- published: 10 Mar 2011
- views: 21945
The Oscar is a 1966 American drama film, written by Harlan Ellison, Clarence Greene, Russell Rouse and Richard Sale, directed by Rouse and starring Stephen Boyd, singer Tony Bennett (in his film debut), comedian Milton Berle (in a dramatic role), Elke Sommer, Ernest Borgnine, Jill St. John, and Eleanor Parker. The film also features Bob Hope, Hedda Hopper, Merle Oberon, Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra as themselves.
The film features an impressive cast and crew, including several real Academy Award winners: eight time costume design winner Edith Head (who would also be nominated, but not win, for The Oscar); best actor winners Ernest Borgnine and Broderick Crawford; best supporting actor winners Ed Begley, Walter Brennan (three wins), James Dunn, and Frank Sinatra. Also in the cast were Merle Oberon and Eleanor Parker, who had been nominated for Oscars but did not win.
As movie star Frankie Fane (Boyd) is about to hear if he won a best acting Oscar, his friend Hymie Kelly (Bennett) reminisces about Fane's struggle to the top, beginning as a spieler for his stripper girlfriend Laurel (St. John). After moving to New York, Frankie dumps Laurel for a budding fashion designer, Kay Bergdahl (Sommer), which sets up a chance meeting with talent scout Sophie Cantaro (Parker). Sophie arranges for him to be signed with agent "Kappy" Kapstetter (Berle) and brings Frankie to Hollywood, where he quickly becomes a rising star.
Actors: Frank Tashlin (director), Art Gilmore (actor), Horace McMahon (actor), Alvy Moore (actor), Barry Norton (actor), Dick Powell (actor), Red Skelton (actor), Brick Sullivan (actor), Les Tremayne (actor), Herb Vigran (actor), Alex Gottlieb (writer), Alex Gottlieb (writer), Leigh Harline (composer), Harry Marker (editor), Ellen Corby (actress),
Plot: Comedy about a struggling Hollywood scriptwriter (Dick Powell) who, one Christmas Eve, receives a very unexpected present - juvenile delinquant Debbie Reynolds.
Keywords: based-on-play, character-name-in-title, christmas, oscar-statuette, title-spoken-by-character