23rd Academy Awards

The 23rd Academy Awards were held on March 29, 1951, honoring the films of 1950. All About Eve received a record 14 nominations, besting the previous record of 13 set by Gone with the Wind in 1939. It won six Oscars, including Best Picture, and earned writer/director Joseph L. Mankiewicz his second consecutive Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay awards, the only time such a feat has been accomplished.

All About Eve was the second film, after Mrs. Miniver (1942), to receive five acting nominations. It was the first to receive multiple nominations in two acting categories, and the first (and, to date, only) film to receive four female acting nominations—two each for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. None was successful, losing to Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday and Josephine Hull in Harvey, respectively.

Jose Ferrer, then under investigation from the House Un-American Activities Committee over suspected Communist ties, won the Best Actor award despite being given very little chances to win. Marlene Dietrich nearly stole the show by wearing an apparently-painted-on dress that displayed her legs and figure.

Sunset Boulevard was the fifth film with nominations in every acting category, and the second not to win any of them (after My Man Godfrey in 1936).

Awards
Nominations announced on February 12, 1951. Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.

Academy Honorary Awards

 * George Murphy "for his services in interpreting the film industry to the country at large".
 * Louis B. Mayer "for distinguished service to the motion picture industry".

Best Foreign Language Film

 * The Walls of Malapaga (France/Italy)

Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

 * Darryl F. Zanuck

Presenters

 * Lex Barker and Arlene Dahl (Presenters: Best Art Direction)
 * Charles Brackett (Presenter: Honorary Awards)
 * Ralph Bunche (Presenter: Best Motion Picture)
 * Ruth Chatterton (Presenter: Writing Awards)
 * Broderick Crawford (Presenter: Best Actress)
 * Marlene Dietrich (Presenter: Best Foreign Language Film)
 * Coleen Gray (Presenter: Documentary Awards)
 * Jane Greer (Presenter: Best Special Effects)
 * Helen Hayes (Presenter: Best Actor)
 * Dean Jagger (Presenter: Best Supporting Actress)
 * Gene Kelly (Presenter: Music Awards)
 * Phyllis Kirk (Presenter: Short Subject Awards)
 * Mercedes McCambridge (Presenter: Best Supporting Actor)
 * Leo McCarey (Presenter: Best Director)
 * Marilyn Monroe (Presenter: Best Sound Recording)
 * Debra Paget (Presenter: Best Film Editing)
 * Debbie Reynolds (Presenter: Best Cinematography)
 * Jan Sterling (Presenter: Best Costume Design)
 * David Wayne (Presenter: Scientific & Technical Awards)

Performers

 * Gloria DeHaven and Alan Young
 * Frankie Laine ("Mule Train" from Singing Guns)
 * Martin and Lewis ("Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" from Cinderella)
 * Lucille Norman