50 Oscar Nights

50 Oscar Nights is the newest installment from the Turner Classic Movies Library, and Running Press. Written by TCM’s own Dave Karger, it features 50 interviews with Oscar winners ranging from the 60’s to 2019. Interviews include Hollywood royalty like Octavia Spencer, Clint Eastwood, Francis Ford Coppola, and Meryl Streep.

With so many books written about the history of the Oscars, Karger writes a more personal story. Each interview shares intimate details about the winner’s backstory with the Oscar’s, their look, the speech, and more. From fun stories that Elton John shares, to more serious ones from Sally Field, the book is full of stories that only the winners could share. The book is filled with over 150 gorgeous photos from each winner’s Oscar moments as well. They add depth and beauty to the stories within the pages.

I had the pleasure of being able to ask Dave some questions about his book. Dave has a long history with the Oscar’s. He’s been the Today Show’s authority on the Oscars since 2000. He spent 15 years writing about them for Entertainment Weekly, and cohosted ABC’s Live from the Red Carpet pre-show. I was curious how the concept for the book came about since it took a more personal look at the awards. Dave said “Having gotten to know many Oscar winners and nominees, I understand what a whirlwind experience the whole thing is. So I wanted to write a book that approached the Oscars from a bit more of a personal angle. I came up with this concept of interviewing 50 actors, filmmakers, musicians, and craftspeople about the day they won, from the moment they woke up to the moment they went to bed as Oscar winners. Of course we talk about the making of the films and the rigors of the campaigns, but the crux of each chapter is the winner’s personal reminiscences of the experience on the big day. So the questions I came up with were designed to elicit the most interesting, specific, and emotional responses”.

So many of the interviews were so fascinating and I certainly had some favorites. A few of them include Elton John, Barry Jenkins, Martin Scorsese, Dustin Hoffman, and Julia Roberts. Dave said of his favorites “Sally Field and Jane Fonda both really surprised me with their honesty and condor. They are true icons but also exhibited so much humility and vulnerability”. He went on to say ” I also love the chapter on J.K. Simmons because his acceptance speech was so touching and remains a favorite of mine”. Lastly he adds “I’m partial to the chapter on Kevin O’Connell, a sound mixer who won an Oscar after losing on his first 20 nominations. It’s just a fantastic story. I get a little teary every time I read that one.”

Although the book is packed with amazing interviews, I wondered, were there any winners Dave wanted to interview, but it didn’t work out? To this questions he answered ” One goal of mine was to include as many performers from the classic era of film as possible. I would have loved to have talked to Eva Marie Saint, Shirley Jones, and Julie Andrews, but it doesn’t seem like they’re doing too many interviews these days. But I am very happy to have several nonagenarians in the book, including Rita Moreno, Clint Eastwood, Lee Grant, Joel Grey, Estelle Parsons, and Mel Brooks. It was so important to me to get their stories in there.” I couldn’t agree more. This is what sets the book apart from all the other; The stories that will now be a part of Cinematic history forever.

50 Oscar Nights will be the perfect coffee table book for awards season. You’ll want to grab it here and there to re-read your favorite parts, and look through the beautiful photographs. You can buy this in store and online today. I have it linked at the top of the blog if you’d like to order a copy.

As always, slow down and enjoy a Tuesday Matinee.