British Successes in the Academy Awards 1927 to date

The following list chronicles British successes in the Academy Awards. It includes individuals who were either born, and lived and worked, in Britain into their adult lives, or those who were not born here but took on citizenship.

If you have any information on winners not mentioned please contact Information Services.

(1st) 1927/28 held in 1930

Charles Chaplin

- Special Award (acting, producing, directing and writing): The Circus

(2nd) 1928/29 held in 1930

Frank Lloyd

- Best Direction: The Divine Lady

(3rd) 1929/30 held in 1930

George Arliss

- Best Actor: The Green Goddess

(6th) 1932/33 held in 1934

William S. Darling

- Best Art Direction: Cavalcade

Charles Laughton

- Best Actor: The Private Life of Henry VIII

Frank Lloyd

- Best Direction: Cavalcade

(8th) 1935 held in 1936

Gaumont British Studios

- Best Short Subject: Wings Over Mt. Everest

Victor Mclaglen

- Best Actor: The Informer

(11th) 1938 held in 1939

Ian Dalrymple, Cecil Lewis & W.P. Lipscomb

- Best Screenplay: Pygmalion

(12th) 1939 held in 1940

Robert Donat

- Best Actor: Goodbye Mr. Chips

Vivien Leigh

- Best Actress: Gone With The Wind

(13th) 1940 held in 1941

Lawrence Butler (photographic) & Jack Whitney (sound)

- Special Visual Effects: The Thief Of Bagdad

Vincent Korda

- Best Colour Set Design: The Thief Of Bagdad

(14th) 1941 held in 1942

British Ministry of Information

- Honorary Award: Target For Tonight

Donald Crisp

- Best Supporting Actor: How Green Was My Valley

Joan Fontaine

- Best Actress: Suspicion

Jack Whitney & The General Studios Sound Department

- Best Sound: That Hamilton Woman

(15th) 1942 held in 1943

Noel Coward

- Special Award: In Which We Serve

Greer Garson

- Best Actress: Mrs. Miniver

Emeric Pressburger [nb. Pressburger took British citizenship c.1946] - Best Writing, Original Story: 49th Parallel

(16th) 1943 held in 1944

British Ministry of Information

- Best Documentary: Desert Victory

William S. Darling

- Best Art Direction: The Song of Bernadette

(18th) 1945 held in 1946

The Governments of the United States & Great Britain

- Best Documentary: The true Glory

Ray Milland

- Best Actor: The Lost Weekend

Harry Stradling

- Best Cinematography (b/w): The Picture of Dorian Gray

(19th) 1946 held in 1947

Muriel & Sydney Box

- Best Original Screenplay: The Seventh Veil

Clemence Dane

- Best Original Story: Vacation From Marriage

Olivia de Havilland

- Best Actress: To Each His Own

Laurence Olivier

- Special Award: Henry V

Thomas Howard

- Best Special Effects: Blithe Spirit

William S. Darling

- Best Art Direction (b/w): Anna And the King Of Siam

(20th) 1947 held in 1948

John Bryan

- Best Art Direction: Great Expectations

Jack Cardiff

- Best Cinematography (col): Black Narcissus

Ronald Colman

- Best Actor: A Double Life

Guy Green

- Best Cinematography (b/w): Great Expectations

Edmund Gwen

- Best Supporting Actor: Miracle On 34th Street

(21st) 1948 held in 1949

Brian Easdale

- Best Score: The Red Shoes

Roger Furse

- Best Costume Design: Hamlet

Laurence Olivier

- Best Picture: Hamlet

Laurence Olivier

- Best Actor: Hamlet

Carmen Dillon & Roger Furse

- Best Art Direction - Set Decoration (black and white): Hamlet

Arthur Lawson [nominated with Hein Heckroth]

- Best Art Direction - Set Decoration (colour): The Red Shoes

(22nd) 1949 held in 1950

British Information Services

- Best Documentary: Daybreak In Udi

Olivia de Havilland

- Best Actress: The Heiress

(23rd) 1950 held in 1951

George Sanders

- Best Supporting Actor: All About Eve

(24th) 1951 held in 1952

James Bernard & Paul Dehn

- Best Motion Picture Story: Seven Days To Noon

Vivien Leigh

- Best Actress: A Streetcar Named Desire

(25th) 1952 held in 1953

T.E.B. Clarke

- Best Story & Screenplay: The Lavender Hill Mob

London Films Sound Dept.

