Top Academy Awards of 1960
 

Shirley Jones took Oscar home for her performance in the Best Picture nominated “Elmer Gantry.” Playing the role of Lulu Bains, Jones supported a stellar cast, led by Burt Lancaster in the title role of Elmer Gantry, and Jean Simmons, who played his love interest, Sister Sharon Falconer. Shirley Jones was quite well established in Hollywood at the time of her Oscar win, known as a multiple-talent threat, her singing voice was considered to be as sharp as her acting skills.

The 1960 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor was bestowed upon Peter Ustinov for the role of Lentulus Batiatus in “Spartacus.” A little known fact, Peter Ustinov was also an uncredited writer on the 1960 cinema classic. The British born Ustinov would take another Oscar in his illustrious career in 1964 for his role in “Topkapi.” Sir Peter Ustinov filled his career with over 60 feature film credits, working until his death in 2004. He was 82.

Elizabeth Taylor solidified her place in Hollywood history with a Best Actress Academy Award for her role of Gloria Wandrous in the 1960 film, “BUtterfield 8.” Yes. Capital BU-tterfield. The film never gained the momentum MGM hoped for, was too close to the line for much of the American public, yet Elizabeth Taylor lit up the screen as the gorgeous New York model and call-girl who entered into an affair with the married Weston Liggett, played by Laurence Harvey. The British born (1932) beauty still makes appearances at industry gatherings, but most often remains out of the public eye. She hasn't worked as an actress since 1994.

Burt Lancaster blew audiences away with his portrayal of Elmer Gantry, in the film of the same name. He was the Oscar favorite from the time the nominations came out in early 1961, and helped to solidify the film as one of American cinema's greatest efforts. Like many young men during the Golden Era of Cinema, Lancaster was first introduced to the entertainment industry during WWII. He served in the U.S. Army, and became active with the USO, quickly going on to capitalize on his good looks and charm. While “Elmer Gantry” may offer his signature piece of work, he will always be well remembered for his role in 1953's “From Here to Eternity,” opposite Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed and Frank Sinatra. Lancaster died in 1994, just before his 81st birthday.

Billy Wilder for “The Apartment.” Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine lit up the screen with a stellar chemistry, but it was Wilder's masterful direction that made this film a cinematic masterpiece. It still holds up today vs. the test of time. Wilder was a 6-time Oscar winner, and some of his writing work is still being produced today.

“The Apartment” took the tip-top Academy Award of 1960 for Best Picture. Now that it has been mentioned three times in this list, it's appropriate that it was a multiple Oscar winner. 5 Oscars: Best Film; Best Director; Best Supporting Actress; Best Film Editing; Best Art Direction-Set Direction, for Black and White. The professional version of the Internet Movie Database ranks the Apartment at number 82, out of the top 250 films of all time. The American Film Institute ranks it at number 80, as of their 2007 list of the top 100 films of all time.