The Opening of the Academy Awards: 1969 Oscars

[@EagleRockers]

I was in the stands that night as the stars walked the red carpet. My high school was 10 minutes away from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and as soon as school was over I took off to get a good seat. I'll never forget the stars I saw that night, especially Joan Crawford looking regal and radiant! What a great memory!

[@bwayland1290]

EagleRockers How exciting that must have been for you. WOW !!!

[@EagleRockers]

B Wayland: I still remember it, even though it was so many years ago. I was a star-struck teenager then and I'm a star-struck senior now! That's the night Barbra Streisand ran through the bushes to avoid being interviewed and walk the red carpet.

[@remmymafia3889]

Los Angeles High? Belmont High?

[@brkitdwn]

Yeah, but did you catch her facial expression when they got her on camera when Frank Sinatra was singing? LOL

[@bluetickfreddy101]

Wow! GFY

[@peliche77]

Ingrid Bergman and Rosalind Russell.....What a great ladies! Two of the best actresses of the Hollywood golden era.

[@siempremarisol]

joan crAWFORD AND LORETTA YONG

[@kimmar4060]

Wow, the fashion was so very elegant - particularly Ingrid Bergman.

[@bovnycccoperalover3579]

When the Academy Awards and the stars had class and talent!

[@mrjones29]

Joanne Woodward, Raquel Welch, Barbara Streisand, Diahann Carroll, Jane Fonda, Natalie Wood all legendary beauties everywhere, but Ingrid Bergman's beauty in her heyday was the pinnacle of old Hollywood glamour. What a great lineup.

[@2legit64]

You are so correct!

[@siempremarisol]

vanessa redgrave, dorothy lamour, jane wyman,and the sublime Loretta young

[@sushicookie8471]

JOAN CRAWFORD

[@mrjones29]

@@sushicookie8471 What about Joan Crawford?

[@bingovegas4867]

Some fan...it's BARBRA!

[@indiamedia147]

Ingrid is the definition of class

[@TheCMLion]

There was a time when Ingrid had to remain in Europe for several years over the scandal of her relationship with Roberto Rossellini. When she would appear at the Oscars, my mother would always mumble something under her breath.

[@siempremarisol]

ingrid is and was cinema

[@janavarrette9206]

@@TheCMLion Double standards. Ingrid got all the heat while Rossellini was ignored, it's unfair how the woman is always the one getting all the blame when it comes to these situations.

[@alvaropelayo8084]

What a stars reunion, Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood, Rosalind Russell, they were terrific Lords and Ladies of the screen!

[@scottmiller6495]

Unfortunately most people now especially younger ones don't give a damn about these incredible people nor do they care about them either 😢😢😢😢😢

[@stevenburns8817]

Time passes on, gradually forgetting and not caring about actors from over half a century ago is inevitable.

[@sambradley2975]

The Oscars were still like this when I was a kid, I miss those days.

[@everythingclassic1705]

The gag with Lancaster and Russell was hilarious. And so were Ron Moody and Jack Wild! Ingrid Bergman looked like an evangelist.

[@bwayland1290]

EverythingClassic I sure miss these stars, especially Rosalind Russell. She's been gone the longest too. Nov.28, 1976.

[@remmymafia3889]

She was ramping up for the talked about, but never made movie, 'Aimee', which was to be the life story of female evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, who's building of the Angelus Temple (1923) in Echo Park and the establishment of the Four Square Gospel tenets, was nothing short of miraculous.

[@orlandodiola7076]

Sigh! Those were the days of the Oscars Award Shows. So respectable no cursing, tantrums or slappings! Just plain, good, credible & clean entertainment. It is sincerely missed.

[@scottmiller6495]

I,d love to go back in time to these glorious days that people today especially the young don,t want to know about it or care about it either !!!!!

[@Lisa-di1wi]

As well as air their support for liberal and leftist causes. They need to keep politics and social issues out of the Academy Awards, and all of the other awards shows as well. These awards shows are to honor hard work and achievement in the entertainment industry, and not as a platform to air political and social grievances!

[@Lisa-di1wi]

Oh yes Definitely! Especially when Will Smith went up on stage to slap Chris Rock's face simply because Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's medical condition, which wasn't funny at all.

[@champreviewer5572]

I understand your feelings. But things have changed in order to fit in with society and connect with this generation’s people.

[@wezie13]

Love that they all listen when Frank Sings. Even the gentleman! Love it and him!

[@bobbierobinson6269]

Lots of beautiful people but Diane Carroll was gorgeous!

[@blueskyandgoldenlight]

Bobbie Robinson her dress was STUNNING!!!!

[@debbabe2254]

Love, love, LOVED the "Oliver!" opening with Ron Moody (Fagin) and Jack Wild (Artful Dodger). I so enjoy that movie!

[@citizen1163]

Tragic end for 'Oliver' actor Jack Wilde age 53

[@angelabolton4478]

Damn, Burt Lancaster was so freaking handsome!

[@tiana1017]

I met him on an elevator at Cedar Sinar hospital in L.A, he was like in his 80's, I just said hi to him and was very nice to him, he was very old and looked sick

[@citizen1163]

He had it all!!

[@citizen1163]

@@tiana1017 old age is a bitch

[@vanillacreem816]

@@tiana1017 Did he say anything back when you said hi?

[@ladytookums3835]

LOVE Frank Sinatra’s iconic voice!

[@hollywoodmafia4841]

such a classy era, i love it. the world needs more of this

[@balazs8330]

Yes, but this introduction stuff is a bit stupid😆

[@hollywoodmafia4841]

@@balazs8330 what's so stupid about it? it was a different world than.

[@balazs8330]

@@hollywoodmafia4841 come on: this one after the other. Hello, and here comes fabolous xy... and so on

[@hollywoodmafia4841]

@@balazs8330 well lets talk about stupid for a moment....how about how ridiculous the moment of 'Will Smith slapped Chris Rock' talk about no class. Like Jim Carrey said in an interview 'Hollywood isn't the "Cool Club" anymore. Its sad

[@jamesdolan4042]

No disrespects, but I thought the 1960s was or at least became a very decadent generation for many people. In that regard 1969 Introduction to the Academy Awards would have been regarded by many people as a fairly stiff, and even out of touch affair at that time of it's showing on television.

[@sambradley2975]

This was in the days when the Oscars brought people together, not dividing them.

[@solemandd67]

Whoa! What a classy introduction. A color and ethnic spectrum of Hollywood's handsome men and gorgeous women all dressed in expensive late 60's modern evening attire. Poitier, Carroll, and Fonda are the only living actors from the introduction. In the audience, only Barbara Striesand lives on. Times have changed. Thank you for posting.

[@reneelarsen8414]

And now the beautiful, radiant and extremely talented Miss Carroll has left us as well. I'm glad to get tp watch all these truly talented people here but sad that most of them have already left us.

[@jl3322]

Raquel Welch is still with us as of Dec 2021

[@fifthbusiness1678]

@@reneelarsen8414 And now Mr. Poitier is no longer with us. Jane Fonda is 80 and going strong!

[@Bluetown66]

Raquel is gone as of February 2023

[@ComedianZorba]

Ingrid Bergman looks gorgeous.

[@JustinLHopkins]

Joan Crawford at 7:37. That’s all I needed.

[@lukeb6267]

Exactly! 🔥🔥

[@Davey7358]

Bitch face as usual. Lol. Jane Wyman looked amazing.

[@KristinaHoogs]

I came here to see Joan too.😍💖

[@Davey7358]

She was such a bitch. Those expressions. I BELIEVE Christina 100%!

[@brkitdwn]

A lot of people in that audience looking overly judgmental during Frank's performance...They didn't realize they'd be examined on KZbin for eons.. LOL

[@micmac99]

Some of them (the ones still with us) have probably seen this clip on their Galaxy Note 10s by now.

[@maxjohnson8025]

My thoughts too...come on, you are supposed to be actors

[@chickenheart896]

Barbra Streisand even gave a little, tiny dismissive sigh!

