HistoryData
general1991

63rd Academy Awards — Award ceremony presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for achievement in filmmaking in 1990

March 25, 1991

The 63rd Academy Awards recognized 1990 film achievements, with Dances With Wolves dominating by winning seven Oscars including Best Picture.

Quick Facts

Year
1991
Category
general

Key Facts

Date
March 25, 1991
Venue
Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles
Host
Billy Crystal (second consecutive year)
Categories awarded
22
Top winner
Dances With Wolves (7 awards incl. Best Picture)
US viewership
Nearly 43 million viewers

By the Numbers

251,991
Date
22
Categories awarded
7
Top winner
43viewers
US viewership

Location

Map of Los Angeles, United StatesMap of Los Angeles, United StatesLos Angeles, United States

Cause → Event → Consequence

Cause

Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences convenes to honor outstanding achievements in filmmaking from the prior calendar year. Films released in 1990 were eligible, with nominees determined by votes from AMPAS members across various craft branches.

Event

The ceremony took place on March 25, 1991, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, hosted by Billy Crystal and broadcast on ABC to nearly 43 million viewers. Awards were presented across 22 categories, with Dances With Wolves leading all films with seven wins including Best Picture.

Consequence

Dances With Wolves' sweep affirmed the commercial and critical viability of large-scale westerns, while the telecast's audience of nearly 43 million reflected continued strong public interest in the Oscars. Other recognized films such as Goodfellas and Ghost also gained lasting cultural prominence from their nominations and wins.

Timeline Context

Timeline around 199119911988198919901992199319941991 FIFA World Youth Championship — International football competitionEuroBasket 1991 — FIBA EuroBasket1991 European Super Cup — football matchEurovision Song Contest 1991 — 36th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest1991 Formula One World Championship — sports season1991 Copa América — 1991 edition of the Copa América association football competition1991–92 UEFA Cup — 21st season of Europe's secondary club football tournament organised by UEFA1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup — 1991 edition of the association football competition CONCACAF Gold Cup63rd-academy-awards-award-ceremony-presented-by-the-academ-1991