54th Academy Awards

The 54th Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, honored films released in 1981 and took place on March 29, 1982, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards in 22 categories. The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Howard W. Koch and directed by Marty Pasetta. Comedian and talk show host Johnny Carson hosted the show for the fourth consecutive time.
Chariots of Fire won four awards, including Best Picture. Other winners included Raiders of the Lost Ark with also four awards, On Golden Pond and Reds with three, Arthur with two; and An American Werewolf in London, Close Harmony, Crac, Genocide, Mephisto, and Violet with one. The telecast garnered 46.2 million viewers in the United States.

Winners and nominees

The nominees for the 54th Academy Awards were announced on February 11, 1982, by Academy president Fay Kanin and actor Lloyd Bridges. Reds earned the most nominations with twelve; On Golden Pond came in second with ten. The winners were announced at the awards ceremony on March 29.
Best Director winner Warren Beatty became the first person to earn acting, directing, producing, and screenwriting nominations for the same film for the second time. He previously earned nominations in the same categories for 1978's Heaven Can Wait. On Golden Pond was the fifth film to win both lead acting awards. Best Actress winner Katharine Hepburn became the first and only performer to win four competitive acting Oscars. Furthermore, the 48-year span between her first win for 1933's Morning Glory and her last win for On Golden Pond set the record for the longest span between first and last career Oscar wins.

Awards

Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.

Chariots of Fire – David Puttnam, producer *Atlantic City – Denis Héroux and John Kemeny, producers On Golden Pond – Bruce Gilbert, producer Raiders of the Lost Ark – Frank Marshall, producer *Reds – Warren Beatty, producer	Warren Beatty – Reds Louis Malle – Atlantic City* Hugh Hudson – Chariots of Fire* Mark Rydell – On Golden Pond* Steven Spielberg – Raiders of the Lost Ark*
*Henry Fonda – On Golden Pond* as Norman Thayer Jr.** Warren Beatty – Reds* as John Silas "Jack" Reed Burt Lancaster – Atlantic City* as Lou Pascal Dudley Moore – Arthur* as Arthur Bach Paul Newman – Absence of Malice* as Michael Gallagher	*Katharine Hepburn – On Golden Pond* as Ethel Thayer** Diane Keaton – Reds* as Louise Bryant Marsha Mason – Only When I Laugh* as Georgia Hines Susan Sarandon – Atlantic City* as Sally Matthews Meryl Streep – The [French Lieutenant's Woman (film)\|The French Lieutenant's Woman]* as Sarah Woodruff/Anna
*John Gielgud – Arthur* as Hobson** James Coco – Only When I Laugh* as Jimmy Perrino Ian Holm – Chariots of Fire* as Sam Mussabini Jack Nicholson – Reds* as Eugene O'Neill Howard E. Rollins Jr. – Ragtime* as Coalhouse Walker Jr.	*Maureen Stapleton – Reds* as Emma Goldman** Melinda Dillon – Absence of Malice* as Teresa Perrone Jane Fonda – On Golden Pond* as Chelsea Thayer Wayne Joan Hackett – Only When I Laugh* as Toby Landau Elizabeth McGovern – Ragtime* as Evelyn Nesbit
Chariots of Fire – Colin Welland *Absence of Malice – Kurt Luedtke Arthur – Steve Gordon Atlantic City – John Guare *Reds – Warren Beatty and Trevor Griffiths	On Golden Pond – Ernest Thompson based on his play *The French Lieutenant's Woman – Harold Pinter based on the novel by John Fowles *Pennies from Heaven – Dennis Potter based on his TV series *Prince of the City – Jay Presson Allen and Sidney Lumet based on the book by Robert Daley *Ragtime – Michael Weller based on the novel by E. L. Doctorow
Mephisto in German – directed by István Szabó *The Boat Is Full in German – directed by Markus Imhoof Man of Iron in Polish – directed by Andrzej Wajda Muddy River in Japanese – directed by Kōhei Oguri *Three Brothers in Italian – directed by Francesco Rosi	Genocide – Arnold Schwartzman and Rabbi Marvin Hier *Against Wind and Tide: A Cuban Odyssey – Suzanne Bauman, Paul Neshamkin and Jim Burroughs *Brooklyn Bridge – Ken Burns *Eight Minutes to Midnight: A Portrait of Dr. Helen Caldicott – Mary Benjamin, Susanne Simpson and Boyd Estus *El Salvador: Another Vietnam – Glenn Silber and Tete Vasconcellos
Close Harmony – Nigel Noble *Americas in Transition – Obie Benz Journey for Survival – Dick Young See What I Say – Linda Chapman, Pam LeBlanc and Freddi Stevens *Urge to Build – Roland Hallé and John Hoover	Violet – Paul Kemp and Shelley Levinson *Couples and Robbers – Christine Oestreicher *First Winter – John N. Smith
Crac – Frédéric Back *The Creation – Will Vinton *The Tender Tale of Cinderella Penguin – Janet Perlman	Chariots of Fire – Vangelis *Dragonslayer – Alex North *On Golden Pond – Dave Grusin *Ragtime – Randy Newman *Raiders of the Lost Ark – John Williams
*"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" from Arthur* – Music by Burt Bacharach; Lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen** "Endless Love" from Endless Love* – Music and Lyrics by Lionel Richie "The First Time It Happens" from The Great Muppet Caper* – Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo "For Your Eyes Only" from For Your Eyes Only* – Music by Bill Conti; Lyrics by Mick Leeson "One More Hour" from Ragtime* – Music and Lyrics by Randy Newman	Raiders of the Lost Ark – Bill Varney, Steve Maslow, Gregg Landaker and Roy Charman *On Golden Pond – Richard Portman and David M. Ronne Outland – John Wilkinson, Robert W. Glass Jr., Robert Thirlwell and Robin Gregory Pennies from Heaven – Michael J. Kohut, Jay M. Harding, Richard Tyler and Al Overton Jr. *Reds – Dick Vorisek, Tom Fleischman and Simon Kaye
An American Werewolf in London – Rick Baker *Heartbeeps – Stan Winston	Chariots of Fire – Milena Canonero *The French Lieutenant's Woman – Tom Rand Pennies from Heaven – Bob Mackie Ragtime – Anna Hill Johnstone *Reds – Shirley Russell
Raiders of the Lost Ark – Art Direction: Norman Reynolds and Leslie Dilley; Set Decoration: Michael Ford *The French Lieutenant's Woman – Art Direction: Assheton Gorton; Set Decoration: Ann Mollo *Heaven's Gate – Art Direction: Tambi Larsen; Set Decoration: James L. Berkey *Ragtime – Art Direction: John Graysmark, Patrizia von Brandenstein and Anthony Reading; Set Decoration: George DeTitta Sr., George DeTitta Jr. and Peter Howitt *Reds – Art Direction: Richard Sylbert; Set Decoration: Michael Seirton	Reds – Vittorio Storaro *Excalibur – Alex Thomson On Golden Pond – Billy Williams Ragtime – Miroslav Ondříček *Raiders of the Lost Ark – Douglas Slocombe
Raiders of the Lost Ark – Michael Kahn *Chariots of Fire – Terry Rawlings *The French Lieutenant's Woman – John Bloom *On Golden Pond – Robert L. Wolfe *Reds – Dede Allen and Craig McKay	Raiders of the Lost Ark – Richard Edlund, Kit West, Bruce Nicholson and Joe Johnston *Dragonslayer – Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, Ken Ralston and Brian Johnson

Special Achievement Award (Sound Effects Editing)

Raiders of the Lost Ark – Ben Burtt and Richard L. Anderson.

Honorary Award

To Barbara Stanwyck for superlative creativity and unique contribution to the art of screen acting.

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

The award recognizes individuals whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the motion picture industry.

Danny Kaye

Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

The award honors "creative producers whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production".

Albert R. Broccoli

Multiple nominations and awards

Nominations	Film
12	Reds
10	On Golden Pond
8	Raiders of the Lost Ark
8	Ragtime
7	Chariots of Fire
5	Atlantic City
5	The French Lieutenant's Woman
4	Arthur
3	Absence of Malice
3	Only When I Laugh
3	Pennies from Heaven
2	Dragonslayer

Wins	Film
4	Chariots of Fire
4	Raiders of the Lost Ark
3	On Golden Pond
3	Reds
2	Arthur

Presenters and performers

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

Ceremony information

In November 1981, the Academy hired film director, screenwriter, and producer Melvin Frank to produce the telecast for the first time. "The Academy is fortunate that Melvin Frank has agreed to make himself available for our show," said AMPAS President Fay Kanin in a press release announcing the selection. "He joins a distinguished list of producers who have consistently made the Academy Awards the entertainment highlight of the year." Two months later, it was announced that comedian and The Tonight Show host Johnny Carson would preside over emceeing duties for the 1982 ceremony. In February 1982, Howard W. Koch took over producing duties after Frank had been hospitalized for complications stemming from a virus. Koch stated that all artistic contributions made by Frank would remain during the production of the festivities.

