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Year: 1980 (53rd) Academy Awards
Category: Actress in a Supporting Role
Film Title: Melvin and Howard
Winner: Mary Steenburgen
Presenter: Donald Sutherland, Diana Ross
Date & Venue: March 31, 1981; Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
MARY STEENBURGEN:
Well I'm gonna to have to figure out something new to dream about, that's for sure. Nobody ever accused me of being a fast talker but I'm gonna try tonight because this supporting actress was supported by a great many people, a few whom I would like to quickly thank.
I'd like to thank my family in Arkansas for always believing against all odds that something like this was gonna happen. And then I'd like to thank two teachers, Sandy Meisner and Kenneth Gillam*, for the profound influence that they had upon my work. And then if anybody ever had a patron saint it was me. In 1977, when he insisted on casting me as his leading lady in a film called "Goin' South," everybody told him he was crazy. But thank goodness for me that he was and is Jack Nicholson. Thank you very much.
There's a couple more. Thank you, Melvin Dummar, for the inspiration. Bo Goldman, for the simple splendor of your words. And Jonathan Demme, thank you for your vision and your talent and for the plain, old-fashioned fun it was to work with you. Thank you, Don Phillips and Art Linson, our producers. Jason Robards, Paul Le Mat, Pamela Reed and the rest of the wonderful cast and crew of "Melvin and Howard." And last of all, I must thank you, Malcolm, for making life so nice that I feel like tap dancing. Thanks a lot.
[*Name and spelling not confirmed.]
© Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
[Note: All winners are present except where noted; NOT all winners may have spoken.]
