Shirley Jones winning Best Supporting Actress

Hugh Griffith presenting Shirley Jones with the Oscar® for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in "Elmer Gantry" at the 33rd Academy Awards® in 1961. Introduced by Bob Hope.

[@cjones3957]

What a humble acceptance speech. There's literally nothing negative you can say about this woman.

[@annettebohl901]

So true.I've watched her my whole life. A month ago I was watching her life story ,I really looked at her photos ...my Goodness. not just pretty....GORGEOUS !!!! She still is!

[@oliviajohnjohnolivia8142]

Gorgeous.

[@brookehanley3659]

She is just lovely in every way

[@georgewoltz9514]

Such class! Actors today should learn from her poise and grace.

[@okonh0wp]

I just met Shirley Jones last night. I told her I was ashamed to say I hadn't watched Elmer Gantry, and she was like "Go see it! you'll love it!" So great that she has such enthusiasm for a movie from 53 years ago

[@loveanimals6981]

I really need to watch it too. I've seen most of the Academy Award-winning films and performances throughout Oscar history (and most of the films and performances that have been nominated), but somehow this one has continued to elude me.

[@zyxw2024]

Why would she need the enthusiasm to say "Go see it! you'll love it!"? More like she was being polite with saying "Go see it! you'll love it!".

[@johnking5433]

J B She didn't "need" enthusiasm. She had enthusiasm because she is a positive, energized woman. She could gave said, "Oh...good luck seeing it now...I guess..."

[@lucaszanini5359]

Oh how lovely

[@zyxw2024]

@@johnking5433 I'm the one who questioned the post. You said she didn't need enthusiasm, so you agree with me. Yet you respond to me instead of the person who posted. lol

[@mattbernabe]

Janet Leigh was absolutely gorgeous!

[@michaelverbakel7632]

I think that from above that Janet Leigh was quite shocked to see her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis win an Oscar in 2023, something she never got.

[@lorraineb.4698]

@@michaelverbakel7632Janet Leigh has been dead since 2004

[@VTMCompany]

Shirley's calm and classy dignity during her speech should be studied by all nominees; watch, learn, imitate.

[@springhill14]

Victor TalkingMachine very rehearsed

[@yvonnewalesuk8035]

@@springhill14 and so it should be...in case of a win. Today's nominees should definitely watch and learn!

[@martinleavitt6094]

👍

[@lorraineb.4698]

Shirley was a great actress. She always had such a natural, authentic delivery. And yes a wonderful acceptance Speech

[@allenjones3130]

A brief, dignified and altogether great acceptance speech by Shirley Jones, one of the greatest entertainers of all time!

[@oscarlover100]

What a great and very deserving winner!

[@sandraelder1101]

Funny, I grew up watching Partridge Family and had no idea she’d been a film actress. Joyfully discovering her film work now in my 50’s.

[@pinedelgado4743]

Shirley Jones is more than just Mrs. Partridge--she's an Oscar winner!!!! :) :)

[@seanohare5488]

She s beautiful and talented

[@jeffersonborges9932]

I saw ''Elmer Gantry'' yesterday and loved her performance!

[@MTknitter22]

Beautiful speech. Those who took a chance on her for the part - what a brilliant perfornance she gave!!

[@44032]

Oscar Hammerstein had died a few months before. He and Richard Rogers had taken Shirley out of the chorus and given her the role of Laurie in Oklahoma, which started her very successful carrier.

[@sharonramone7186]

@William Brynn Such as...

[@44032]

@William Brynn No one 'steals' an Oscar. They get voted Oscars by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Everyone has a right to their own opinion but if you disagree with who they choose, that doesn't mean the Oscar was 'stolen'.

[@johnbernstein7887]

@@44032 I haven't agreed with the Oscar since 1976 and I stopped caring about it in 1990.

[@demh7823]

What a gorgeous gown Shirley Jones wore! A woman could wear that today and look fabulous!

[@44032]

Kind of awkward going up to the stage in that, however. Fortunately, she handled it flawlessly

[@logancody8841]

What a beauty she is!

[@chrismitsos6817]

A movie like Psycho must have been considered "too much" and vulgar for the academy back then. But the talent behind that film couldn't be ignored. Hitchcock really pushed people's buttons back then!!!

[@Donde_Lieta]

I’m certainly not an expert on this topic by any means, but I believe that the “horror / thriller” genre has never performed great with the academy, at least when those 2 genres were seen as the same. They were very often overlooked during award season sadly.

[@chrismitsos6817]

@@Donde_Lieta That is true just look at The Exorcist. 10 nominations and only got best adapted screenplay from what I remember. George cukor campaigned for the film to be ignored. He said it was the end of Hollywood. The Exorcist is a masterpiece and how Linda Blair didn't get the Oscar is a travesty.

