Taylor, on the other hand, appeared unphased. Niven’s response was as comical as it was cutting: “Isn’t it fascinating to think that probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings?” Ouch. The attention-grabbing streaker in question? Artist and gay rights activist Robert Opel - he momentarily stunned viewers and presenter David Niven, who was in the process of introducing his co-host Elizabeth Taylor. While nudity was about as common (and welcomed) in the 1970s as a new Abba single playing on the radio, it’s safe to assume that guests at the 1974 Academy Awards didn’t expect a naked man flashing a peace sign (and just about everything else) to storm across the stage during the live broadcast. From envelope swaps to uninvited guests, Vogue looks back at the biggest blunders in Oscars history. From Hattie McDaniel becoming the first black person to win an Oscar for her performance in 1939’s Gone with the Wind, to Sally Field’s famous acceptance speech for 1984’s Places in the Heart, countless moments have been etched into the collective memory of its 29.6m viewers.Īt three-hours long and broadcast live on TV, however, it’s not surprising that even the most meticulously planned event has the occasional slip-up. Since its first show in 1929, the Academy Awards ceremony has dazzled and delighted cinephiles and fashion cognoscenti alike. From Jennifer Lawrence tripping up the stairs in Dior Couture to Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway reading out the wrong Best Picture winner - and even a 1970s streaker - we recap 5 of the biggest blunders in Oscars history

Inside Oscar 2 by Damien Bona