The Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards , the most prominent film awards in the United States. It is awarded each year to the writer of a screenplay adapted from another source (usually a novel, play, short story, or TV show but sometimes another film). All sequels are automatically considered adaptations by this standard (since the sequel must be based on the original story).
See also the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay , a similar award for screenplays that are not adaptations.
Superlatives
The first person to win twice in this category is Joseph L. Mankiewicz , who won the award in two consecutive years, 1950 and 1951. Others to win twice in this category include: George Seaton , Robert Bolt (who also won in consecutive years), Francis Ford Coppola , Mario Puzo , Alvin Sargent , Ruth Prawer Jhabvala , Alexander Payne and Michael Wilson . Payne won both awards as part of a writing duo, with Jim Taylor , and writing trio, with Jim Rash and Nat Faxon . Michael Wilson was blacklisted at the time of his second Oscar, so the award was given to a front (novelist Pierre Boulle ). However, the Academy officially recognized him as the winner several years later.[1]
Frances Marion was the first woman to win in this category, in 1930.
Pierre Collings and Sheridan Gibney were the first to win for adapting their own work, for The Life of Emile Zola .
Philip G. Epstein and Julius J. Epstein are the first siblings to win in this category, for Casablanca . James Goldman and William Goldman are the first to win for separate films. Joel Coen and Ethan Coen are the third winning siblings, for No Country for Old Men .
Mario Puzo is the one of two writers whose work has been adapted and resulted in two wins. Puzo's novel The Godfather resulted in wins in 1972 and 1974. The other is E. M. Forster , whose novels A Room with a View and Howards End resulted in wins for Ruth Prawer Jhabvala .
Larry McMurtry is the only person who has won (for Brokeback Mountain ) for adapting someone else's work and whose work has been adapted by someone else resulting in a win, Terms of Endearment .
Emma Thompson is the only winner who has also won for acting.[2] Winners Billy Bob Thornton and John Huston have only received nominations (not wins) in the acting categories.
Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh are the only married couple to win, for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King .
Geoffrey S. Fletcher (for Precious ) and John Ridley (for 12 Years a Slave ) are the only African-Americans to win in this category; Fletcher is also the first African-American to win in any writing category.
Francis Ford Coppola , Horton Foote , William Goldman , Bo Goldman and the Coen brothers have won Oscars for both original and adapted screenplays.
Notable nominees
Noted novelists and playwrights nominated in this category include: George Bernard Shaw (who shared an award for an adaptation of his play Pygmalion ), Graham Greene , Tennessee Williams , Vladimir Nabokov , James Hilton , Dashiell Hammett , Raymond Chandler , Lillian Hellman , Irwin Shaw , James Agee , Norman Corwin , S. J. Perelman , Terence Rattigan , John Osborne , Harold Pinter , David Mamet , Larry McMurtry , Arthur Miller , John Irving , David Hare and Tony Kushner .
Winners and nominees
Winners are listed first in colored row, followed by the other nominees.
1920s
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
Year
Film
Screenwriter(s)
Adapted from
1960
(33rd)
Elmer Gantry
Richard Brooks
The novel Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis
Inherit the Wind
Nedrick Young (front: Nathan E. Douglas ) [11]
Harold Jacob Smith
The play Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee
Sons and Lovers
Gavin Lambert
T. E. B. Clarke
The novel Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence
The Sundowners
Isobel Lennart
The novel The Sundowners by Jon Cleary
Tunes of Glory
James Kennaway
The novel Tunes of Glory by James Kennaway
1961
(34th)
Judgment at Nuremberg
Abby Mann
The teleplay Judgment at Nuremberg , written by Abby Mann
Breakfast at Tiffany's
George Axelrod
The novella Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
The Guns of Navarone
Carl Foreman
The novel The Guns of Navarone by Alistair MacLean
The Hustler
Sydney Carroll
Robert Rossen
The novel The Hustler by Walter Tevis
West Side Story
Ernest Lehman
The play West Side Story , book by Arthur Laurents , lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
1962
(35th)
To Kill a Mockingbird
Horton Foote
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
David and Lisa
Eleanor Perry
The story "Lisa and David " by Theodore Isaac Rubin
Lawrence of Arabia
Robert Bolt
Michael Wilson (not on original ballot) [12]
The writings of T. E. Lawrence
Lolita
Vladimir Nabokov
The novel Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
The Miracle Worker
William Gibson
The play The Miracle Worker by William Gibson
1963
(36th)
Tom Jones
John Osborne
The novel The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding
Captain Newman, M.D.
Richard L. Breen
Henry Ephron
Phoebe Ephron
The novel Captain Newman, M.D. by Leo Rosten
Hud
Irving Ravetch
Harriet Frank, Jr.
The novel Horseman, Pass By by Larry McMurtry
Lilies of the Field
James Poe
The novel Lilies of the Field by William E. Barrett
Sundays and Cybele
Serge Bourguignon (scenario/dialogue)
Antoine Tudal (scenario)
The novel Les Dimanches de Ville d'Avray by Bernard Eschassériaux
1964
(37th)
Becket
Edward Anhalt
The play Becket by Jean Anouilh
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Stanley Kubrick
Terry Southern
Peter George
The novel Red Alert by Peter George
Mary Poppins
Bill Walsh
Don DaGradi
The Mary Poppins series by P. L. Travers
My Fair Lady
Alan Jay Lerner
The play My Fair Lady , book by Alan Jay Lerner
The play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Zorba the Greek
Michael Cacoyannis
The novel The Life of Alexis Zorba by Nikos Kazantzakis
1965
(38th)
Doctor Zhivago
Robert Bolt
The novel Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
Cat Ballou
Walter Newman
Frank R. Pierson
The novel The Ballad of Cat Ballou by Roy Chanslor
The Collector
Stanley Mann
John Kohn
The novel The Collector by John Fowles
Ship of Fools
Abby Mann
The novel Ship of Fools by Katherine Anne Porter
A Thousand Clowns
Herb Gardner
The play A Thousand Clowns by Herb Gardner
1966
(39th)
A Man for All Seasons
Robert Bolt
The play A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt
Alfie
Bill Naughton
The play Alfie by Bill Naughton
The Professionals
Richard Brooks
The novel A Mule for the Marquesa by Frank O'Rourke
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming
William Rose
The novel Off-Islanders by Nathaniel Benchley
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Ernest Lehman
The play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee
1967
(40th)
In the Heat of the Night
Stirling Silliphant
The novel In the Heat of the Night by John Ball
Cool Hand Luke
Donn Pearce
Frank R. Pierson
The novel Cool Hand Luke by Donn Pearce
The Graduate
Calder Willingham
Buck Henry
The novel The Graduate by Charles Webb
In Cold Blood
Richard Brooks
The novel In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Ulysses
Joseph Strick
Fred Haines
The novel Ulysses by James Joyce
1968
(41st)
The Lion in Winter
James Goldman
The play The Lion in Winter by James Goldman
The Odd Couple
Neil Simon
The play The Odd Couple by Neil Simon
Oliver!
Vernon Harris
The musical Oliver! , book by Lionel Bart
The novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Rachel, Rachel
Stewart Stern
The novel A Jest of God by Margaret Laurence
Rosemary's Baby
Roman Polanski
The novel Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin
1969
(42nd)
Midnight Cowboy
Waldo Salt
The novel Midnight Cowboy by James Leo Herlihy
Anne of the Thousand Days
John Hale (writer)
Bridget Boland (writer)
Richard Sokolove (adaptation)
The play Anne of the Thousand Days by Maxwell Anderson
Goodbye, Columbus
Arnold Schulman
The novel Goodbye, Columbus by Philip Roth
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
James Poe
Robert E. Thompson
The novel They Shoot Horses, Don't They? by Horace McCoy
Z
Jorge Semprún
Costa-Gavras
The novel Z by Vassilis Vassilikos
1970s
Year
Film
Screenwriter(s)
Adapted from
1970
(43rd)
MASH
Ring Lardner Jr.
The novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors by Richard Hooker
Airport
George Seaton
The novel Airport by Arthur Hailey
I Never Sang for My Father
Robert Anderson
The play I Never Sang for My Father by Robert Anderson
Lovers and Other Strangers
Joseph Bologna
David Zelag Goodman
Renée Taylor
The play Lovers and Other Strangers by Joseph Bologna and Renée Taylor
Women in Love
Larry Kramer
The novel Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence
1971
(44th)
The French Connection
Ernest Tidyman
The book The French Connection: A True Account of Cops, Narcotics, and International Conspiracy by Robin Moore
A Clockwork Orange
Stanley Kubrick
The novel A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
The Conformist
Bernardo Bertolucci
The novel Il Conformista by Alberto Moravia
The Garden of the Finzi Continis
Ugo Pirro
Vittorio Bonicelli
The novel The Garden of the Finzi-Continis by Giorgio Bassani
The Last Picture Show
Larry McMurtry
Peter Bogdanovich
The novel The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry
1972
(45th)
The Godfather
Mario Puzo
Francis Ford Coppola
The novel The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Cabaret
Jay Presson Allen
The musical Cabaret , book by Joe Masteroff
The Emigrants
Bengt Forslund
Jan Troell
The novel The Emigrants by Vilhelm Moberg
The novel Unto a Good Land by Vilhelm Moberg
Pete 'n' Tillie
Julius J. Epstein
The story "Witch's Milk " by Peter De Vries
Sounder
Lonne Elder III
The novel Sounder by William H. Armstrong
1973
(46th)
The Exorcist
William Peter Blatty
The novel The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
The Last Detail
Robert Towne
The novel The Last Detail by Darryl Ponicsan
The Paper Chase
James Bridges
The novel The Paper Chase by John Jay Osborn, Jr.
Paper Moon
Alvin Sargent
The novel Addie Pray by Joe David Brown
Serpico
Waldo Salt
Norman Wexler
The book Serpico by Peter Maas
1974
(47th) [13]
The Godfather Part II
Francis Ford Coppola
Mario Puzo
The novel The Godfather by Mario Puzo
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
Lionel Chetwynd (adaptation)
Mordecai Richler (novel)
The novel The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler
Lenny
Julian Barry
The play Lenny by Julian Barry
Murder on the Orient Express
Paul Dehn
The novel Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Young Frankenstein
Gene Wilder
Mel Brooks
The novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
1975
(48th)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Bo Goldman
Laurence Hauben
The novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
Barry Lyndon
Stanley Kubrick
The novel The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon, Esq. by William Makepeace Thackeray
The Man Who Would Be King
John Huston
Gladys Hill
The story "The Man Who Would Be King " by Rudyard Kipling
Profumo di donna
Ruggero Maccari
Dino Risi
The novel Il buio e il mare by Giovanni Arpino
The Sunshine Boys
Neil Simon
The play The Sunshine Boys by Neil Simon
1976
(49th) [14]
All the President's Men
William Goldman
The book All the President's Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward
Bound for Glory
Robert Getchell
The book Bound for Glory by Woody Guthrie
Fellini's Casanova
Federico Fellini
Bernardino Zapponi
The autobiography Histoire de ma vie by Giacomo Casanova
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution
Nicholas Meyer
The novel The Seven-Per-Cent Solution by Nicholas Meyer
Voyage of the Damned
David Butler
Steve Shagan
The book Voyage of the Damned by Gordon Thomas ; co-authored by Max Morgan Witts
1977
(50th)
Julia
Alvin Sargent
The novel Pentimento by Lillian Hellman
Equus
Peter Shaffer
The play Equus by Peter Shaffer
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden
Gavin Lambert
Lewis John Carlino
The novel I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Hannah Greene
Oh, God!
