20th Academy Awards


The 20th Academy Awards were held on March 20, 1948, to honor the films of 1947. It is notable for being the last Oscars until 2005 in which no film won more than three awards. There was no host for this ceremony.
Rosalind Russell was highly favored—particularly in a poll from the Daily Variety—to win Best Actress for her performance in Mourning Becomes Electra, but Loretta Young won instead for The Farmer's Daughter.
James Baskett received an Academy Honorary Award for his portrayal of Uncle Remus in Song of the South, which made him the first African-American man, and the first actor in a Disney film, to win an Academy Award for acting.
Winning Best Supporting Actor at age 71, Edmund Gwenn became the oldest Oscar winner, taking the record from Charles Coburn, who was 66 at the time of his win in 1943 for The More the Merrier.
Darryl F. Zanuck, bitter over the failure of the 1944 biopic Wilson to win Best Picture, accepted the prize for Gentleman's Agreement by saying "this award will make up for previous disappointments.

Winners and nominees

Awards

Nominees were announced on February 13, 1948. Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.
Gentleman's AgreementDarryl F. Zanuck for 20th Century Fox
Elia KazanGentleman's Agreement
  • * Henry KosterThe Bishop's Wife
  • * Edward DmytrykCrossfire
  • * George CukorA Double Life
  • * David LeanGreat Expectations
  • Ronald ColmanA Double Life as Anthony John
  • * John GarfieldBody and Soul as Charlie Davis
  • * Gregory PeckGentleman's Agreement as Philip Schuyler Green
  • * William PowellLife with Father as Clarence Day Sr.
  • * Michael RedgraveMourning Becomes Electra as Orin Mannon
  • Loretta YoungThe Farmer's Daughter as Katie Holstrom
  • * Joan CrawfordPossessed as Louise Howell
  • * Susan HaywardSmash-Up, the Story of a Woman as Angie Evans
  • * Dorothy McGuireGentleman's Agreement as Kathy Lacey
  • * Rosalind RussellMourning Becomes Electra as Lavinia Mannon
  • Edmund GwennMiracle on 34th Street as Kris Kringle
  • * Charles BickfordThe Farmer's Daughter as Joseph Clancy
  • * Thomas GomezRide the Pink Horse as Pancho
  • * Robert RyanCrossfire as Montgomery
  • * Richard WidmarkKiss of Death as Tommy Udo
  • Celeste HolmGentleman's Agreement as Anne Dettrey
  • * Ethel BarrymoreThe Paradine Case as Lady Sophie Horfield
  • * Gloria GrahameCrossfire as Ginny Tremaine
  • * Marjorie MainThe [Egg and I (film)|The Egg and I] as Ma Kettle
  • * Anne RevereGentleman's Agreement as Mrs Green
  • The Bachelor and the Bobby-SoxerSidney Sheldon
  • * Body and SoulAbraham Polonsky
  • * A Double LifeRuth Gordon and Garson Kanin
  • * Monsieur VerdouxCharlie Chaplin
  • * ShoeshineSergio Amidei, Adolfo Franci, Cesare Giulio Viola and Cesare Zavattini
  • Miracle on 34th StreetGeorge Seaton from a story by Valentine Davies
  • * Boomerang!Richard Murphy from a Reader's Digest article by Anthony Abbot
  • * CrossfireJohn Paxton from The Brick Foxhole by Richard Brooks
  • * Gentleman's AgreementMoss Hart from Gentleman's Agreement by Laura Z. Hobson
  • * Great ExpectationsDavid Lean, Ronald Neame and Anthony Havelock-Allan from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
  • Miracle on 34th StreetValentine Davies
  • * A Cage of NightingalesGeorges Chaperot and René Wheeler
  • * It Happened on 5th AvenueHerbert Clyde Lewis and Frederick Stephani
  • * Kiss of DeathEleazar Lipsky
  • * Smash-Up, the Story of a WomanDorothy Parker and Frank Cavett
  • Design for DeathSid Rogell, Theron Warth, and Richard Fleischer
  • * Journey into MedicineUnited States Department of State Office of Information and Educational Exchange
