17th Academy Awards


The 17th Academy Awards marked the first time the complete awards ceremony was broadcast nationally, on the Blue Network. Bob Hope hosted the 70-minute broadcast, which included film clips that required explanation for the radio audience. This tradition ended abruptly after the 1948 ceremony as a result of the Paramount antitrust decrees, only to return gradually since the late 1960s.
This is the first year that the Best Picture category was limited to five pictures. This was also the first and only time an individual was nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for playing the same role in the same film: Barry Fitzgerald for the character of Father Fitzgibbon in Going My Way. He won for Best Supporting Actor.

Awards

Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.

  • Leo McCarey – Going My Way
  • *Billy Wilder – Double Indemnity
  • *Otto Preminger – Laura
  • *Alfred Hitchcock – Lifeboat
  • *Henry King – Wilson
  • Bing CrosbyGoing My Way as Father Chuck O'Malley
  • *Charles Boyer – Gaslight as Gregory Anton/Sergius Bauer
  • *Barry Fitzgerald – Going My Way as Father Fitzgibbon
  • *Cary Grant – None but the Lonely Heart as Ernie Mott
  • *Alexander Knox – Wilson as Woodrow Wilson
  • Ingrid BergmanGaslight as Paula Alquist Anton
  • *Claudette Colbert – Since You Went Away as Mrs Anne Hilton
  • *Bette Davis – Mr. Skeffington as Frances Beatrice "Fanny" Trellis Skeffington
  • *Greer Garson – Mrs. Parkington as Susie Parkington
  • *Barbara Stanwyck – Double Indemnity as Phyllis Dietrichson
  • Barry Fitzgerald – Going My Way as Father Fitzgibbon
  • *Hume Cronyn – The Seventh Cross as Paul Roeder
  • *Claude Rains – Mr. Skeffington as Job Skeffington
  • *Clifton Webb – Laura as Waldo Lydecker
  • *Monty Woolley – Since You Went Away as Colonel William G. Smollett
  • Ethel BarrymoreNone But the Lonely Heart as Ma Mott
  • *Jennifer Jones – Since You Went Away as Jane Deborah Hilton
  • *Angela Lansbury – Gaslight as Nancy Oliver
  • *Aline MacMahon – Dragon Seed as Ling Tan's Wife
  • *Agnes Moorehead – Mrs. Parkington as Baroness Aspasia Conti
  • WilsonLamar Trotti
  • *Hail the Conquering HeroPreston Sturges
  • *The Miracle of Morgan's Creek – Preston Sturges
  • *Two Girls and a SailorRichard Connell and Gladys Lehman
  • *Wing and a Prayer, The Story of Carrier XJerome Cady
  • Going My Way – Frank Butler and Frank Cavett, based on a story by Leo McCarey
  • *Double IndemnityRaymond Chandler and Billy Wilder, based on Double Indemnity in Three of a Kind by James M. Cain
  • *Gaslight – John L. Balderston, Walter Reisch, and John Van Druten, based on Angel Street by Patrick Hamilton
  • *LauraJay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Elizabeth Reinhardt, based on the novel by Vera Caspary
  • *Meet Me in St. LouisIrving Brecher and Fred F. Finklehoffe, based on the novel by Sally Benson
  • Going My Way – Leo McCarey
  • *A Guy Named JoeDavid Boehm and Chandler Sprague
  • *LifeboatJohn Steinbeck
  • *None Shall EscapeAlfred Neumann and Joseph Than
  • *The SullivansEdward Doherty and Jules Schermer
  • Mouse Trouble – Fred Quimby
  • *And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry StreetGeorge Pal
  • *Dog, Cat and Canary – Raymond Katz
  • *Fish FryWalter Lantz
  • *How to Play FootballWalt Disney
  • *My Boy, JohnnyPaul Terry
  • *Swooner CroonerEdward Selzer
  • The Fighting Lady United States Navy
  • *Resisting Enemy InterrogationUnited States Army Air Force
  • With the Marines at Tarawa United States Marine Corps
  • *Hymn of the NationsUnited States Office of War Information, Overseas Motion Picture Bureau
