United Artists
Jerome Hellman-John Schlesinger Production
In 1969, “Midnight Cowboy” won the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director John Schlesinger, and Best Adapted Screenplay to Waldo Salt. Midnight Cowboy was based on a respectable source material, the 1966 novel of James Leo Herlihy (who by the way committed suicide). Though tough and gritty, the movie, with the help of the Oscars, was quite successful commercially.
Oscar Nominations: 7
Picture, produced by Jerome Hellman
Director: John Schlesinger
Screenplay (Adapted): Waldo Salt
Actor: Jon Voight
Actor: Dustin Hoffman
Supporting Actress: Sylvia Miles
Editing: Hugh A. Robertson
Oscar Awards: 3
Picture
Director
Screenplay
Oscar Context
The year's biggest loser was “Anne of the Thousand Days,” which received the largest number (10) of nominations, but won only one. Awards-wise, George Roy Hill's “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” got more Oscars (four) than “Midnight Cowboy,” though both were nominated in 7 categories. Barbra Streisand's musical “Hello Dolly! was also nominated for 7, wining 3. The fifth Oscar nominee was Costa-Gavras' foreign-language film, the political thriller “Z.”