- Best Sound: The Sound Barrier

(26th) 1954 held in 1955

British Information Services

- Best Documentary Short Subject: Thursday's Children

S. Tyne Jule

- Best Song: Three Coins In The Fountain

Jon Whitely & Vincent Winter

- Special Award (Best Juvenile Performances): The Kidnappers

(29th) 1956 held in 1957

George K. Arthur

- Best Short Subject: The Bespoke Overcoat

(30th) 1957 held in 1958

Malcolm Arnold

- Best Musical Score: The Bridge On The River Kwai

Alec Guinness

- Best Actor: The Bridge On The River Kwai

Jack Hildyard

- Best Cinematography: The Bridge On The River Kwai

David Lean

- Best Director: The Bridge On The River Kwai

Pete Taylor

- Best Editing: The Bridge On The River Kwai

(31st) 1958 held in 1959

Cecil Beaton

- Best Costumes: Gigi

Wendy Hiller

- Best Supporting Actress: Separate tables

Thomas Howard

- Special Visual Effects: Tom Thumb

David Niven

- Best Actor: Separate tables

(32nd) 1959 held in 1960

Hugh Griffith

- Best Supporting Actor: Ben Hur

Elizabeth Haffenden

- Best Costume Design (col.): Ben Hur

(33rd) 1960 held in 1961

Freddie Francis

- Best Cinematography (b/w): Sons & Lovers

James Hill

- Best Documentary: Giuseppina

Hayley Mills

- Special Award (Best Juvenile Performance): Pollyanna

Peter Ustinov

- Best Supporting Actor: Spartacus

(34th) 1961 held in 1962

Vivian C. Greenham

- Best Visual Effects: The Guns Of Navarone

(35th) 1962 held in 1963

John Box & John Stoll

- Best Art Direction: Lawrence Of Arabia

Anne V. Coates

- Best Editing: Lawrence Of Arabia

Jack Howells (Janus Films)

- Best Documentary: Dylan Thomas

David Lean

- Best Director: Lawrence Of Arabia

Shepperton Studios Sound Dept. (John Cox Sound Director)

- Best Sound: Lawrence Of Arabia

Freddie Young

- Best Cinematography: Lawrence Of Arabia

(36th) 1963 held in 1964

John Addison

- Best Score: Tom Jones

John Osborne

- Best Adapted Screenplay: Tom Jones

Tony Richardson

- Best Director: Tom Jones

Tony Richardson (Woodfall Films)

