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The 69th Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 24, 1997, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 24 categories honoring films released in 1996. The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Gil Cates and directed by Louis J. Horvitz. Actor Billy Crystal (pictured) hosted for the fifth time, having last emceed the 65th ceremony held in 1993. The English Patient won nine awards including Best Picture. Other winners included Fargo with two awards including Best Actress for Frances McDormand. The telecast garnered 40 million viewers in the United States. (Full list...)