Introduction of Best Makeup award

Beginning with this ceremony, AMPAS introduced a new competitive award that would honor achievement in makeup. According to Academy executive administrator John Pavlik, the category would be presented if a special committee composed of makeup artists, hairstylists, cinematographers, and other related craftspeople determined that at least one film was deemed worthy of such awards. Members would be able to nominate up to five films, and the committee would review the seven films receiving the most votes to select up to three nominees. Prior to the introduction of this category, 1964's 7 Faces of Dr. Lao and 1968's Planet of the Apes were given special honorary awards.

Critical reviews

St. Petersburg Times film critic Thomas Sabulis wrote, "The Academy Awards show was a reasonably good television product. The acceptance speeches were thankfully brief and concise." Columnist Janet Maslin of The New York Times remarked, "Thanks largely to the fancifulness of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' voters, Monday night's Oscar presentation was the most exciting in recent years. When the awards show itself is something less than swift or glamorous, which was certainly the case this year, it can still come to life if the voting takes a sufficiently strange turn." The Atlanta Constitution critic Scott Cain commented, "The academy has steadily increased the amount of showpieces. These musical numbers worked splendidly this year and the program was relatively painless at 3.5 hours in length."
Harold Schindler of The Salt Lake Tribune called the ceremony "a three-and-a-half-hour marathon which sparkled in spots, sputtered in others, and featured some of the most uneven casting in the program's history." Austin American-Statesman film critic Patrick Taggart quipped, "Whether or not the awards will be taken more seriously in the future, the ceremony last Monday night certainly had the dreariness one associates with serious events." The Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Desmond Ryan commented that due to many winners being absent from the festivities, "An already dull evening lapsed into long stretches of tedium."

Ratings and reception

The American telecast on ABC drew in an average of 46.2 million people over the length of the entire ceremony. Moreover, the show drew higher Nielsen ratings compared to the previous ceremony, with 33.6% of households watching with a 53% share.
In August 1982, the ceremony presentation received three nominations at the 34th Primetime Emmys. The following month, it won an award for Ray Klausen's Primetime Emmy [Award for Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Competition Series|art direction] of the program.

Chariots of Fire – David Puttnam, producer *Atlantic City – Denis Héroux and John Kemeny, producers On Golden Pond – Bruce Gilbert, producer Raiders of the Lost Ark – Frank Marshall, producer *Reds – Warren Beatty, producer	Warren Beatty – Reds Louis Malle – Atlantic City* Hugh Hudson – Chariots of Fire* Mark Rydell – On Golden Pond* Steven Spielberg – Raiders of the Lost Ark*
*Henry Fonda – On Golden Pond* as Norman Thayer Jr.** Warren Beatty – Reds* as John Silas "Jack" Reed Burt Lancaster – Atlantic City* as Lou Pascal Dudley Moore – Arthur* as Arthur Bach Paul Newman – Absence of Malice* as Michael Gallagher	*Katharine Hepburn – On Golden Pond* as Ethel Thayer** Diane Keaton – Reds* as Louise Bryant Marsha Mason – Only When I Laugh* as Georgia Hines Susan Sarandon – Atlantic City* as Sally Matthews Meryl Streep – The [French Lieutenant's Woman (film)\|The French Lieutenant's Woman]* as Sarah Woodruff/Anna
*John Gielgud – Arthur* as Hobson** James Coco – Only When I Laugh* as Jimmy Perrino Ian Holm – Chariots of Fire* as Sam Mussabini Jack Nicholson – Reds* as Eugene O'Neill Howard E. Rollins Jr. – Ragtime* as Coalhouse Walker Jr.	*Maureen Stapleton – Reds* as Emma Goldman** Melinda Dillon – Absence of Malice* as Teresa Perrone Jane Fonda – On Golden Pond* as Chelsea Thayer Wayne Joan Hackett – Only When I Laugh* as Toby Landau Elizabeth McGovern – Ragtime* as Evelyn Nesbit
Chariots of Fire – Colin Welland *Absence of Malice – Kurt Luedtke Arthur – Steve Gordon Atlantic City – John Guare *Reds – Warren Beatty and Trevor Griffiths	On Golden Pond – Ernest Thompson based on his play *The French Lieutenant's Woman – Harold Pinter based on the novel by John Fowles *Pennies from Heaven – Dennis Potter based on his TV series *Prince of the City – Jay Presson Allen and Sidney Lumet based on the book by Robert Daley *Ragtime – Michael Weller based on the novel by E. L. Doctorow
Mephisto in German – directed by István Szabó *The Boat Is Full in German – directed by Markus Imhoof Man of Iron in Polish – directed by Andrzej Wajda Muddy River in Japanese – directed by Kōhei Oguri *Three Brothers in Italian – directed by Francesco Rosi	Genocide – Arnold Schwartzman and Rabbi Marvin Hier *Against Wind and Tide: A Cuban Odyssey – Suzanne Bauman, Paul Neshamkin and Jim Burroughs *Brooklyn Bridge – Ken Burns *Eight Minutes to Midnight: A Portrait of Dr. Helen Caldicott – Mary Benjamin, Susanne Simpson and Boyd Estus *El Salvador: Another Vietnam – Glenn Silber and Tete Vasconcellos
Close Harmony – Nigel Noble *Americas in Transition – Obie Benz Journey for Survival – Dick Young See What I Say – Linda Chapman, Pam LeBlanc and Freddi Stevens *Urge to Build – Roland Hallé and John Hoover	Violet – Paul Kemp and Shelley Levinson *Couples and Robbers – Christine Oestreicher *First Winter – John N. Smith
Crac – Frédéric Back *The Creation – Will Vinton *The Tender Tale of Cinderella Penguin – Janet Perlman	Chariots of Fire – Vangelis *Dragonslayer – Alex North *On Golden Pond – Dave Grusin *Ragtime – Randy Newman *Raiders of the Lost Ark – John Williams
*"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" from Arthur* – Music by Burt Bacharach; Lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen** "Endless Love" from Endless Love* – Music and Lyrics by Lionel Richie "The First Time It Happens" from The Great Muppet Caper* – Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo "For Your Eyes Only" from For Your Eyes Only* – Music by Bill Conti; Lyrics by Mick Leeson "One More Hour" from Ragtime* – Music and Lyrics by Randy Newman	Raiders of the Lost Ark – Bill Varney, Steve Maslow, Gregg Landaker and Roy Charman *On Golden Pond – Richard Portman and David M. Ronne Outland – John Wilkinson, Robert W. Glass Jr., Robert Thirlwell and Robin Gregory Pennies from Heaven – Michael J. Kohut, Jay M. Harding, Richard Tyler and Al Overton Jr. *Reds – Dick Vorisek, Tom Fleischman and Simon Kaye
An American Werewolf in London – Rick Baker *Heartbeeps – Stan Winston	Chariots of Fire – Milena Canonero *The French Lieutenant's Woman – Tom Rand Pennies from Heaven – Bob Mackie Ragtime – Anna Hill Johnstone *Reds – Shirley Russell
Raiders of the Lost Ark – Art Direction: Norman Reynolds and Leslie Dilley; Set Decoration: Michael Ford *The French Lieutenant's Woman – Art Direction: Assheton Gorton; Set Decoration: Ann Mollo *Heaven's Gate – Art Direction: Tambi Larsen; Set Decoration: James L. Berkey *Ragtime – Art Direction: John Graysmark, Patrizia von Brandenstein and Anthony Reading; Set Decoration: George DeTitta Sr., George DeTitta Jr. and Peter Howitt *Reds – Art Direction: Richard Sylbert; Set Decoration: Michael Seirton	Reds – Vittorio Storaro *Excalibur – Alex Thomson On Golden Pond – Billy Williams Ragtime – Miroslav Ondříček *Raiders of the Lost Ark – Douglas Slocombe
Raiders of the Lost Ark – Michael Kahn *Chariots of Fire – Terry Rawlings *The French Lieutenant's Woman – John Bloom *On Golden Pond – Robert L. Wolfe *Reds – Dede Allen and Craig McKay	Raiders of the Lost Ark – Richard Edlund, Kit West, Bruce Nicholson and Joe Johnston *Dragonslayer – Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, Ken Ralston and Brian Johnson