Hammer and the Oscars
When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth
Whilst Hammer themselves never won an Academy Award, Jim Danforth and Roger Dicken were nominated in the Special Visual Effects category for their work on When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970).
Hammer’s Oscar Connections
Despite never having won an Academy Award, a number of Hammer People achieved that accolade in their careers.
Actors and Actresses
Bette Davis 1908-1989
8th & 11th Academy Awards 1935 & 1938
Before her Hammer appearances in The Nanny (1966) and The Anniversary (1968), Bette Davis had 11 nominations and 2 Oscar wins for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She received Oscars for portraying Joyce Heath in Dangerous (1936) and Julie Marsden in Jezebel (1939).
Steven Spielberg later purchased both of Bette Davis’ Oscars to protect them from further commercial exploitation
Acceptance speech for Jezebel:
“I’m very grateful to members of the academy, members of the screen acting guild for this award.”
Joan Fontaine 1917-2013
14th Academy Awards 1941
Joan Fontaine won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role, for her performance as Lina McLaidlaw in Hitchcock’s 1942 thriller Suspicion. She later went on to star as Gwen Mayfield in Hammer’s 1966 horror The Witches.
Joan Fontaine is the only person to win an acting Oscar in a film directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Acceptance Speech for Suspicion:
“I want to thank the ladies and gentlemen that voted me this award. And I want to say thank you, David Selznick. And if Alfred Hitchcock were here tonight I’d like to say to him, thank you, Hitch, with all my heart”.
Dean Jagger 1903-1991
22nd Academy Awards 1949
Before playing Dr Royston in Hammer’s X-The Unknow ,(1956) Dean Jagger received the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Major Stovall in Twelve O’Clock High (1949).
He also appeared in a total of 4 Best Picture Nominees, Twelve O’Clock High (1949), The Robe (1953), The Nun’s Story (1959) and Elmer Gantry (1960).
Acceptance Speech for Twelve O’Clock High:
“You shouldn’t do that much of that. They suggested that if you had anything to say if you were lucky enough to get up here and get one of these wonderful things, you keep it to fifteen seconds, I believe it was. I can think of a lot of things I’d love to say and I couldn’t say ’em in fifteen seconds. I would like to say this, because I hear a lot of kidding about what people say when they get one of these, but you do feel grateful to a few people that helped you to. And I would like to say to a man by the name of Darryl Zanuck, who’s given me a couple pretty wonderful opportunities, to Henry King, a fine man and a great director, I’m very grateful. And I feel as emotional as the Dickens about it. Thank you very much.”
Hugh Griffith 1912-1980
32nd Academy Awards 1959
Hugh Griffith appeared for Hammer as Bensall in their 1949 production Dr. Morelle: The Case of the Missing Heiress. He went on to Win the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, playing Sheik Ilderim in the 1959 epic Ben-Hur. Two years later, he was again nominated, this time for his role as Squire Weston in 1963’s Tom Jones.
Hugh was not present at the awards ceremony. Director William Wyler accepted the award on his behalf.
Acceptance Speech (William Wyler)
“I am extremely happy to accept this highly deserved award for Mr. Hugh Griffith for his wonderfully humorous, human and sympathetic characterisation of an Arab sheik. My only regret is that the people of the United Arab Republic will not be permitted to see his performance.”
Patty Duke 1946-2016
35th Academy Awards 1962
Six years before playing Barbara King in The Last Visitor, an episode of Hammer’s Journey to the Unknown TV series, Patty Duke won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Helen Keller in 1963’s The Miracle Worker
At the time she won her Best Supporting Actress Oscar, she was just 16 years old and the youngest person ever to win an Oscar in a competitive category.
Acceptance Speech
Patty is recorded for having the shortest speech of all Academy Awards ceremonies, she simply said “Thank You”
Jack Palance 1919-2006
64th Academy Awards 1991
Thirty three years after playing Eric Koertner in Hammer’s Ten Seconds to Hell, Jack Palance won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance as Curly Washburn in the 1991 comedy western City Slickers – a role that was turned down by Charles Bronson.
Acceptance Speech
“Billy Crystal, [laughs] I crap bigger than him. You know, there are times when you reach a certain age plateau where the producers say, they talk about you and they say, “Well, what do you think? Can we risk it? Can we do it? Can we use him?” The other guy says, “I don’t know, let’s look at some younger ones. We can make them look older, but this one, you know, it’s kind of difficult.” They forget, they forget to ask that you go out there and you do all these…things. Like for instance, you know, [leaves podium] you go out there, you do these one-arm push-ups. [Does three one-arm push-ups on stage; returns to podium.] That’s nothing, really. As far as the two-handed push-ups are concerned, you can do that all night and it doesn’t make any difference whether she’s there or not. And besides, it’s a hell of a lot less expensive.”
