Oscar Show Could Be Split With New York in Nod to 9/11 Healing

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering a proposal by New York political leaders and entertainment executives to move part of next year’s Academy Award presentations--the 75th anniversary of Hollywood’s signature event--to New York as the city seeks to rebound from last year’s terrorist attacks.

The group of prominent New Yorkers--including Gov. George Pataki, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Miramax Films Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein and Loews Hotel Chairman Jonathan Tisch--has asked the academy to consider bringing all or at least a portion of the March 23 event to New York to help the city recover from the events of Sept. 11.

Frank Pierson, the academy’s president, said Thursday that the organization would seriously consider moving some segments of next year’s show to New York as part of a one-time deal. He said an early proposal from Weinstein to move the entire show to New York was “out of the question,” in part because of its 10-year contract with the Kodak Theatre, which this year became the Oscars’ permanent home, and because the expense of producing the show would double or even triple.

“Economically, and because of our contractual obligations, and because this is Hollywood, we have no intention of moving this show to New York,” Pierson said in Los Angeles. However, he said, “New York will be a huge presence in next year’s show.... America wouldn’t be America without New York and the movie business wouldn’t be the movie business without New York. Just like the movies, it’s part of our culture and our lives.”

Still to be determined are which segments of the show might go bicoastal.

Pierson noted that any decisions about that would have to come after a producer is selected for next year’s show, most likely by next month.

The academy has been intrigued by the New York idea since Weinstein and filmmaker Martin Scorsese broached it in January, Pierson said.

But it wasn’t until this week, he added, that the New York campaign shifted into high gear.

“This year it was harder to bring Woody Allen to Hollywood than it would be to move part of the show to New York,” Pierson quipped, in reference to the director’s surprise appearance at the ceremony in March.

“Obviously, the city could use the lift and [the show] could use a boost in the ratings,” said one source familiar with the discussions who asked not to be identified.

The source characterized the talks as “very initial conversations.”

A spokesman for Pataki confirmed that the effort was underway. “It is an idea we support and we certainly are looking for ways to help make it a reality,” Joe Conway said.

The ABC television network, which will broadcast the ceremony next year, would be eager to accommodate a bicoastal telecast, said Kevin Brockman, an ABC spokesman.

“ABC would be very pleased if the academy decided to include New York in the telecast,” Brockman said.

A bicoastal broadcast “is something that has happened in the past, something that’s part of the history of the Academy Awards and if the academy wants to do that, we would absolutely embrace it.”

The Oscars ceremony returned to Hollywood last year for the first time since 1960, to its new home at the Kodak Theatre at the Hollywood and Highland complex in Hollywood.

For years the event was held at the Shrine Auditorium and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles.

The Kodak is a 3,500-seat venue, far smaller than the cavernous downtown halls. Last year’s ceremony drew complaints about ticket shortages, acoustics and parking.

While broadcasting a portion of the show from New York might help alleviate some problems, Pierson said “we’re very happy” with the Kodak.

If the Academy Awards make a partial return to New York, it would be a throwback to the 1950s, when Hollywood still had the star wattage, but both cities shared in the telecast.

In 1953, the first telecast in both cities occurred--with Oscars being handed out on both coasts. Bob Hope was the host in Hollywood, while Conrad Nagel did the honors in New York.

The last year the show was held in both cities was 1957.

But New York officials believe the ceremony, which exudes history and glamour, is equally suited for a New York venue, such as Radio City Music Hall or Madison Square Garden.

The Academy agreed this summer to move the 2004 Academy Awards ceremony to late February.

The announcement comes as New York City is actively seeking the Democratic and Republican national conventions.

This morning, Pataki and Bloomberg will greet officials of the Republican National Committee, who are in New York to scout locations for the 2004 GOP convention.

Both efforts--to bring a piece of the Oscars and to lure the political conventions--are part of a concerted effort to promote tourism and rebuild the economy of the nation’s largest city after the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

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James reported from Los Angeles, Goldman from New York. Times staff writers Anthony McCartney, Susan King and Hector Becerra in Los Angeles contributed to this report.