View source for 50th Academy Awards

{{Featured list}}{{oscars short description|films-year=1977}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox film awards
| number = 50
| award = Academy Awards
| image = 50th Academy Awards.jpg
| alt = Official poster promoting the 50th Academy Awards in 1978.
| caption = Official poster
| date = April 3, 1978
| site = [[Dorothy Chandler Pavilion]], Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| host = [[Bob Hope]]
| producer = [[Howard W. Koch]]
| director = [[Marty Pasetta]]
| best_picture = ''[[Annie Hall]]''
| most_wins = ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (6)
| most_nominations = ''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' and ''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]'' (11)
| network = [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
| duration = 2 hours, 55 minutes<ref name="RKO">{{Cite news |last=Morrison |first=Bill |date=April 5, 1978 |title=Worm-Like Golden Oscar Finally Turns |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-50th-oscars/74206496/ |access-date=March 30, 2024 |work=[[The News & Observer]] |page=10 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
| ratings = 48.5&nbsp;million<br>36.3% ([[Nielsen Media Research|Nielsen ratings]])
| last = 49th
| next = 51st
}}

The '''50th Academy Awards''' ceremony, presented by the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] (AMPAS), honored [[1977 in film|films released in 1977]] and took place on April 3, 1978, at the [[Dorothy Chandler Pavilion]] in Los Angeles. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented [[Academy Awards]] (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 22 categories. The ceremony, televised in the United States by [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], was produced by [[Howard W. Koch]] and directed by Marty Pasetta.<ref>{{harvnb|Osborne|2013|p=413}}</ref> Actor and comedian [[Bob Hope]] hosted the show for the 19th time.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lang |first1=Derek J. |title=Billy Crystal Returning to Host the Oscars |url=https://www.today.com/news/billy-crystal-returning-host-oscars-wbna45254898 |access-date=March 23, 2022 |work=[[Today (American TV program)|Today]] |date=November 11, 2011}}</ref> He first presided over the [[12th Academy Awards|12th ceremony]] held in 1940 and had last served as a co-host of the [[47th Academy Awards|47th ceremony]] held in 1975.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dorsey |first1=Tom |title=Oscar: The Story |work=[[Courier Journal]] |date=April 3, 1978 |page=C1}}</ref> Five days earlier, in a ceremony held at [[The Beverly Hilton]] in [[Beverly Hills, California]], on March 29, the [[Academy Scientific and Technical Awards]] were presented by hosts [[Kirk Douglas]] and [[Gregory Peck]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Past Scientific & Technical Awards Ceremonies|url=http://www.oscars.org/awards/scitech/pastawards.html |publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |access-date=July 31, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213185729/http://www.oscars.org/awards/scitech/pastawards.html|archive-date=February 13, 2014}}</ref>

''[[Annie Hall]]'' won four awards, including [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harmetz |first1=Aljean |author-link=Aljean Harmetz |title=''Annie Hall'' Wins 4 Academy Awards |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/04/04/archives/annie-hall-wins-4-academy-awards-political-statement-under-a-50foot.html |access-date=February 18, 2025 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url-access=limited |date=April 4, 1978 |archive-date=February 20, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250220075910/https://www.nytimes.com/1978/04/04/archives/annie-hall-wins-4-academy-awards-political-statement-under-a-50foot.html |page=24 |url-status=live }}</ref> Other winners included ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' with six awards, ''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' with three, and ''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'', ''[[The Goodbye Girl]]'', ''[[Gravity Is My Enemy]]'', ''[[I'll Find a Way]]'', ''[[A Little Night Music (film)|A Little Night Music]]'', ''[[Madame Rosa]]'', ''[[The Sand Castle (1977 film)|The Sand Castle]]'', ''[[Who Are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids?]]'', and ''[[You Light Up My Life (film)|You Light Up My Life]]'' with one. In addition, ''Close Encounters of the Third Kind'' and ''Star Wars'' were each presented with an additional Special Award. The telecast garnered 48.5 million viewers in the United States.

==Winners and nominees==
The nominees for the 50th Academy Awards were announced on February 21, 1978. ''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' and ''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]''  tied for the most nominations with eleven each.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harmetz |first1=Aljean |author-link=Aljean Harmetz |title=Woody Allen Is Up For Three Oscars |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/02/22/archives/woody-allen-is-up-for-three-oscars.html |url-access=limited |access-date=August 22, 2021 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 22, 1978 |at=sec. C, p. 15 |archive-date=October 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028002730/https://www.nytimes.com/1978/02/22/archives/woody-allen-is-up-for-three-oscars.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on April 3. [[Woody Allen]] became the first person to receive nominations for acting, directing, and screenwriting for the same film since [[Orson Welles]], who previously achieved this feat for 1941's ''[[Citizen Kane]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Wiley|Bona|1996|p=1126}}</ref> With its eleven nominations and zero wins, ''The Turning Point'' was the most nominated film in Oscar history without a win.{{efn|name=Snub|''[[The Color Purple (1985 film)|The Color Purple]]'' later equaled this record with eleven nominations and no wins, in 1986.<ref>{{harvnb|Holden|1993|p=252}}</ref>}} [[Vanessa Redgrave]] became the first performer to win in a supporting acting category for playing a titular role (via ''Julia'').<ref>{{harvnb|Osborne|2013|p=242}}</ref>

