1956 in film

The year 1956 in film involved some significant events.

Events

* August 4 - The last film serial, "Blazing the Overland Trail" from Columbia Pictures, is released.
* November 15 - Elvis Presley's first film, "Love Me Tender", opens.

Top grossing films (U.S.)

(*) After theatrical re-issue(s)
source: http://www.boxofficereport.com/database/1956.shtml

Awards

Academy Awards: :Best Picture: "Around the World in Eighty Days" - Todd, United Artists :Best Director: George Stevens - "Giant":Best Actor: Yul Brynner - "The King and I":Best Actress: Ingrid Bergman - "Anastasia":Best Supporting Actor: Anthony Quinn - "Lust for Life":Best Supporting Actress: Dorothy Malone - "Written on the Wind":Best Foreign Language Film: "La strada", directed by Federico Fellini, Italy

Golden Globe Awards:

:Drama::Best Picture: "Around the World in Eighty Days":Best Actor: Kirk Douglas - "Lust for Life":Best Actress: Ingrid Bergman - "Anastasia" :Musical or comedy::Best Picture: "The King and I":Best Actor: Cantinflas - "Around the World in Eighty Days" :Best Actress: Deborah Kerr - "The King and I"

:Other:Best Director: Elia Kazan - "Baby Doll":Best Foreign Film: "Before Sundown", West Germany:Best Foreign Film: "The Girl in Black", Greece:Best Foreign Film: "Richard III", United Kingdom:Best Foreign Film: "Roses on the Arm", Japan:Best Foreign Film: "War and Peace", Italy:Best Foreign Film: "The White Reindeer", Finland

Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival)::"The Silent World" ("Le monde du silence"), directed by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Louis Malle, France

Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival): Not awarded

Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival)::"Invitation to the Dance", directed by Gene Kelly, United States

Films released in 1956

* "7 Wonders of the World"
* "Accused of Murder"
* "Alexander the Great"
* "Anastasia"
* "Around the World in 80 Days"
* "Baby Doll"
* "The Bad Seed"
* "The Battle of the River Plate"
* "Between Heaven and Hell", directed by Richard Fleischer
* "The Birds and the Bees"
* "The Brave One"
* "The Bold and the Brave"
* "Bus Stop"
* "Carousel"
* "The Case of the Mukkinese Battle Horn"
* "The Conqueror"
* "The Court Jester"
* "Dance With Me Henry", starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello
* "Diane"
* "The Eddy Duchin Story"
* "Elena and Her Men"
* "Forbidden Planet"
* "Friendly Persuasion"
* "Gaby"
* "Gervaise"
* "Giant"
* "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!"
* "The Great Man"
* "The Harder They Fall", starring Humphrey Bogart in his final film
* "High Society"
* "Hollywood or Bust", starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
* "Ich suche Dich", starring O.W. Fischer and Anouk Aimée
* "Johnny Concho"
* "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit"
* "Never Say Goodbye
* "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"
* "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"
* "Invitation to the Dance"
* "Julie"
* "The King and I"
* "The Lady Killers" (U.S. release)
* "Love Me Tender"
* "Lust for Life"
* "The Man Who Knew Too Much"
* "Moby Dick"
* "Pardners", starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
* "Private's Progress"
* "The Proud and Profane"
* "The Rainmaker"
* "Ransom!"
* "Reach for the Sky"
* "The Red Balloon"
* "Richard III" (U.S. release)
* "Rock Around the Clock"
* "The Solid Gold Cadillac"
* "Starik Khottabych"
* "The Searchers"
* "Seven Samurai" (U.S. release)
* "The Silent World"
* "Somebody Up There Likes Me"
* "La Strada" (U.S. release)
* "Tea and Sympathy"
* "The Teahouse of the August Moon"
* "The Ten Commandments"
* "A Town Like Alice"
* "Trapeze"
* "War and Peace"
* "Written on the Wind"
* "The Wrong Man"
* "X the Unknown"

erials

*"Blazing the Overland Trail", starring Lee Roberts and Dennis Moore
*"Perils of the Wilderness"

Short film series

* "Looney Tunes" (1930-1969)
* "Terrytoons" (1930-1964)
* "Merrie Melodies" (1931-1969)
* "Popeye" (1933-1957)
* "The Three Stooges" (1934-1959)
* "Bugs Bunny" (1940-1962)
* "Tom and Jerry" (1940-1958)
* "Droopy" (1943-1958)
* "Yosemite Sam" (1945-1963)
* "Speedy Gonzales" (1953-1968)

Ending this year
* "Donald Duck" (1934-1956)
* "Chip and Dale" (1943-1956)
* "Ranger Don" (1953-1956)

Births

* January 3 - Mel Gibson, actor and director
* January 7 - David Caruso, actor
* January 21 - Geena Davis,actress.
* January 27 - Mimi Rogers, actress.
* February 11 - Kathleen Beller, actress.
* July 9 - Tom Hanks, actor

Deaths

* January 12 - Norman Kerry, American actor (b. 1894)
* January 23 - Alexander Korda, Hungarian film director, the founder of London Films
* July 16 - Olof Winnerstrand, Swedish actor
* August 16 - Béla Lugosi, actor best known for Dracula
* December 12 - Ewald André Dupont, German director