- Best Picture: Tom Jones

Margaret Rutherford

- Best Supporting Actress: The V.I.P.s

(37th) 1964 held in 1965

Julie Andrews

- Best Actress: Mary Poppins

Cecil Beaton

- Best Art Direction (col): My Fair Lady

Cecil Beaton

- Best Costume Design (col): My Fair Lady

Rex Harrison

- Best Actor: My Fair Lady

Walter Lassally

- Best Cinematography (b/w): Zorba The Greek

Harry Stradling

- Best Cinematography (col): My Fair Lady

Peter Ustinov

- Best Supporting Actor: Topkapi

Norman Wanstall

- Best Sound Effects: Goldfinger

(38th) 1965 held in 1966

Julie Christie

- Best Actress: Darling

Robert Bolt

- Adapted Screenplay:Doctor Zhivago

Frederic Raphael

- Original Screenplay: Darling

Freddie Young

- Colour Cinematography: Doctor Zhivago

John Box, Terence Marsh

- Best Art Direction (colour):Doctor Zhivago

Julie Harris

- Costume (b/w): Darling

Phyllis Dalton

- Costume (col): Doctor Zhivago

John Stears

- Special Visual Effects: Thunderball

(39th) 1966 held in 1967

John Barry

- Best Original Score: Born Free

John Barry & Don Black

- Best Song: Born Free

Robert Bolt

- Best Adapted Screenplay: A Man For All Seasons

Joan Bridge & Elizabeth Haffenden

- Best Costume (col): A Man For All Seasons

Gordon Daniel

- Best Sound: Grand Prix

Ted Moore

- Best Cinematography (col): A Man For All Seasons

Ken Thorne

- Best Adapted Score: A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum

Peter Watkins

- Best Documentary Feature: The War Game

(40th) 1967 held in 1968

Leslie Bricusse

- Best Song: Doctor Dolittle (Talk To The Animals)

Alfred Hitchcock

- Irving Thalberg Memorial Award

John Poyner

- Best Sound Effects: The Dirty Dozen

(41st) 1968 held in 1969

John Barry

- Best Original Score: The Lion In Winter

Vernon Dixon & Ken Muggleston

- Best Art Direction: Oliver!

Carol Reed

- Best Director: Oliver!

Shepperton Sound Studio

- Best Sound: Oliver!

Charles D. Staffell

- Scientific, Class I Statuett -

for the development of a successful embodiement of the reflex background projection system for composite cinematography

John Woolf

- Best Picture: Oliver!

(42nd) 1969 held in 1970

Margaret Furfe

- Best Costume: Anne Of The Thousand Days

Cary Grant

- Honorary Award

John Schlesinger

- Best Director: Midnight Cowboy

Maggie Smith

- Best Actress: The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie

(43rd) 1970 held in 1971

The Beatles

- Best Original Score: Let It Be

Glenda Jackson

- Best Actress: Women In Love

John Mills

- Best Supporting Actor: Ryan's Daughter

Freddie Young

- Best Cinematography: Ryan's Daughter

(44th) 1971 held in 1972

Robert Amram (director)

- Best Live Action Short: Sentinels Of Silence (Sentinelas Del Silencio)

Robert Amram (director)

- Best Documentary Short: Sentinels Of Silence (Sentinelas Del Silencio)

Ernest Archer, John Box, Vernon Dixon & Jack Maxsted

- Best Art Direction: Nicholas & Alexandra

Charles Chaplin

- Honorary Award

David Hildyard & Gordon K. McCallum

- Best Sound: Fiddler On The Roof

Oswald Morris

- Best Cinematography: Fiddler On The Roof

(45th) 1972 held in 1973

Charles Chaplin

- Best Original Score: Limelight

David Hildyard

- Best Sound: Cabaret

Anthony Powell

- Best Costume Design: travels With My Aunt

Geoffrey Unsworth

- Best Cinematography: Cabaret

(46th) 1973 held in 1974

Glenda Jackson

- Best Actress: A Touch Of Class

(47th) 1974 held in 1975

Albert Whitlock

- Special Achievement In Visual Effects: Earthquake

(48th) 1975 held in 1976

Ben Adam, Vernon Dixon & Roy Walker

- Best Art Direction: Barry Lyndon

John Alcott

- Best Cinematography: Barry Lyndon

Bob Godfrey

- Best Animated Short: Great

Albert Whitlock

- Special Achievement In Visual Effects: The Hindenberg

(49th) 1976 held in 1977

Peter Finch

- Best Actor: Network

(50th) 1977 held in 1978

John Barry, Roger Christians & Leslie Dilley

- Best Art Direction: Star Wars

John Mollo

- Best Costume Design: Star Wars

Vanessa Redgrave

- Best Supporting Actress: Julia

John Stears

- Best Visual Effects: Star Wars

(51st) 1978 held in 1979

Les Bowie, Colin Chilvers, Denys Coop, Roy Field & Derek Meddings

- Special Achievement In Visual Effects: Superman

Michael Deeley, John Peverall & Barry Spikings

- Best Picture: The Deer Hunter

Laurence Oilvier

- Lifetime Achievement Award

Anthony Powell

- Best Costume Design: Death On The Nile

Maggie Smith

- Best Supporting Actress: California Suite

(52nd) 1979 held in 1980

Nick Allder, Denis Ayling & Brian Johnson

- Special Achievement In Visual Effects: Alien

Alec Guinness

- Honorary Award

Tony Walton

- Best Art Direction: All that Jazz

(53rd) 1980 held in 1981

Brian Johnson

- Special Achievement In Visual Effects: The Empire Strikes Back

Lloyd Phillips

- Best Live Action Short: The Dollar Bottom

Anthony Powell

- Best Costume Design: Tess

David W. Samuelson

- Scientific and Engineering Award -

for the engineering and development of the Louma Camera Crane and remote control system for motion picture production

Jack Stevens

- Best Art Direction: Tess

Geoffrey Unsworth

- Best Cinematography: Tess

(54th) 1981 held in 1982

Leslie Dilley & Michael Ford

- Best Art Direction: Raiders Of The Lost Ark

John Gielgud

- Best Supporting Actor: Arthur

Nigel Nobel

- Best Documentary Short: Close Harmony

David Puttnam

- Best Picture: Chariots Of Fire

Arnold Schwartzman

- Best Documentary Feature: Genocide

Colin Welland

- Best Original Screenplay: Chariots Of Fire

Kit West

- Special Achievement In Visual Effects: Raiders Of The Lost Ark

(55th) 1982 held in 1983

Richard Attenborough

- Best Picture: Gandhi

Richard Attenborough

- Best Director: Gandhi

John Briley

- Best Original Screenplay: Gandhi

Stuart Craig, Bob Laing & Michael Seirton

- Best Art Direction: Gandhi

Ben Kingsley

- Best Actor: Gandhi

John Mollo

- Best Costume Design: Gandhi

Sarah Monzani

- Best Achievement In Make Up: Quest For Fire

Colin Mossman & Rank Laboratories

- Scientific and Engineering Award -

for the engineering and implementation of a 4,000 meter printing system for motion picture laboratories

Christine Oestreicher

- Best Live Action Short: A Shocking Accident

Ronnie Taylor & Billy Williams

- Best Cinematography: Gandhi

(56th) 1983 held in 1984

Gerald L. Turpin (Lightflex International)

- Scientific And Engineering Award

- for the design, engineering and development of an on-camera device providing contrast control, sourceless fill light and special effects for motion picture photography

(57th) 1984 held in 1985

Peggy Ashcroft

- Best Supporting Actress: A Passage To India

Jim Clark

- Best Editing: The Killing Fields

George Gibbs

- Special Achievement In Visual Effects: Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom

Chris Menges

- Best Cinematography: The Killing Fields

Peter Shaffer

- Best Adapted Screenplay: Amadeus

(58th) 1985 held in 1986

John Barry

- Best Original Score: Out Of Africa

Stephen Grimes

- Best Art Direction: Out Of Africa

David Watkin

- Best Cinematography: Out Of Africa

Peter Handford

- Best Sound: Out Of Africa

(59th) 1986 held in 1987

Brian Ackland-Snow & Brian Saregar

- Best Art Direction: A Room With A View

Jenny Beavan & John Bright

- Best Costume Design: A Room With A View

Michael Caine

- Best Supporting Actor: Hannah & Her Sisters

Simon Kaye

- Best Sound: Platoon

Lee Electric Lighting Ltd.

