The 46th Academy Awards were presented on Tuesday, April 2, 1974, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. The ceremonies were presided over by Burt Reynolds, Diana Ross, John Huston, and David Niven.

The Sting won seven awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for George Roy Hill. The Exorcist and The Way We Were were the only other films to win multiple awards. Marvin Hamlisch won three awards, making him the third person to achieve this feat and, to date, the only person who has won three Oscars in one year without winning Best Picture. , it is the most recent ceremony in which the three highest-grossing films of the year were nominated for Best Picture (The Exorcist, The Sting and American Graffiti).

Winners and nominees

Nominations announced on February 19, 1974. Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface. The Sting – Tony Bill, Julia Phillips and Michael Phillips, producers American Graffiti – Francis Ford Coppola, producer; Gary Kurtz, co-producer Cries and Whispers – Ingmar Bergman, producer The Exorcist – William Peter Blatty, producer A Touch of Class – Melvin Frank, producerGeorge Roy Hill – The Sting George Lucas – American Graffiti Ingmar Bergman – Cries and Whispers William Friedkin – The Exorcist Bernardo Bertolucci – Last Tango in ParisJack Lemmon – Save the Tiger as Harry Stoner Marlon Brando – Last Tango in Paris as Paul Jack Nicholson – The Last Detail as Billy "Badass" Buddusky Al Pacino – Serpico as Frank Serpico Robert Redford – The Sting as Johnny HookerGlenda Jackson – A Touch of Class as Vicki Allessio Ellen Burstyn – The Exorcist as Chris MacNeil Marsha Mason – Cinderella Liberty as Maggie Paul Barbra Streisand – The Way We Were as Katie Morosky Joanne Woodward – Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams as Rita Pritchett-WaldenJohn Houseman – The Paper Chase as Professor Charles W. Kingsfield Jr. Vincent Gardenia – Bang the Drum Slowly as Dutch Jack Gilford – Save the Tiger as Phil Jason Miller – The Exorcist as Damien Karras Randy Quaid – The Last Detail as Larry MeadowsTatum O'Neal – Paper Moon as Addie Loggins Linda Blair – The Exorcist as Regan MacNeil Candy Clark – American Graffiti as Debbie Dunham Madeline Kahn – Paper Moon as Trixie Delight Sylvia Sidney – Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams as Mrs. PritchettThe Sting – David S. Ward American Graffiti – George Lucas, Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck Cries and Whispers – Ingmar Bergman Save the Tiger – Steve Shagan A Touch of Class – Melvin Frank and Jack RoseThe Exorcist – William Peter Blatty based on his novel The Last Detail – Robert Towne based on the novel by Darryl Ponicsan The Paper Chase – James Bridges based on the novel by John Jay Osborn Jr. Paper Moon – Alvin Sargent based on the novel Addie Pray by Joe David Brown Serpico – Waldo Salt and Norman Wexler based on the book by Peter MaasDay for Night – France The House on Chelouche Street – Israel L'Invitation – Switzerland The Pedestrian – Germany (West) Turkish Delight – Netherlands The Great American Cowboy – Kieth Merrill Always a New Beginning – John D. Goodell Battle of Berlin (Schlacht um Berlin) – Bengt von zur Mühlen Journey to the Outer Limits – Alexander Grasshoff Walls of Fire – Herbert Kline and Edmund Penney Princeton: A Search for Answers – Julian Krainin and DeWitt L. Sage Jr. Background – Carmen D'Avino Christo's Valley Curtain – Albert Maysles and David Maysles Four Stones for Kanemitsu – Terry Sanders and June Wayne Paisti ag obair – Louis Marcus The Bolero – Allan Miller and William Fertik Clockmaker – Richard Gayer Life Times Nine – Pen Densham and John WatsonFrank Film – Frank Mouris The Legend of John Henry – Nick Bosustow and David Adams Pulcinella – Emanuele Luzzati and Guilo GianiniThe Way We Were – Marvin Hamlisch Cinderella Liberty – John Williams The Day of the Dolphin – Georges Delerue Papillon – Jerry Goldsmith A Touch of Class – John CameronThe Sting – Adapted by Marvin Hamlisch Jesus Christ Superstar – Adapted by André Previn, Herbert W. Spencer and Andrew Lloyd Webber Tom Sawyer – Song Score by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman; Adapted by John Williams"The Way We Were" — The Way We Were • Music by Marvin Hamlisch • Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman "All That Love Went to Waste" — A Touch of Class • Music by George Barrie • Lyrics by Sammy Cahn "Live and Let Die" — Live and Let Die • Music and Lyrics by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney "Love" — Robin Hood • Music by George Bruns • Lyrics by Floyd Huddleston "(You're So) Nice to Be Around" — Cinderella Liberty • Music by John Williams • Lyrics by Paul WilliamsThe Exorcist – Robert Knudson and Chris Newman The Day of the Dolphin – Richard Portman and Larry Jost The Paper Chase – Donald O. Mitchell and Larry Jost Paper Moon – Richard Portman and Les Fresholtz The Sting – Ronald Pierce and Robert R. Bertrand The Sting – Art Direction: Henry Bumstead; Set Decoration: James W. Payne Brother Sun, Sister Moon – Art Direction: Lorenzo Mongiardino and Gianni Quaranta; Set Decoration: Carmelo Patrono The Exorcist – Art Direction: Bill Malley; Set Decoration: Jerry Wunderlich Tom Sawyer – Art Direction: Philip Jefferies; Set Decoration: Robert De Vestel The Way We Were – Art Direction: Stephen B. Grimes; Set Decoration: William Kiernan (posthumous nomination) Cries and Whispers – Sven Nykvist The Exorcist – Owen Roizman Jonathan Livingston Seagull – Jack Couffer The Sting – Robert Surtees The Way We Were – Harry Stradling Jr.The Sting – Edith Head Cries and Whispers – Marik Vos Ludwig – Piero Tosi Tom Sawyer – Donfeld The Way We Were – Dorothy Jeakins and Moss Mabry The Sting — William H. Reynolds American Graffiti — Verna Fields and Marcia Lucas The Day of the Jackal — Ralph Kemplen The Exorcist – Jordan Leondopoulos, Bud S. Smith, Evan A. Lottman and Norman Gay Jonathan Livingston Seagull — Frank P. Keller and James Galloway

