Best Scoring of a Musical Picture
“Anchors Aweigh” (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
Georgie Stoll
Best Special Effects
“Wonder Man” (RKO Radio)
Photographic Effects: John P. Fulton
Sound Effects: Arthur Johns
The Gazette (March 8, 1946)
Crawford, Milland win ‘Oscars’ for best performance in 1945
Joan Crawford and Ray Milland last night won the Academy Award Oscars for the best performance given in 1945. Here they are sketched by The Gazette’s cartoons, Gordie Moore.
Joan Crawford, one of the screen’s best-established veterans, after an acting career which took her from a position as the screen’s “Dancing Daughter” in into dramatic roles, and through the ups-and-down of screen success, last night won the motion picture industry’s most-coveted honor, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ award, affectionately called the Oscar, for her performance in her first Warner Brothers film, “Mildred Pierce.” Ray Milland took the male equivalent for his work as Don Birnam, the drinking hero in Paramount’s “The Lost Weekend.”
Ingrid Bergman presented Mr. Milland with his award. Miss Crawford’s award was accepted by her director Michael Curtiz, on her behalf. Ironically Miss Crawford missed the occasion because of sickness.
The awards for the best acting in supporting roles went to Anne Revere for her work in Metro’s “National Velvet” and to James Dunn for his performance in “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” a 20th Century-Fox film.
The film winning the major awards was Paramount’s “The Lost Weekend,” which won for Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett the Oscars for the best picture, the best-written screenplay and the best direction. Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers won the Oscar for the best original film song with “It Might As Well Be Spring,” from 20th Century-Fox’s “State Fair,” and Metro’s “Picture of Dorian Gray” and 20th Century-Fox’s “Leave Her to Heaven” took prizes for the best cinematography in the black-and-white and color fields respectively.
Other awards included:
For distinctive achievement in documentary production (features): “The True Glory,” made by the governments of Great Britain and the United States; (short subjects): “Hitler Lives,” produced by Gordon Hollingshead for Warner Bros.
Cartoons: “Quiet Please,” produced by Frederick Quimby for M-G-M.
One-reel short subjects: “Stairway to Light,” produced by Herbert Moulton for M-G-M.
Two-reel shorts: “Star in the Night,” also produced by Hollingshead for Warners.
Best achievement in film editing: “National Velvet,” edited by Robert J. Kern.
Best sound recording: “The Bells of St. Mary’s.”
Best achievement in special effects: “Wonder Man” (photographic effects by John Fulton; sound effects by Arthur W. Johns).
Best achievement in art direction (black and white): “Blood on the Sun;” (color): “Frenchman’s Creek.”
Interior decoration (black and white): “Blood on the Sun,” A. Roland Fields; (color): “Frenchman’s Creek,” Sam Comer.
Best scoring of a musical picture: “Anchors Aweigh,” Georgie Stoll
Best music score of a dramatic or comedy picture: “Spellbound,” Miklos Rozsa.
The Pittsburgh Press (March 8, 1946)
Joan Crawford, Ray Milland win ‘Oscars’ for acting
Get awards for roles in ‘Mildred Pierce’ and ‘The Lost Weekend;’ James Dunn also clicks
HOLLYWOOD (UP) – Joan Crawford, who’s been making movies since they were silent flickers, finally had her “Oscar” today. Instead of sweeping down the aisle amid cheers of her fellow stars she had to accept it at home from a sickbed. She is ill with influenza.
She was at home last night while 2,100 tuxedo and fur-clad stars flocked to Grauman’s Chinese Thater to hear Miss Crawford and Ray Milland proclaimed the best actress and actor in Hollywood for 1945.
Scurries off stage
Miss Crawford huddled close to her radio as Milland murmured his thanks. When she heard actor Charles Boyer name her the winner for her comeback role in “Mildred Pierce” she leaped to her feet.
“Oh, how wonderful!” she cried. “I’m overcome.”