[@paulmarvik]

After recording My Way Frank was one of the biggest acts here. What you see in Streisands and other faces is pure jealousy and disfavour. What morons :-)

[@vistaestrada]

Loretta Young @ 6:25! She was 56 years old and looks incredible.

[@veronicasaint5811]

she looks Young

[@davehallett3128]

Loretta. Notso. Young

[@alfredodistefanolaulhe2212]

She looked Young.

[@TheCMLion]

What do you mean The Big Valley is not on?! Outrageous! So many legends! When stars were still STARS!

[@rolandocardonamonge9048]

Loretta Young, oh my!!! beautiful lady, her eyes were marvelous!!

[@direfranchement]

That was a beautiful woman.

[@65wiseman]

Ingrid looks radiant.

[@BUSTER.BRATAMUS]

Wow look at this compared to the CRAP we have now....

[@studiosfifty4]

Yes, the older I get the more I reminisce about the sheer amount of great talent there was then, I was 17 at the time this took place.

[@BUSTER.BRATAMUS]

@@studiosfifty4 I was 10. What a difference a generation makes. It used to be a glamorius event, now just weal politics and low class behavior.

[@andrewsharisky7259]

Kudos to the director for the excellent audience reaction shots while Sinatra was singing. Could Loretta Young have looked any more beautiful that evening?

[@rainwalker2254]

The audience/s reaction to such a lovely song is perplexing. Some seemed bored, surprised, disinterested, slightly amused or puzzled.

[@Davey7358]

Joanne Woodward looked miserable!!

[@terrybrown4400]

@@Davey7358I’m sure she was chewing gum

[@JSOMERSETJSOMERSET]

fantastic dress on miss Bergman hope it was saved and preservrd

[@AllenJones-w3p]

The TV networks were courteous enough to announce that regular programming was being preempted for specials. You don't get THAT sort of thing nowadays!

[@martinhyizna3299]

The talent was unreal

[@catsarereallycool]

Diahann Carroll is a knockout. WOW!.

[@remmymafia3889]

At one time she was married to Vic Damone, in one of Hollywood's early interracial marriages. Now in the way of interracial marriages? Thugs and hoe's (West and Kardashian)

[@solemandd67]

She looks stunning!

[@varadero1839]

All the ladies were beautiful, but Loretta Young was a Goddess!!!

[@MySpace662]

This is a bygone era of the past, that still fascinates us today, the golden years of Hollywood that will never come back.

[@leafyutube]

This clip is stacked with legends.

[@wendellbatts2477]

You had 3 networks then.That was it. No cable no streaming. The share of viewers for a tentpole like this was unimaginable by today's standards. Like more than a third of the nation was tuning in. You had no choice.

[@citizen1163]

FABULOUS & the looks on the faces of the women at the end of Sinatra's song...Spellbound.

[@XX-gy7ue]

hi , to whoever shared this , THANK YOU ! and if you have the whole show , I'd love to see it ! WOW !

[@scottmiller6495]

You will never see anything like this ever again and what a horrible shame that this world has reverted to what it is now !!!!!

[@Agent77X]

The Golden Days Of Hollywood! No politics just fun and no tension. Family entertainment at it’s best. Total class and funny!

[@backto-il9ne]

LOL @ no politics. Th "absence" of politics IS political.

[@barbraevergreen]

Barbra is so iconic from the very start. 😍

[@simon.hh15]

Wow. Diahann Carroll looked absolutely fantastic. ❤ A real Queen.

[@scooteranthony6297]

Most of those great actors and actresses had kindof a solemn or sad look on their faces. The country had been through a very rough year in 68" and I think it showed on the faces on everybody in that audience.

[@akrenwinkle]

It's like Ethel Merman allegedly said. "Sure I know there's a war going on. I read Variety."