  • *New AmericansRKO Radio
  • Who's Who in Animal LandJerry Fairbanks
  • *Blue Grass Gentlemen – Edmund Reek
  • *Jammin' the BluesGordon Hollingshead
  • *Movie PestsPete Smith
  • *Screen Snapshots' 50th Anniversary of Motion PicturesRalph Staub
  • I Won't Play – Gordon Hollingshead
  • *BombaleraLouis Harris
  • *Main Street TodayJerry Bresler
  • Since You Went AwayMax Steiner
  • *Address UnknownMorris Stoloff and Ernst Toch
  • *The Adventures of Mark Twain – Max Steiner
  • *The Bridge of San Luis ReyDimitri Tiomkin
  • *Casanova BrownArthur Lange
  • *Christmas Holiday – H. J. Salter
  • *Double IndemnityMiklós Rózsa
  • *The Fighting SeabeesWalter Scharf and Roy Webb
  • *The Hairy Ape – Edward Paul and Michel Michelet
  • *It Happened TomorrowRobert Stolz
  • *Jack LondonFrederic Efrem Rich
  • *KismetHerbert Stothart
  • *None but the Lonely HeartHanns Eisler and C. Bakaleinikoff
  • *The Princess and the PirateDavid Rose
  • *Summer StormKarl Hajos
  • *Three Russian Girls – W. Franke Harling
  • *Up in Mabel's Room – Edward Paul
  • *Voice in the Wind – Michel Michelet
  • *WilsonAlfred Newman
  • *The Woman of the Town – Miklós Rózsa
  • Cover Girl – Morris Stoloff and Carmen Dragon
  • *Brazil – Walter Scharf
  • *Higher and Higher – C. Bakaleinikoff
  • *Hollywood CanteenRay Heindorf
  • *Irish Eyes Are Smiling – Alfred Newman
  • *Knickerbocker Holiday – Werner R. Heymann and Kurt Weill
  • *Lady in the DarkRobert Emmett Dolan
  • *Lady, Let's DanceEdward Kay
  • *Meet Me in St. LouisGeorgie Stoll
  • *The Merry Monahans – H. J. Salter
  • *Minstrel ManFerde Grofé and Leo Erdody
  • *Sensations of 1945 – Mahlon Merrick
  • *Song of the Open RoadCharles Previn
  • *Up in Arms – Ray Heindorf and Louis Forbes
  • "Swinging on a Star" from Going My Way – Music by James Van Heusen; Lyrics by Johnny Burke
  • *"I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night" from Higher and Higher – Music by Jimmy McHugh; Lyrics by Harold Adamson
  • *"I'll Walk Alone" from Follow the Boys – Music by Jule Styne; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
  • *"I'm Making Believe" from Sweet and Lowdown – Music by James V. Monaco; Lyrics by Mack Gordon
  • *"Long Ago and Far Away" from Cover Girl – Music by Jerome Kern; Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
  • *"Now I Know" from Up in Arms – Music by Harold Arlen; Lyrics by Ted Koehler
  • *"Remember Me to Carolina" from Minstrel Man – Music by Harry Revel; Lyrics by Paul Webster
  • *"Rio de Janeiro" from Brazil – Music by Ary Barroso; Lyrics by Ned Washington
  • *"Silver Shadows and Golden Dreams" from Lady, Let's Dance – Music by Lew Pollack; Lyrics by Charles Newman
  • *"Sweet Dreams Sweetheart" from Hollywood Canteen – Music by Maurice K. Jerome; Lyrics by Ted Koehler
  • *"Too Much in Love" from Song of the Open Road – Music by Walter Kent; Lyrics by Kim Gannon
  • *"The Trolley Song" from Meet Me in St. LouisMusic and Lyrics by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin
  • Wilson – Edmund H. Hansen
  • *Brazil – Daniel J. Bloomberg
  • *Casanova Brown – Thomas T. Moulton
  • *Cover Girl – John P. Livadary
  • *Double Indemnity – Loren L. Ryder
  • *His Butler's Sister – Bernard B. Brown
  • *Hollywood CanteenNathan Levinson
  • *It Happened TomorrowJack Whitney
  • *KismetDouglas Shearer
  • *Music in ManhattanStephen Dunn
  • *Voice in the Wind – W. M. Dalgleish
  • Gaslight – Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons and William Ferrari; Interior Decoration: Paul Huldschinsky and Edwin B. Willis
  • *Address Unknown – Art Direction: Lionel Banks and Walter Holscher; Interior Decoration: Joseph Kish
