55th Academy Awards

The 55th Academy Awards were presented April 11, 1983, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Liza Minnelli, Dudley Moore, Richard Pryor, and Walter Matthau. Louis Gossett Jr. became the first African-American actor to win Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the tough and principled drill instructor Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman. Bhanu Athaiya also became the first Indian to win an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for Gandhi. This marked the first of 28 consecutive years where a Barbara Walters interview special aired before the ceremony. Walters had previously aired an interview special in 1981, and in subsequent years, her special aired prior to the Academy's formal broadcast of celebrities walking the red carpet. It was also the only time George C. Scott attended an Oscars ceremony.

Gandhi won eight awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Ben Kingsley. Other winners included E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial with four awards, An Officer and a Gentleman with two, Begin the Beguine, If You Love This Planet, Just Another Missing Kid, Missing, Quest for Fire, A Shocking Accident, Sophie's Choice, Tango, Tootsie, and Victor/Victoria with one.

This was also the last time the 2 highest-grossing films of the year (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Tootsie) were nominated for Best Picture until the 95th Academy Awards, 40 years later (Avatar: The Way of Water and Top Gun: Maverick).

Awards
The nominations were announced on February 17, 1983. Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger.

Honorary Academy Award

 * Mickey Rooney

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

 * Walter Mirisch

Presenters and performers
The following individuals, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers: