The Oscars is one of the biggest events of the year. It lets us see the stars we admire and shows us how much they are appreciated by others.
Sometimes, unusual events happen at the Oscars that make the headlines and are remembered for years. Perhaps you remember the infamous ‘Oscars slap’, in which Will Smith slapped Chris Rock.
There were also other times when the Oscars were memorable, including 1975. Looking back on that year, there are many things people still talk about and debates that continue today.
Dustin Hoffman is one of the most notable figures from the 1975 Oscars. He was nominated for an award for his role in the movie Lenny. However, he wasn’t happy about attending and called the event ‘grotesque’ and ugly, saying it was like a beauty pageant.
Bob Hope couldn’t resist commenting on this, saying: “If Dustin Hoffman wins tonight, he’s going to have a friend pick it up for him — George C. Scott.”
In the end, Hoffman didn’t win, but host Frank Sinatra took a shot at him during the ceremony. The audience didn’t respond.
Frank Sinatra also had a tough time during the 1975 Oscars. Roger Ebert even booed him, and Sinatra made several ‘pointed, tasteless references’ to his fellow Italian-Americans. Ebert called it an ’embarrassing spectacle.’
Bob Hope is also remembered for the 1975 Oscars. At the time, the Vietnam War was ending, and political tension was high. When documentary filmmaker Bert Schneider came up to accept an award, he made a statement about Vietnam, saying: “It’s ironic that we’re here at a time just before Vietnam is about to be liberated.”
He also read a telegram from Viet Cong Ambassador Dinh Ba Thi, which said: “Greetings of Friendship to All American People.” It thanked the antiwar movement for their support of peace.
Bob Hope wasn’t pleased and wrote a telegram about an hour later that Frank Sinatra read to the audience. It said: “The academy is saying, ‘We are not responsible for any political references made on the program, and we are sorry they had to take place this evening.'”
Ingrid Bergman, the Swedish actress, was also at the 1975 Oscars. She received a standing ovation but felt mixed emotions. She thought she won the Oscar because of Hollywood’s guilt over what happened to her in 1949, when she was involved in an affair with director Roberto Rossellini.
The Godfather Part II was a key film at the 1975 Oscars, and many people still remember and love it. This is why the 1975 ceremony is still talked about even nearly five decades later.
John Voight and Raquel Welch posed for a photo during the ceremony, and it still gets attention today. Some people thought it looked elegant, while others said Voight looked ‘like a creep.’
It seems the debate will continue.