- Technical Achievement Award

Chris Menges

- Best Cinematography: The Mission

Peter D. Parks

- Technical Achievement Award

William B. Pollard & David W. Samuelson - Technical Achievement Award

John Richardson

- Special Achievement In Visual Effects: Aliens

Claire Simpson

- Best Editing: Platoon

Don Sharpe

- Best Sound Effects Editing: Aliens

Vivienne Verdon-Roe

- Best Documentary Short: Women - For America, For The World

(60th) 1987 held in 1988

James Acheson

- Best Costume Design: The Last Emperor

Sean Connery

- Best Supporting Actor: The Untouchables

Mark Peploe

- Best Adapted Screenplay: The Last Emperor

Ivan Sharrock

- Best Sound: The Last Emperor

Jeremy Thomas

- Best Picture: The Last Emperor

(61st) 1988 held in 1989

James Acheson

- Best Costume Design: Dangerous Liaisons

George Gibbs

- Special Achievement In Visual Effects: Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Christopher Hampton

- Best Adapted Screenplay: Dangerous Liaisons

(62nd) 1989 held in 1990

Phyllis Dalton

- Best Costume: Henry V

Daniel Day-Lewis

- Best Actor: My Left Foot

Freddie Francis

- Best Cinematography: Glory

Brenda Fricker

- Best Supporting Actress: My Left Foot

Anton Furst

- Best Art Direction: Batman

Richard Hymns

- Best Sound Effects Editing: Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade

Jessica Tandy

- Best Actress: Driving Miss Daisy

James Hendrie

- Best Live Action Short: Work Experience

(63rd) 1990 held in 1991

John Barry

- Best Original Score: Dances With Wolves

Jeremy Irons

- Best Actor: Reversal Of Fortune

Nick Park

- Best Animated Short: Creature Comforts

(64th) 1991 held in 1992

Daniel Greaves

- Best Animated Short: Manipulation

Anthony Hopkins

- Best Actor: Silence Of The Lambs

Faz Fazakas, Dave Housman, Peter Miller, John Stephenson (with Brian Henson)

- Scientific and Engineering Award - for the development of the Henson Performance Control System

(65th) 1992 held in 1993

Simon Kaye

- Best Sound: The Last Of The Mohicans

Tim Rice

- Best Original Song: Aladdin (A Whole New World)

Emma Thompson

- Best Actress: Howards End

Ian Whittaker

- Best Art Direction: Howards End

(66th) 1993 held in 1994

Richard Hymns

- Best Sound Effects Editing: Jurassic Park

Nick Park

- Best Animated Short: The Wrong trousers

Deborah Kerr

- Career Achievement Honorary Award

(67th) 1994 held in 1995

Ken Adam & Carolyn Scott

- Best Art Direction: The Madness Of King George

Peter Capaldi & Ruth Kenley-Letts

- Best Live Action Short: Franz Kafka's It's A Wonderful Life

Elton John & Tim Rice

- Best Song: The Lion King (Can You Feel The Love Tonight)

Alison Snowden & David Fine

-Best Animated Short: Bob's Birthday

(68th) 1995 held in 1996

James Acheson

- Best Costume Design: Restoration

Jon Blair

- Best Documentary Feature: Anne Frank Remembered

Lois Burwell & Peter Frampton

- Special Achievement In Make Up: Braveheart

Emma Thompson

- Best Adapted Screenplay: Sense & Sensibility

Nick Park

- Best Animated Short: A Close Shave

(69th) 1996 held in 1997

Anthony Minghella

- Best Director: The English Patient

Rachel Portman

- Best Original Score Musical or Comedy: Emma

Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber

- Best Original song: Evita (You Must Love Me)

