# Satyajit Ray's Oscar

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satyajit-rays-oscar/102348>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 7, 2002, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satyajit-rays-oscar/102348 "2002-04-07T19:17:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![quizzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/58f4c7/32.png) [@quizzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quizzer)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satyajit-rays-oscar/102348/1 "2002-04-07T19:17:08Z")

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Hi all,  
I tried to find out this info on the net & through many friends but  
couldn’t & so have decided to bother U.  
Satyajit Ray (the legendary Indian director,cinematographer etc,etc) was supposed to be given the Honorary Oscar in 1992 (am not so sure about the year), but he died before the Oscar ceremonies. Now I want to know who he had wanted to present the Oscar to him (had he been on stage)? His acceptance speech was shown in the ceremony as a tape previously recorded in the hospital in which he was admitted.  
Hope I’ll get some info regarding my query,  
Yours sincerely,  
Shantanu.

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**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satyajit-rays-oscar/102348/2 "2002-04-07T21:34:39Z")

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Well, according to this [timeline](http://www.newyearbangalore.com/year4.htm), the original announcement of the award was made on 15th December 1991 and the ceremony then took place on 30th March, while according to [Britannica](http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=64417&tocid=0) he didn’t die until 23rd April 1992. The impression I get is that his appearence was still pre-recorded rather than live.

This, of course, still doesn’t answer your precise question.

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**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satyajit-rays-oscar/102348/3 "2002-04-07T22:55:35Z")

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Satyajit Ray was still alive at the time his honorary Oscar was presented. An Academy delegate presented the Oscar to him in the hospital shortly before the ceremony, and his acceptance was filmed. On Oscar night, Audrey Hepburn made the official presentation and Ray’s acceptance speech was played.

This [Times Mirror](http://www.lacnet.org/suntimes/990425/mirror5.html) article (scroll down), discusses the presentation, but doesn’t indicate whether Ray specifically chose Hepburn (or someone else) to make the presentation.