2018 Oscars In Memoriam: Academy Pays Tribute To Industry Greats
The 2018 Oscars In Memoriam tribute is just one of a number of lengthy montages. It is notable for several reasons, particularly those omitted.
Left Out On The Night
The most glaring expectations from this year's In Memoriam segment include original Batman Adam West, along with Glen Campbell, Dorothy Malone, Robert Guillaume, Harlem Nights star Della Reese, and even Frasier's John Mahoney. To be fair, it is a particularly bad year for celebrity deaths, but these omissions are notable nonetheless.
Each year, on the biggest night of the showbiz calendar, the In Memoriam section takes a moment to pay tribute to those lost in the preceding 12 months.
There will always be people left out, as is the nature of these kinds of segments, but this year even saw former Oscar winners and nominees alike omitted. Malone won Best Supporting Actress for her turn in 1956's Written on the Wind. Campbell, meanwhile, was nominated for Best Original Song, and also starred in classic western True Grit.
Eddie Vedder, singer and frontman in grunge band Pearl Jam, performed Tom Petty's "Room at the Top" in tribute to the legendary singer who passed away last October. The In Memoriam segment played as Vedder performed.
Actress Jennifer Garner introduced the segment with a moving speech.
"Every storyteller knows that there is no joy without sorrow. Tonight, as we celebrate the achievements of our collaborators, we also mourn the loss of those who brought joy and awareness through their passion for the movies. Though no longer in our midst, their contributions endure," Garner said.
A variety of actors, singers, and filmmakers were honored including Harry Dean Staunton, Martin Landau, Roger Moore, George A. Romero, Jerry Lewis, Jonathan Demme, and composer Jóhann Jóhannsson who died on February 9.
Selection Process
The decision on who to include often depends on whether a candidate is more known for television or film, or if he or she was included in the previous year's Emmys In Memoriam. Likewise, if the death was too recent, the person may not be considered for inclusion. This may explain why M*A*S*H star David Ogen Stiers, who died just a day before the ceremony, wasn't included.
Likewise, horror icon Tobe Hooper, who directed the infamous Texas Chain Saw Massacre, wasn't included, nor were Raging Bull and The Sopranos star Frank Vincent, Emmy winning-actor, and Nashville star Powers Boothe, or House of Cards and The Wire star Reg E. Cathey.
Twitter was quick to point out who was missing from the lengthy montage.
No John Mahoney in the Memoriam montage is total bulls**t. — Brian Tallerico (@Brian_Tallerico) March 5, 2018
Sadly, as predicted, two great actors left out of the In Memoriam montage: Powers Boothe and Frank Vincent #shinebox — Bryan Bishop (@BaldBryan) March 5, 2018
It's worth noting, however, that this year's Oscars didn't include the name of a still-living person, as the 2017 ceremony infamously did. The 89th Oscars saw film producer Jan Chapman honored in spite of the fact she was still very much alive.
It was actually fellow Aussie Janet Patterson, a costume designer and 4-time Oscar nominee, who had passed away.