[@johnfulton4061]

@@chrismitsos6817 did you think she was better than Tatum O Neal ?Linda was great but she had plenty of help special visual effects and that demonic voice was dubbed it was former Oscar winner Mercedes Mc Cambridge Tatum should have been nominated in the Best Actress category but they were not ready to give it to an 11 yr old she certainly deserved it

[@damianlatimer2290]

​@@chrismitsos6817 and it won for sound

[@mshockey73]

She was stunning...

[@nichole69able]

Look at her gorgous gown!!!

[@hcombs0104]

It looked even better in color. Too bad most TV broadcasts were in black and white in 1961.

[@rah62]

If you have to pick it up and carry it all the way down to the stage, though, it's not a good choice.

[@nichole69able]

@@rah62 No way! Many ladies love big glamorous dresses. Every woman I know would throw that dress on in a heartbeat. Haha!

[@rah62]

@@nichole69able In an interview with the Archive of American Television (available on KZbin), she said about her Oscar dress: "I remember I had that big dress - I don't know what possessed me, I had a huge... I was wearing a BALL GOWN to the Academy Awards and I had to pick it up and carry it down the aisle."

[@rah62]

In her interview with the Archive of American Television (available on KZbin), Shirley Jones said about her Oscar dress: "I remember I had that big dress - I don't know what possessed me, I had a huge... I was wearing a BALL GOWN to the Academy Awards and I had to pick it up and carry it down the aisle."

[@JM-lw3nx]

frankly, it looks like the dress is trying to swallow her

[@lf1234]

Yes, she PLAYED that part, honey. One of my favorite oscar-minted performances.

[@davidzweiban5549]

Shirley Jones looked beautiful and gave a humble and lovely acceptance speech. And, for those who felt that Janet Leigh should have won Best Supporting Actress you might remember that the Academy is never friendly to horror films and it took decades before they changed enough to honour the first Fantasy Film (Lord of the Rings).

[@shaneschoeppner2868]

And the first Best Actress for a horror film Kathy Bates for Misery, in 1991 I think.

[@cynthiawilliams737]

Shirley Jones played against "type" in Elmer Gantry and that is always attractive!!

[@casper7319]

Shirley's dress is my all time favorite Oscars dress 😍

[@jillkjv3816]

Too bad the film was in black and white.

[@BillyAlabama]

Shirley is stunning here.

[@scottmiller6495]

Class in every way what a wonderful time back in those days nothing like that now at all !!!

[@teresadbrownbrown3785]

Agreed

[@satyendrandonibanerjee8682]

Anthony Perkins really should have been nominated for best actor in a leading role !

[@MuscleMikal]

Shirley Jones absolutely deserved this award.Her portrayal of Lulu Baines was against type, but completely believable!

[@librarybob1958]

One of the most well-deserved Oscar wins of all time. They cast Shirley against type and it paid off handsomely. Later in the decade, "Gantry" dirctor Richard Brooks would cast her in a similar part in "The Happy Ending," again to good effect. Poor Hugh Griffith, he of that strong Welsh speaking voice, he who basically drank himself out of a potentially great career.

[@44032]

Griffith sounds as if he had a few that night.

[@johnslack9672]

Of the five nominees, Miss Jones was the easy winner, but the Best Supporting Actress of 1960 should have gone to Jo Van Fleet in "Wild River."

[@saintben2008]

she looks great

[@williamtravis9283]

Beautiful Sweet Shirley Jones!

[@brookehanley3659]

Shirley was really pretty.

[@triciajohansen9295]

She still is!😘

[@MikeysGayToday]

Was? STILL IS!!

[@triciajohansen9295]

@@MikeysGayToday I agree!!!

[@missuniworld]

02:34 WHAT A DRESS!!!

[@jamesmonroe7751]

At the peak of her powers! Carousel gantry Oklahoma! And the happy ending. And this was BEFORE Shirley Partridge! A career well done!

[@DorisDayFanatic]

Oh gosh, I adore her!

[@drstrangelove6558]

one of my top 15 most deserved Winners EVER in the catagory! ;D She could do anything in that role.

[@TheListenerCanon]

I haven't seen the film, but there's no fucking way she's better than Janet Leigh.

[@m.e.d.7997]

Janet Leigh was an excellent actress. I hated when she was killed off in the movie. Missed her a lot. Marion was everything.

[@drstrangelove6558]

Listener Canon Chill down

[@emmceeee]

She is entirely deserving of this Oscar, and Janet Leigh was perhaps for Touch of Evil, or The Manchurian Candidate, but not for Psycho.

