The 65th Academy Awards Memorable Moments

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Best Picture: Unforgiven


Unforgiven also won Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman), Directing (Clint Eastwood), and Film Editing (Joel Cox).


Clint Eastwood was the fourth actor in Oscar history to win an Academy Award for directing a movie in which he also starred. The others were Woody Allen for “Annie Hall” in 1977, Warren Beatty for Reds in 1981, and Kevin Costner for Dances With Wolves in 1990.


Al Pacino won his first Oscar, having earned six prior nominations. For 1992, he was nominated both as Best Supporting Actor in “Glengarry Glen Ross” and Best Actor in “Scent of a Woman.” He won for Best Actor. 


For the second year in a row, Alan Menken won two Oscars, one for Original Score and one for Original Song, for Disney’s “Aladdin.” Menken co-wrote “A Whole New World” with lyricist Tim Rice.


Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn both received Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards. 


Billy Crystal was the host. He made his entrance onto the stage with a whip in his hand, riding atop a giant Oscar pulled by Jack Palance.


On April 2, 1992, mobster John Gotti, who had been nicknamed the Teflon Don for eluding several earlier convictions, was found guilty of 13 federal charges, including murder and racketeering, by a New York jury.


On April 12, 1992, Euro Disneyland opened in Paris.


On April 29, 1992, the four Los Angeles police officers who had been videotaped while beating Rodney King were acquitted of assault charges, sparking violent riots in major cities around the U.S. In Los Angeles, the riots lasted for three days and caused 53 deaths, 4,000 injuries, 12,000 arrests, and more than 3,000 fires throughout the city.


On May 19, 1992, Amy Fisher shot Mary Jo Buttafuoco, wife of Joey Buttafuoco, in Massapequa, New York.


On May 22, 1992, Johnny Carson retired as host of “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” On May 25, 1992, Jay Leno presided over the first episode of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”


In June 1992, Vice President Dan Quayle erroneously corrected a student's spelling of the word “potato” at an elementary school spelling bee in New Jersey. Quayle indicated that “potato” should have an “e” at the end.


On September 20, 1992, quarterback Brett Favre made his first start with the Green Bay Packers.


On October 3, 1992, after her a cappella performance of the song “War” on “Saturday Night Live,” Sinéad O’Connor tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II to protest alleged sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests.


On November 3, 1992, Bill Clinton defeated incumbent president George H.W. Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot in the U.S. presidential election.


On December 9, 1992, British Prime Minister John Major announced the formal separation of Charles, Prince of Wales, and his wife, Princess Diana.


Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

To Audrey Hepburn.


Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

To Elizabeth Taylor.


Honorary Award

To Federico Fellini in recognition of his place as one of the screen’s master storytellers.