Stuart Craig & Stephanie McMillan

- Best Art Direction: The English Patient

(70th) 1997 held in 1998

Peter Lamont and Michael Ford

- Best Achievement In Art Direction: Titanic

Anne Dudley

- Best Original Score Musical or Comedy: The Full Monty

Jan Pinkava

- Best Animated Short: Geri's Game

(71st) 1998 held in 1999

David Parfitt

- Best Film: Shakespeare in Love

Judi Dench

- Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Shakespeare in Love

Tom Stoppard

- Best Original Screenplay: Shakespeare in Love

Martin Childs and Jill Quertier

- Best Art Direction: Shakespeare in Love

Sandy Powell

- Best Costume Design: Shakespeare in Love

Jenny Shircore

- Best Make-up: Elizabeth

Stephen Warbeck

- Best Original Score Musical or Comedy: Shakespeare in Love

Andy Nelson

- Best Sound: Saving Private Ryan

Richard Hymns

- Best Sound Effects Editing: Saving Private Ryan

(72nd) 1999 held in 2000

Michael Caine

- Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Cider House Rules

Peter Young

- Best Art Direction: Sleepy Hollow

Lindy Hemming

- Best Costume Design: Topsy-Turvy

Sam Mendes

- Best Directing: American Beauty

Kevin MacDonald, John Battsek,

- Best Documentary Feature: One Day in September

Christine Blundell, trefor Proud

- Best Make up: Topsy-Turvy

Phil Collins

- Best Original Song: Tarzan "You'll Be In My Heart"

(73rd) 2000 held in 2001

Janty Yates

- Best Costume Design: Gladiator

Claire Jennings

- Best Animated Short: Father and Daughter

Ken Weston

- Best Sound: Gladiator

Tim Burke

- Best Visual Effects: Gladiator

SPECIAL AWARDS

Jack Cardiff - Honorary Oscar

Vic Armstrong - Scientific and Technical Award

(74th) 2001 held in 2002

Jim Broadbent

- Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Iris

Julian Fellowes

- Best Writing (Original Screenplay): Gosford Park

Chris Munro

- Best Sound: Black Hawk Down

Peter Owen

- Best Make-Up: Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring

(75th) 2002 held in 2003

Catherine Zeta Jones

- Best Actress In A Supporting Role: Chicago

Ronald Harwood

- Best Adapted Screenwriting: The Pianist

Martin Walsh

- Best Achievement In Film Editing: Chicago

Mike Hopkins

- Best Achievement In Sound Editing: Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers

(76th) 2003 held in 2004

Alan Lee

- Best Art Direction: Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King

Peter King

- Best Make-Up: Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King

Annie Lennox

- Best Original Song: Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King ("Into the West")

(77th) 2004 held in 2005

Sandy Powell

- Best Costume Design: The Aviator

Andrea Arnold (director)

- Best Short Film (Live Action): Wasp

(78th) 2005 held in 2006

Rachel Weisz

- Best Actress in a Supporting Role: The Constant Gardener

Nick Park, Steve Box (directors)

- Best Animated Feature Film: Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit (UK/US)

Peter Fudakowski (producer)

- Best Foreign Language Film: Tsotsi (South Africa/UK)

Martin McDonagh (director)

- Best Live Action Short Film: Six Shooter (UK)

(79th) 2006 held in 2007

Helen Mirren

- Best Actress: The Queen

(80th) 2007 held in 2008

Daniel Day-Lewis

- Best Actor: There Will Be Blood

Tilda Swinton

- Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Michael Clayton

Alexandra Byrne

- Best Costume Design: Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Jan Archibald

- Best Make-Up: La Vie en Rose

Suzie Templeton (director), Hugh Welchman (producer)

- Best Animated Short Film: Peter & the Wolf

Ben Morris

- Best Visual Effects: The Golden Compass

(81st) 2008 held in 2009

Christian Colson

- Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire

Kate Winslet

- Best Actress: The Reader

Anthony Dod Mantle

- Best Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire

Michael O'Connor

- Best Costume Design: The Duchess

Danny Boyle

- Best Directing: Slumdog Millionaire

James Marsh (director), Simon Chinn (producer)

- Best Documentary Feature: Man on Wire

Chris Dickens

- Best Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire

Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke [nominated with Resul Pookutty]

- Best Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire

Simon Beaufoy

- Best Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire