Oscars
1948
The 20th Academy Awards | 1948
Shrine Civic Auditorium
Saturday, March 20, 1948
Honoring movies released in 1947
Highlights
Memorable Moments
Winners & Nominees
Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner
Edmund Gwenn
Miracle on 34th Street
Nominees
Charles Bickford
The Farmer's Daughter
Thomas Gomez
Ride the Pink Horse
Robert Ryan
Crossfire
Richard Widmark
Kiss of Death
Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner
Celeste Holm
Gentleman's Agreement
Nominees
Marjorie Main
The Egg and I
Anne Revere
Gentleman's Agreement
Ethel Barrymore
The Paradine Case
Gloria Grahame
Crossfire
Directing
Winner
Gentleman's Agreement
Elia Kazan
Nominees
Great Expectations
David Lean
The Bishop's Wife
Henry Koster
Crossfire
Edward Dmytryk
A Double Life
George Cukor
Film Editing
Winner
Body and Soul
Francis Lyon, Robert Parrish
Nominees
The Bishop's Wife
Monica Collingwood
Gentleman's Agreement
Harmon Jones
Green Dolphin Street
George White
Odd Man Out
Fergus McDonell
Actor
Winner
Ronald Colman
A Double Life
Nominees
Gregory Peck
Gentleman's Agreement
William Powell
Life with Father
Michael Redgrave
Mourning Becomes Electra
John Garfield
Body and Soul
Actress
Winner
Loretta Young
The Farmer's Daughter
Nominees
Joan Crawford
Possessed
Susan Hayward
Smash-Up--The Story of a Woman
Dorothy McGuire
Gentleman's Agreement
Rosalind Russell
Mourning Becomes Electra
Special Award
Winner
Bill and Coo
Special Award
Shoe-Shine
Italy
Song of the South
Special Award
Sound Recording
Winner
The Bishop's Wife
Samuel Goldwyn Studio Sound Department, Gordon Sawyer, Sound Director
Nominees
Green Dolphin Street
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Sound Department, Douglas Shearer, Sound Director
T-Men
Sound Service, Inc., Jack R. Whitney, Sound Director
Short Subject (Cartoon)
Winner
Tweetie Pie
Edward Selzer, Producer
Nominees
Chip An' Dale
Walt Disney, Producer
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse
Frederick Quimby, Producer
Pluto's Blue Note
Walt Disney, Producer
Tubby the Tuba
George Pal, Producer
Music (Song)
Winner
Song of the South
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah in "Song of the South" Music by Allie Wrubel; Lyrics by Ray Gilbert
Nominees
The Time, the Place and the Girl
A Gal In Calico in "The Time, the Place and the Girl" Music by Arthur Schwartz; Lyrics by Leo Robin
The Perils of Pauline
I Wish I Didn't Love You So in "The Perils of Pauline" Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Good News
Pass That Peace Pipe in "Good News" Music and Lyrics by Ralph Blane, Roger Edens and Hugh Martin
Mother Wore Tights
You Do in "Mother Wore Tights" Music by Josef Myrow; Lyrics by Mack Gordon
Writing (Screenplay)
Winner
Miracle on 34th Street
George Seaton
Nominees
Gentleman's Agreement
Moss Hart
Great Expectations
David Lean, Anthony Havelock-Allan, Ronald Neame
Boomerang!
Richard Murphy
Crossfire
John Paxton
Short Subject (One-reel)
Winner
Good-bye Miss Turlock
Herbert Moulton, Producer
Nominees
Brooklyn, U.S.A.
Thomas Mead, Producer
Moon Rockets
Jerry Fairbanks, Producer
Now You See It
Pete Smith, Producer
So You Want to Be in Pictures
Gordon Hollingshead, Producer
Short Subject (Two-reel)
Winner
Climbing the Matterhorn
Irving Allen, Producer
Nominees
Champagne for Two
Harry Grey, Producer
Fight of the Wild Stallions
Thomas Mead, Producer
Give Us the Earth
Herbert Morgan, Producer
A Voice Is Born: The Story of Niklos Gafni
Ben Blake, Producer
Cinematography (Black-and-White)
Winner
Great Expectations
Guy Green
Nominees
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
Charles Lang, Jr.