So was Milland, who collected a solid gold statuette for his role of a drunken writer who saw animals crawling on the walls in “The Lost Weekend.” He just grabbed his “Oscar” and scurried off the stage.
“I’m surprised they just handed it to him,” quipped master-of-ceremonies Bob Hope. “I thought they’d hide it in the chandelier.”
‘Voted for Bergman myself’
The glittering audience sent up another tremendous cheer for James Dunn, who won an “Oscar” as the best supporting actor of the year in another comeback part, that of the drunken father in “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.”
Best supporting actress was freckle-faced Anne Revere for her mother role in “National Velvet.”
It was the first “Oscar” for each of the top winners and nobody was more excited than Miss Crawford, who’s been trying for all of 21 years.
“I usually have plenty to say,” she told a reporter, “but right now I can’t think of a thing. I voted for Bergman myself.”
She planted a kiss on the forehead of her doctor, William E. Branch, whose orders made her miss the festivities, and then dashed upstairs to tell her two children, Christine, 6, and Christopher, 3, ignoring the fact that Christopher was sick in bed, too, with the measles.
Clutches Van Johnson’s hand
Less than 20 minutes after the ceremonies were over half of movieland including director Mike Curtiz, who handed her the coveted gold “Oscar,” crowded into her room to congratulate the beaming star.
“It’s too wonderful,” she wept, clutching Van Johnson’s hand.
Then Miss Crawford blew her nose and started her year’s reign as queen of Hollywood by going back to bed.
Miss Crawford played a mother role in “Mildred Pierce,” a story of a broken marriage and her attempts to rear a daughter who constantly got into trouble.
“The Lost Weekend,” a movie about the evils of drink, swept in most of the other “Oscars,” leading off with one for “the best picture” of the year. It won two for Billy Wilder – one for the best directing job and another, with Charles Brackett, for the best written screenplay.
Hope forced to rush
The program, the first formal academy shindig since Pearl Harbor, started off on time – but most of the audience dribbled in late, forcing Hope to rush things toward the last.
But he slowed down long enough to let Jean Hersholt, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, give him a tiny “Oscar” all his own.
“And about time, too,” declared Hope. “I’ve emceed so many of these things in Grauman’s Chinese my eyes are slanting. But I really didn’t expect one. If I’d known I would have brought along my writers, I haven’t got any gags for this.”
Sinatra given award
Pioneer moviemaker D. W. Griffith started off the major awards by presenting gold cinematography “Oscars” to “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” in the black and white class, and “Leave Her to Heaven,” for technicolor.
Peggy Ann Garner won a miniature statuette as the most promising juvenile star.
Then George Murphy, president of the Screen Actors Guild, presented Frank Sinatra a special “Oscar” for his film short, “The House I Live In.”
“Better get your wife to help you carry it home, kid,” grinned Hope.
‘Spring’ wins among songs
Eric Johnston, new head man of the movie industry, awarded the “Oscar” for the best picture of the year after a two-minute speech in which he said the movies were “on the threshold of their greatest achievements.”
Frank Sinatra, Dick Haymes, Dinah Shore and Kathryn Grayson plugged the songs nominated for the original songwriting award, with “It Might As Well Be Spring,” by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, emerging as the winner.
Ginger Rogers, who also has an “Oscar” at home, was the sensation of the evening in a metallic silver gown featuring an almost-frontless effect. She presented Georgie Stoll his statue for the best scoring of a musical picture, “Anchors Aweigh,” and another to Miklos Rozsa for his musical score of “Spellbound.”
Walter Wanger, who served six years as academy president, received no special plaque for “distinguished service.”
List other awards
Other awards included:
- Interior decoration: “Blood on the Sun” (black and white);
- “Wonder Man” took top honors for special effects;
- “Bells of St. Mary’s” for sound recording;
- “National Velvet” for film editing.
All the winners, gathered on the stage for the finale to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” their “Oscars” clutched in their hands. All except Hope. He dangled his before his nose.
“This is all the metal they had left,” he sneered.