Larry Gelbart
The novel Oh, God! by Avery Corman
That Obscure Object of Desire
Luis Buñuel (scenario)
Jean-Claude Carrière (collaboration)
The novel La Femme et le pantin by Pierre Louÿs
1978
(51st)
Midnight Express
Oliver Stone
The book Midnight Express by Billy Hayes and William Hoffer
Bloodbrothers
Walter Newman
The novel Bloodbrothers by Richard Price
California Suite
Neil Simon
The play California Suite by Neil Simon
Heaven Can Wait
Elaine May
Warren Beatty
The play Heaven Can Wait by Harry Segall
Same Time, Next Year
Bernard Slade
The play Same Time, Next Year by Bernard Slade
1979
(52nd)
Kramer vs. Kramer
Robert Benton
The novel Kramer vs. Kramer by Avery Corman
Apocalypse Now
John Milius
Francis Ford Coppola
The novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
La Cage aux folles
Marcello Danon
Edouard Molinaro
Jean Poiret
Francis Veber
The play La Cage aux Folles by Jean Poiret
A Little Romance
Allan Burns
The novel E=MC2 mon amour by Patrick Cauvin
Norma Rae
Harriet Frank, Jr.
Irving Ravetch
The book Crystal Lee, a Woman of Inheritance by Hank Leiferman
1980s
1990s
2000s
Year
Film
Screenwriter(s)
Adapted from
2000
(73rd)
Traffic
Stephen Gaghan
The teleplay Traffik , written by Simon Moore
Chocolat
Robert Nelson Jacobs
The novel Chocolat by Joanne Harris
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Hui-Ling Wang
James Schamus
Kuo Jung Tsai
The novel Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by Wang Dulu
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Joel Coen
Ethan Coen
The epic poem The Odyssey by Homer
Wonder Boys
Steve Kloves
The book Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon
2001
(74th)
A Beautiful Mind
Akiva Goldsman
The book A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar
Ghost World
Daniel Clowes
Terry Zwigoff
The graphic novel Ghost World by Daniel Clowes
In the Bedroom
Todd Field
Rob Festinger
The short story Killings by Andre Dubus
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Fran Walsh
Philippa Boyens
Peter Jackson
The novel The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien
Shrek
Ted Elliott
Terry Rossio
Joe Stillman
Roger S. H. Schulman
The picture book Shrek! by William Steig
2002
(75th) [17]
The Pianist
Ronald Harwood
The book The Pianist by Władysław Szpilman
About a Boy
Peter Hedges
Chris Weitz
Paul Weitz
The novel About a Boy by Nick Hornby
Adaptation.
Charlie Kaufman
Donald Kaufman
The book The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean
Chicago
Bill Condon
The musical play Chicago , book by Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb
The Hours
David Hare
The novel The Hours by Michael Cunningham
2003
(76th)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Fran Walsh
Philippa Boyens
Peter Jackson
The novel The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien
American Splendor
Shari Springer Berman
Robert Pulcini
The comic book series American Splendor by Harvey Pekar
The comic book series Our Cancer Year by Joyce Brabner
City of God
Bráulio Mantovani
The novel City of God by Paulo Lins
Mystic River
Brian Helgeland
The novel Mystic River by Dennis Lehane
Seabiscuit
Gary Ross
The book Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand
2004
(77th)
Sideways
Alexander Payne
Jim Taylor
The novel Sideways by Rex Pickett
Before Sunset
Richard Linklater (story/screenplay)
Kim Krizan (story)
Julie Delpy (screenplay)
Ethan Hawke (screenplay)
Characters from the film Before Sunrise , written by Richard Linklater and Kim Krizan
Finding Neverland
David Magee
The play The Man Who Was Peter Pan by Allan Knee
Million Dollar Baby
Paul Haggis
The book Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner by F.X. Toole
The Motorcycle Diaries
José Rivera
The book Con el Che por America Latina by Alberto Granado
The book The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara
2005
(78th)
Brokeback Mountain
Larry McMurtry
Diana Ossana
The short story "Brokeback Mountain " by Annie Proulx
Capote
Dan Futterman
The book Capote by Gerald Clarke
The Constant Gardener
Jeffrey Caine
The novel The Constant Gardener by John le Carré
A History of Violence
Josh Olson
The graphic novel A History of Violence by John Wagner and Vince Locke
Munich
Tony Kushner
Eric Roth
The book Vengeance by George Jonas
2006
(79th)
The Departed
William Monahan
The film Infernal Affairs , written by Alan Mak and Felix Chong
