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Academy Awards

61st edition

  • March 29, 1989
  • United States

The 61st Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 1988 and took place on Wednesday, March 29, 1989, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 23 categories. The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Allan Carr and directed by Jeff Margolis. Ten days earlier, in a ceremony held at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Angie Dickinson.

Awards

Movie People Status
Best Picture
Rain Man Mark Johnson - as producer(s) Winner
The Accidental Tourist Lawrence Kasdan, Charles Okun, Michael Grillo - as producer(s) —
Dangerous Liaisons Norma Heyman, Hank Moonjean - as producer(s) —
Mississippi Burning Frederick Zollo, Robert F. Colesberry - as producer(s) —
Working Girl Douglas Wick - as producer(s) —
Best Directing
Rain Man Barry Levinson Winner
A Fish Called Wanda Charles Crichton —
The Last Temptation of Christ Martin Scorsese —
Mississippi Burning Alan Parker —
Working Girl Mike Nichols —
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Rain Man Dustin Hoffman Winner
Mississippi Burning Gene Hackman —
Big Tom Hanks —
Stand and Deliver Edward James Olmos —
Pelle the Conqueror Max von Sydow —
Best Actress in a Leading Role
The Accused Jodie Foster Winner
Dangerous Liaisons Glenn Close —
Working Girl Melanie Griffith —
A Cry in the Dark Meryl Streep —
Gorillas in the Mist Sigourney Weaver —
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
A Fish Called Wanda Kevin Kline Winner
Little Dorrit Alec Guinness —
Tucker: The Man and His Dream Martin Landau —
Running on Empty River Phoenix —
Married to the Mob Dean Stockwell —
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
The Accidental Tourist Geena Davis Winner
Working Girl Joan Cusack —
Working Girl Sigourney Weaver —
Mississippi Burning Frances McDormand —
Dangerous Liaisons Michelle Pfeiffer —
Best Original Screenplay
Rain Man Ronald Bass, Barry Morrow Winner
Big Gary Ross, Anne Spielberg —
Bull Durham Ron Shelton —
A Fish Called Wanda John Cleese, Charles Crichton —
Running on Empty Naomi Foner —
Best Adapted Screenplay
Dangerous Liaisons Christopher Hampton Winner
The Accidental Tourist Frank Galati, Lawrence Kasdan —
Gorillas in the Mist Anna Hamilton Phelan, Tab Murphy —
Little Dorrit Christine Edzard —
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Jean-Claude Carrière, Philip Kaufman —
Best International Feature Film
Pelle the Conqueror Bille August Winner
Hanussen István Szabó —
The Music Teacher Gérard Corbiau —
Salaam Bombay! Mira Nair —
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Pedro Almodóvar —
Best Documentary Feature Film
Hôtel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie Marcel Ophuls Winner
The Cry of Reason: Beyers Naude – An Afrikaner Speaks Out Robert Bilheimer, Ronald Mix —
Let's Get Lost Bruce Weber, Nan Bush —
Promises to Keep Ginny Durrin —
Who Killed Vincent Chin? Renee Tajima, Christine Choy —
Best Original Score
The Milagro Beanfield War Dave Grusin Winner
The Accidental Tourist John Williams —
Dangerous Liaisons George Fenton —
Gorillas in the Mist Maurice Jarre —
Rain Man Hans Zimmer —
Best Cinematography
Mississippi Burning Peter Biziou Winner
Rain Man John Seale —
Tequila Sunrise Conrad Hall —
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Sven Nykvist —
Who Framed Roger Rabbit Dean Cundey —
Best Film Editing
Who Framed Roger Rabbit Arthur Schmidt Winner
Die Hard Frank J. Urioste, John F. Link —
Gorillas in the Mist Stuart Baird —
Mississippi Burning Gerry Hambling —
Rain Man Stu Linder —
Best Original Song
Working Girl Carly Simon - "Let the River Run" Winner
Bagdad Cafe Bob Telson - "Calling You" —
Buster Lamont Dozier, Phil Collins - "Two Hearts" —
Best Sound
Bird Les Fresholtz, Dick Alexander, Vern Poore, Willie D. Burton Winner
Die Hard Don Bassman, Kevin F. Cleary, Richard Overton, Al Overton Jr. —
Gorillas in the Mist Andy Nelson, Brian Saunders, Peter Handford —
Mississippi Burning Robert J. Litt, Elliot Tyson, Rick Kline, Danny Michael —
Who Framed Roger Rabbit Robert Knudson, John Boyd, Don Digirolamo, Tony Dawe —
Best Sound Editing
Who Framed Roger Rabbit Charles L. Campbell, Louis Edemann Winner
Die Hard Stephen Hunter Flick, Richard Shorr —
Willow Ben Burtt, Richard Hymns —
Best Production Design
Dangerous Liaisons Stuart Craig, Gérard James Winner
Beaches Albert Brenner, Garrett Lewis —
Rain Man Ida Random, Linda DeScenna —
Tucker: The Man and His Dream Dean Tavoularis, Armin Ganz —
Who Framed Roger Rabbit Elliot Scott, Peter Howitt —
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Beetlejuice Ve Neill, Steve La Porte, Robert Short Winner
Coming to America Rick Baker —
Scrooged Thomas R. Burman, Bari Dreiband-Burman —
Best Costume Design
Dangerous Liaisons James Acheson Winner
Coming to America Deborah Nadoolman Landis —
A Handful of Dust Jane Robinson —
Sunset Patricia Norris —
Tucker: The Man and His Dream Milena Canonero —
Best Special Effects
Who Framed Roger Rabbit Ken Ralston, Richard Williams, Edward Jones, George Gibbs Winner
Die Hard Richard Edlund, Al DiSarro, Brent Boates, Thaine Morris —
Willow Dennis Muren, Michael J. McAlister, Phil Tippett, Chris Evans —
Best Short Film (Live Action)
The Appointments of Dennis Jennings Dean Parisot, Steven Wright Winner
Cadillac Dreams Matia Karrell, Abbee Goldstein —
Gullah Tales George deGolian, Gary Moss —
Best Documentary Short Film
You Don't Have to Die William Guttentag, Malcolm Clarke Winner
The Children's Storefront Karen Goodman —
A Family Gathering Lise Yasui, Ann Tegnell —
Gang Cops Thomas B. Fleming, Daniel J. Marks —
Portrait of Imogen Nancy Hale, Meg Partridge —
Best Animated Short Film
Tin Toy John Lasseter, William Reeves Winner
The Cat Came Back Cordell Barker —
Technological Threat Bill Kroyer, Brian Jennings —
Honorary Award
— National Film Board of Canada - in recognition of its 50th anniversary and its dedicated commitment to originate artistic, creative and technological activity and excellence in every area of film making. Winner
— Eastman Kodak Company - in recognition of the company's fundamental contributions to the art of motion pictures during the first century of film history. Winner
Special Achievement Award
Who Framed Roger Rabbit Richard Williams - for the animation direction of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Winner

Rain Man
Statistics

Most Awarded

2 or more wins
  • Rain Man 4
  • Who Framed Roger Rabbit 4
  • Dangerous Liaisons 3

Most Nominated

3 or more nominations
  • Rain Man 8
  • Dangerous Liaisons 7
  • Mississippi Burning 7
  • Who Framed Roger Rabbit 7
  • Working Girl 6
  • Gorillas in the Mist 5
  • The Accidental Tourist 4
  • Die Hard 4
  • A Fish Called Wanda 3
  • Tucker: The Man and His Dream 3

Most Unluckiest

wins / nominations
  • Mississippi Burning 1 / 7
  • Working Girl 1 / 6
  • Gorillas in the Mist 0 / 5
  • Rain Man 4 / 8
  • Dangerous Liaisons 3 / 7
  • Die Hard 0 / 4
  • Who Framed Roger Rabbit 4 / 7
  • The Accidental Tourist 1 / 4
  • Tucker: The Man and His Dream 0 / 3
  • A Fish Called Wanda 1 / 3

Only one nomination

36 movies:
  • The Accused
  • The Appointments of Dennis Jennings
  • Bagdad Cafe
  • Beaches
  • Beetlejuice
  • Bird
  • Bull Durham
  • Buster
  • Cadillac Dreams
  • The Cat Came Back
  • The Children's Storefront
  • A Cry in the Dark
  • The Cry of Reason: Beyers Naude – An Afrikaner Speaks Out
  • A Family Gathering
  • Gang Cops
  • Gullah Tales
  • A Handful of Dust
  • Hanussen
  • Hôtel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie
  • The Last Temptation of Christ
  • Let's Get Lost
  • Married to the Mob
  • The Milagro Beanfield War
  • The Music Teacher
  • Portrait of Imogen
  • Promises to Keep
  • Salaam Bombay!
  • Scrooged
  • Stand and Deliver
  • Sunset
  • Technological Threat
  • Tequila Sunrise
  • Tin Toy
  • Who Killed Vincent Chin?
  • Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
  • You Don't Have to Die

Updated at