Cary Grant receiving an Honorary Oscar

This year the Academy in order to express its appreciation to one of its members for a unique screen career Has voted an Oscar to Mr. Cary Grant for sheer brilliance in the acting business No one's brought more pleasure to more people for as many years as Cary has and no one has done More things well from light comedy to strong drama and made it look easier No one has been more admired and loved by his fellow actors for skill For finesse for subtlety charm and for being Cary Grant Now to give you an idea of how I personally feel about Cary. I'd like to say That if Cary Grant has starred in this particular film called The Kissing Bandit, it would have been the biggest hit of all time I think you're applauding my stamina You realize that I'm the only girl you ever work with I never slapped you You must be tired after all that action up there Well, while you've got a little energy left you better take this now take it now before you fall down that's it Can I ask you something? Sure. What did you do to deserve all that rough stuff and all that slapping up there? I Don't remember on this thing. Are you sure? Yes, I'm sure you weren't fooling around a little bit before this That I'd remember How about those love scenes that you were doing in there with all those pretty gals? Those I wouldn't mind me taking you really wouldn't hey, you think you can handle it I Could try are you sure? No topical jokes Frank, I thought you might want to join the club that's all I'm I'm very grateful to the Academy's Board of Directors for this happy tribute and to Frank for coming here, especially to give it to me and Well to all the fellows who worked so hard and finding those and assembling those film clips You know, I may never look at this without remembering the quiet patience of the the directors who were so Kind to me kind enough to put up with me more than once some of them even three or four times There was Howard Hawks Hitchcock the late Liam McCarry George Stevens George Cucco and Stanley Donovan and all the writers that was Philip Barry Dory Sherry Bob Sherwood Benhett dear Clifford Odette's Sydney Sheldon and more recently Stanley Shapiro and Peter Stone Well, I trust they and all the other directors writers and producers and leading women have all forgiven me what I didn't know I Realize it's conventional and usual to praise one's fellow workers on these occasions, but why not? Ours is a collaborative medium. We all need each other That's how we And what better opportunity is there to publicly express one's appreciation and admiration and affection for all those who contribute to so much to each of our welfare I I you know, I've never been a joiner or a member of any Particular social set but I've been privileged to be a part of Hollywood's most glorious era and yet tonight thinking of all the empty screens that are waiting to be filled with marvelous images and ideologies points of view whatever and considering all the students who are studying film techniques and the universities throughout the world and The astonishing young talents that are coming up in our midst. I think there's an even more glorious era right around the corner so Before I leave you I want to thank you very much for signifying your approval of this. I Should cherish it until I die Because probably no greater honor can come to any man Than the respect of his colleagues