We assume nowadays it’s also a bit trickier to sneak backstage. At one point the Academy even used blinding spotlights to rid the stage of guests who overstayed their welcome. Host David Niven gets a surprise while introducing Elizabeth Taylor at the 46th Academy Awards. The most obvious legacy of the event is the music that now now starts playing if a speech overruns (see Christian Bale in 2011). But according to pal and fellow artist Jack Fritscher, the prank was all Opel’s own work: “he did it as a piece of performance art”. 1973 - An unexpected visitor appeared on the Oscars stage while co-host David Niven was introducing Elizabeth Taylor. That he was even able to get on stage during the broadcast, and was given a press conference by NBC afterwards, lead some to suggest the prank was planned by producer Jack Heley Jr. His death has ensured that events leading up to his iconic streak remained shrouded in mystery. It emerged during their trial that Opel owed them money. Tragically his life was cut short when two drug dealers murdered him in 1979 during an attempted robbery. He appeared in chat shows, launched a high profile campaign against country singer-turned anti-gay rights activist Anita Bryant, staged a mock execution for Dan White, the man who murdered gay politician Harvey Milk, and eventually opened an influential San Francisco art gallery. Besides - it is a hell of a way to launch a career.”Īnd so it was. When there he hid amongst the cables inside an enormous piece of scenery, lurking until Taylor’s appearance because, at the time, she was the biggest star in the world and it guaranteed to give him most exposure (as it were).Īfter running across the stage, giving the two-fingered peace salute, Opel was amazingly allowed to give a press conference by TV station NBC, when he lied about his profession (“advertising executive”) and said he did it because “people shouldn’t be ashamed of being nude in public. Nonetheless, it’s still not clear how he got backstage. Highly political, by 1974 he was working as a photographer for The Advocate magazine, which is how he blagged himself a press pass for the Oscars. Opel believed that the government was repressing people’s “sexual freedom”. The speech is credited with bringing more attention to the Wounded Knee standoff between the Oglala and the United States government.He was already notorious for stripping off during Los Angeles Council Meetings and had been arrested for lewdness (he eventually received probation). To make the event even more surreal, Western star John Wayne – who spent a large portion of his career pretending to slaughter Native Americans on-screen – was backstage wanting to remove Littlefeather before she spoke, according to an interview she gave in later years.Īfter the ceremony, Littlefeather read to journalists the full 15-page speech Brando had prepared. Avril Lavigne ’s appearance at the Juno Awards on Monday night got off to a complicated start when a topless protester rushed the stage. I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening and that we will in the future, our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity." and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry. Littlefeather, an Apache actress, said Brando "very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. Oscars: The real story behind the on-stage streaker of 1974 By Isabel Thomson Officer 5 years ago The most memorable moment in Oscars history. While politically charged speeches may be par for the course nowadays, that was not the case in 1973, when Sacheen Littlefeather endured taunts and jeers as she took the stage to reject an Oscar on behalf of best actor winner Marlon Brando. John Shearer Shopper News Several blocks on Cumberland Avenue near the University of Tennessee at Knoxville campus have been or will be stripped down and rebuilt to accommodate the growing demand.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |