39th Tony Awards


The 39th Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by CBS television on June 2, 1985, from the Shubert Theatre. Instead of a formal host, there was a group of performers/presenters. Some paid tribute to the songs of Jule Styne, Cy Coleman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, with these composers ending the broadcast by playing songs from their respective new shows. Mary Martin introduced the Special Award for Yul Brynner.

The ceremony

For the first time in the history of the Tony Awards, awards were not presented for the lead actor and actress in a musical and choreography.
According to The New York Times, "Theater historians and Tony administrators say they cannot recall an instance when one category was dropped from the awards, much less three."
As Ken Mandelbaum noted: "1985: Things get bad enough musically to require the elimination of the Best Musical Actor and Actress categories, as well as the choreography prize." The Associated Press wrote: "For the first time in the Tony's 39-year history, awards in three categories - best actor and actress in a musical and best choreography - were scrapped because of a lack of candidates." In a further report, the Associated Press noted: "The award for best actress, musical was eliminated this season because there was only one eligible candidate. The nominating committee declined to give nominations in the leading actor in a musical and choreography categories because they did not consider any of the performances or choreography outstanding or excellent."
Musicals represented:
Presenters and Performers: Danny Aiello, Susan Anton, Hinton Battle, Deborah Bauers, Deborah Burrell, Terry Burrell, Jim Dale, Loretta Devine, Jackie Gleason, Julie Harris, Rex Harrison, George Hearn, Van Johnson, Raul Julia, Rosetta LeNoire, Mary Martin, Millicent Martin, Maureen McGovern, Rita Moreno, Mike Nichols, Stefanie Powers, Juliet Prowse, Tony Randall, Lee Roy Reams, Lynn Redgrave, Chita Rivera, Wanda Richert, Tony Roberts, Rex Smith, Leslie Uggams, Dick Van Dyke, Ben Vereen, Tom Wopat

Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold
Source: InfoPlease
Best PlayBest Musical

  • Big River
  • * Grind
  • * Leader of the Pack
  • * Quilters
    • Best RevivalBest Book of a Musical
  • A Day in the Death of Joe Egg
  • * Cyrano de Bergerac
  • * Much Ado About Nothing
  • * Strange Interlude
  • William Hauptman – Big River
  • * Fay Kanin – Grind
  • * Michael Stewart – Harrigan 'N Hart
  • * Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek – Quilters
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
  • Derek Jacobi – Much Ado About Nothing as Benedick
  • * Jim Dale – A Day in the Death of Joe Egg as Bri
  • * Jonathan Hogan – As Is as Rich
  • * John Lithgow – Requiem for a Heavyweight as Harlan "Mountain" McClintock
  • Stockard Channing – A Day in the Death of Joe Egg as Sheila
  • * Sinéad Cusack – Much Ado About Nothing as Beatrice
  • * Rosemary Harris – Pack of Lies as Barbara Jackson
  • * Glenda Jackson – Strange Interlude as Nina Leeds
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
  • Barry Miller – Biloxi Blues as Arnold Epstein
  • * Charles S. Dutton – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Levee
  • * William Hurt – Hurlyburly as Eddie
  • * Edward Petherbridge – Strange Interlude as Charles Marsden
  • Judith Ivey – Hurlyburly as Bonnie
  • * Joanna Gleason – A Day in the Death of Joe Egg as Pam
  • * Theresa Merritt – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Ma Rainey
  • * Sigourney Weaver – Hurlyburly as Darlene
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
  • Ron Richardson – Big River as Jim
  • * René Auberjonois – Big River as The Duke
  • * Daniel H. Jenkins – Big River as Huckleberry Finn
  • * Kurt Knudson – Take Me Along as Sid Davis
  • Leilani Jones – Grind as Satin
  • * Evalyn Baron – Quilters as Daughter of the Frontier
  • * Mary Beth Peil – The King and I as Anna Leonowens
  • * Lenka Peterson – Quilters as Sarah
    • Best Direction of a PlayBest Direction of a Musical
  • Gene Saks – Biloxi Blues
  • * Keith Hack – Strange Interlude
  • * Terry Hands – Much Ado About Nothing
  • * Marshall W. Mason – As Is
  • Des McAnuff – Big River
  • * Barbara Damashek – Quilters
  • * Mitch Leigh – The King and I
  • * Harold Prince – Grind
    • Best Original Score Written for the TheatreBest Scenic Design
  • Big River – Roger Miller
  • * Grind – Larry Grossman and Ellen Fitzhugh
  • * Quilters – Barbara Damashek
  • Heidi Landesman – Big River
  • * Clarke Dunham – Grind
  • *Ralph Koltai – Much Ado About Nothing
  • * Voytek and Michael Levine – Strange Interlude
    • Best Costume DesignBest Lighting Design
  • Florence Klotz – Grind
  • * Patricia McGourty – Big River
  • * Alexander Reid – Cyrano de Bergerac
  • * Alexander Reid – Much Ado About Nothing
  • Richard Riddell – Big River
  • * Terry Hands – Cyrano de Bergerac
  • * Terry Hands – Much Ado About Nothing
  • * Allen Lee Hughes – Strange Interlude

    • Special awards

  • Regional Theatre Award - Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago, Illinois
  • Yul Brynner honoring his 4,525 performances in The King and I
  • New York State Council on the Arts

    Multiple nominations and awards

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