The 30 Oct 1964 DV reported the hiring of writer Harlan Ellison to adapt Richard Sales’s 1963 novel, The Oscar, for the screen. Producer Clarence Greene and director Russell Rouse assured the 25 Feb 1965 DV that the film would be considerably less sordid than the source novel. The 23 Mar 1965 issue noted that Embassy Pictures president Joseph E. Levine added $1 million to the production budget, which was later estimated at $2.5 million in the 5 May 1965 Var. By the time filming was underway, the 2 Aug 1965 DV approximated the budget at $3 million.
       The 1 Apr 1965 DV reported that Greene and Rouse attended a press briefing at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, CA, where the Academy Awards presentation was held four days later. Although the team claimed they had clearance to film portions of the ceremony, the next day’s issue stated that permission was withdrawn by sponsors of the event.
       The 30 Apr 1965 DV announced Rita Hayworth for the role of “Sophie Cantaro.” She left the project two months later “by mutual consent of all parties,” according to the 24 Jun 1965 edition. The 17 Jul 1965 LAT stated that Jennifer Jones was a candidate for the role before it went to Eleanor Parker.
       Joseph E. Levine told the 22 May 1965 LAT that he was hoping to cast Jean Seberg as “Kay Bergdahl,” Jason Robards, Jr., as “Hymie Kelly,” Edie Adams as “Laurel Scott,” and Henry Fonda as “Kenneth H. Regan.” Only Adams appeared in the film, but in the role of “Trina Yale.” Comedian Dick Shawn was also under consideration, as noted in the 11 Jun 1965 DV.
       According to the 20 Jul 1965 DV, cast member Tony Bennett informed comedian Bob Hope during a transcontinental flight that Greene and Rouse were seeking his services. The 26 Aug 1965 DV confirmed Hope’s participation, along with that of actor-singer Frank Sinatra. Both planned to donate their salaries to charity.
       Principal photography began 19 Jul 1965, as stated in a 23 Jul 1965 DV production chart. Actress Jill St. John told the 21 Jul 1965 DV that she was shaking with fright during her initial scene, in which she was required to do a striptease. Other cast members included Larry Barton (19 Jul 1965 DV) ; Benedit Bryson and Nancy Lewis (22 Jul 1965 DV) ; Rex Holman (5 Aug 1965 DV) ; Chance Gentry (6 Aug 1965 DV) ; Ross Ford, Joel Price, Cordy Clark, Katie Regan, Norma Clark, Katie McKee, Jackie Mitchell, Bobby Whitby, Sherri Davis, Stacy King, Carol Anderson, Gege Michelle, Dawn Villere, Mei-Ling Leung, and Sylvia Sands (10 Aug 1965 DV) ; Jerry James (17 Aug 1965 LAT) ; Jan Merlin (18 Aug 1965 DV) ; Jeff Brown (23 Aug 1965 DV) ; Allegra Varron and Moki Demarco (30 Aug 1965 DV) ; radio personality and honorary “Mayor of Hollywood” Johnny Grant (13 Sep 1965 LAT) ; entertainment reporters Army Archerd, James Bacon, Dick Kleiner, and Neil Raul (15 Sep 1965 Var). The picture marked the screen debut of singer Tony Bennett, and the final screen appearance by actress and columnist Hedda Hopper. The 30 Jun 1965 DV credited Ann Del Valle as publicist.
       The 10 Aug 1965 DV announced that the debut episode of The Steve Lawrence Show (CBS, 13 Sep--13 Dec 1965) would feature a videotaped segment from the set of The Oscar, with stars Stephen Boyd, Elke Sommer, and Tony Bennett.
       The 12 Sep 1965 LAT identified locations as “the corner of Roxbury Drive and Benedict Canyon” in Beverly Hills, CA; North Formosa Avenue in Los Angeles, CA; and the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, where producer Clarence Greene hoped to stage the premiere, followed by a “governor’s ball.” He also intended to duplicate the event at various openings around the U.S. Greene commended the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for its assistance with the film. The cast and crew included sixty-nine Academy Award nominees, twenty of whom were also winners. Neither Greene nor Rouse would say whether characters in the screenplay were based actual members of the entertainment industry.
       Hedda Hopper ruined the film’s surprise ending in her 17 Sep 1965 LAT column by revealing that Frank Sinatra, rather than Stephen Boyd’s character “Frank Fane,” won the “Oscar” in the final sequence. The 3 Feb 1966 LAT claimed that Boyd hoped the picture would “take him to the top level of stardom.” The end of production was reported in the 4 Oct 1965 DV.
       The Oscar premiered 15 Feb 1966 at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. Academy Award winners Janet Gaynor, Julie Andrews, Rex Harrison, Lila Kebrova, and Peter Ustinov were invited to attend, as noted in the 9 Feb 1966 LAT. The 3 Feb 1966 DV reported plans for an 18 Feb 1966 gala opening at the Showcase Circle Theatre in Levine’s hometown of Boston, MA. In addition to Levine, cast members Jill St. John, Stephen Boyd, Tony Bennett, Milton Berle, Joseph Cotton, Edie Adams, Ernest Borgnine, and Edith Head were expected. Sumner Redstone, president of the Redstone theater circuit, added a portrait of Levine to the theater’s gallery of famous filmmakers. The picture debuted in New York City on 2 Mar 1966 with an “invitational” screening at Loew’s State Theatre.
       Reviews were mixed: While the 15 Feb 1966 DV noted the picture’s commercial aspects, the 5 Mar 1966 NYT considered it a case of “Hollywood fouling its nest.” According to the 23 Feb 1966 Var, the Dallas, TX, Feature Film Classification Board declared the picture unsuitable for children under the age of sixteen. Canadian critic Clyde Gilmour listed The Oscar among the worst releases of 1966, as noted in the 11 Jan 1967 Var.
       Regardless, Levine predicted gross receipts of $14 million in the 31 Mar 1966 DV , while the 6 Apr 1966 Var listed the film as the eighth highest-earning release of the previous month. An item in the 18 Jan 1967 Var estimated 1966 rentals at $1.3 million. The picture received Academy Award nominations for Production Design and Costume Design.
       Although filming took place at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, the 10 Nov 1965 Var stated that the company only handled foreign distribution, while Levine’s Embassy Pictures retained domestic distribution rights. On 28 Sep 1966, Var reported that television rights reverted to Levine, along with those of four other Embassy-Paramount co-productions.
       Tony Bennett recorded the title song for his 1966 Columbia Records release, The Movie Song Album. Columbia also released the soundtrack album. More Less