24th Tony Awards


The 24th Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by NBC television on April 19, 1970, from the Mark Hellinger Theatre in New York City. Hosts were Julie Andrews, Shirley MacLaine and Walter Matthau.

The ceremony

Presenters: Clive Barnes, Mia Farrow, Elliott Gould, Claire Bloom, Michael Caine, Jack Cassidy, David Frost, Cary Grant, Patricia Neal, George C. Scott, James Stewart, Maggie Smith, Robert Stephens.
Musicals represented:
Winners are in bold
Best PlayBest Musical

  • Applause
  • * Coco
  • * Purlie
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
  • Fritz Weaver – Child's Play as Jerome Malley
  • * James Coco – Last of the Red Hot Lovers as Barney Cashman
  • * Frank Grimes – Borstal Boy as Young Behan
  • * Stacy Keach – Indians as Buffalo Bill
  • Tammy Grimes – Private Lives as Amanda Prynne
  • * Geraldine Brooks – Brightower as Sara Brightower
  • * Helen Hayes – Harvey as Veta Louise Simmons
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
  • Cleavon Little – Purlie as Purlie
  • * Len Cariou – Applause as Bill Sampson
  • * Robert Weede – Cry for Us All as Edward Quinn
  • Lauren Bacall – Applause as Margo Channing
  • * Katharine Hepburn – Coco as Coco Chanel
  • * Dilys Watling – Georgy as Georgina 'Georgy' Parkin
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
  • Ken Howard – Child's Play as Paul Reese
  • * Joseph Bova – The Chinese and Dr. Fish as Mr. Lee
  • * Dennis King – A Patriot for Me as Baron von Epp
  • Blythe Danner – Butterflies Are Free as Jill Tanner
  • * Alice Drummond – The Chinese and Dr. Fish as Mrs. Lee
  • * Eileen Heckart – Butterflies Are Free as Mrs. Baker
  • * Linda Lavin – Last of the Red Hot Lovers as Elaine Navazio
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
  • René Auberjonois – Coco as Sebastian Baye
  • * Brandon Maggart – Applause as Buzz Richards
  • * George Rose – Coco as Louis Greff
  • Melba Moore – Purlie as Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins
  • * Bonnie Franklin – Applause as Bonnie the Gypsy
  • * Penny Fuller – Applause as Eve Harrington
  • * Melissa Hart – Georgy as Meredith
    • Best Direction of a PlayBest Direction of a Musical
  • Joseph Hardy – Child's Play
  • * Milton Katselas – Butterflies Are Free
  • * Tómas Mac Anna – Borstal Boy
  • * Robert Moore – Last of the Red Hot Lovers
  • Ron Field – Applause
  • * Michael Benthall – Coco
  • * Philip Rose – Purlie
    • Best ChoreographyBest Scenic Design
  • Ron Field – Applause
  • * Michael Bennett – Coco
  • * Grover Dale – Billy
  • * Louis Johnson – Purlie
  • Jo Mielziner – Child's Play
  • * Howard Bay – Cry for Us All
  • * Ming Cho Lee – Billy
  • * Robert Randolph – Applause
    • Best Costume DesignBest Lighting Design
  • Cecil Beaton – Coco
  • * Ray Aghayan – Applause
  • * W. Robert Lavine – Jimmy!
  • * Freddy Wittop – A Patriot for Me
  • Jo Mielziner – Child's Play
  • * Tharon Musser – Applause
  • * Thomas Skelton – Indians

    • Special awards

  • Sir Noël Coward for his multiple and immortal contributions to the theatre
  • Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne
  • New York Shakespeare Festival, for pioneering efforts on behalf of new plays
  • Barbra Streisand – Star of the Decade

    Multiple nominations and awards

    • These productions had multiple nominations:
    The following productions received multiple awards.