[@christiandivine3807]

Amazing clip. That brief bit by Ron Moody and Jack Wild is the most charming open I've ever seen for the Oscars. I suspect some of the audience non-response to Sinatra could be his public divorce from Mia Farrow during the filming of Rosemary's Baby because she wouldn't quit to work on his film. And he was probably seen as a square in the height of the hippie era. What a time capsule.

[@hitomi1341]

beautiful burt Lancaster！ 驚いた！あの年齢で！

[@DDumbrille]

The various reactions to Sinatra's tacky song are priceless. :)

[@bwayland1290]

DDumbrille This tacky song was one of the songs nominated that year. I actually like it. I heard a much better version Sinatra sang as an intro to one of Liz Taylor's televised specials in the 1990s.

[@gdd2452]

Well, what does a "tacky" critic know anyway! This is one of Sinatra's classiest songs, and yes, he did sing a better version. The reactions of the audience are positive, anyone can see this. But you wouldn't understand this.

[@nancysanders2398]

GD D " Star" was the title song,of the movie with the same name,it starred Julie Andrews as British actress Gertrude Lawrence,Daniel Massey,Richard Crenshaw,and Robert Wise director.It was a very good movie,tho,it did not do well when it was in the theaters.Crenna not Crenshaw.

[@DDumbrille]

@@nancysanders2398 I'm guessing your keyboard didn't come with a 'space' bar. Either that or you haven't found it yet?

[@phyld6491]

Any song sung by Sinatra was great

[@stevenmorales7744]

Frank sang great. That was a treat.

[@mrnocal]

His performance wasn't bad, but the song sucked big time.

[@drlock978]

put me in the minority then,A few of us recognize greatness and talent when we see and hear it.

[@direfranchement]

The audience didn't look too thrilled.

[@michaeladkins6]

Something Stupid? The love song he sang to his daughter?

[@muhammadandraaditya4802]

0:24 (Fagin and Dodger cameo) & 2:50 (Sinatra's entrance with a trademark jazz music) are my favorite parts from this footage

[@XX-gy7ue]

WOW , the audience probably needed oxygen from screaming , I would have passed out , WHAT STARS !

[@martymartin6191]

OMG so many wonderful actors!!!

[@siempremarisol]

natalie, Ingrid , Raquel all beautiful

[@sambradley2975]

I miss when the Oscars was a TV event that everyone can enjoy, (not a hate filled political soapbox ).

[@objetivista686]

Everyone can enjoy included conservs with selective amnesia

[@vanillacreem816]

Well said. Hollywood used to have class. No more..

[@Exotic3000]

You got that right! Todays Oscar’s are a Joke!

[@OrionCorsari]

Oh yeah it was much nicer when we all remained blissfully ignorant of rampant racism, homophobia and Weinstein rapists. We should just go back to the old days and shovel all that shit back into the closet with you.

[@michaeladkins6]

Im guessing 1969 Oscars had politics. You are forgetting what won best picture.

[@65wiseman]

Miss Carroll looks exquisite.

[@sambradley2975]

This was when Frank Sinatra & Jane Fonda could share a stage together without incident.

[@jamesmmahoney]

Sinatra was still a Democrat at this time. He held several fund raising concerts for Hubert Humphrey during the 1968 Presidential race. Four years later he was supporting Nixon and he would never again support a Democrat for President.

[@Snookerbellndmoomintrool]

Holy shit! This is so glamorous and nostalgic pure Hollywood!!

[@nazur72]

I came here for the Joey Bishop show, sheesh I never get a break!

[@remmymafia3889]

and me for the Big Valley

[@williambrown4090]

Elegance, style and Grace

[@donnyblondy8506]

now that's how you entertain, Mr chairman of the board Sinatra!

[@denny906]

This was the best and most elegant venue for the Academy Awards ever. The beautiful Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Los Angeles Music Center. Much better than that tacky poor excuse of a theatre they use now for The Oscars.

[@nymet2454]

I agree, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion was the best Oscar Venue because of the hundreds of fans sitting in the stands.