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Sacha Baron Cohen (story/screenplay)
Peter Baynham (story/screenplay)
Anthony Hines (story/screenplay)
Dan Mazer (screenplay)
Todd Phillips (story)
The character Borat Sagdiyev , from the television series Da Ali G Show , created by Sacha Baron Cohen
Children of Men
Alfonso Cuarón
Timothy J. Sexton
David Arata
Mark Fergus
Hawk Ostby
The novel The Children of Men by P. D. James
Little Children
Todd Field
Tom Perrotta
The novel Little Children by Tom Perrotta
Notes on a Scandal
Patrick Marber
The novel Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller
2007
(80th)
No Country for Old Men
Joel Coen
Ethan Coen
The novel No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
Atonement
Christopher Hampton
The novel Atonement by Ian McEwan
Away from Her
Sarah Polley
The short story The Bear Went Over the Mountain by Alice Munro
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Ronald Harwood
The book The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson
The novel Oil! by Upton Sinclair
2008
(81st)
Slumdog Millionaire
Simon Beaufoy
The novel Q & A by Vikas Swarup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Eric Roth (story/screenplay)
Robin Swicord (story)
The short story "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button " by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Doubt
John Patrick Shanley
The play Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon
Peter Morgan
The play Frost/Nixon by Peter Morgan
The Reader
David Hare
The novel The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
2009
(82nd)
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
Geoffrey Fletcher
The novel Push by Sapphire
District 9
Neill Blomkamp
Terri Tatchell
The short film Alive in Joburg written by Neill Blomkamp
An Education
Nick Hornby
The book An Education by Lynn Barber
In the Loop
Jesse Armstrong
Simon Blackwell
Armando Iannucci
Tony Roche
The character Malcolm Tucker, from the television series The Thick of It , created by Armando Iannucci
Up in the Air
Jason Reitman
Sheldon Turner
The novel Up in the Air by Walter Kirn
2010s
Year
Film
Screenwriter(s)
Adapted from
2010
(83rd)
The Social Network
Aaron Sorkin
The book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich
127 Hours
Danny Boyle
Simon Beaufoy
The book Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston
Toy Story 3
Michael Arndt (screenplay)
John Lasseter (story)
Andrew Stanton (story)
Lee Unkrich (story)
Characters from the film Toy Story , written by John Lasseter , Pete Docter , Andrew Stanton , Joe Ranft , Joss Whedon , Joel Cohen , and Alec Sokolow
Characters from the film Toy Story 2 , written by John Lasseter , Pete Docter , Ash Brannon , Andrew Stanton , Rita Hsiao, Doug Chamberlin, and Chris Webb
True Grit
Joel Coen
Ethan Coen
The novel True Grit by Charles Portis
Winter's Bone
Debra Granik
Anne Rosellini
The novel Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell
2011
(84th)
The Descendants
Alexander Payne
Nat Faxon
Jim Rash
The novel The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings
Hugo
John Logan
The novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
The Ides of March
George Clooney
Grant Heslov
Beau Willimon
The play Farragut North by Beau Willimon
Moneyball
Steven Zaillian (screenplay)
Aaron Sorkin (screenplay)
Stan Chervin (story)
The book Moneyball by Michael Lewis
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Bridget O'Connor (posthumous nomination)
Peter Straughan
The novel Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré
2012
(85th)
Argo
Chris Terrio
The book The Master of Disguise by Antonio J. Mendez
The article "The Great Escape" by Joshuah Bearman
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Lucy Alibar
Benh Zeitlin
The play Juicy and Delicious by Lucy Alibar
Life of Pi
David Magee
The novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Lincoln
Tony Kushner
The book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Silver Linings Playbook
David O. Russell
The novel The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
2013
(86th)
12 Years a Slave
John Ridley
The memoir Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
Before Midnight
Richard Linklater
Julie Delpy
Ethan Hawke
Characters from the film Before Sunrise , written by Richard Linklater and Kim Krizan