Green Dolphin Street
George Folsey
Cinematography (Color)
Winner
Black Narcissus
Jack Cardiff
Nominees
Life with Father
Peverell Marley, William V. Skall
Mother Wore Tights
Harry Jackson
Special Effects
Winner
Green Dolphin Street
Special Visual Effects by A. Arnold Gillespie, Warren Newcombe; Special Audible Effects by Douglas Shearer, Michael Steinore
Nominees
Unconquered
Special Visual Effects by Farciot Edouart, Devereux Jennings, Gordon Jennings, Wallace Kelley, Paul Lerpae; Special Audible Effects by George Dutton
Art Direction (Black-and-White)
Winner
Great Expectations
Art Direction: John Bryan; Set Decoration: Wilfred Shingleton
Nominees
The Foxes of Harrow
Art Direction: Lyle Wheeler, Maurice Ransford; Set Decoration: Thomas Little, Paul S. Fox
Art Direction (Color)
Winner
Black Narcissus
Art Direction: Alfred Junge; Set Decoration: Alfred Junge
Nominees
Life with Father
Art Direction: Robert M. Haas; Set Decoration: George James Hopkins
Writing (Original Screenplay)
Winner
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
Sidney Sheldon
Nominees
Body and Soul
Abraham Polonsky
A Double Life
Ruth Gordon, Garson Kanin
Monsieur Verdoux
Charles Chaplin
Shoe-Shine
Sergio Amidei, Adolfo Franci, C. G. Viola, Cesare Zavattini
Documentary (Short Subject)
Winner
First Steps
United Nations Division of Films and Visual Information
Nominees
Passport to Nowhere
Frederic Ullman, Jr., Producer
School in the Mailbox
Australian News & Information Bureau
Music (Scoring of a Musical Picture)
Winner
Mother Wore Tights
Alfred Newman
Nominees
Fiesta
Johnny Green
My Wild Irish Rose
Ray Heindorf, Max Steiner
Road to Rio
Robert Emmett Dolan
Song of the South
Daniele Amfitheatrof, Paul J. Smith, Charles Wolcott
Music (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture)
Winner
A Double Life
Dr. Miklos Rozsa
Nominees
Life with Father
Max Steiner
The Bishop's Wife
Hugo Friedhofer
Captain from Castile
Alfred Newman
Forever Amber
David Raksin
Documentary (Feature)
Winner
Design for Death
Sid Rogell, Executive Producer; Theron Warth and Richard O. Fleischer, Producers
Nominees
Journey into Medicine
United States Department of State Office of Information and Educational Exchange
The World Is Rich
Paul Rotha, Producer
Best Motion Picture
Winner
Gentleman's Agreement
20th Century-Fox
Nominees
The Bishop's Wife
Samuel Goldwyn Productions
Crossfire
RKO Radio
Great Expectations
J. Arthur Rank-Cineguild
Miracle on 34th Street
20th Century-Fox
Writing (Motion Picture Story)
Winner
Miracle on 34th Street
Valentine Davies
Nominees
A Cage of Nightingales
Georges Chaperot, Rene Wheeler
It Happened on Fifth Avenue
Herbert Clyde Lewis, Frederick Stephani
Kiss of Death
Eleazar Lipsky
Smash-Up--The Story of a Woman
Dorothy Parker, Frank Cavett
B
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
1 Win, 1 Nomination* Writing (Original Screenplay) - Sidney Sheldon
Bill and Coo
1 Win, 1 Nomination* Special Award - Special Award
The Bishop's Wife
5 Nominations, 1 WinDirecting - Henry Koster
Music (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) - Hugo Friedhofer
Film Editing - Monica Collingwood
Best Motion Picture - Samuel Goldwyn Productions
* Sound Recording - Samuel Goldwyn Studio Sound Department, Gordon Sawyer, Sound Director
Black Narcissus
2 Wins, 2 Nominations* Art Direction (Color) - Art Direction: Alfred Junge; Set Decoration: Alfred Junge
* Cinematography (Color) - Jack Cardiff
Body and Soul
3 Nominations, 1 WinWriting (Original Screenplay) - Abraham Polonsky
Actor - John Garfield in "Body and Soul"
* Film Editing - Francis Lyon, Robert Parrish
Boomerang!
1 NominationWriting (Screenplay) - Richard Murphy
Brooklyn, U.S.A.