[@brianhowarth2112]

@@TheListenerCanon You haven't seen the film. Hello? McFly? is anybody in there?

[@goldenflower5134]

She just turned 90 and is beautiful!

[@miklmiklmtrcycl6009]

I had no idea that Mrs Partridge had an Oscar.

[@tomlaflamme2118]

GREAT CHOICE SHE WAS PERFECT

[@williamsnyder5616]

As one person said, I would've given it to Jo Van Fleet for "Wild River." But the film didn't make a dime and I suspect Fox decided not to even mount a campaign for Van Fleet.

[@AndrewMacLaine]

Wow. H. Griffith spent the first whole minute talking about himself, and had the gall to yank the winner's arm so he could have the last word talking about himself again!

[@anoodono1841]

Ah Shirley Jones had Welsh ancestry as had he!!

[@bovnycccoperalover3579]

A wonderful introduction by Mr. Griffith - imagine apologizing for stubbles - and a classy and humble speech by Miss Jones.

[@johnfulton4061]

He was nothing but an ugly old wind bag and he gave one of the most forgettable Oscar winning performances no one remembers this fool!

[@anoodono1841]

Yes Mr Griffith was interesting on stage. Luv tge comment bout the 'Welsh getting around'

[@margeshilling7983]

She and Lancaster both richly deserved their Oscars for this film. Jean Simmons, Arthur Kennedy and Dean Jagger were great in it, too.

[@haggis655]

Andre Previn's "Elmer Gantry" theme, heard when Jones is announced as the winner, bears a faint resemblance to "Jubilee," from Morton Gould's "Spirituals for String Choir."

[@MustaDujak]

what a dress!!!! i'm drooling!!

[@YoungFrankenstein]

Janet Leigh!!! :O

[@meirwise1107]

Stunning. Class. Still is....

[@secondstring]

You can tell it meant a lot to her.

[@nhmooytis7058]

Marian the Librarian and Shirley Partridge!

[@patfulton7746]

Now THAT’s how you make an acceptance speech! Academy members, watch and learn.

[@martinleavitt6094]

👌

[@marcusjones5755]

Look at Her Beautiful Gown, She was Absolutely Beautiful

[@rah62]

But a bad dress choice if you have to carry it all the way to the stage.

[@outinsider]

Mine too. "Oh, Mr. Gantry, SAVE me!"

[@outinsider]

Rest in Peace Shirley Knight- does anyone know where to find the movie of which she is nominated for in this clip. Grateful that Shirley Jones is still with us, don't get them confused now.

[@slc2466]

I've seen "Dark at the Top of the Stairs" on t.v. years ago; sad it's never been released on DVD or Blu-ray. Knight is touching in it, certainly enough to warrant her being shown in this clip if she was at the ceremony (I believe it may be the lovely Diane McBain being shown @ 1:53 instead of Knight).

[@trumancapote9097]

ELMER GANTRY was a great film. Burt Lancaster looked like my Dad so I always watched his movies. ATLANTIC CITY was my favorite. As for Supporting Actress, JANET LEIGH deserved to win for PSYCHO and so did ANTHONY PERKINS who wasn't even nominated.

[@btpuppy2]

Wonderful!

[@1868foxpoint]

Gorgeous gown 👍🏻

[@123benny4]

That dress! And, those eyebrows!

[@cynthiawilliams737]

The best Actress won!!

[@mrfrogg46able]

class act hugh griffin

[@johnking5433]

Watching the movie now on TCM.

[@MrImiller07]

Shirley Jones was originally going to star opposite Frank Sinatra in the film musical of "Carousel" , however Sinatra dropped out after recording portions of the score because he mistakenly believed that he would have to film scenes multiple times for Todd AO. Their chemistry would have been interesting. She worked with Brooks again in The Happy Ending, however, she never received the same opportunity to do meaningful dramatic roles that Gantry afforded her.

[@williamsnyder5616]

Technically, you're mistaken. "Carousel" was one of two films Fox shot in "CinemaScope 55." The other film was "The King and I." But CinemaScope 55 was pretty close to the same thing as Todd-AO.

[@cami5054]

That man was a wee bit strange. Shirley just simply lovely.

[@dinasztie]

With that dress, I would think Shirley Jones prepared to accept an Oscar in the 18th century.

[@KingOfNewYorkHacks]

He read a nice speech.

[@valentinr.dominguez2892]

Shirley was a beauty.

[@quietyoutrash8150]

Love her

[@fatima1009]

Between Janet Leigh and Shirley Jones, I would have gone with Janet. I've never seen the other three movies.

