Academy Awards winners, nominees from Pittsburgh area over the years

It’s time again for Hollywood’s biggest night. The 96th annual Academy Awards will air at 7 p.m. Sunday. The Oscars are the most sought-after awards in film, and with an almost century-long history, many actors, musicians, directors, producers and behind-the-scenes crew have had the honor of being nominated. Some of those famous faces — and some not-so-famous ones who have still had a big impact — have ties to Southwestern Pennsylvania.

“We’ve got a great roster of talent and a great film and entertainment heritage,” said Dawn Keezer, executive director of the Pittsburgh Film Office. “We’re always excited to see them succeed.”

Here’s a quick tour of winners and nominees through the years, in chronological order as to when they were nominated.

James Stewart

A five-time nominee and one-time winner (plus one lifetime achievement award), James Stewart hailed from Indiana, Pa., and boasted a lengthy acting career.

He won Best Actor for 1940’s “The Philadelphia Story,” though he may be best known for his roles in “It’s A Wonderful Life” as well as Alfred Hitchcock films like “Vertigo” and “Rear Window.” Stewart is so revered in his hometown that fans can visit the Jimmy Stewart Museum at 835 Philadelphia St. in Indiana.

Gene Kelly

The namesake of Pittsburgh’s local high school musical awards, Gene Kelly never nabbed a competitive Oscar, but he did receive an honorary award in 1951. The award was to honor his achievements as an actor and dancer but especially as a choreographer. He was born in East Liberty and graduated from Peabody High School.

Kelly was best known as an actor and dancer in films like “An American in Paris” and “Singin’ in the Rain,” and he also had a robust stage career on Broadway before Academy Award-winning producer — and fellow Pittsburgher — David O. Selznick discovered him and brought him to Hollywood’s attention.

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Henry Mancini

A legendary film composer who happened to grow up in West Aliquippa, Henry Mancini received 12 nominations and four Academy Awards during his impressive career.

Two of those came in 1961 for “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” one each for Best Original Song (for “Moon River”) and one for Best Original Score. He also one Best Original Song the following year for “Days of Wine and Roses” (from the film of the same name) and Best Original Score in 1982 for “Victor/Victoria.”

Shirley Jones

A native of Charleroi, Jones won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 1961 ceremony for the film “Elmer Gantry.” Born in 1934 and named after Shirley Temple, Jones followed in her nameake’s footsteps as a star of stage and screen.

Taking to performing at a young age, Jones was onstage with Pittsburgh Playhouse and Pittsburgh CLO before getting a seven-year contract with Rodgers and Hammerstein. She is best known for a later role as Shirley Partridge from “The Partridge Family.”

Jack Warner

Warner, who was one of the Warner Brothers for which the studio was named, may not have been born here, but Pittsburgh was an important stepping stone in his career.

After establishing a traveling movie show, the Warner brothers bought a movie house in New Castle and, in 1907, started the Duquesne Amusement Co. in Pittsburgh.

It was this time in the distribution business that allowed the brothers to make their way into film production. The rest is history; Warner Bros. still exists to this day. Jack Warner won a Best Picture Oscar for “My Fair Lady” (1965).

Frances McDormand

McDormand spent time in Monessen during her formative years as the daughter of a minister. She won Best Actress for 1996’s “Fargo” and 2017’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” She also won Best Actress for 2020’s “Nomadland” and netted another Oscar for Best Picture as a producer of that film. She is a frequent collaborator of acclaimed directors like Wes Anderson and the Coen Brothers.

Joe Letteri

He may not be a household name, but moviegoers all over would know Letteri’s work when they see it.

Born in Aliquippa, Letteri has been revolutionary in the field of performance capture. He’s been nominated for 11 Best Visual Effects Academy Awards and won five. Those five films? “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” (2002), “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003), “King Kong” (2005), “Avatar” (2009) and “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022).

Michael Keaton

He’s not a winner (yet), but hometown superhero Michael Keaton was nominated for Best Actor for 2014’s “Birdman.” A proud Southwestern Pennsylvania native, Keaton was born in 1951 in Coraopolis and raised in Robinson. Before hitting it big, Keaton appeared on “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” in 1975.

Even when he got famous as “Mr. Mom” and “Batman,” and later as the villain in 2017’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” Keaton has remained a faithful supporter of his hometown — and its sports teams.

August Wilson

Wilson died in 2005, before he got his Academy Award nod. The playwright received a posthumous nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for 2016’s”Fences,” a film based on his Tony Award-winning play. Wilson is best known for his 10-play “Pittsburgh Cycle,” many of which take place in the Hill District where he grew up. He is the namesake of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, located on Liberty Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh.

Making CMU proud

A number of Carnegie Mellon University alumni have made a splash at the Academy Awards for work both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Ann Roth, a 1953 graduate of the College of Fine Arts, has won two Oscars for Best Costume Design, for “The English Patient” in 1996 and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” in 2021. Class of 1968 alum Stephen Schwartz won Best Original Song for “When You Believe” from “The Prince of Egypt” (1998). Even several alumni of the School of Computer Science have earned technical achievement awards.

A few CMU-educated actors have gotten awards and nominations, too, including Holly Hunter (for “The Piano” in 1993) and Leslie Odom Jr. (nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Song for “One Night in Miami…” in 2021). Most recently, writer/director Sian Heder won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay for 2021’s CODA.