As gaffes go it pushed the envelope, but it wasn’t the first Oscars bungle
NOTHING, and I mean nothing, brings people together like a balls-up on live TV.
While #Warrengate is the biggest Academy Award blunder in history, there have been plenty of other flubs, bungles, and streakers.
When announcing the Best Actor at the 1933 Oscars, Will Rogers quipped: “Come up and get it, Frank.” He was referring to Frank Lloyd but Frank Capra also made his way to the stage.
Realising the mix-up, Mr Capra returned to his seat. “It was the longest, saddest, most shattering walk in my life,” he said.
When John Travolta dubbed Idina Menzel “Adele Dazeem” at the 2014 Academy Awards, the internet lit up. ‘Slate’ magazine created a widget allowing users to “Travoltify your name”.
Spencer Tracy had to be given a second statuette at the 1938 ceremony when it was wrongly inscribed with the name ‘Dick Tracy’.
The 1989 Oscars opening was an absolute and utter disaster.
Post-sex-tape-scandal Rob Lowe (inset) and newcomer Eileen Bowman sang a version of ‘Proud Mary’ featuring Ms Bowman as Snow White. It lasted for 15 minutes – yes, 15 – and was a trainwreck from start to finish.
Afterwards, Disney sued for copyright infringement. Julie Andrews, Paul Newman and Gregory Peck called it an “embarrassment”. Ms Bowman said it destroyed her career and ruined her life.
Alice Brady won her first Academy Award in 1937 for ‘Old Chicago’, but was unable to make it to the ceremony due to a broken ankle.
Her award was accepted by a man who, it later turned out, Ms Brady didn’t know. The man was never seen again and neither was the Oscar. In 2013 Jennifer Lawrence fell to the floor after tripping on her floor-length gown as she walked up steps to the stage to accept the Oscar for best actress. Greer Garson’s drawn-out acceptance speech in 1943 for her role in ‘Mrs Miniver’ clocked in at five minutes, 30 seconds, prompting the Academy to introduce a time limit.
When David Niven was introducing Elizabeth Taylor to present the 1974 Best Picture Oscar, conceptual artist Robert Opal streaked across the stage.