1st Youth in Film Awards
The 1st Youth in Film Awards ceremony, presented by the Youth in Film Association, honored outstanding youth performers in the fields of film, television and music for the 1978–1979 season, and took place in October 1979 at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Universal City, California.
Established in 1978 by long-standing Hollywood Foreign Press Association member, Maureen Dragone, the Youth in Film Association was the first organization to establish an awards ceremony specifically set to recognize and award the contributions of performers under the age of 21 in the fields of film, television, theater and music.
Although the Youth in Film Awards were conceived as a way to primarily recognize youth performers under the age of 18, the eldest winner in a competitive category at the 1st annual ceremony was Dennis Christopher who was 23 years old on the night he won as Best Juvenile Actor in a Motion Picture for his performance in Breaking Away.Categories
★ Bold indicates the winner in each category.Best Young Performer in a Feature Film
Dennis Christopher – Breaking Away – 20th Century Fox
- Thelonious Bernard – A Little Romance – Warner Bros
- – Walk Proud – Universal
- – Rich Kids – United Artists
- Ricky Schroder – The Champ – MGM
Best Juvenile Actress in A Motion Picture
Diane Lane – A Little Romance – Warner Bros
- Trini Alvarado – Rich Kids – United Artists
- Mariel Hemingway – Manhattan – United Artists
- Patsy Kensit – Hanover Street – Columbia
- Brooke Shields – Just You and Me, Kid – Columbia
- – Benji's Very Own Christmas Story – Mulberry Square
Best Young Performer in a TV Series or Special
Best Juvenile Actor in A TV Series or Special
★ Adam Rich – Eight is Enough – ABC
- Willie Aames – Eight is Enough – ABC
- Shaun Cassidy – – ABC
- Gary Coleman – Diff'rent Strokes – NBC
- Noah Hathaway – Battlestar Galactica – Universal
Best Juvenile Actress in a TV Series or Special
★ Charlene Tilton – Dallas – CBS
- Danielle Brisebois – All in the Family – CBS
- Quinn Cummings – Family – ABC
- Melissa Gilbert – Little House on the Prairie – NBC
- Kristy McNichol – Family – ABC
Best Young Performer in a TV Daytime Series
Best Juvenile Actor in A Daytime Series
★ – Days of Our Lives – NBC
- – The Doctors – NBC
- – Days of Our Lives – NBC
Best Juvenile Actress in A Daytime Series
★ Tracey Bregman – Days of Our Lives – NBC
- Genie Francis – General Hospital – ABC
- – Days of Our Lives – NBC
Best Young Musical Recording Artist
Best Juvenile Musical Recording Artist – Male
★ Michael Jackson – Off the Wall – Epic
- Shaun Cassidy – Room Service – Warner Bros.
- Jimmy Osmond – Steppin' Out – Mercury
Best Juvenile Musical Recording Artist – Female
★ Evelyn "Champagne" King – Shame – RCA
- Marie Osmond – Steppin' Out – Mercury
Best Entertainment Featuring Youth
★ A Little Romance – WB
- Breaking Away – 20th Century Fox
- The Champ – MGM
- Nutcracker Fantasy – Sanrio Communications
- The Muppet Movie – Marble Arch
Best TV Series or Special Featuring Youth
★ Eight is Enough – ABC
- Benji's Very Own Christmas Story – Mulberry Square
- Diff'rent Strokes – NBC
- Little House on the Prairie – NBC
- The Waltons – CBS
Best Musical Entertainment Featuring Youth – TV or Motion Picture
★ Nutcracker Fantasy – Sanrio Communications
- Hair – United Artists
- Sha Na Na – NBC
- Sleeping Beauty 1979 re-release – Disney
- The Muppet Movie – Marble Arch
Special awards
Best Juvenile Comedian
★ Gary Coleman – Diff'rent Strokes – NBCThe Sybil Jason Award
Best Juvenile Actress in a Motion Picture
★ Diane Lane – A Little Romance – WBThe Jackie Coogan Award
Best Juvenile Actor in a Motion Picture
★ Thelonious Bernard – A Little Romance – WBJane Withers