“Wow. You know, a long time ago in 1949, first picture, 1949, first film, I’d been shooting about two weeks and the producer came to me and he said, “Jack” – my name at that time was Vladimir, but he called me Jack. He says, “Jack, you’re going to win the Academy Award.” Can you believe it? Forty-two years later he was right. How the son of a bitch knew?! Thank you.”
Hilary Swank b. 1974
72nd & 77th Academy Awards 1999 & 2004
By the time Hilary Swank played Dr. Juliet Devereau in Hammer’s The Resident (2011) she had already won two Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Firstly for her portrayal of Brandon Teena in 1999’s Boys Don’t Cry, Then, 5 years later for playing Maggie Fitzgerald in 2004’s Million Dollar Baby.
Hilary is the third youngest actress to receive two Best Actress Academy Awards.
Acceptance Speech (Boys Don’t Cry)
“Thank you, thank you so much. We have come a long way. To think that this movie wouldn’t have been made three-and-a-half years ago, and we made it now for under two million dollars. And now this. It’s quite remarkable. I want to thank the Academy for their support and recognition of me and my work in a movie that is so important, and I am so proud to be a part of it.”
“This movie would have never been made — I had, just on the off chance that I got up here, I brought this piece of paper because I knew I couldn’t forget anyone, because everyone put their heart and soul into this movie and God knows no one got paid. So first, Kimberly Peirce, for her fierce tenacity and vision. Andy Bienen, our co-writer. Killer Films, you guys always make important movies and I thank you for that. John Hart, Jeff Sharp, for being there for me every single minute. Jim Denault, our cinematographer, who was absolutely brilliant. Kerry Barden, Jennifer McNamara, for fighting for me, the casting directors. Chloë Sevigny, the rest of the cast, who portrayed their characters so honestly and brilliantly. Lee Percy, our editor.”
“I want to thank Michael Stremel, Lindsay Law and Bill Mechanic and everyone at Fox Searchlight for putting their wing around this small, little movie and giving us wings. Larry Moss, my acting coach, who, without him, I could have never given this performance. Thank you, Larry. My mom, who’s up there somewhere [in the balcony]. It looks like living out of our car was worth it. Holly Hein, for keeping my head on straight. My publicist Troy Nankin, who is a beautiful, beautiful human being. Kami Putnam, I have to thank you for fighting for me. I’m almost done, I promise. The Independent Film Channel, for helping us finish our movie. And Hylda Queally and David Wirtschafter, for their support.”
“And last, but certainly not least, I want to thank Brandon Teena for being such an inspiration to us all. His legacy lives on through our movie to remind us to always be ourselves, to follow our hearts, to not conform. I pray for the day when we not only accept our differences, but we actually celebrate our diversity. Thank you very much.”
Acceptance Speech (Million Dollar Baby)
“I don’t know what I did in this life to deserve all this. I’m just a girl from a trailer park who had a dream. I never thought this would ever happen, let alone be nominated. And a working actor, for that matter. And now, this. I thank the Academy. I am eternally grateful for this great honor. I would also like to acknowledge my fellow nominees. Annette, Imelda, Kate and Catalina, your work inspires me beyond words.
I am going to start by thanking my husband because I’d like to think I learn from past mistakes. Chad, you’re my everything. Thank you for your support. It means the world. I would never be standing here if it weren’t for each and every one of the brilliant people I had surrounding me, supporting me and believing in me. Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, thank you for sending me this most marvelous script. You will never know how grateful I am. Paul Haggis, for writing this beautiful script. Our other producers extraordinaire: Al Ruddy, Clint, Rob Lorenz. Phyllis Huffman, our casting director. My trainers, Grant Roberts and Héctor Roca, you pushed me further than I ever thought I could push myself, up to that last pound, actually to that last ounce. I thank you. My sparring partners who were so patient. And everyone at Gleason’s. Well, the ever-amazing Morgan Freeman. Tom Stern, our cinematographer, you are brilliant. Joel Cox, our editor, you’re amazing. You know? I’m going to thank my mom for believing in me from the beginning; my dad for his support. My agents: Josh Lieberman, Tony Lipp, Kelly Tiffan, John Campisi. Jason Weinberg, my manager. [Music begins to play.] Uh uh, you can’t do that, because I haven’t gotten to Clint yet. I saved him for the end. Karl Austen, Jeff Bernstein, my lawyers.
And then… Clint. Clint Eastwood, thank you for allowing me to go on this journey with you. Thank you for believing in me. You’re my “Mo Cuishle.” Thank you
Alan Horn and Warner Bros., as well, thank you. [Music starts up again.] And you know what? Wait! Troy Nankin! Troy Nankin, my best friend and publicist! Thank you!”
Crew Members
Bill Warrington 1910-1981
34th Academy Awards 1961
Bill Warrington, Special Effects artist on Hammer’s Quatermass 2, The Mummy, Yesterday’s Enemy and Quatermass and the Pit, won the Best Effects/Special Effects Oscar for his work on the 1961 film war drama The Guns of Navarone. The award was shared with Graham Greenham.
Acceptance Speech
“To the members of the Academy, I can’t honestly…I’m so terribly excited, except thank you very much. Thank you very much.”
Les Bowie 1913-1979
51st Academy Awards 1979
Hammer had a long association with Les Bowie. His first film for the company was Spaceways (1953) – uncredited for Process Shots. His 43rd, and last, was To The Devil a Daughter (1976), for which he received a credit for Special Effects. His Oscar win came for the 1978 film Superman, where he shared Special Achievement Award for Visual Effects. Sadly Les Bowie died from lung cancer just 9 weeks before the awards ceremony.
Roy Field 1932-2002
Special Effects Assistant on 3 Hammer Sci-fi productions – The Quatermass Xperiment, X the Unknown and Quatermass and the Pit – Roy Field was one of three Hammer people to share the Special Achievement Award for Visual Effects on the 1978’s Superman.
Colin Chilvers 1945-2024
At the age of 24 Colin Chilvers was a Special Effects Assistant on Hammer’s Moon Zero Two. He went on to win a Special Achievement Award for Visual Effects on the 1978 epic Superman. The award was shared with Les Bowie, Denys Coop, Roy Field, Derek Meddings and Zoran Perisic.
Acceptance Speech (Denys Coop)
Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of my colleagues and myself I’d like to thank the Board of Governors of the Academy for these magnificent awards. Sadly our other associate, Les Bowie, recently passed away. It’s a great loss to us and to the industry. We’d like to thank our producer; Richard Donner, our friend and director; and particularly our British crews who, without whose support we wouldn’t be here this evening. And finally a thank you to Margot Kidder and Christopher Reeve; what a “Superman.” Thank you.”
Brian Johnson 1939-2026
52nd and 53rd Academy Awards 1979 & 1980
Brian Johnson first worked with Hammer as Special Effects Assistant on the 1956 production X-The Unknown. He worked on a total of 10 films for the company, the last being When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970). He was nominated 3 times in successive years, winning 2 Special Effects Oscars for Alien 1979 (shared with H.R. Giger, Carlo Rambaldi, Nick Allder and Denys Ayling) and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), shared with Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Bruce Nicholson.
Acceptance Speech (Alien)
“I’d like to thank Ridley Scott for his amazing direction of this movie, and without his effort we wouldn’t be here tonight. And I’d like to thank our crew in England. Boy, they really went for it and they got it. Thanks very much.”
Acceptance Speech (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back)
“I’d like to thank the English effects crew and ILM. And I’d like to thank Gary Kurtz, George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, my two daughters, Claire and Lucy-Kate, and my wife Jennie. Thanks very much.
Kit West 1936-2016
54th Academy Awards 1981
Kit West worked on 8 Hammer films in the 1960’s, and went on to achieve 3 Academy nominations, winning the Best Effects, Visual Effects Oscar for 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. He shared the Oscar with Richard Edlund, Bruce Nicholson and Joe Johnston.
Acceptance Speech (Richard Edlund)
“Like a Boy Scout, I’m prepared this evening; I wrote it down. This year our studio, Industrial Light & Magic, received both nominations for visual effects. In accepting this great award I must pay tribute to our most talented crew who deserve it as much as we do. To George Lucas; Steven Spielberg, our director; Frank Marshall, the producer; and Howard Kazanjian, executive producer; thank you for the opportunity to work on so exciting a picture. And to my fellow Academy members, our gratitude for the wonderful trophy of all, the Oscar. Thank you.”
“I’d like to thank the English effects crew and ILM. And I’d like to thank Gary Kurtz, George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, my two daughters, Claire and Lucy-Kate, and my wife Jennie. Thanks very much.
John Richardson b.1936
59th Academy Awards 1986
John Richardson worked on the special effects for Hammer’s The Lost Continent, before his Oscar win for Aliens. He went on to achieve a further five special effects nominations for films including three of the Harry Potter franchise.
Acceptance Speech
“We’d also like to thank our respective crews who went to make up the Anglo-American team, because they did all the work. Thank you, fellows. Thank you, Academy.”