[@sebastianhein3147]

I think Dorothy Lamour and Jane Wyman at 7:28 enjoyed Frank's performance

[@LPJack02]

RIP Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 - June 12, 2003), aged 87 Ingrid Bergman (August 29, 1915 - August 29, 1982), aged 67 Sidney Poitier (February 20, 1927 - January 6, 2022), aged 94 Frank Sinatra (December 12, 1915 - May 14, 1998), aged 82 Natalie Wood (July 20, 1938 - November 29, 1981), aged 43 Walter Matthau (October 1, 1920 - July 1, 2000), aged 79 Diahann Carroll (July 17, 1935 - October 4, 2019), aged 84 Tony Curtis (June 3, 1925 - September 29, 2010), aged 85 Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907 - November 28, 1976), aged 69 Burt Lancaster (November 2, 1913 - October 20, 1994), aged 80 You will always be remembered as legends.

[@nelsonvaz3131]

Now everyone is a Star......

[@ladygaladriel6564]

OMG Loretta Young is so gorgeous!!!!! She's around 56 here and she's absolutely stunning!

[@perpieta]

Fantastic! Tony Curtis appears between Diahann Carroll and Roz Russell in this star-studded intro.

[@bwayland1290]

perpieta Always loved TONY.

[@toscodav]

Also back at his hotel room.

[@ShakespeareCafe]

All the glitz and glamor during a rough time in America

[@butterflygretchentv]

7:41, Joan Crawford feeling dumb for turning down "From Here To Eternity" sitting there and watching a tribute for the film. LOL

[@flobic8282]

Butterfly Gretchen and what happened to her hair? 😄

[@donaldwarren463]

@@flobic8282 , Joan was all about hairpieces at that point, blended in with what hair she had left...

[@solemandd67]

@@flobic8282 It's on fire!

[@rainwalker2254]

She looks beautiful.

[@WestJason9]

Butterfly Gretchen She didn't turn down the part..she was set to do it but there was a disagreement with Harry Cohn and she was passed up

[@juanmonge8]

Tony Curtis ( Bernard Schwartz), was from the lower east side of Manhattan. His Father was a tailor on Delancey street. Tony went to Seward Park high school.

[@michaeldanello3966]

His mother appeared on an episode of Groucho Marx' You Bet Your Life. It's available on KZbin and she was delightful

[@akrenwinkle]

Unless a lot of people are lying- including Tony himself- he was from the Bronx.

[@rr7firefly]

I would take an opening like this any day over the silly comedy intros that the Academy gives us now. Of course this could never happen now because the Golden Age of Hollywood is a thing of the past. In that audience that evening were two ladies who would each win an Academy Award. Ruth Gordon for "Rosemary's Baby" and Barbra Streisand for "Funny Girl."

[@Brandespada]

Well, one year before that, in 1968, you had a great comedy intro by Bob Hope.

[@jeffreyk8875]

Streisand's look at 6:46 is like, "This sounds like a cheap lounge act."🙄

[@trishexploring1508]

OMG!! Diane Carol's dress!!😍🥰❤️❤️❤️

[@jl3322]

Ingrid Bergman still looked terrific-great gown too!

[@Exotic3000]

OMG ❤ This is so awesome!

[@jealousofmypuddin]

Thank you for this Oscars!

[@beaglemom06]

Those people in the audience acted like a bunch of snobs. I did notice some of them started to smile and tap their toes. I thought Frank Sinatra did a great job of singing. IMO, there is no better singer than Frank Sinatra, then and now.

[@RonGerstein-tf5tp]

You are the snob, brainless So go crawl under your rock

[@farahvogue6715]

RIP Nataly wood & Frank Sinatra 🙏🏼

[@jimbecarroll5780]

"If she thumbs her nose at that well known movie star" and the camera goes to Streisand ... SMH LoL

[@hawby7mgh]

The lyric is “If she thumbs her nose at the well-known Movie Tsar”. Then rhymes with “star”. It’s a reference to actresses like Davis, DeHavilland & Stanwyck who stood up to studio bosses.

[@berfunkle4588]

I had my heart on watching "The Big Valley".

[@AllenJones-w3p]

Nowadays you can watch that show in reruns on MeTV.

