32nd Tony Awards
The 32nd Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by CBS television on June 4, 1978, from the Shubert Theatre in New York City. This was the first time that CBS broadcast the ceremony, which had previously been shown on the ABC television network.
Eligibility
Shows that opened on Broadway during the 1977–1978 season before May 15, 1978 are eligible.;Original plays
- 13 Rue de l'Amour
- An Almost Perfect Person
- Bully
- Chapter Two
- Cheaters
- Cold Storage
- A Condition of Shadow
- Da
- Deathtrap
- Diversions and Delights
- Do You Turn Somersaults?
- The Effect of [Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds]
- The Gin Game
- Golda
- The Merchant
- The Mighty Gents
- Miss Margarida's Way
- Mr. Happiness
- The Night of the Tribades
- The November People
- Patio
- Porch
- Paul Robeson
- Some of My Best Friends
- Stages
- The Water Engine
- The Act
- Ain't Misbehavin'
- Angel
- Beatlemania
- Dancin'
- A History of the American Film
- On the Twentieth Century
- Runaways
- Working
;Musical revivals
The ceremony
Presenters were Ed Asner, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Carol Channing, Bonnie Franklin, Robert Guillaume, Julie Harris, Helen Hayes, Bob Hope, Gene Kelly, Linda Lavin, Jack Lemmon, Hal Linden, Roy Scheider and Dick Van Patten.Bonnie Franklin introduced each segment from her seat in the audience. Bob Hope presented the "Lawrence Langer" Special Award to Irving Berlin, who was not present at the ceremony. The theme of the ceremony was "footlights", with each presenter telling of the first time they saw live theatre.
Musicals represented:
Winners and nominees
''Winners are in bold ''Special awards
- Lawrence Langner Memorial Award for Distinguished Lifetime Achievement in the American Theatre – Irving Berlin
- Theatre Award '78 – To the creators, Charles Moss and Stan Dragoti of the I Love New York Broadway Show Tours and William S. Doyle, Deputy Commissioner, the New York State Department of Commerce
- Regional Theatre Award – The Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut
Multiple nominations and awards
These productions had multiple nominations:- 9 nominations: ''On the Twentieth Century
- 7 nominations: Dancin'
- 6 nominations: The Act and Working
- 5 nominations: Ain't Misbehavin', Dracula and Runaways
- 4 nominations: Chapter Two, Da, Deathtrap, The Gin Game and Timbuktu!
- 2 nominations: The Mighty Gents, Tartuffe and A Touch of the Poet
- 5 wins: On the Twentieth Century
- 4 wins: Da
- 3 wins: Ain't Misbehavin'
- 2 wins: Dancin' and Dracula''