OSCAR HISTORY: Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award Recipients

This special Academy Award is given to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry by promoting human welfare and contributing to rectifying inequities. Being able to work in film is an honor and a privilege, and for those artists who use their fame and their money to also help others and to try to make a difference in the world other than their motion picture work, the Academy selects those special individuals to receive this award, and here were the humanitarians so honored.


2024: Richard Curtis     (View Acceptance Speech)
2023: Michelle Satter     (View Acceptance Speech)
2022: Michael J. Fox     (View Acceptance Speech)
2021: Danny Glover     (View Acceptance Speech)
2020: Tyler Perry / The Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF)     (View Acceptance Speech)
2019: Geena Davis     (View Acceptance Speech)
2015: Debbie Reynolds     (View Awards Moment)
2014: Harry Belafonte     (View Acceptance Speech)
2013: Angelina Jolie     (View Acceptance Speech)
2012: Jeffrey Katzenberg     (View Acceptance Speech)
2011: Oprah Winfrey     (View Acceptance Speech)
2008: Jerry Lewis     (View Acceptance Speech)
2006: Sherry Lansing     (View Acceptance Speech)
2004: Roger Mayer     (View Acceptance Speech)
2001: Arthur Hiller     (View Acceptance Speech)
1994: Quincy Jones     (View Acceptance Speech)
1993: Paul Newman     (View Acceptance Speech)
1992: Audrey Hepburn (posthumous) / Elizabeth Taylor     (View Acceptance Speech)
1989: Howard W. Koch     (View Acceptance Speech)
1985: Charles "Buddy" Rogers     (View Acceptance Speech)
1984: David L. Wolper    
1983: M.J. Frankovich    
1982: Walter Mirisch     (View Acceptance Speech)
1981: Danny Kaye     (View Acceptance Speech)
1979: Robert Benjamin    
1978: Leo Jaffe     (View Acceptance Speech)
1977: Charlton Heston     (View Acceptance Speech)
1975: Dr. Jules C. Stein     (View Acceptance Speech)
1974: Arthur B. Krim     (View Acceptance Speech)
1973: Lew Wasserman     (View Acceptance Speech)
1972: Rosalind Russell     (View Acceptance Speech)
1970: Frank Sinatra     (View Acceptance Speech)
1969: George Jessel    
1968: Martha Raye     (View Acceptance Speech)
1967: Gregory Peck    
1966: George Bagnall     (View Acceptance Speech)
1965: Edmond L. DePatie     (View Acceptance Speech)
1962: Steve Broidy    
1961: George Seaton    
1960: Sol Lesser    
1959: Bob Hope     (View Acceptance Speech)
1957: Samuel Goldwyn    
1956: Y. Frank Freeman