Singin' in the Rain director Stanley Donen dies: His memorable tap-dancing Oscars speech wouldn't be the same today

Slate

The 94-year-old Donen was responsible for influential classic films like On the Town, Singin' in the Rain and Charade, yet he didn't win an Academy Award until he took home an honorary statue for lifetime achievement in 1998 -- with a charming acceptance speech that was memorable because he tap-danced in front of the worldwide audience. Yet, as Matthew Dessem points out, "if Stanley Donen received his lifetime achievement award this year, the Oscars audience would only know about it from a brief clip from the Governors Awards, where the Academy has parked all the awards that speak directly to Hollywood’s history." ALSO: Will Donen make the Oscars' "In Memoriam" segment?