↑ Early in 1956, the name of screenwriter Michael Wilson – a former Oscar winner – had been deleted from the credits of Friendly Persuasion by Allied Artists, the film's distributor, based on a 1952 agreement between the Screen Writers Guild and various production companies. That agreement gave the studios the right to omit from the screen the name of any individual who had failed to clear himself before a duly constituted legislative committee of U.S. Congress if accused of Communist affiliations, as was the case with Wilson at the time. The Academy, in the awkward position of possible conferring its highest honor on someone whose name had been omitted from screen credit, revised its bylaws at a special February 6, 1957, meeting. That revision, in essence, allowed that in such cases, the achievement itself could be eligible for nomination, but the specific writer would not be. This bylaw was repealed by the Academy as "unworkable" on January 12, 1959. This nomination was not included on the final ballot.
↑ Award entitled Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
↑ Though Pierre Boulle received official screen credit, it was commonly known that blacklisted writers Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson wrote the screenplay based on Boulle's novel (translated from the original French). The Board of Governors, on December 11, 1984, voted posthumous Oscars to Wilson and Foreman. It was widely reported that Boulle was surprised, as well as many others, by the nomination, especially since Boulle did not speak (or write) English.
↑ Upon request of his widow and upon recommendation of the Writers Branch Executive Committee, the Board of Governors voted to restore the name of Nedrick Young to the nomination presented to Nathan E. Douglas, which was Mr. Young's pseudonym during the blacklisting period.
↑ Originally the nomination was solely for Robert Bolt, as Wilson was blacklisted at the time. His name was officially added to the nomination in 1995.
↑ Award entitled Screenplay Adapted From Other Material
↑ Award entitled Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
↑ P.H. Vazak is a pseudonym for Robert Towne who was dissatisfied with the film.
↑ Award entitled Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
