OVERLAY REPORT

Strictly speaking, no actors (human or Muppet) were nominated for acting categories at the major award ceremonies (Oscars, Golden Globes, or BAFTAs) for **The Muppet Movie (1979)**. Instead, the film’s accolades were concentrated in music, writing, and production. Below are the specific details of the film's nominations and wins, including the competition for each. ### 1. Academy Awards (52nd Oscars, 1980) The film received two nominations, neither of which resulted in a win. * **Best Original Song:** **"The Rainbow Connection"** (Music and Lyrics by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher). * **The Winner:** "It Goes Like It Goes" from *Norma Rae* (David Shire and Norman Gimbel). * **Other Nominees:** "Through the Eyes of Love" from *Ice Castles*; "I'll Never Say Goodbye" from *The Promise*; and "It's Easy to Say" from *10*. * **Best Music (Original Song Score and Its Adaptation):** Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher. * **The Winner:** *All That Jazz* (Ralph Burns). * **Other Nominee:** *Breaking Away* (Patrick Williams). ### 2. Golden Globe Awards (37th Golden Globes, 1980) The film received one nomination in a music category. * **Best Original Song:** **"The Rainbow Connection"** (Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher). * **The Winner:** "The Rose" from *The Rose* (Amanda McBroom). * **Other Nominees:** "Better Than Ever" from *Starting Over*; "The Main Event" from *The Main Event*; and "Through the Eyes of Love" from *Ice Castles*. ### 3. Saturn Awards (7th Saturn Awards, 1980) The Muppets fared best at the Saturn Awards, which focus on genre films (Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror). * **Best Fantasy Film: WON.** * **Up Against:** *Arabian Adventure*, *Dinner for Adele*, *The Last Wave*, and *Nutcracker Fantasy*. * **Other Nominations:** The film was also nominated for **Best Writing** (Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns), **Best Music** (Paul Williams), and **Best Special Effects** (Robbie Knott), but did not win these categories. ### 4. Grammy Awards (22nd Grammys, 1980) The soundtrack won the **Grammy Award for Best Recording for Children**. While not an "acting" award, it was a significant win for the ensemble, as it featured performances by Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and the rest of the Muppet cast. ### 5. Acting Trivia: The "Miss Piggy Oscar Campaign" Although no acting nominations were secured, there was a high-profile, fan-led campaign by a group called **CAMPO** (Committee to Award Miss Piggy an Oscar) that reportedly generated over 35,000 letters to the Academy. * **Academy's Stance:** An Academy publicist clarified at the time that while Miss Piggy (the character) was ineligible, the "man who manipulates her," **Frank Oz**, was technically eligible for a nomination if the actors' branch had chosen to recognize him. * **The Ceremony:** Miss Piggy made a famous appearance at the 1980 Oscars alongside host Johnny Carson to complain about her snub. Carson joked that she was "Oscar material... Oscar Mayer, maybe." ### 6. Summary of Live-Action Cast The human leads, **Charles Durning** (Doc Hopper) and **Austin Pendleton** (Max), did not receive any award nominations for their roles in the film. Similarly, the numerous guest stars—including **Steve Martin**, **Mel Brooks**, and **Orson Welles**—were not recognized for their cameos.