[@slc2466]

Think it must have been a close call, as pre-Oscar Leigh won the Golden Globe and Jones the National Board of Review, at a time when those were two of the only organizations handing out supporting awards prior to the Oscars. I know Jones has stated she thought Leigh was going to win, and Jones certainly didn't dress for an easy trip up the aisle to back up this assessment.

[@wallaceb9120]

Class

[@johnsweeney5946]

WHERE WAS THE TRAPDOOR FOR HUGH?

[@victoriajarvis2260]

Darned right!

[@jamesmonroe7751]

Next to fellow Oscar winner gig Young. The most inebriated academy award winner ever. Literally drank himself to death. Ain't that right Richard Burton?

[@slc2466]

That would have been an Oscar highlight. They should do this sometime just for fun (have a presenter yammer on and on, then get the hook or the drop).

[@allanmiller4972]

OMG! Talk about the 'MOTHER' of award show GOWNs worn by winner Jones...!! far cry from 'Marian the Librarian'!!

[@jrwxtx]

And she called up Gordon Mcrea to come to the set to replace Frank Sinatra--which he was perfect.

[@bvg83]

what a doll!

[@johnsweeney5946]

The hook for Hugh

[@trilby5546]

A great lulu of a perfornance of Lulu.

[@bjsmith5444]

After he held her hand and held her back Hugh Griffith said "we Welsh people get around you know." What does he mean?

[@slc2466]

Exiting with a beautiful woman on his arm had something to do with his comment, I suspect.

[@anoodono1841]

​@@slc2466 They are both Welsh ancestry

[@owless4]

Always such a lady.

[@almudenacarnero7934]

Juanita reina. Una music patitos. Yo mys de my. Mundo ves kien sube esta volvemos oscar.

[@mrsteehle]

Wonderful clip. Any chance of uploading Burt Lancaster's Best Actor-award for the same movie? :)

[@ernie7453]

Sleeper means unexpected hit, certainly not a bore, as perhaps Bob Hope and this gentleman thought it meant.

[@JoeMama-hu9ek]

and the Oscar for "Most Annoying Presenter of All Time" goes to...

[@musicaltheatergeek79]

And I thought Kirk Douglas had tested my patience when HE presented Supporting Actress in 2011. Must be something about that category.

[@loveanimals6981]

No, that would be Dustin Hoffman.

[@michaeljj43]

totally agree!!!!!!!

[@anthonyhutchins1441]

Lololololololololol!

[@kathleenharris3403]

He even had to have the last word exiting..disrespectful to the winner.

[@Psifonian2]

PETER USTINOV! Seriously, upload his wins, wouldja? :)

[@emiliobello2538]

Here after Jamie Lee Curtis won for Everything Everywhere All At Once

[@archelaus1598]

I personally wish Janet Leigh won, but I do love Shirley Jones.

[@agniss38]

아름답구나.

[@Alan-io2ew]

Hugh must be Welsh, nobody else has that presence.

[@kevvome]

Oh Shirley! I've had a crush on you for so many years and it's as strong as ever. I'm almost 70 and you're.......56? Let's do the right thing and get married right now! Hurry up baby, before I get too fucking old! XXXX

[@bingovegas4867]

Shirley, you got here late so you sit in row 22.

[@slc2466]

Right behind Peter Ustinov and Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, who also must have hit the cocktail bar before the show.

[@jckfmsincty]

Why wasn't Jo Van Fleet nominated for her great performance in "Wild River"?

[@independentfilmchannel1476]

Excellent question. She was better than any of them.

[@slc2466]

I think the movie was dead in the water upon release, then had its reputation grow over the years.

[@Cunninghamily]

1:49

[@JJJBRICE]

Wow Ms. Jones won over Janet Leighs Psycho .

[@TheListenerCanon]

At least her daughter finally won.

[@juliolopez7231]

Why do the nominees look so serious and upset?

[@Marcel_Audubon]

Little remembered Hugh Griffith needed to exit stage right and let Shirley speak without him in the frame.

[@neelabhraroy4238]

There is only one reason why Griffith is remembered and that is his weird beard and moustache

[@musicaltheatergeek79]

*INTERNETWORK* that's why he's little remembered, because only true movie buffs know of him. The average person/moviegoer will not recognize the name nor face.

[@williamsnyder5616]

Anyone with any knowledge of films remembers his work in not only "Ben-Hur," but his outrageous performance in "Tom Jones" and his very funny small role in "Oliver!"

