Academy Story

In 1981 the Awards were once again postponed, this time for 24 hours because of the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.

Makeup became an annual category, with Rick Baker winning for his work on “An American Werewolf in London.” The Gordon E. Sawyer Award, recognizing technological contributions to the industry, was established.

The first Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting were awarded, with the competition expanding three years after to include writers across the U.S. (with the number of entries jumping to 1,400). It quickly grew into a prestigious international screenwriting competition.