Academy Awards of 1964 - Class Of 1964
 

The buzz swirled around two actresses for the 1964 Oscar: Lila Kerdova in “Zorba the Greek,” and Gladys Cooper in “My Fair Lady.” Two films based on musicals of the same name. The dynamic, Russian Kerdova received the award for her portrayal of Madame Hortense, beating out the enormously popular, and fan favorite Cooper.

Peter Ustinov was truly at the top of his game in the early 1960s, and in 1965, he received his 2nd Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in 1964's “Topkapi.” Ustinov played the small-time hustler, Arthur Simon Simpson, in this jewel caper classic. Four years earlier, he also scored an Oscar for his role in the epic “Spartacus.”

Oh, the drama of the drama-world. 1964. Julie Andrews was snubbed by Warner Bros. after starring as Eliza Doolittle in the Broadway production of “My Fair Lady.” The studio opted for the eternally charming Audrey Hepburn, but agreed that Hepburn would require a voice-over for her singing voice—a voice that Julie Andrews already had, and displayed to critical acclaim nearly a decade earlier. Regardless, Andrews would star in her own film in 1964, entitled, “Mary Poppins.” Andrews also scored the Oscar for Best Actress. Hepburn wasn't even nominated.

Professor Henry Higgins--Rex Harrison? Or Zorba, himself, Anthony Quinn? The buzz surrounding the Best Actor category involved these two gentlemen, and on the night of the broadcast, the potential award was up in the air. Harrison went on to take the Oscar home, helping to solidify his place in cinematic history. Harrison worked in movies until 1982. Harrison passed away at the age of 82 in 1990.

Critics raved about Stanley Kubrick's work on the 1964 release, “Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.” However, it was George Cukor who impressed the Academy members for his work on “My Fair Lady.” Cukor went on to direct until the year before his death. His last film, “Rich and Famous” featured a young actress by the name of Meg Ryan.

Just as it often does in contemporary times, the 1964 Academy Award came down to the fan favorite vs. the critics choice. In the end, though “Dr. Strangelove...” is widely considered one of the greatest films of all time, “My Fair Lady” was awarded the Oscar, etching the title into American cinema's rich history. As briefly mentioned, the film was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. and starred Rex Harrison as Henry Higgins and Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle.