1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 88

    Yesterday, I decided to talk about the Final Four. I had the choice to talk about them winning or the Oscars. But I went NCAA. 

    I think it's quite interesting that the networks pitted the Oscars and the Final Four against each other. It's a major statement as to how unimportant basketball, especially college basketball was considered back in 1977. Nowadays, it would be considered unthinkable to pit the Final Four against the Oscars. Why, it's considered bad form to have the President do a public address against the Final Four because he'd lose in the ratings. Not 40 years ago however...

Rocky Meets the Great One.

    The winners of the Oscars were all from films released in 1976.

      Best Picture was Rocky and it's director won too. But Rocky himself, Sylvester Stallone lost out to the late Peter Finch for his role in Network in the Best Actor category. (Many film experts agree that had Finch not passed right after Network's release, Sly would have gotten the award.) Stallone also missed on on Best Original Screenplay.

Finch's widow Eltha Finch accepting the Best Actor Osca.r

      Faye Dunaway won Best Actress for Network. 

      Best Supporting Actor was Jason Robards for All the President's Men.

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  Best Supporting Actress was Network's Beatrice Straight. Her less than 6 minutes of screen time made her the winner with smallest film role in Oscar history.

      Rounding out some of the more memorable award winners, composer Jerry Goldsmith won for his haunting work in the Omen while Barbra Streisand won Best Original Song for the Love Theme to A Star Is Born.

       Well, that's my daily look at 1977. Tune in tomorrow for another look at my favorite year.