[@josuecastillo2965]

Lo mejor de Hollywood,,, Talento Clase Elgencia y Glamour,,, Épocas Doradas del Cine,,,Otros Tiempos,,, Únicas e Irrepetibles,,

[@happytownesvanzandt]

Class and elegance. Refreshing!

[@ksjoyjespeace]

Diahann Carroll, Wowee !!!!😍🤩

[@harlow9175]

Loretta Young, Joan Crawford, Patricia Neal , Jane Wyman !

[@XX-gy7ue]

WHAT AN AUDIENCE , EVEN THAT IS ENOUGH TO FAINT FROM !

[@-elchoya9832]

6:21,GORGEOUS LORETTA YOUNG!

[@mdr9298]

FOR BURT.🙏❤🙏❤🙏❤

[@hitomi1341]

yes burt Lancastnr！

[@farahvogue6715]

Good old days

[@JM-lw3nx]

wow, you brought out the A-list that night!

[@johngutierrez452]

are they zooming in on all the women sinatra nailed?

[@thepearlatelier4256]

I clicked on this to see how it was in the year i was born. My gosh, these are like stars on a galactic level, luminaries, larger than life ensemble. Now, its mostly,......

[@bancroftss]

rosalind russell ❤🤧

[@molinalong3468]

Dihann Caroll in the tv show called Julia

[@bandicoot5412]

Top shelf class acts, just by themselves.

[@eventvisionsinc]

No need for cursing or politics I hate what Hollywood has become, glamour is gone maybe a couple of specs left.

[@deniserodas6848]

Why do I feel some of the audience members were unimpressed or bored with the Sinatra performance

[@Paasan1979]

I feel the same as you... :O

[@bwayland1290]

Denise Rodas All these women in the audience starting w/Vanessa Redgrave, Loretta Young, Dorothy Lamour, Raquel Welch (Who's just done a film with him a year before.), Barbara Streisand just looks nervous ; then Patricia Neal looks petrified, & Joanne Woodard is chomping on some gum Paul must have given her. VERY STRANGE REACTIONS. Sorry if I left someone out. They all looked left out, Out in the Cold ! note: Joan Crawford, & Jane Wyman.

[@LordGreystoke]

Because they were.

[@terr777]

Because you can read a facial expression?

[@NoPrivateProperty]

because he sux

[@wengfong6742]

The night of Barbra Streisand’s coronation

[@barbraevergreen]

Queen Barbra 👑. She won the academy for her very first movie "Funny Girl" . She looks so nervous but she's so gorgeous. ❤️

[@andyvanm1]

Great video,Loretta Young is the most beautiful woman in the room,she is absolutely stunning .

[@xavierbrown8053]

R.I.P to Sidney Poitier. He's now with all his friends now. You changed the Hollywood industry by opening doors to African Americans. Thank you so much And Have fun up there.

[@sambradley2975]

I used to love to watch the Academy Awards, I used to watch it with my family

[@michaeladkins6]

An X rated movie win Best Picture.

[@eleonorazichinolfi4571]

Loretta Young was so beautiful, at the 6.20 is Loretta Young?

[@Mike-fp5rc]

Something clearly pissed off Babs at 6:39 ... was it the "thumbs her nose" lyric?

[@philiphalpenny9761]

Who nose?

[@carolabecker8219]

I don’t think Frank and Babs got along

[@Mike-fp5rc]

@@carolabecker8219 They apparently eventually made up enough to duet together on "I've Got a Crush on You".

[@carolabecker8219]

@@Mike-fp5rc they weren’t even in the same studio, all done electronically. He didn’t sing with anyone on his Duets albums in person.

[@sambradley2975]

The "Big Valley " was a great show, still shown in reruns, "The Joey Bishop Show " is hardly remembered, except for the fact that Regis Philbin was the announcer.

[@1957MCL]

Joey Bishop was pissed that the ratings for his show were not good, he blamed it on Big Valley not delivering a big enough lead in audience. As much as I like Big Valley it was not a huge hit.