[@BernardProfitendieu]

@@williamsnyder5616 "anyone with any knowledge of films" ... get off your high horse, gramps, he's been forgotten by time by almost everyone p.s. call them MOVIES instead of films to sound a lot less pretentious

[@williamsnyder5616]

@@BernardProfitendieu Oh, please, child. Go pick up your rattle...

[@bloodtypedating]

Jent

[@neutral7786]

Jamie lee curtis managed to avenge his mother

[@TheListenerCanon]

His?

[@outinsider]

She deserved it. Seriously, it was nice to see her challenge herself in playing a prostitute. It was nice to see her play a character so well and make us support her intentions of dethroning a public "saint" for the sinner he is, and in a film that even today, would be considered controversial due to its timelessness of being wary of people who call themselves a moral authority.

[@siddharthnaagar7028]

Hugh Griffith really chose a wrong occasion to get high 😂

[@drstrangelove6558]

stevens should been at least nominated for the apartment

[@m.e.d.7997]

??? Edie Adams was great.

[@drstrangelove6558]

.

[@gabrielmillines5160]

INTERNETWORK I guess he meant Stella Stevens for The Apartment, but that was actually Edie Adams.

[@dnstone1127]

Jones is a Welsh name too Lol.

[@christophermorgan3261]

I just watched it and felt Shirley Jones stole the picture. She has this wholesome image but wow the scenes with Gantry in her boudoir, well, just see it! Otherwise I don't feel the film has aged well, it's too over the top and implausible, esp the fire that destroys the tabernacle at the end, that kills the Jean Simmons character, in fact kills her so well they don't find a body, only her burnt bible, that's ridiculous!

[@jeffreysuggs2799]

That's old Hollywood

[@jillkjv3816]

The film was supposedly based on the life of Billy Sunday, but when you read up on Billy he seemed a lot more in love with Jesus than Elmer Gantry ever was.

[@josephglover4256]

How drunk was Hugh? 🤣🤣

[@constancepierce429]

One of the greatest of all Oscar injustices. Janet Leigh was fascinating (and brilliant) as Marion Crane in "Psycho." Shirley Jones's work in "Elmer Gantry" isn't even remembered today.

[@jeffreysuggs2799]

That's only because the ' wolf in sheep's skin' theme about a defrocked preacher died with Jim Baker, no one wants to discuss a charlatan who decieved the faithful and holier than thou crowd, because they might not be as holy as they thought! But it doesn't take away from her performance! As a matter of fact because she was, & has aged with wholesome goodness, her effort in this film is all the more impressive! All the supporting ladies were Oscar worthy! Ms. Jones had that 'something extra', that's why she won

[@JefferyFrisone]

Jones deserved it. The role was daring for its sexual word play like 'He rammed me with the holy word until my father burst in.' Or close to that. Leigh was great but so was Jones. For me Leigh deserved it for the Manchurian Candidate.

[@jillkjv3816]

@@JefferyFrisone Plus Leigh wasn't in that film all the way through, but her character murdered early on. Shirley had more time to shine in her role.

[@joansmith6092]

No and no! Frankie would've been TERRIBLY miscast in Carousel!

[@stanmaster1205]

I love Shirley Jones and she accepted the Oscar very graciously but Glynis Johns in the Sundowners im my opinion is also deserving of this Oscar.

[@bingovegas4867]

OMG, get on with it man.

[@PurpleWarrior13]

This should’ve absolutely gone to Janet Leigh. Of all the nominees here, her performance is the only one anyone really remembers, and it’s still one of the most iconic in cinema history. At least Shirley’s speech was nice and gracious.

[@PurpleWarrior13]

@Jarred Knox Janet Leigh gave a very complex performance that absolutely carried the first half of the movie. We feel the intense anxiety and desperation from her character, along with her sense of loneliness beneath the polite exterior. A bad performance would’ve made that part of the film feel more flat, even with Hitchcock’s direction (just watch Anne Heche handle the exact same material in the 1998 shot-for-shot remake). She was absolutely awards-worthy. The film as a whole was passed over though, likely because the Academy has always had a hard time awarding genre films. Janet’s lucky she was nominated at all, and it’s absolutely criminal that Anthony Perkins wasn’t nominated for Best Actor, and even Bernard Hermann’s legendary score was snubbed. Even 60 years later, we’re still studying and discussing Psycho more than the other films nominated (although The Apartment is a fantastic film too).

[@jeffreysuggs2799]

@Jarred Knox I agree Ms. Jones was the right choice for the Oscar but Ms. Leigh was Oscar worthy so was Ms.Knight, they could've all won, but Ms. Jones had that'something extra'!

[@SueProv]

@Jarred Knox-Neyhart-May I agree Ive seen Psycho several times and I found her boring. Nothing against Ms. Lee. I always liked her.