THE COMPLETE MONTY PYTHON OSCAR TRIVIA LIST
by Hans ten Cate
Friday, 10 May 1996

And in case you were wondering, here are all of the major Python-related films to receive Oscar nominations or awards.

Brazil (1985)

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen -- Terry Gilliam, Tom Stoppard, Charles McKeown
  WHO WON: Earl W. Wallace, William Kelley, Pamela Wallace for "Witness"

• NOMINATED FOR: Art Direction/Set Decoration -- Norman Garwood for Art Direction / Maggie Gray for Set Decoration
  WHO WON: Stephen Grimes for Art Direction / Josie MacAvin for Set Decoration for "Out of Africa"

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

• WINNER: Best Performance By an Actor in a Supporting Role 1988: Kevin Kline

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Achievement in Directing -- Charles Crichton
  WHO WON: Barry Levinson for "Rain Man"

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Screenplay Written Directly For the Screen -- John Cleese, Charles Crichton
  WHO WON: Ronald Bass and Barry Morrow for "Rain Man"

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989)

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Achievement in Art Direction -- Dante Ferretti for Art Direction / Francesca Lo Schiavo for Set Decorator
  WHO WON: Anton Furst for Art Direction / Peter Young for Set Decorator for "Batman"

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Achievement in Costume Design -- Gabriella Pescucci
  WHO WON: Phyllis Dalton for "Henry V"

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Achievement in Makeup -- Maggie Weston, Fabrizio Sforza
  WHO WON: Manlio Rocchetti, Lynn Barber, Kevin Haney for "Driving Miss Daisy"

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Achievement in Visual Effects -- Richard Conway, Kent Houston
  WHO WON: John Bruno, Dennis Muren, Hoyt Yeatman, Dennis Skotak for "The Abyss"

The Fisher King (1991)

• WINNER: Best Performance By an Actress in a Supporting Role -- Mercedes Ruehl

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Performance By an Actor in a Leading Role -- Robin Williams
  WHO WON: Sir Anthony Hopkins for "The Silence of the Lambs"

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Screenplay Written Directly For the Screen -- Richard LaGravenese
  WHO WON: Callie Khouri for "Thelma & Louise"

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Achievement in Art Direction -- Mel Bourne - Art Direction, Cindy Carr - Set Decorator
  WHO WON: Dennis Gassner for Art Direction / Nancy Haigh for Set Decorator for "Bugsy"

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Achievement in Music (Original Score) -- George Fenton
  WHO WON: Alan Menken for "Beauty and the Beast"

Twelve Monkeys (1995)

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role -- Brad Pitt
  WHO WON: Kevin Spacey for "The Usual Suspects"

• NOMINATED FOR: Best Costume Design -- Julie Weiss
  WHO WON: James Acheson for "Restoration"

MAGGIE WESTON: AN UNSUNG PYTHON RUNS FOR OSCAR

What many Python fans may NOT know is that there was one more Python-related nomination. In 1989, a woman named Maggie Weston was nominated for Best Achievement in Makeup. She shared this nomination with Fabrizio Sforza for the Terry Gilliam-direct film "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen."

Interestingly, it is not the fact that former-Python Terry Gilliam directed this fantasy adventure that this nomination is relevant. It is because Maggie was the make-up artist for the original "Monty Python's Flying Circus" television series. Who would have thought that those years of applying make-up to the likes of Dinsdale Piranha, the Pepperpots, and D.P. Gumby would have paid off?

Oh yeah, did we also mention that she is married to Terry Gilliam? So now both mommy and daddy have come close to putting that lovely statue on the mantel...