Captain Phillips
Billy Ray
The book A Captain's Duty by Richard Phillips , Stephan Talty
Philomena
Steve Coogan
Jeff Pope
The book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee by Martin Sixsmith
The Wolf of Wall Street
Terence Winter
The memoir The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort
2014
(87th)
The Imitation Game
Graham Moore
The book Alan Turing: The Enigma , written by Andrew Hodges
American Sniper
Jason Hall
The autobiography American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle , Scott McEwan, and Jim DeFelice
Inherent Vice
Paul Thomas Anderson
The novel Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon
The Theory of Everything
Anthony McCarten
The book Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen Hawking by Jane Wilde Hawking
Whiplash
Damien Chazelle
The short film Whiplash written by Damien Chazelle
2015
(88th)
The Big Short
Adam McKay
Charles Randolph
The book The Big Short by Michael Lewis
Brooklyn
Nick Hornby
The novel Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
Carol
Phyllis Nagy
The novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith
The Martian
Drew Goddard
The novel The Martian by Andy Weir
Room
Emma Donoghue
The novel Room by Emma Donoghue
See also
References
^ a b Aljean Harmetz (March 16, 1985). "Oscars Go to Writers of 'Kwai' " . The New York Times .
^ Johnson, Andrew (28 March 2010). "Emma Thompson: How Jane Austen saved me from going under" . The Independent . Retrieved 18 August 2011 .
^ Award entitled Best Writing, Adaptation
^ a b In the 2nd and 3rd years there was only a single writing award for Writing Achievement with no distinction between original works and adaptations.
^ For the 1930/31 production year the award was again subdivided, and this one was once again Best Writing, Adaptation.
^ Award renamed Best Writing, Screenplay
^ Award entitled Best Screenplay—Adapted
^ Early in 1956, the name of screenwriter Michael Wilson – a former Oscar winner – had been deleted from the credits of Friendly Persuasion by Allied Artists , the film's distributor, based on a 1952 agreement between the Screen Writers Guild and various production companies. That agreement gave the studios the right to omit from the screen the name of any individual who had failed to clear himself before a duly constituted legislative committee of U.S. Congress if accused of Communist affiliations, as was the case with Wilson at the time. The Academy, in the awkward position of possible conferring its highest honor on someone whose name had been omitted from screen credit, revised its bylaws at a special February 6, 1957, meeting. That revision, in essence, allowed that in such cases, the achievement itself could be eligible for nomination, but the specific writer would not be. This bylaw was repealed by the Academy as "unworkable" on January 12, 1959. This nomination was not included on the final ballot.
^ Award entitled Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
^ Though Pierre Boulle received official screen credit, it was commonly known that blacklisted writers Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson wrote the screenplay based on Boulle's novel (translated from the original French). The Board of Governors, on December 11, 1984, voted posthumous Oscars to Wilson and Foreman. It was widely reported that Boulle was surprised, as well as many others, by the nomination, especially since Boulle did not speak (or write) English.
^ Upon request of his widow and upon recommendation of the Writers Branch Executive Committee, the Board of Governors voted to restore the name of Nedrick Young to the nomination presented to Nathan E. Douglas , which was Mr. Young's pseudonym during the blacklisting period.
^ Originally the nomination was solely for Robert Bolt , as Wilson was blacklisted at the time. His name was officially added to the nomination in 1995.
^ Award entitled Screenplay Adapted From Other Material
^ Award entitled Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
^ P.H. Vazak is a pseudonym for Robert Towne who was dissatisfied with the film.
^ Award entitled Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
^ Award entitled Best Adapted Screenplay
Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
1928–1940
1941–1960
1961–1980
1981–2000
2001–present