1 NominationShort Subject (One-reel) - Thomas Mead, Producer
C
A Cage of Nightingales
1 NominationWriting (Motion Picture Story) - Georges Chaperot, Rene Wheeler
Captain from Castile
1 NominationMusic (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) - Alfred Newman
Champagne for Two
1 NominationShort Subject (Two-reel) - Harry Grey, Producer
Chip An' Dale
1 NominationShort Subject (Cartoon) - Walt Disney, Producer
Climbing the Matterhorn
1 Win, 1 Nomination* Short Subject (Two-reel) - Irving Allen, Producer
Crossfire
5 NominationsDirecting - Edward Dmytryk
Actress in a Supporting Role - Gloria Grahame in "Crossfire"
Writing (Screenplay) - John Paxton
Best Motion Picture - RKO Radio
Actor in a Supporting Role - Robert Ryan in "Crossfire"
D
Design for Death
1 Win, 1 Nomination* Documentary (Feature) - Sid Rogell, Executive Producer; Theron Warth and Richard O. Fleischer, Producers
A Double Life
4 Nominations, 2 Wins* Music (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) - Dr. Miklos Rozsa
* Actor - Ronald Colman in "A Double Life"
Directing - George Cukor
Writing (Original Screenplay) - Ruth Gordon, Garson Kanin
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse
1 NominationShort Subject (Cartoon) - Frederick Quimby, Producer
E
The Egg and I
1 NominationActress in a Supporting Role - Marjorie Main in "The Egg and I"
F
The Farmer's Daughter
2 Nominations, 1 WinActor in a Supporting Role - Charles Bickford in "The Farmer's Daughter"
* Actress - Loretta Young in "The Farmer's Daughter"
Fiesta
1 NominationMusic (Scoring of a Musical Picture) - Johnny Green
Fight of the Wild Stallions
1 NominationShort Subject (Two-reel) - Thomas Mead, Producer
First Steps
1 Win, 1 Nomination* Documentary (Short Subject) - United Nations Division of Films and Visual Information
Forever Amber
1 NominationMusic (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) - David Raksin
The Foxes of Harrow
1 NominationArt Direction (Black-and-White) - Art Direction: Lyle Wheeler, Maurice Ransford; Set Decoration: Thomas Little, Paul S. Fox
G
Gentleman's Agreement
8 Nominations, 3 Wins* Best Motion Picture - 20th Century-Fox
* Actress in a Supporting Role - Celeste Holm in "Gentleman's Agreement"
* Directing - Elia Kazan
Actress in a Supporting Role - Anne Revere in "Gentleman's Agreement"
Actress - Dorothy McGuire in "Gentleman's Agreement"
Actor - Gregory Peck in "Gentleman's Agreement"
Film Editing - Harmon Jones
Writing (Screenplay) - Moss Hart
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
1 NominationCinematography (Black-and-White) - Charles Lang, Jr.
Give Us the Earth
1 NominationShort Subject (Two-reel) - Herbert Morgan, Producer
Good News
1 NominationMusic (Song) - Pass That Peace Pipe in "Good News" Music and Lyrics by Ralph Blane, Roger Edens and Hugh Martin
Good-bye Miss Turlock
1 Win, 1 Nomination* Short Subject (One-reel) - Herbert Moulton, Producer
Great Expectations
5 Nominations, 2 Wins* Art Direction (Black-and-White) - Art Direction: John Bryan; Set Decoration: Wilfred Shingleton
* Cinematography (Black-and-White) - Guy Green
Directing - David Lean
Writing (Screenplay) - David Lean, Anthony Havelock-Allan, Ronald Neame
Best Motion Picture - J. Arthur Rank-Cineguild
Green Dolphin Street
4 Nominations, 1 WinCinematography (Black-and-White) - George Folsey
Film Editing - George White
Sound Recording - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Sound Department, Douglas Shearer, Sound Director
* Special Effects - Special Visual Effects by A. Arnold Gillespie, Warren Newcombe; Special Audible Effects by Douglas Shearer, Michael Steinore
I
It Happened on Fifth Avenue
1 NominationWriting (Motion Picture Story) - Herbert Clyde Lewis, Frederick Stephani
J
Journey into Medicine
