39th Tony Awards

39th Tony Awards
Date	June 2, 1985
Location	Shubert Theatre, New York City, New York
Hosted by	Tony Bennet
Television/Radio coverage
Network	CBS

The 39th Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by CBS television on June 2, 1985 from the Shubert Theatre. Instead of a formal host, there was a group of performers/presenters. Some paid tribute to the songs of Jule Styne, Cy Coleman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, with these composers ending the broadcast by playing songs from their respective new shows. Mary Martin introduced the Special Award for Yul Brynner.^[1]

The ceremony

For the first time in the history of the Tony Awards, awards were not presented for the lead actor and actress in a musical and choreography.^[2] According to The New York Times, "Theater historians and Tony administrators say they cannot recall an instance when one category was dropped from the awards, much less three."^[3]

As Ken Mandelbaum noted: "1985: Things get bad enough musically to require the elimination of the Best Musical Actor and Actress categories, as well as the choreography prize."^[4] The Associated Press wrote: "For the first time in the Tony's 39-year history, awards in three categories _ best actor and actress in a musical and best choreography _ were scrapped because of a lack of candidates."^[5] In a further report, the Associated Press noted: "The award for best actress, musical was eliminated this season because there was only one eligible candidate. The nominating committee declined to give nominations in the leading actor in a musical and choreography categories because they did not consider any of the performances or choreography outstanding or excellent."^[6]^[7]

Musicals represented:^[8]

Big River ("Muddy Water"/" River in the Rain"- Daniel Jenkins, Ron Richardson and Company)
Grind ("This Must Be the Place" - Ben Vereen and Company)
Leader of the Pack (Medley - Company)

Presenters and Performers: Danny Aiello, Susan Anton, Hinton Battle, Deborah Bauers, Deborah Burrell, Terry Burrell, Jim Dale, Loretta Devine, Jackie Gleason, Julie Harris, Rex Harrison, George Hearn, Van Johnson, Raul Julia, Rosetta LeNoire, Mary Martin, Millicent Martin, Maureen McGovern, Rita Moreno, Mike Nichols, Stefanie Powers, Juliet Prowse, Tony Randall, Lee Roy Reams, Lynn Redgrave, Chita Rivera, Wanda Richert, Tony Roberts, Rex Smith, Leslie Uggams, Dick Van Dyke, Ben Vereen, Tom Wopat

Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold

Source: InfoPlease^[9]

Best Play	Best Musical
Biloxi Blues – Neil Simon As Is – William M. Hoffman Hurlyburly – David Rabe Ma Rainey's Black Bottom – August Wilson	Big River Grind Leader of the Pack Quilters
Best Revival	Best Book of a Musical
A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Cyrano de Bergerac Much Ado About Nothing Strange Interlude	William Hauptman – Big River Fay Kanin – Grind Michael Stewart – Harrigan and Hart Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek – Quilters
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play	Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
*Derek Jacobi – Much Ado About Nothing* as Benedick** Jim Dale – A Day in the Death of Joe Egg as Bri Jonathan Hogan – As Is as Rich John Lithgow – Requiem for a Heavyweight as Harlan "Mountain" McClintock	*Stockard Channing – A Day in the Death of Joe Egg* as Sheila** Sinéad Cusack – Much Ado About Nothing as Beatrice Rosemary Harris – Pack of Lies as Barbara Jackson Glenda Jackson – Strange Interlude as Nina Leeds
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play	Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
*Barry Miller – Biloxi Blues* as Arnold Epstein** Charles S. Dutton – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Levee William Hurt – Hurlyburly as Eddie Edward Petherbridge – Strange Interlude as Charles Marsden	*Judith Ivey – Hurlyburly* as Bonnie** Joanna Gleason – A Day in the Death of Joe Egg as Pam Theresa Merritt – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Ma Rainey Sigourney Weaver – Hurlyburly as Darlene
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical	Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
*Ron Richardson – Big River* as Jim** René Auberjonois – Big River as The Duke Daniel H. Jenkins – Big River as Huckleberry Finn Kurt Knudson – Take Me Along as Sid Davis	*Leilani Jones – Grind* as Satin** Evalyn Baron – Quilters as Daughter of the Frontier Mary Beth Peil – The King and I as Anna Leonowens Lenka Peterson – Quilters as Sarah
Best Direction of a Play	Best Direction of a Musical
Gene Saks – Biloxi Blues Keith Hack – Strange Interlude Terry Hands – Much Ado About Nothing Marshall W. Mason – As Is	Des McAnuff – Big River Barbara Damashek – Quilters Mitch Leigh – The King and I Harold Prince – Grind
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre	Best Scenic Design
Big River – Roger Miller (music and lyrics) Grind – Larry Grossman (music) and Ellen Fitzhugh (lyrics) Quilters – Barbara Damashek (music and lyrics)	Heidi Landesman – Big River Clarke Dunham – Grind Ralph Koltai – Much Ado About Nothing Voytek and Michael Levine – Strange Interlude
Best Costume Design	Best Lighting Design
Florence Klotz – Grind Patricia McGourty – Big River Alexander Reid – Cyrano de Bergerac Alexander Reid – Much Ado About Nothing	Richard Riddell – Big River Terry Hands – Cyrano de Bergerac Terry Hands – Much Ado About Nothing Allen Lee Hughes – Strange Interlude

