s. You guys are making it sound like nobody cared about the Oscars until the past 30 years, when it became a whole award season. Only the late '60s and '70s into the early '80s was like that, when stars thought they were too cool for school. But, again, it was a rebellious time for most everyone, especially against the old guard., and that included the Oscars.

In short, this obsession with the Oscar broadcast is not a new phenomenon. It existed during Hollywood's golden age, which waned in the late '60s, '70s, only to return later in the century.

The Oscars were a private dinner party for many of those years, R105, and most who attended dressed far more casually than they do now. Men were in dinner dress (or sometimes a tuxedo) and women were in nice but not overly formal gowns, and with much less makeup. Look for pics of Bette Davis 1935, Luise Rainer 1937, Olivia De Haviland 1940, etc. There were some exceptions (because you KNOW Norma Shearer dressed to the nines any time a camera was around) but the link below has a nice selection of gowns, and you can see how both the casualness of the event and the style of dress became more elaborate over time.

It wasn't until after the war that the event started to become this major press event with far more formal and stylish outfits. Then once they became televised, it was seen at first as must-watch TV, then people got tired of it, then it was marketed as a huge red carpet event and has turned into its own industry.

Actor Jim Beaver once got mad at a group of people talking about how they liked the show better when it was more low-key, saying that we should all be HAPPY we even get to SEE the Oscar ceremony, because it's not for us, it's for THEM, and we peons are just given an opportunity to glimpse into their rarified world. It was hilarious.