52nd Academy Awards

52nd Academy Awards
Official poster promoting the 52nd Academy Awards in 1980.
Official poster
DateApril 14, 1980 (1980-04-14)
SiteDorothy Chandler Pavilion
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Hosted byJohnny Carson
Produced byHoward W. Koch
Directed byMarty Pasetta
Highlights
Best PictureKramer vs. Kramer
Most awardsKramer vs. Kramer (5)
Most nominationsAll That Jazz and Kramer vs. Kramer (9)
TV in the United States
NetworkABC
Duration3 hours, 15 minutes[1]
Ratings49 million
33.7% (Nielsen ratings)

The 52nd Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 1979 and took place on April 14, 1980, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 22 categories. The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Howard W. Koch and directed by Marty Pasetta.[2] Comedian and talk show host Johnny Carson hosted the show for the second consecutive year. Three days earlier, in a ceremony held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, on April 11, the Academy Scientific and Technical Awards were presented by hosts Cloris Leachman and William Shatner.[3]

Kramer vs. Kramer won five awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Robert Benton, Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman, and Best Supporting Actress for Meryl Streep. Sally Field received Best Actress honors for Norma Rae, and Melvyn Douglas won Best Supporting Actor for Being There.[4] The telecast received a mixed reception, with critics praising Carson's hosting performance but criticising the pacing and predictability of the ceremony. It garnered 49 million viewers in the United States, which was a 6% increase from the previous year.

  1. ^ Labonte, Richard (April 15, 1980). "Academy Awards Ceremony Called a 'Show Biz Miracle'". Ottawa Citizen. p. 31.
  2. ^ Osborne 2013, p. 413
  3. ^ "Past Scientific & Technical Awards Ceremonies". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on February 13, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  4. ^ Harmetz, Aljean (April 15, 1980). "Oscars Won by Kramer, Hoffman and Miss Field; All That Jazz Takes Craft Awards Kramer vs. Kramer Is the Oscar Leader 'New and Old Managements' Carson's 2d Year as Emcee Honorary Awards Streets Are Quieter". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.