1 NominationDocumentary (Feature) - United States Department of State Office of Information and Educational Exchange
K
Kiss of Death
2 NominationsWriting (Motion Picture Story) - Eleazar Lipsky
Actor in a Supporting Role - Richard Widmark in "Kiss of Death"
L
Life with Father
4 NominationsArt Direction (Color) - Art Direction: Robert M. Haas; Set Decoration: George James Hopkins
Music (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) - Max Steiner
Cinematography (Color) - Peverell Marley, William V. Skall
Actor - William Powell in "Life with Father"
M
Miracle on 34th Street
4 Nominations, 3 WinsBest Motion Picture - 20th Century-Fox
* Actor in a Supporting Role - Edmund Gwenn in "Miracle on 34th Street"
* Writing (Screenplay) - George Seaton
* Writing (Motion Picture Story) - Valentine Davies
Monsieur Verdoux
1 NominationWriting (Original Screenplay) - Charles Chaplin
Moon Rockets
1 NominationShort Subject (One-reel) - Jerry Fairbanks, Producer
Mother Wore Tights
3 Nominations, 1 Win* Music (Scoring of a Musical Picture) - Alfred Newman
Cinematography (Color) - Harry Jackson
Music (Song) - You Do in "Mother Wore Tights" Music by Josef Myrow; Lyrics by Mack Gordon
Mourning Becomes Electra
2 NominationsActor - Michael Redgrave in "Mourning Becomes Electra"
Actress - Rosalind Russell in "Mourning Becomes Electra"
My Wild Irish Rose
1 NominationMusic (Scoring of a Musical Picture) - Ray Heindorf, Max Steiner
N
Now You See It
1 NominationShort Subject (One-reel) - Pete Smith, Producer
O
Odd Man Out
1 NominationFilm Editing - Fergus McDonell
P
The Paradine Case
1 NominationActress in a Supporting Role - Ethel Barrymore in "The Paradine Case"
Passport to Nowhere
1 NominationDocumentary (Short Subject) - Frederic Ullman, Jr., Producer
The Perils of Pauline
1 NominationMusic (Song) - I Wish I Didn't Love You So in "The Perils of Pauline" Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Pluto's Blue Note
1 NominationShort Subject (Cartoon) - Walt Disney, Producer
Possessed
1 NominationActress - Joan Crawford in "Possessed"
R
Ride the Pink Horse
1 NominationActor in a Supporting Role - Thomas Gomez in "Ride the Pink Horse"
Road to Rio
1 NominationMusic (Scoring of a Musical Picture) - Robert Emmett Dolan
S
School in the Mailbox
1 NominationDocumentary (Short Subject) - Australian News & Information Bureau
Shoe-Shine
2 Nominations, 1 Win* Special Award - Italy
Writing (Original Screenplay) - Sergio Amidei, Adolfo Franci, C. G. Viola, Cesare Zavattini
Smash-Up--The Story of a Woman
2 NominationsWriting (Motion Picture Story) - Dorothy Parker, Frank Cavett
Actress - Susan Hayward in "Smash-Up--The Story of a Woman"
So You Want to Be in Pictures
1 NominationShort Subject (One-reel) - Gordon Hollingshead, Producer
Song of the South
3 Nominations, 2 WinsMusic (Scoring of a Musical Picture) - Daniele Amfitheatrof, Paul J. Smith, Charles Wolcott
* Special Award - Special Award
* Music (Song) - Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah in "Song of the South" Music by Allie Wrubel; Lyrics by Ray Gilbert
T
T-Men
1 NominationSound Recording - Sound Service, Inc., Jack R. Whitney, Sound Director
The Time, the Place and the Girl
1 NominationMusic (Song) - A Gal In Calico in "The Time, the Place and the Girl" Music by Arthur Schwartz; Lyrics by Leo Robin
Tubby the Tuba
1 NominationShort Subject (Cartoon) - George Pal, Producer
Tweetie Pie
1 Win, 1 Nomination* Short Subject (Cartoon) - Edward Selzer, Producer
U
Unconquered
1 NominationSpecial Effects - Special Visual Effects by Farciot Edouart, Devereux Jennings, Gordon Jennings, Wallace Kelley, Paul Lerpae; Special Audible Effects by George Dutton
V
A Voice Is Born: The Story of Niklos Gafni
1 NominationShort Subject (Two-reel) - Ben Blake, Producer
W
The World Is Rich
1 NominationDocumentary (Feature) - Paul Rotha, Producer