  • * The World Is RichPaul Rotha
  • First StepsUnited Nations Division of Films and Visual Information
  • * Passport to Nowhere – Frederic Ullman, Jr.
  • * School in the MailboxAustralian News & Information Bureau
  • Goodbye, Miss TurlockHerbert Moulton
  • * Brooklyn, U.S.A. – Thomas Mead
  • * Moon RocketsJerry Fairbanks
  • * Now You See ItPete Smith
  • * So You Want to Be in PicturesGordon Hollingshead
  • Climbing the MatterhornIrving Allen
  • * Champagne for Two – Harry Grey
  • * Fight of the Wild Stallions – Thomas Mead
  • * Give Us the Earth – Herbert Morgan
  • * A Voice Is Born: The Story of Miklos Gafni – Ben Blake
  • Tweetie PieEdward Selzer
  • * Chip an' DaleWalt Disney
  • * Dr. Jekyll and Mr. MouseFred Quimby
  • * Pluto's Blue NoteWalt Disney
  • * Tubby the TubaGeorge Pal
  • A Double LifeMiklós Rózsa
  • * The Bishop's WifeHugo Friedhofer
  • * Captain from CastileAlfred Newman
  • * Forever AmberDavid Raksin
  • * Life with FatherMax Steiner
  • Mother Wore TightsAlfred Newman
  • * FiestaJohnny Green
  • * My Wild Irish RoseRay Heindorf and Max Steiner
  • * Road to RioRobert Emmett Dolan
  • * Song of the SouthDaniele Amfitheatrof, Paul J. Smith and Charles Wolcott
  • "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" from Song of the South – Music by Allie Wrubel; Lyrics by Ray Gilbert
  • * "A Gal in Calico" from The Time, the Place and the Girl – Music by Arthur Schwartz; Lyrics by Leo Robin
  • * "I [Wish I Didn't Love You So]" from The [Perils of Pauline (1947 film)|The Perils of Pauline]Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
  • * "Pass That Peace Pipe" from Good News – Music and Lyrics by Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin and Roger Edens
  • * "You Do" from Mother Wore Tights – Music by Josef Myrow; Lyrics by Mack Gordon
  • The Bishop's WifeGordon E. Sawyer
  • * Green Dolphin StreetDouglas Shearer
  • * T-MenJack Whitney
  • Great Expectations – Art Direction: John Bryan; Set Decoration: Wilfred Shingleton
  • * The Foxes of Harrow – Art Direction: Lyle R. Wheeler and Maurice Ransford; Set Decoration: Thomas Little and Paul S. Fox
  • Black Narcissus – Art Direction and Set Decoration: Alfred Junge
  • * Life with Father – Art Direction: Robert M. Haas; Set Decoration: George James Hopkins
  • Great ExpectationsGuy Green
  • * The Ghost and Mrs. MuirCharles Lang
  • * Green Dolphin StreetGeorge J. Folsey
  • Black NarcissusJack Cardiff
  • * Life with FatherPeverell Marley and William V. Skall
  • * Mother Wore TightsHarry Jackson
  • Body and SoulFrancis D. Lyon and Robert Parrish
  • * The Bishop's WifeMonica Collingwood
  • * Gentleman's AgreementHarmon Jones
  • * Green Dolphin StreetGeorge White
  • * Odd Man OutFergus McDonell
  • Green Dolphin Street – Special Visual Effects: A. Arnold Gillespie and Warren Newcombe; Special Audible Effects: Douglas Shearer and Michael Steinore
  • * Unconquered – Special Visual Effects: Farciot Edouart, Devereux Jennings, Gordon Jennings, Wallace Kelley and Paul Lerpae; Special Audible Effects: George Dutton
  • Special Awards

    Multiple nominations and awards

    NominationsFilm
    8Gentleman's Agreement
    5The Bishop's Wife
    5Crossfire
    5Great Expectations
    4A Double Life
    4Green Dolphin Street
    4Life with Father
    4Miracle on 34th Street
    3Body and Soul
    3Mother Wore Tights
    2Black Narcissus
    2The Farmer's Daughter
    2Kiss of Death
    2Mourning Becomes Electra
    2Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman
    2Song of the South

    AwardsFilm
    3Gentleman's Agreement
    3Miracle on 34th Street
    2Black Narcissus
    2A Double Life
    2Great Expectations