Honorary Awards To Henri Langlois for his devotion to the art of film, his massive contributions in preserving its past and his unswerving faith in its future. To Groucho Marx in recognition of his brilliant creativity and for the unequalled achievements of the Marx Brothers in the art of motion picture comedy.

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award Lew Wasserman

Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award Lawrence Weingarten

Streaking incident

During the awards ceremony a streaker named Robert Opel ran across the stage naked while flashing a peace sign with his hand. In response, host David Niven jokingly quipped, "Isn't it fascinating to think that probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings?" Terrence O'Flaherty, a columnist from San Francisco, responded by saying that "there's only one trouble with streaking—the wrong people usually do it. The ones who should have removed their clothes were Cher Bono, Twiggy and Elizabeth Taylor".

The incident would be referenced 50 years later during the 96th Academy Awards in 2024; host Jimmy Kimmel brought up the streaker and asked the audience, "can you imagine a naked man at the Oscars today?" Eventually, a "nude" John Cena, holding the award envelope for Best Costume Design over his crotch, emerged from backstage.

Multiple nominations and awards

+ Films that received multiple nominationsNominationsFilm10 The Exorcist The Sting6 The Way We Were5 American Graffiti Cries and Whispers A Touch of Class4 Paper Moon3 Cinderella Liberty The Last Detail The Paper Chase Save the Tiger Tom Sawyer2 The Day of the Dolphin Jonathan Livingston Seagull Last Tango in Paris Serpico Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams

+ Films that received multiple awardsAwardsFilm 7 The Sting 2 The Exorcist The Way We Were

Presenters and performers The following individuals, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers:

Presenters Name Role Announcer for the 46th Academy Awards (AMPAS President) Gave opening remarks welcoming guests to the awards ceremony Billy Dee Williams Presenters of the Short Subjects Awards Raquel Welch Presenters of the Documentary Awards Presenter of the Honorary Award to Henri Langlois (with Gene Kelly serving as his English-language interpreter) Marcel Marceau Presenters of the award for Best Sound Paula Prentiss Presenters of the award for Best Film Editing Presenter of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Lew Wasserman Paul Winfield Presenters of the award for Best Art Direction Twiggy Presenters of the award for Best Costume Design Cicely Tyson Presenters of the award for Best Cinematography Presenter of the award for Best Foreign Language Film Debbie Reynolds Presenters of the award for Best Original Song and/or Adaptation Score Henry Mancini Presenters of the award for Best Original Dramatic Score Neil Simon Presenters of the award for Best Story and Screenplay Based on Factual Material or Material Not Previously Produced or Published Jason Miller Presenters of the award for Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Burt Bacharach Presenters of the award for Best Song Cybill Shepherd Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actor Jill Ireland Presenters of the award for Best Supporting Actress Walter Matthau Presenters of the award for Best Director Presenter of the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award Presenter of the Honorary Award to Groucho Marx Charlton Heston Presenters of the award for Best Actress Gregory Peck Presenters of the award for Best Actor Presenter of the award for Best Picture

Performers Name Role Performed Musical arranger and Conductor Orchestral Performer "Oscar" Performers "Thank You Very Much" from Scrooge during the Academy Awards' 45th Anniversary montage Performer "All the Love That Went to Waste" from A Touch of Class Performer "Live and Let Die" from Live and Let Die and Johnny Whitaker Performers "Love" from Robin Hood Performer "The Way We Were" from The Way We Were Performer "You're So Nice to Be Around" from Cinderella Liberty Performers “Hooray for Hollywood” (orchestral) during the closing credits

See also 31st Golden Globe Awards 1973 in film 16th Grammy Awards 25th Primetime Emmy Awards 26th Primetime Emmy Awards 27th British Academy Film Awards 28th Tony Awards

References

External links The Life of Oscar Streaker, Robert Opel @WFMU