  • *The Adventures of Mark Twain – Art Direction: John Hughes; Interior Decoration: Fred M. MacLean
  • *Casanova Brown – Art Direction: Perry Ferguson; Interior Decoration: Julia Heron
  • *Laura – Art Direction: Lyle R. Wheeler and Leland Fuller; Interior Decoration: Thomas Little
  • *No Time for Love – Art Direction: Hans Dreier and Robert Usher; Interior Decoration: Samuel M. Comer
  • *Since You Went Away – Art Direction: Mark-Lee Kirk; Interior Decoration: Victor A. Gangelin
  • *Step Lively – Art Direction: Albert S. D'Agostino and Carroll Clark; Interior Decoration: Darrell Silvera and Claude Carpenter
  • *Song of the Open Road – N/A
  • Wilson – Art Direction: Wiard Ihnen; Interior Decoration: Thomas Little
  • *The Climax – Art Direction: John B. Goodman and Alexander Golitzen; Interior Decoration: Russell A. Gausman and Ira S. Webb
  • *Cover Girl – Art Direction: Lionel Banks and Cary Odell; Interior Decoration: Fay Babcock
  • *The Desert Song – Art Direction: Charles Novi; Interior Decoration: Jack McConaghy
  • *Kismet – Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons and Daniel B. Cathcart; Interior Decoration: Edwin B. Willis and Richard Pefferle
  • *Lady in the Dark – Art Direction: Hans Dreier and Raoul Pene Du Bois; Interior Decoration: Ray Moyer
  • *The Princess and the Pirate – Art Direction: Ernst Fegté; Interior Decoration: Howard Bristol
  • Laura – Joseph LaShelle
  • *Double Indemnity – John F. Seitz
  • *Dragon Seed – Sidney Wagner
  • *GaslightJoseph Ruttenberg
  • *Going My WayLionel Lindon
  • *LifeboatGlen MacWilliams
  • *Since You Went AwayStanley Cortez and Lee Garmes
  • *Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo – Robert L. Surtees and Harold Rosson
  • *The UninvitedCharles Lang
  • *The White Cliffs of Dover – George J. Folsey
  • WilsonLeon Shamroy
  • *Cover GirlRudolph Maté and Allen M. Davey
  • *Home in IndianaEdward Cronjager
  • *KismetCharles Rosher
  • *Lady in the DarkRay Rennahan
  • *Meet Me in St. Louis – George J. Folsey
  • Wilson – Barbara McLean
  • *Going My WayLeroy Stone
  • *JanieOwen Marks
  • *None but the Lonely HeartRoland Gross
  • *Since You Went Away – Hal C. Kern and James E. Newcom
  • Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo – Photographic Effects A. Arnold Gillespie, Donald Jahraus and Warren Newcombe; Sound Effects: Douglas Shearer
  • *The Adventures of Mark Twain – Photographic Effects: Paul Detlefsen and John Crouse; Sound Effects: Nathan Levinson
  • *Days of Glory – Photographic Effects Vernon L. Walker; Sound Effects: James G. Stewart and Roy Granville
  • *Secret Command – Photographic Effects: David Allen, Ray Cory and Robert Wright; Sound Effects: Russell Malmgren and Harry Kusnick
  • *Since You Went Away – Photographic Effects: Jack Cosgrove; Sound Effects: Arthur Johns
  • *The Story of Dr. Wassell – Photographic Effects: Farciot Edouart and Gordon Jennings; Sound Effects: George Dutton
  • *Wilson – Photographic Effects: Fred Sersen; Sound Effects: Roger Heman Sr.
  • Academy Honorary Award

  • Bob Hope "for his many services to the Academy".

    Academy Juvenile Award

  • Margaret O'Brien

    Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

  • Darryl F. Zanuck

    Presenters

  • Hugo Butler
  • Charles Coburn
  • John Cromwell
  • Barry Fitzgerald
  • Bob Hope
  • Jennifer Jones
  • Mervyn LeRoy
  • Norma Shearer
  • Hal B. Wallis
  • Walter Wanger
  • Teresa Wright

    Multiple nominations and awards

  • The following twenty-nine received multiple nominations:
    The following three films received multiple awards: