Judy Holliday reclining on a luxurious bed with a newspaper in hand, smiling at William Holden, who sits beside her in a suit and glasses with his arms crossed.” width=”970″ height=”742″ data-caption=’Judy Holliday and William Holden in Born Yesterday (1950). Holliday’s performance as the sharp-witted Billie Dawn earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1951, beating Hollywood legends Bette Davis and Gloria Swanson in one of the most surprising upsets in Oscar history. <span class=”lazyload media-credit”>Getty Images</span>’>
Mikey Madison’s surprise Oscar win over Demi Moore has reignited the conversation about historic upsets at the Academy Awards. But long before this year’s surprise, there was an even bigger shock at the Academy Awards, which changed Hollywood history: the 1951 Best Actress race, where an up-and-coming starlet named Judy Holliday bested two screen legends.
My personal connection to this story started decades later, in 1987, when my older brother—yes, that Ocean’s 11 guy, Steven Soderbergh—insisted I watch a triple feature that he called ‘essential viewing.’ That night changed how I saw movies forever. This Oscar race wasn’t just about one film. In 1950, three major movies—Sunset Boulevard, All About Eve and Born Yesterday—defined an era, setting the stage for an unforgettable showdown at the 1951 Academy Awards.
In 1987, my brother Steven—already deep into his film obsession—dragged me into a triple feature that, according to him, “everyone should see.” Steven initiated a viewing party of three movies on LaserDisc: “They’re not only beautifully filmed, superbly acted, but have historical significance. You’ll never forget them.” Up to that point, 19-year-old me had associated movies from this era with our father’s taste, and outside of The Wizard of Oz being broadcast on TV yearly, I didn’t have much interest in film before 1980. I worked in a movie theater then, so things like Raising Arizona were more my speed.
Steven knew I should see these movies, and like a sage passing on his wisdom, he insisted that the drama All About Eve (starring Bette Davis, directed by Joseph Mankiewicz) and the dramedy Born Yesterday (starring Judy Holliday, directed by George Cukor) be included in our triple feature. These three films had everything—superb writing, incredible acting and captivating storylines. Swanson and Davis were legendary. But then came a name I barely knew: Judy Holliday. And somehow, she won.
All three films were set in major metropolitan areas—L.A., Manhattan and D.C., the latter having actual exterior footage featured prominently in Born Yesterday, which Cukor was quite pleased with. The films each had a small streak of darkness that propelled the story, with vibrant and clever women at the helm. And by their sides were men with admirable jawlines—William Holden in two of them!
But what sets Born Yesterday apart from Sunset Boulevard and All About Eve is that Swanson and Davis had been in film for decades—35 and 20 years, respectively, with Swanson starting out as an extra in silent films at just 15 in 1914 and Davis going from Broadway to Hollywood in 1930. Both were desperate for an accolade. Post-war public tastes were changing, TV was on the rise, and the studio system had begun its decline. Swanson and Davis had helped make their films critical and financial successes, but they had to know that big-screen material was at its apex. For them to lose to Holliday, who was not even 30 years old, was a crushing blow.
Holliday had been acting for over a decade, originating the character of Billie Dawn for the Broadway production of Born Yesterday several years before. Columbia wasn’t convinced a newcomer would bring people to the movie houses and had her do a screen test, not just to see what she could do but to compare her to other actresses they were contemplating. Even though she was wildly successful on stage as Billie, they saw it as a gamble. An actor being able to appeal on stage and in front of a camera wasn’t even an idea yet.
For all the angst, attitude, tears, and exclamations that Margo Channing and Norma Desmond gave us—and they were spectacular—Billie’s transformation in 103 minutes was mesmerizing. She was scrappy yet sophisticated. Dense but keenly aware of injustice. Holliday had an uncanny ability to turn from comedy to drama in a second. Interestingly, Swanson and Davis went on to work in film and television for the next two and three decades, respectively. In contrast, Holliday’s career only lasted another dozen years due to ill health and her eventual passing in 1965.
At this point, you may be wondering what my point is. If you haven’t seen these three renowned films, you must make the time. If you have seen them, watch them again, and keep in mind that all three of those women were at the RKO Pantages Theater on March 29th, 1951, all wondering what their fate would be, with Swanson and Holliday at the same table. You will look at all three actresses—and their Oscar-night fate—with fresh eyes. If Mikey Madison’s win tells us anything, it’s that the Academy loves to surprise us. But no upset in Oscar history was bigger—or more shocking—than the night Judy Holliday triumphed over two Hollywood icons.
