The Decline or Fall Of Practically Everybody

What happened at last week's 39th annual Academy Awards show? Only a hairdresser could tell for sure. Some of the heads were in fall, others in decline; it was as if the whole actress community had flipped its wig or was trying to start the newest wave. Perhaps for the want of anything more compelling to depict, ABC television kept running its cameras through the girls' hair for the entire 2 1/2 hours.

Runaway winner for the Wolf Girl Award was Julie Christie, who also sported the highest-riding miniskirt. Her bangs nearly reached her hem, while her tresses swung in savage disarray around--and over--her face. Ginger Rogers wore superlong locks reminiscent of the '40s. Ann-Margret, Anouk Aimee, Anne Bancroft and Singer Jackie DeShannon wore their hair laissez-faire--uncurled and uncut.

For their chandelier coifs, the Redgrave girls teamed up. Vanessa washed her own hair in midafternoon, then summoned Beverly Hills Coiffeur Carrie White for a comb-out and had her add a cascading fall for greater thickness. The whole business took all of ten minutes. Lynn, meanwhile, puffed up her own do as well as Mum's (Rachel Kempson, Lady Redgrave).

The AFTRA strike against the networks ended just an hour or so before the ceremonies began, which heightened interest in the show and helped attract 65 million viewers (by ABC's estimate). But if the folks at home were hoping to see the big stars collect their Oscars, they were disappointed.

Paul Scofield, the best actor, for A Man for All Seasons, remained in Sussex, England. Elizabeth Taylor, the best actress, for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfl, sent her polite regrets from Nice.* Sandy Dennis, the best supporting actress, for Virginia Woolf, stayed put in New York. Only Walter Matthau, the best supporting actor, for The Fortune Cookie, showed up--as did All Seasons Director Fred Zinnemann and Scenarist Robert Bolt.

"Imagine," observed Master of Ceremonies Bob Hope in one of his few quotable lines, "not even coming here to pick up an Oscar. I flew to Greensboro, N.C., to become 'Chitlin of the Month.' "

* Liz can now be called a foreign film star. It was disclosed last week that she renounced her U.S. citizenship in October, and became a British subject.

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