1951 in film



The year 1951 in film involved some significant events.

Events

 * Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian film-makers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati
 * United States of America - Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland premieres, while a disappointment at first it would later became one of the biggest cult classics in the animation medium.

Top-grossing films (U.S.)
(*) After theatrical re-issue(s)

Awards
Academy Awards:


 * Best Picture: An American in Paris - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
 * Best Director: George Stevens - A Place in the Sun
 * Best Actor: Humphrey Bogart - The African Queen
 * Best Actress: Vivien Leigh - A Streetcar Named Desire
 * Best Supporting Actor: Karl Malden - A Streetcar Named Desire
 * Best Supporting Actress: Kim Hunter - A Streetcar Named Desire

Golden Globe Awards:


 * Drama:
 * Best Picture: A Place in the Sun
 * Best Actor: Fredric March - Death of a Salesman
 * Best Actress: Jane Wyman - The Blue Veil


 * Musical or comedy:
 * Best Picture: An American in Paris
 * Best Actor: Danny Kaye - On the Riviera
 * Best Actress: June Allyson - Too Young to Kiss


 * Other
 * Best Director: Laslo Benedek - Death of a Salesman
 * Special Award: Pictura: An Adventure in Art

Grand Prix (Cannes Film Festival):
 * Miss Julie (Fröken Julie), directed by Alf Sjöberg, Sweden
 * Miracle in Milan (Miracolo a Milano), directed by Vittorio De Sica, Italy

Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival)
 * Rashomon, directed by Akira Kurosawa, Japan

Notable films released in 1951

 * 1) Scrooge

Serials

 * Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere, starring Judd Holdren
 * Don Daredevil Rides Again, starring Ken Curtis and Aline Towne
 * Government Agents vs Phantom Legion, starring Walter Reed
 * Mysterious Island, starring Richard Crane
 * Roar of the Iron Horse, starring Buster Crabbe

Short film series

 * Mickey Mouse (1928–1956)
 * Looney Tunes (1930–1969)
 * Merrie Melodies (1931–1969)
 * Popeye (1933–1957)
 * The Three Stooges (1934–1959)
 * Donald Duck (1936–1956)
 * Pluto (1937-1951)
 * Goofy (1939–1953)
 * Tom and Jerry (1940–1958)
 * Bugs Bunny (1940–1964)
 * Mighty Mouse (1942–1955)
 * Chip and Dale (1943–1956)
 * Yosemite Sam (1945–1963)
 * Terrytoons (1930–1971)
 * Noveltoons (1944–1967)

Births

 * January 8 - John McTiernan, American director
 * January 12 - Kirstie Alley, American actress
 * January 15 - Charo, Spanish American actress, singer and comedian
 * February 13 - David Naughton, American actor & singer
 * February 15 - Jane Seymour, English actress
 * February 16 - William Katt, American actor
 * February 22 - Ellen Greene, American singer and actress
 * March 17 - Kurt Russell, American actor
 * April 12 - Tom Noonan, American director
 * April 17 - Olivia Hussey, Argentine-born English actress
 * April 21 - Tony Danza, actor
 * May 30 - Stephen Tobolowsky, American actor
 * July 6 - Geoffrey Rush, Australian actor
 * July 8 - Anjelica Huston, American actress
 * July 9 - Chris Cooper, American actor
 * July 21 - Robin Williams, American actor & comedian (died 2014)
 * July 24 - Lynda Carter, American actress & singer
 * August 6 - Catherine Hicks, American actress
 * August 14 - Carl Lumbly, American actor
 * September 5 - Michael Keaton, American actor
 * September 12 - Joe Pantoliano, American actor
 * September 17 - Cassandra Peterson, American actress
 * September 25 - Mark Hamill, American actor
 * November 20 - Rodger Bumpass, American actor & voice actor
 * November 27 - Kathryn Bigelow, American director
 * December 1 - Treat Williams, American actor

Deaths

 * January 11 – Charles W. Goddard, American playwright, screenwriter (born 1879)
 * March 6 - Ivor Novello, Welsh actor, singer, composer (born 1893)
 * March 25 - Oscar Micheaux, American director, author (born 1884)
 * April 4 - Al Christie, Canadian-born director, producer (born 1881)
 * May 2 - Edwin L. Marin, American director (born 1899)
 * May 7 - Warner Baxter, American actor (born 1882)
 * May 17 - S. Sylvan Simon, American director (born 1910)
 * June 2 - Ernst Pittschau, German actor (born 1883)
 * June 6 - Olive Tell, American actress (born 1894)
 * June 9 - Mayo Methot, American actress (born 1904)
 * July 23 - Robert J. Flaherty, American documentary filmmaker (born 1884)
 * August 28 - Robert Walker, American actor (born 1918)
 * August 30 - Konstantin Märska, Estonian cinematographer (born 1896)
 * September 7 - Maria Montez, Dominican-born actress (born 1912)

Film Debuts

 * Jeff Bridges - The Company She Keeps
 * Charles Bronson - You're in the Navy Now
 * Leslie Caron - An American in Paris
 * John Cassavetes - Fourteen Hours
 * James Dean - Fixed Bayonets!
 * Lee Grant - Detective Story
 * Audrey Hepburn - One Wild Oat
 * Grace Kelly - Fourteen Hours
 * Leonard Nimoy - Queen for a Day
 * William Shatner - The Butler's Night Off
 * Rod Steiger - Teresa