Special awards

Regional Theatre Award - Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago, Illinois
Yul Brynner honoring his 4,525 performances in The King and I
New York State Council on the Arts

References

↑ O'Connor, John J. "TV Reviews;'Tony Awards' On CBS, Live From Shubert", New York Times, June 4, 1985, p.C13
↑ Freedman, Samuel G. " 'Biloxi' And 'Big River' Win Top Tony Awards", The New York Times, June 3, 1985, p.C15, accessed June 1, 2016
↑ Freedman, Samuel G. "Two More Tony Categories Dropped", The New York Times, May 7, 1985, accessed June 1, 2016
↑ Mandelbaum, Ken. "Ken Mandelbaum's Aisle View: Tony Highs And Lows" Playbill, May 11, 1997, accessed June 2, 2016
↑ Kuchwara, Michael, "Neil Simon Wins First Best Play Tony; 'Big River' Captures Seven Awards", The Associated Press, June 3, 1985, Domestic News (no page number)
↑ (no author). "List of Winners of 1985 Tony Awards", The Associated Press, June 3, 1985, Domestic News (no page number)
↑ Winship, Frederick M. "'Big River,' 'Biloxi Blues' win Tony Awards" UPI (archives), June 3, 1985
↑ "Ceremony, 1985" tonyawards.com, accessed June 2, 2016
↑ "1985 Tony Awards, Winners" infoplease.com, accessed June 1, 2016

External links

Tony Awards official site

Tony Awards

American Theatre Wing The Broadway League List of people who have won Academy, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards

Play	Best Play Best Direction of a Play Best Leading Actor in a Play Best Leading Actress in a Play Best Featured Actor in a Play Best Featured Actress in a Play Best Costume Design in a Play Best Lighting Design in a Play Best Revival of a Play Best Scenic Design in a Play

Musical	Best Musical Best Direction of a Musical Best Leading Actor in a Musical Best Leading Actress in a Musical Best Featured Actor in a Musical Best Featured Actress in a Musical Best Book of a Musical Best Choreography Best Costume Design in a Musical Best Lighting Design in a Musical Best Orchestrations Best Original Score Best Revival of a Musical Best Scenic Design in a Musical

Special (non-competitive)	Regional Theatre Tony Award Special Tony Award Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre Isabelle Stevenson Award

Retired	Best Author Best Conductor and Musical Director Best Costume Design Best Director Best Lighting Design Best Newcomer Best Revival Best Scenic Design Best Sound Design Best Special Theatrical Event Best Stage Technician

Ceremonies	1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

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