===Awards===
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| direction         = vertical
| total_width       = 150
| image1            = Woody Allen (2006).jpeg
| alt1              = Woody Allen at a concert at Carlyle Hotel in 2006
| caption1          = [[Woody Allen]], Best Director winner and Best Original Screenplay co-winner
| image2            = Richard Dreyfuss.jpg
| alt2              = Richard Dreyfuss at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. in 1997
| caption2          = [[Richard Dreyfuss]], Best Actor winner
| image3            = Diane Keaton 2012-1 (cropped).jpg
| alt3              = Photo of Diane Keaton in 2006
| caption3          = [[Diane Keaton]], Best Actress winner
| image4            = Jason Robards-1975.jpg
| alt4              = Publicity photo of Jason Robards in 1975
| caption4          = [[Jason Robards]], Best Supporting Actor winner
| image5            = Vanessa Redgrave (2011) cropped.jpg
| alt5              = Vanessa Redgrave at the press conference for the film Coriolanus in 2011
| caption5          = [[Vanessa Redgrave]], Best Supporting Actress winner
| image6            = John Williams tux.jpg
| caption6          = [[John Williams]], Best Original Score winner
| alt6              = Photo of John Williams in 2007
| image7            = Vilmos Zsigmond KVIFF.jpg
| alt7              = Vilmos Zsigmond at the 43rd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2008
| caption7          = [[Vilmos Zsigmond]], Best Cinematography winner
| image8            = Richard Chew, 2006.jpg
| alt8              = Portrait of Richard Edlund from Editors Guild Magazine in 2006
| caption8          = [[Richard Chew]], Best Film Editing co-winner
| image9            = Richard Edlund 1 (2).jpg
| alt9              = Richard Edlund at a gallery in Salzburg in 2008
| caption9          = [[Richard Edlund]], Best Visual Effects co-winner
}}

Winners are listed first, highlighted in '''boldface''' and indicated with a double dagger ({{double dagger}}).<ref name="Oscars1978">{{cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1978 |title=The 50th Academy Awards (1978) Nominees and Winners |access-date=October 5, 2011 |publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111072046/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1978 |archive-date=November 11, 2014 }}</ref>

{| role="presentation" class=wikitable
|+{{sronly|Table featuring winners and nominees of the 50th Academy Awards}}
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
{{Award category|#F9EFAA |[[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]}}
*'''''[[Annie Hall]]'' – [[Charles H. Joffe]], producer'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[The Goodbye Girl]]'' – [[Ray Stark]], producer
**''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' – Richard Roth, producer
**''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' – [[Gary Kurtz]], producer
**''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]'' – [[Herbert Ross]] and [[Arthur Laurents]], producers
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Directing]]}}
*''' [[Woody Allen]] – ''[[Annie Hall]]'''''{{double dagger}}
**[[Steven Spielberg]] – ''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]''
**[[Fred Zinnemann]] – ''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]''
**[[George Lucas]] – ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]''
**[[Herbert Ross]] – ''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]''
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor in a Leading Role]]}}
*''' [[Richard Dreyfuss]] – ''[[The Goodbye Girl]]'' as Elliot Garfield'''{{double dagger}}
**[[Woody Allen]] – ''[[Annie Hall]]'' as Alvy Singer
**[[Richard Burton]] – ''[[Equus (film)|Equus]]'' as Doctor Martin Dysart
**[[Marcello Mastroianni]] – ''[[A Special Day]]'' as Gabriele
**[[John Travolta]] – ''[[Saturday Night Fever]]'' as Anthony "Tony" Manero
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress in a Leading Role]]}}
*''' [[Diane Keaton]] – ''[[Annie Hall]]'' as Annie Hall'''{{double dagger}}
**[[Anne Bancroft]] – ''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]'' as Emma Jacklin
**[[Jane Fonda]] – ''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' as [[Lillian Hellman]]
**[[Shirley MacLaine]] – ''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]'' as DeeDee Rodgers
**[[Marsha Mason]] – ''[[The Goodbye Girl]]'' as Paula McFadden
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Actor in a Supporting Role]]}}
*''' [[Jason Robards]] – ''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' as [[Dashiell Hammett]]''' {{double dagger}}
**[[Mikhail Baryshnikov]] – ''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]'' as Yuri Kopeikine
**[[Peter Firth]] – ''[[Equus (film)|Equus]]'' as Alan Strang
**[[Alec Guinness]] – ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' as [[Obi-Wan Kenobi|Obi Wan Kenobi]]
**[[Maximilian Schell]] – ''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' as Johann
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Actress in a Supporting Role]]}}
*''' [[Vanessa Redgrave]] – ''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' as Julia''' {{double dagger}}
**[[Leslie Browne]] – ''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]'' as Emilia Rodgers
**[[Quinn Cummings]] – ''[[The Goodbye Girl]]'' as Lucy McFadden
**[[Melinda Dillon]] – ''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'' as Jillian Guiler
**[[Tuesday Weld]] – ''[[Looking for Mr. Goodbar (film)|Looking for Mr. Goodbar]]'' as Katherine Dunn
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen -- Based on Factual Material or on Story Material Not Previously Published or Produced)]]}}
*''' ''[[Annie Hall]]'' – [[Woody Allen]] and [[Marshall Brickman]]'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[The Goodbye Girl]]'' – [[Neil Simon]]
**''[[The Late Show (film)|The Late Show]]'' – [[Robert Benton]]
**''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' – [[George Lucas]]
**''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]'' – [[Arthur Laurents]]
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Writing (Screenplay -- Based on Material from Another Medium)]]<ref>Multiple sources:
*{{cite news |last1=Dagan |first1=Carmel |title=Alvin Sargent, Oscar-Winning ''Julia'' and ''Ordinary People'' Screenwriter, Dies at 92 |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/alvin-sargent-dead-dies-julia-ordinary-people-1203211752/ |access-date=August 27, 2024 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=May 10, 2019 |archive-date=November 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191130164042/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/alvin-sargent-dead-dies-julia-ordinary-people-1203211752/ |url-status=live }}
*{{cite news |last1=Pedersen |first1=Erik |title=Peter Shaffer Dies: Oscar-Winning ''Amadeus'' Writer Was 90 |url=https://deadline.com/2016/06/peter-shaffer-dead-amadeus-equus-1201767931/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=June 6, 2016 |archive-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828072305/https://deadline.com/2016/06/peter-shaffer-dead-amadeus-equus-1201767931/ |url-status=live }}
*{{cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Mike |title=Lewis John Carlino, Writer and Director of ''The Great Santini'', Dies at 88 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/lewis-john-carlino-dead-great-santini-writer-director-was-88-1105522/ |access-date=August 27, 2024 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=June 23, 2020 |archive-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828072714/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/lewis-john-carlino-dead-great-santini-writer-director-was-88-1105522/ |url-status=live }}
*{{cite news |title=Writer Avery Corman to Speak at Muhlenberg |url=https://www.mcall.com/1994/09/22/writer-avery-corman-to-speak-at-muhlenberg/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |work=[[The Morning Call]] |date=September 22, 1994 |archive-date=August 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828071801/https://www.mcall.com/1994/09/22/writer-avery-corman-to-speak-at-muhlenberg/ |url-status=live }}
*{{cite news |last1=Calhoun |first1=Ada |title=That Obscure Object of Desire |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/screens/2000-06-09/that-obscure-object-of-desire/ |access-date=August 24, 2024 |work=[[The Austin Chronicle]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828073725/https://www.austinchronicle.com/screens/2000-06-09/that-obscure-object-of-desire/ |archive-date=August 28, 2024 |date=June 9, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>}}
*''' ''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' – [[Alvin Sargent]] based on the novel ''[[Pentimento (book)|Pentimento]]'' by [[Lillian Hellman]]'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[Equus (film)|Equus]]'' – [[Peter Shaffer]] based on [[Equus (play)|his play]]
**''[[I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (film)|I Never Promised You a Rose Garden]]'' – [[Gavin Lambert]] and [[Lewis John Carlino]] based on [[I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (novel)|the novel]] by [[Joanne Greenberg|Hannah Greene]]
**''[[Oh, God! (film)|Oh, God!]]'' – [[Larry Gelbart]] based on the novel by [[Avery Corman]]
**''[[That Obscure Object of Desire]]'' – [[Luis Buñuel]] and [[Jean-Claude Carrière]] based on the novel ''[[La Femme et le pantin]]'' by [[Pierre Louÿs]]
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best International Feature Film|Best Foreign Language Film]]}}
*'''''[[Madame Rosa]]'' ([[List of French submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film|France]]) in [[French language|French]] – directed by [[Moshé Mizrahi]]'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[Iphigenia (film)|Iphigenia]]'' ([[List of Greek submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film|Greece]]) in [[Greek language|Greek]] – directed by [[Michael Cacoyannis]]
**''[[Operation Thunderbolt (film)|Operation Thunderbolt]]'' ([[List of Israeli submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film|Israel]]) in [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], [[English language|English]], [[Arabic]], [[German language|German]], [[French language|French]], and [[Spanish language|Spanish]] – directed by [[Menahem Golan]]
**''[[A Special Day]]'' ([[List of Italian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film|Italy]]) in [[Italian language|Italian]] – directed by [[Ettore Scola]]
**''[[That Obscure Object of Desire]]'' ([[List of Spanish submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film|Spain]]) in [[Spanish language|Spanish]] – directed by [[Luis Buñuel]]
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature|Best Documentary (Feature)]]}}
*'''''[[Who Are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids?]]'' – [[John Korty]], Dan McCann and Warren L. Lockhart'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[The Children of Theatre Street]]'' – [[Robert Dornhelm]] and [[Earle I. Mack|Earle Mack]]
**''[[High Grass Circus]]'' – Bill Brind, Torben Schioler and [[Tony Ianzelo]]
**''[[Homage to Chagall: The Colours of Love]]'' – [[Harry Rasky]]
**''[[Union Maids]]'' – [[Jim Klein|James Klein]], Julia Reichert and Miles Mogulescu
|-
| valign="top" |
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject|Best Documentary (Short Subject)]]}}
*'''''[[Gravity Is My Enemy]]'' – John Joseph and [[Jan Stussy]]'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[Agueda Martinez: Our People, Our Country]]'' – [[Moctesuma Esparza]]
**''[[First Edition (film)|First Edition]]'' – [[Helen Whitney]] and DeWitt L. Sage Jr.
**''[[Of Time, Tombs and Treasures]]'' – James R. Messenger and Paul N. Raimondi
**''[[The Shetland Experience]]'' – Douglas Gordon
| valign="top" |
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film|Best Short Film (Live Action)]]}}
*'''''[[I'll Find a Way]]'' – [[Beverly Shaffer]] and Yuki Yoshida'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[The Absent-Minded Waiter]]'' – William E. McEuen
**''Floating Free'' – Jerry Butts
**''Notes on the Popular Arts'' – [[Saul Bass]]
**''Spaceborne'' – Philip Dauber
|-
| valign="top" |
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film|Best Short Film (Animated)]]}}
*'''''[[The Sand Castle (1977 film)|The Sand Castle]]'' – [[Co Hoedeman]]'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[Bead Game]]'' – [[Ishu Patel]]
**''The Doonesbury Special'' – [[John Hubley]] <small>(posthumous nomination)</small>, [[Faith Hubley]] and [[Garry Trudeau]]
**''Jimmy the C'' – James Picker, [[Robert Grossman (artist)|Robert Grossman]] and Craig Whitaker
| valign="top" |
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Music (Original Score)]]}}
*'''''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' – [[John Williams]]'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'' – [[John Williams]]
**''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' – [[Georges Delerue]]
**''[[The Message (1976 film)|Mohammad, Messenger of God]]'' – [[Maurice Jarre]]
**''[[The Spy Who Loved Me (film)|The Spy Who Loved Me]]'' – [[Marvin Hamlisch]]
|-
| valign="top" |
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Music (Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score)]]}}
*'''''[[A Little Night Music (film)|A Little Night Music]]'' – Adapted by [[Jonathan Tunick]]'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[Pete's Dragon (1977 film)|Pete's Dragon]]'' – Song Score by [[Al Kasha]] and [[Joel Hirschhorn]]; Adapted by [[Irwin Kostal]]
**''[[The Slipper and the Rose|The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella]]'' – Song Score by [[Richard M. Sherman]] and [[Robert B. Sherman]]; Adapted by [[Angela Morley]]
| valign="top" |
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Music (Original Song)]]}}
*'''"[[You Light Up My Life (song)|You Light Up My Life]]" from ''[[You Light Up My Life (film)|You Light Up My Life]]'' – Music and Lyrics by [[Joseph Brooks (songwriter)|Joseph Brooks]]'''{{double dagger}}
**"[[Candle on the Water]]" from ''[[Pete's Dragon (1977 film)|Pete's Dragon]]'' – Music and Lyrics by [[Al Kasha]] and [[Joel Hirschhorn]]
**"[[Nobody Does It Better]]" from ''[[The Spy Who Loved Me (film)|The Spy Who Loved Me]]'' – Music by [[Marvin Hamlisch]]; Lyrics by [[Carole Bayer Sager]]
**"The Slipper and the Rose Waltz (He Danced with Me/She Danced with Me)" from ''[[The Slipper and the Rose|The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella]]'' – Music and Lyrics by [[Richard M. Sherman]] and [[Robert B. Sherman]]
**"Someone's Waiting for You" from ''[[The Rescuers]]'' – Music by [[Sammy Fain]]; Lyrics by [[Carol Connors (singer)|Carol Connors]] and [[Ayn Robbins]]
|-
| valign="top" |
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Sound|Best Sound]]}}
*'''''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' – [[Don MacDougall]], [[Ray West]], [[Bob Minkler]] and [[Derek Ball]]'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'' – [[Robert Knudson]], [[Robert Glass (sound engineer)|Robert J. Glass]], [[Don MacDougall]] and [[Gene Cantamessa]]
**''[[The Deep (1977 film)|The Deep]]'' – [[Walter Goss]], [[Dick Alexander]], [[Tom Beckert]] and [[Robin Gregory]]
**''[[Sorcerer (film)|Sorcerer]]'' – [[Robert Knudson]], [[Robert Glass (sound engineer)|Robert J. Glass]], [[Richard Tyler (sound engineer)|Richard Tyler]] and [[Jean-Louis Ducarme]]
**''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]'' – [[Theodore Soderberg (1923–2012)|Theodore Soderberg]], [[Paul Wells (sound engineer)|Paul Wells]], [[Douglas Williams (sound engineer)|Douglas O. Williams]] and [[Jerry Jost]]
| valign="top" |
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design]]}}
* '''''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' – [[John Mollo]]'''{{double dagger}}
** ''[[Airport '77]]'' – [[Edith Head]] and [[Burton Miller]]
** ''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' – [[Anthea Sylbert]]
** ''[[A Little Night Music (film)|A Little Night Music]]'' – [[Florence Klotz]]
** ''[[The Other Side of Midnight (film)|The Other Side of Midnight]]'' – [[Irene Sharaff]]
|-
| valign="top" |
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Production Design|Best Art Direction]]}}
*'''''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' – Art Direction: [[John Barry (production designer)|John Barry]], [[Norman Reynolds]] and [[Leslie Dilley]]; Set Decoration: [[Roger Christian (filmmaker)|Roger Christian]]'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[Airport '77]]'' – Art Direction: [[George C. Webb]]; Set Decoration: [[Mickey S. Michaels]]
**''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'' – Art Direction: [[Joe Alves]] and [[Daniel A. Lomino|Dan Lomino]]; Set Decoration: [[Phil Abramson]]
**''[[The Spy Who Loved Me (film)|The Spy Who Loved Me]]'' – Art Direction: [[Ken Adam]] and [[Peter Lamont]]; Set Decoration: [[Hugh Scaife]]
**''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]'' – Art Direction: [[Albert Brenner]]; Set Decoration: [[Marvin March]]
| valign="top" |
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]]}}
*'''''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'' – [[Vilmos Zsigmond]]'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[Islands in the Stream (film)|Islands in the Stream]]'' – [[Fred J. Koenekamp]]
**''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' – [[Douglas Slocombe]]
**''[[Looking for Mr. Goodbar (film)|Looking for Mr. Goodbar]]'' – [[William A. Fraker]]
**''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]'' – [[Robert Surtees (cinematographer)|Robert Surtees]]
|-
| valign="top" |
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]]}}
*'''''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' – [[Paul Hirsch (film editor)|Paul Hirsch]], [[Marcia Lucas]] and [[Richard Chew]]'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'' – [[Michael Kahn (film editor)|Michael Kahn]]
**''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]'' – [[Walter Murch]]
**''[[Smokey and the Bandit]]'' – [[Walter Hannemann]] and [[Angelo Ross]]
**''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]'' – [[William Reynolds (film editor)|William Reynolds]]
| valign="top" |
{{Award category|#F9EFAA|[[Academy Award for Best Visual Effects|Best Visual Effects]]}}
*'''''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' – [[John Stears]], [[John Dykstra]], [[Richard Edlund]], [[Grant McCune]] and [[Robert Blalack]]'''{{double dagger}}
**''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'' – [[Roy Arbogast]], [[Douglas Trumbull]], [[Matthew Yuricich]], [[Greg Jein|Gregory Jein]] and [[Richard Yuricich]]
|}

===Non-competitive awards===
;Special Achievement Award
* To [[Ben Burtt| Benjamin Burtt, Jr.]] for the creation of the alien, creature and robot voices featured in ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]''.<ref name="Special" />
* To [[Frank Warner (sound editor)|Frank E. Warner]] for the sound effects editing of ''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]''.<ref name="Special" />

;Honorary Award
* To [[Margaret Booth]] for her exceptional contribution to the art of film editing in the motion picture industry.<ref name="Special">{{harvnb|Franks|2005|p=246}}</ref>

;Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
The award recognizes individuals whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the motion picture industry.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award |url=https://www.oscars.org/governors/hersholt |publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |access-date=12 November 2020 |archive-date=16 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116224625/https://www.oscars.org/governors/hersholt |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Charlton Heston]]<ref name="Special" />

;Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award
The award honors "creative producers whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production".<ref>{{cite news|title=Irvin G. Thalberg Memorial Award |url=http://www.oscars.org/governors/thalberg |access-date=December 18, 2015 |publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101224449/http://oscars.org/governors/thalberg |archive-date=January 1, 2016 }}</ref>
* [[Walter Mirisch]]<ref name="Special" />

===Multiple nominations and awards===
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-1-of-2}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Films with multiple nominations
|-
! scope="col" style="width:55px;"| Nominations
! scope="col" style="text-align:center;"| Film
|-
| rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup" style="text-align:center"| 11
| ''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]''
|-
| ''[[The Turning Point (1977 film)|The Turning Point]]''
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 10
| ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]''{{efn|name=Special}}
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 8
| ''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]''{{efn|name=Special}}
|-
| rowspan=2 scope="rowgroup" style="text-align:center" | 5
| ''[[Annie Hall]]''
|-
| ''[[The Goodbye Girl]]''
|-
| rowspan=2 scope="rowgroup" style="text-align:center" | 3
| ''[[Equus (film)|Equus]]''
|-
| ''[[The Spy Who Loved Me (film)|The Spy Who Loved Me]]''
|-
| rowspan=7 scope="rowgroup" style="text-align:center" | 2
| ''[[Airport '77]]''
|-
| ''[[A Little Night Music (film) |A Little Night Music]]''
|-
| ''[[Looking for Mr. Goodbar (film)|Looking for Mr. Goodbar]]''
|-
| ''[[Pete's Dragon (1977 film)|Pete's Dragon]]''
|-
| ''[[The Slipper and the Rose]]''
|-
| ''[[A Special Day]]''
|-
| ''[[That Obscure Object of Desire]]''
|}
{{col-2-of-2}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align: center;"
|+ {{nowrap|Films with multiple wins}}
|-
! scope="col" style="width:55px;"| Wins
! scope="col" style="text-align:center;"| Film
|-
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 6
| ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]''{{efn|name=Special|Not including the Special Achievement Award.}}
|-
|  scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 4
| ''[[Annie Hall]]''
|-
|  scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 3
| ''[[Julia (1977 film)|Julia]]''
|}
{{col-end}}

==Presenters and performers==
The following individuals (in order of appearance) presented awards or performed musical numbers:<ref name="MFEO">{{harvnb|Wiley|Bona|1996|p=547}}</ref>

