33rd Tony Awards


The 33rd Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by CBS television on June 3, 1979, from the Shubert Theatre in New York City. The hosts were Jane Alexander, Henry Fonda and Liv Ullmann.

The ceremony

The presenters were Tom Bosley, Barry Bostwick, Ellen Burstyn, Georgia Engel, Jane Fonda, Celeste Holm, John Houseman, Barnard Hughes, Angela Lansbury, Ron Leibman, Jack Lemmon, Hal Linden, Jean Marsh, Al Pacino and Dick Van Dyke.
The theme of the ceremony was theatrical superstitions, and various other showbusiness beliefs.
Henry Fonda received a Special Award, which was presented by his daughter Jane Fonda. Walter Cronkite presented Richard Rodgers with his Special Award.
Musicals represented:
Winners are in bold
Best PlayBest Musical

  • * Ballroom
  • * The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
  • * They're Playing Our Song
    • Best Book of a MusicalBest Original Score Written for the Theatre
  • Hugh Wheeler –
  • *Jerome Kass – Ballroom
  • *Larry L. King and Peter Masterson – The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
  • * Neil Simon – They're Playing Our Song
  • – Stephen Sondheim
  • * Carmelina – Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner
  • * Eubie! – Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle, Andy Razaf, F. E. Miller, Johnny Brandon and Jim Europe
  • * The Grand Tour – Jerry Herman
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
  • Tom Conti – Whose Life Is It Anyway? as Ken Harrison
  • * Philip Anglim – The Elephant Man as John Merrick
  • * Jack Lemmon – Tribute as Scottie Templeton
  • * Alec McCowen – St. Mark's Gospel as Mark
  • Constance Cummings – Wings as Emily Stilson
  • Carole Shelley – The Elephant Man as Madge Kendal
  • * Jane Alexander – First Monday in October as Ruth Loomis
  • * Frances Sternhagen – On Golden Pond as Ethel Thayer
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
  • Len Cariou – ' as Sweeney Todd
  • * Vincent Gardenia – Ballroom as Alfred Rossi
  • * Joel Grey – The Grand Tour as S. L. Jacobowsky
  • * Robert Klein – They're Playing Our Song as Vernon Gersch
  • Angela Lansbury – ' as Mrs. Lovett
  • * Tovah Feldshuh – Sarava as Flor
  • * Dorothy Loudon – Ballroom as Bea Asher
  • * Alexis Smith – Platinum as Lila Halliday
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
  • Michael Gough – Bedroom Farce as Ernest
  • * Bob Balaban – The Inspector General as Óssip
  • * Joseph Maher – Spokesong as The Trick Cyclist
  • * Edward James Olmos – Zoot Suit as El Pachuco
  • Joan Hickson – Bedroom Farce as Delia
  • * Laurie Kennedy – Man and Superman as Violet Robinson
  • * Susan Littler – Bedroom Farce as Kate
  • * Mary-Joan Negro – Wings as Amy
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
  • Henderson Forsythe – The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas as Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd
  • * Richard Cox – Platinum as Dan Danger
  • * Gregory Hines – Eubie! as Performer
  • * Ron Holgate – The Grand Tour as Colonel Tadeusz Boleslav Stjerbinsky
  • Carlin Glynn – The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas as Mona Stangley
  • * Joan Ellis – The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas as Shy
  • * Millicent Martin – King of Hearts as Madame Madeleine
  • * Maxine Sullivan – My Old Friends as Mrs. Cooper
    • Best Direction of a PlayBest Direction of a Musical
  • Jack Hofsiss – The Elephant Man
  • * Alan Ayckbourn and Peter Hall – Bedroom Farce
  • * Paul Giovanni – The Crucifer of Blood
  • * Michael Lindsay-Hogg – Whose Life Is It Anyway?
  • Harold Prince –
  • * Michael Bennett – Ballroom
  • * Peter Masterson and Tommy Tune – The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
  • * Robert Moore – They're Playing Our Song
    • Best ChoreographyBest Scenic Design
  • Michael Bennett and Bob Avian – Ballroom
  • * Henry LeTang and Billy Wilson – Eubie!
  • * Dan Siretta – Whoopee!
  • * Tommy Tune – The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
  • Eugene Lee –
  • * Karl Eigsti – Knockout
  • * David Jenkins – The Elephant Man
  • * John Wulp – The Crucifer of Blood
    • Best Costume DesignBest Lighting Design
  • Franne Lee –
  • * Theoni V. Aldredge – Ballroom
  • * Ann Roth – The Crucifer of Blood
  • * Julie Weiss – The Elephant Man
  • Roger Morgan – The Crucifer of Blood
  • * Ken Billington – '
  • * Beverly Emmons – The Elephant Man
  • * Tharon Musser – Ballroom

    • Special awards

  • Lawrence Langner Memorial Award for Distinguished Lifetime Achievement in the American Theatre - Richard Rodgers
  • Regional Theatre Award - American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco, California
  • Henry Fonda
  • Walter F. Diehl, International President of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Operators, has been an active force in advancing the well-being of the Broadway theatre and of theatre nationally.
  • Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theatre Center, Waterford, Connecticut

    Multiple nominations and awards

    • These productions had multiple nominations:
    The following productions received multiple awards.