===Presenters===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+{{sronly|Table featuring presenters for the 50th Academy Awards}}
|-
! scope="col" | Name(s)
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Ref heading}}
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Hank|Simms}}
| Announcer for the 50th Academy Awards
| rowspan="26" |<ref name=":0">{{harvnb|Terrance|2013|p=14}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Howard W.|Koch}} (AMPAS President)
| Gave opening remarks welcoming guests to the awards ceremony
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Bette|Davis}}<br />[[Gregory Peck]]
| Explained the voting rules to the public
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|John|Travolta}}
| Presenter of the award for [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Mark|Hamill}}<br />[[R2-D2]]<br />[[C-3PO]]
| Presenters of the Special Achievement Award
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Jodie|Foster}}<br />[[Mickey Mouse]]<br />[[Paul Williams (songwriter)|Paul Williams]]
| Presenters of the awards for [[Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film|Best Animated Short Film]] and [[Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film|Best Live Action Short Film]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|William|Holden}}<br />[[Barbara Stanwyck]]
| Presenters of the [[Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing|Best Sound]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Joan|Fontaine}}
| Presenter of the award for [[Academy Award for Best Visual Effects|Best Visual Effects]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Kirk|Douglas}}<br />[[Raquel Welch]]
| Presenters of the awards for [[Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film|Best Documentary Feature]] and [[Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film|Best Documentary Short Subject]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Billy Dee|Williams}}
| Presenter of the segment of the [[Academy Scientific and Technical Award]]s
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Greer|Garson}}<br />[[Henry Winkler]]
| Presenters of the award of [[Academy Award for Best Production Design|Best Art Direction]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{sortname|Eva Marie|Saint}}<br />[[Jack Valenti]]
| Presenters of the award for [[Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film|Best Foreign Language Film]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{sortname|Michael|Caine}}<br />[[Maggie Smith]]
| Presenters of the award for [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{sortname|Natalie|Wood}}
| Presenter of the award for [[Academy Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{sortname|Johnny|Green}}<br />[[Henry Mancini]]<br />[[Olivia Newton-John]]
| Presenters of the awards for [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]] and [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Goldie|Hawn}}<br />[[Jon Voight]]
| Presenters of the award for [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Bette|Davis}}
| Presenter of the [[Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award]] to [[Charlton Heston]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Olivia|de Havilland}}
| Presenter of the Honorary Award to [[Margaret Booth]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Farrah|Fawcett}}<br />[[Marcello Mastroianni]]
| Presenters of the award for [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Fred|Astaire}}
| Presenter of the award for [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Cicely|Tyson}}<br />[[King Vidor]]
| Presenters of the award for [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Paddy|Chayefsky}}
| Presenter of the awards for [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen Based on Factual Material or on Story Material Not Previously Published or Produced]] and [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Janet|Gaynor}}<br />[[Walter Matthau]]
| Presenters of the award for [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Sylvester|Stallone}}
| Presenter of the award for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Stanley|Kramer}}
| Presenter of the [[Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award]] to [[Walter Mirisch]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Jack|Nicholson}}
| Presenter of the award for [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]
|}

===Performers===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+{{sronly|Table featuring performers for the 50th Academy Awards}}
|-
! scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Performed
! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Ref heading}}
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Nelson|Riddle}} 
| Musical arranger and conductor
| Orchestral
| rowspan="8" |<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Debbie|Reynolds}}
| Performer
| "Look How Far We've Come"
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Debby|Boone}}
| Performer
| "[[You Light Up My Life (song)|You Light Up My Life]]" from ''[[You Light Up My Life (film)|You Light Up My Life]]''
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Gloria|Loring}}
| Performer || "[[Candle on the Water]]" from ''[[Pete's Dragon (1977 film)|Pete's Dragon]]'' and "Someone's Waiting for You" from ''[[The Rescuers]]''
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Sammy|Davis Jr.}}<br />[[Marvin Hamlisch]]
| Performers
| "Come Light the Candles" during a [[In memoriam segment|tribute]] honoring [[Richard Carlson (actor)|Richard Carlson]], [[Zero Mostel]], [[Peter Finch]], [[Joan Crawford]], [[Bing Crosby]], [[Elvis Presley]], [[Groucho Marx]], and [[Charlie Chaplin]]<ref name=":1">{{harvnb|Wiley|Bona|1996|p=548}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |{{sortname|Aretha|Franklin}}
| Performer
| "[[Nobody Does It Better]]" from ''[[The Spy Who Loved Me (film)|The Spy Who Loved Me]]''
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname|Jane|Powell}}
| Performer
| "The Slipper and the Rose Waltz (He Danced with Me)" from ''[[The Slipper and the Rose]]''
|-
! scope="row" | {{sortname||Academy Awards Chorus|nolink=0}}
| Performers
| "[[That's Entertainment! (song)|That's Entertainment!]]"
|}

==Ceremony information==
[[File:Bob Hope 1969 Publicity Photo.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Publicity photo of Bob Hope in 1969|[[Bob Hope]] hosted the 50th Academy Awards.]]

In December 1977, the Academy announced that actor and comedian [[Bob Hope]] was chosen to host the 1978 ceremony. As a result of his selection, he became the first person to emcee the Oscars gala solo since the [[40th Academy Awards|40th ceremony]] held in 1968. Oscars gala producer [[Howard W. Koch]] explained his decision to hire Hope as host, stating, "The multiple emcee system of recent years is a good one, but we decided this year's show called for a single master of ceremonies. And we couldn't think of anyone better suited for the role than Bob Hope."<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 11, 1977 |title=Bob Hope to Do Oscars Alone |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-bob-hope-oscar/168313315/ |access-date=March 30, 2024 |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |at=sec. F, p. 24 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |agency=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Academy and the Oscars, AMPAS hosted a dinner reception at the [[Millennium Biltmore Hotel|Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel]] on May 11, 1977. The gala, which Hope also hosted, took place in the same spot as the organization's first meeting, exactly 50 years earlier.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kilday |first=Gregg |date=May 13, 1977 |title=Motion Picture Academy Fete |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-motion-picture-aca/168313720/ |access-date=March 23, 2023 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |page=94 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> ABC also aired specials prior to the ceremony to highlight the history of the awards.<ref>{{harvnb|Osborne|2013|p=202, 204 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref>

===Vanessa Redgrave's speech===
Prior to the ceremony, [[Vanessa Redgrave]]'s Best Supporting Actress nomination was met with controversy due to her recent involvement with ''[[The Palestinian]]'', a documentary chronicling the activities of the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Oscar Protest |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=March 18, 1978 |page=6}}</ref> The film garnered controversy from several Jewish groups for its [[Criticism of Israel|anti-Israel]] commentary.<ref>Multiple sources:
*{{cite news |last1=Shepard |first1=Richard F. |title=Redgrave Film on P.L.O. Stirs a Controversy |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/10/archives/westchester-opinion-redgrave-film-on-plo-stirs-a-controversy.html |access-date=March 23, 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url-access=limited |date=November 10, 1977 |page=70 |archive-date=February 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205023046/https://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/10/archives/westchester-opinion-redgrave-film-on-plo-stirs-a-controversy.html |url-status=live }}
*{{cite news |title=Jewish Group Angry at Actress |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-albuquerque-tribune-jane-fonda-jdl-c/168314075/ |access-date=March 30, 2023 |work=[[The Albuquerque Tribune]] |publisher=[[United Press International]] |date=February 16, 1978 |at=sec. C, p. 8 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] }}
*{{cite news |last1=Harmetz |first1=Aljean |author-link=Aljean Harmetz |title=Theater for Redgrave Film Bombed |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/06/16/archives/threater-for-redgrave-film-bombed.html |access-date=March 23, 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url-access=limited |date=June 16, 1978 |at=sec. C, p. 6 |archive-date=February 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205193010/https://www.nytimes.com/1978/06/16/archives/threater-for-redgrave-film-bombed.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Outside of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on the day of the ceremony, [[Jewish Defense League]] protestors burned a statue of the actress, while counter-protestors waved [[Flag of Palestine|Palestinian flags]].<ref name="NYT Julia">{{cite news |last1=Fretts |first1=Bruce |title=Oscars Rewind: The Most Political Ceremony in Academy History |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/movies/oscars-1978-politics-vanessa-redgrave.html |access-date=March 23, 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url-access=limited |date=January 11, 2019 |archive-date=March 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329185944/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/movies/oscars-1978-politics-vanessa-redgrave.html |url-status=live }}</ref> After paying tribute to writer [[Lillian Hellman]] and the titular character of ''Julia'' for which she won the Best Supporting Actress award, Redgrave remarked in her acceptance speech, "And I salute you, and I pay tribute to you, and I think you should be very proud that in the last few weeks you've stood firm, and you have refused to be intimidated by the threats of a small bunch of [[Zionism|Zionist]] hoodlums." She concluded her speech stating, "I salute you and I thank you and I pledge to you that I will continue to fight against [[Antisemitism]] and fascism." The comments received both applause and booing amongst the audience.<ref>{{harvnb|Wiley|Bona|1996|p=550}}</ref> Later during the ceremony, screenwriter [[Paddy Chayefsky]] prefaced his presentation of the screenplay awards, saying, "I would like to suggest to Miss Redgrave that her winning an Academy Award is not a pivotal moment in history, does not require a proclamation and a simple ‘Thank you’ would’ve sufficed."<ref name="NYT Julia" />

===Critical reviews===
''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' film critic [[Charles Champlin]] wrote, "The Oscar show as a show had more of what it has recently been short of, which is the presence of authentic film stars. It had refreshingly less of what it has sometimes had too much of, which is awkward and underrehearsed cross-talk."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Champlin |first1=Charles |title=Redgrave's Rhetoric Not a Factor in Voting |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-50th-oscars-3/74205238/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=April 5, 1978 |page=87 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref> Columnist Aaron Gold of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' remarked, "Howard Koch and [[Allan Carr]] deserve Oscars for the work they did in creating an exciting and glamorous show, as they promised. Master of ceremonies Bob Hope... brought the air of dignity and continuity to the show that it lacked last year."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gold |first1=Aaron |title=Tower Ticker |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-50th-oscars/74201109/ |access-date=March 30, 2023 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=April 5, 1978 |page=18 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref> ''[[The News & Observer]]'' entertainment columnist commented, "If the evening was never as nimble as a dance by [[Fred Astaire]], it was jam-packed with nostalgia, suspense, laughter, a few tears, and production numbers as striking as anything in Oscar's history."<ref name="RKO" />

John Huddy of the ''[[Miami Herald]]'' observed, "The Redgrave-Chayevsky exchange enlivened a long Oscar night in which there were too many silly songs, too many special awards that nobody gave a hoot about, and too many dreary acceptance speeches by obscure if talented short-subject makers."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Huddy |first1=John |title=The Redgrave Flap Gave the Oscars Sizzle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-50th-oscars/74205714/ |access-date=March 23, 2023 |work=[[Miami Herald]] |date=April 5, 1978 |at=sec. B, p.9 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref> ''[[The Arizona Republic]]'' columnist Mike Petryni wrote, "Produced this year by Howard Koch, who incidentally co-wrote ''[[Casablanca (film)|Casablanca]]'', the show seemed, as usual, rather dull, draggy and sluggish.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Petryni |first1=Mike |title=Awards Show Gets No Oscar |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-50th-oscars/74189714/ |access-date=March 30, 2024 |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |date=April 4, 1978 |at=sec. B, p. 11 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref> Writing for the ''[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]]'' said, "Monday's Academy Awards telecast seemed like one of the dullest in recent years." He noted that the Best Original Song performances were longer and more ridiculous than in previous years, and he lamented that winners [[Jason Robards]] and [[Woody Allen]] were absent to collect their awards.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Perry |title=Mirror, Mirror on a Wall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-50th-oscars/74202716/ |access-date=March 30, 2023 |work=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]] |date=April 5, 1978 |at=sec. E, p. 6 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref>

===Ratings and reception===
The American telecast on ABC drew in an average of 48.5 million people over the length of the entire ceremony, which was a 22% increase from the [[49th Academy Awards|previous year's ceremony]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Top-10 Most-Watched Academy Awards Broadcasts |url=https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2009/top-10-most-watched-academy-awards-broadcasts/ |publisher=[[Nielsen Media Research]] |date=February 2009 |access-date=March 23, 2023 |archive-date=January 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127130438/http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2009/top-10-most-watched-academy-awards-broadcasts.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The show drew higher [[Nielsen Media Research|Nielsen ratings]] compared to the previous ceremony, with 36.3% of households watching with a 68% share.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-oscars-week-rating/168314506/ |access-date=March 30, 2024 |title=50th Anniversary Oscar Show Leads the Nielsen Ratings |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=April 12, 1978 |page=83 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The ceremony presentation received five nominations at the [[30th Primetime Emmy Awards|30th Primetime Emmys]], but failed to win any of its nominations.<ref>{{cite web |title=50th Annual Awards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |url=https://www.emmys.com/shows/50th-annual-awards-academy-motion-pictur |publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]] |access-date=March 23, 2020 }}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[List of submissions to the 50th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{Citation
 |last=Franks
 |first=Don
 |title=Entertainment Awards: A Music, Cinema, Theatre and Broadcasting Guide, 1928 through 2003
 |year=2005 
 |isbn=978-1-5791-2396-3
 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina, United States
 |edition=3rd
 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]
}}
*{{Citation
 |last=Holden
 |first=Anthony
 |author-link=Anthony Holden
 |title=Behind the Oscar: The Secret History of the Academy Awards
 |year=1993
 |isbn=978-0-6717-0129-1
 |location=New York, New York, United States
 |edition=
 |oclc=
 |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]]
 |url=https://archive.org/details/behindoscarsecre00hold
 }}
*{{Cite book
 |last=Osborne
 |first=Robert
 |author-link=Robert Osborne
 |title=85 Years of the Oscar: The Complete History of the Academy Awards
 |year=2013
 |isbn=978-0-7892-1142-2
 |location=New York, New York, United States
 |publisher=[[Abbeville Publishing Group]]
 |oclc=856879222
  }}
* {{Cite book
 |last=Terrance
 |first=Vincent
 |title=Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936–2012
 |year=2013
 |isbn=978-1-4766-1240-9
 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina, United States
 |edition=5
 |oclc=844373010
 |publisher=[[Ballantine Books]], [[McFarland & Company]]
 }}
*{{Citation
 |last1=Wiley 
 |first1=Mason
 |author-link=Mason Wiley
 |last2=Bona
 |first2=Damien
 |author-link2=Damien Bona
 |title=Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards
 |year=1996
 |isbn=978-0-3454-0053-6 |location=New York, New York, United States
 |edition=5
 |oclc=779680732 
 |publisher=[[Ballantine Books]]
}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
* [http://www.oscar.com/ Academy Awards official website]
* [http://www.oscars.org/ The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences official website]
* [https://www.youtube.com/oscars Oscars' channel] on [[YouTube]] run by the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]

;Analysis
* [http://www.filmsite.org/aa77.html 1977 Academy Awards Winners and History] Filmsite

;Other resources
* {{IMDb title|0271340|The 50th Annual Academy Awards}}

{{Academy Awards Chron}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Academy Awards, 50}}
[[Category:Academy Awards ceremonies]]
[[Category:1977 film awards]]
[[Category:1978 in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:1978 in American cinema]]
[[Category:April 1978 in the United States]]
[[Category:1977 awards in the United States|Academy]]
[[Category:Television shows directed by Marty Pasetta]]