Events

• May 12 - The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces wife Marion Benda. The two were married in 1927.
• A reproduction of "America's First Movie Studio", Thomas Edison's Black Maria, is constructed
• November 3 the movie Godzilla (1954 film) the first in the Godzilla (series) of films

Premeries in Japan

Top grossing films (U.S.)

(*) After theatrical re-issue(s)
source: http://www.boxofficereport.com/database/1954.shtml

Awards

Academy Awards:

Best Picture: On the Waterfront - Horizon-American, Columbia

Best Director: Elia Kazan - On The Waterfront

Best Actor: Marlon Brando - On the Waterfront

Best Actress: Grace Kelly - The Country Girl

Best Supporting Actor: Edmond O'Brien - The Barefoot Contessa

Best Supporting Actress: Eva Marie Saint - On The Waterfront

Golden Globe Awards:

Drama:

Best Picture: On the Waterfront

Best Actor: Marlon Brando - On the Waterfront

Best Actress: Grace Kelly - The Country Girl

Musical or comedy:

Best Picture: Carmen Jones

Best Actor: James Mason - A Star Is Born

Best Actress: Judy Garland - A Star Is Born

Other

Best Director: Elia Kazan - On the Waterfront

Best Foreign Film: Twenty-Four Eyes (Nijushi no hitomi), Japan

Best Foreign Film: No Way Back (Weg Ohne Umkehr), West Germany

Best Foreign Film: The Lady of the Camellias (La Mujer de las camelias), Argentina

Best Foreign Film: Genevieve, United Kingdom

Grand Prix (Cannes Film Festival):

Jigokumon 地獄門, (Gate of Hell), directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa, Japan

Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival):

Romeo and Juliet (Romeo e Giulietta), directed by Renato Castellani, Italy / U.K.

Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival):

Hobson's Choice, directed by David Lean, United Kingdom

Films released in 1954

• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
• 3 Ring Circus, starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
• Animal Farm
• The Atomic Kid
• The Barefoot Contessa
• Beau Brummell
• The Belles of St Trinian's
• The Black Knight
• The Black Shield of Falworth
• Black Tuesday
• Bread, Love and Dreams (U.S. release)
• The Bridges at Toko-Ri
• Brigadoon
• Broken Lance
• The Caine Mutiny
• Carmen Jones
• Casanova's Big Night starring Bob Hope
• The Country Girl
• Creature from the Black Lagoon
• Crime Wave
• Dangerous Mission
• Demetrius and the Gladiators
• Désirée
• Dial M for Murder
• Doctor in the House, starring Dirk Bogarde in the first of the "Doctor" series
• Dragnet-(film mentioned in series article)
• ''The Egyptian
• Executive Suite
• Gate of Hell (U.S. release)
• Genevieve
• Godzilla
• The Good Die Young
• Hell and High Water
• The High and the Mighty
• Hobson's Choice
• Human Desire
• Indiscretion of an American Wife (U.S. release)
• An Inspector Calls, with Alastair Sim, based on the J.B. Priestley play (film mentioned in article)
• It Should Happen to You
• Johnny Guitar
• King Richard and the Crusaders
• Knights of the Round Table
• Knock on Wood
• The Lady of the Camellias (La Mujer de las camelias)
• Living It Up, starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
• The Long, Long Trailer
• The Maggie
• Magnificent Obsession
• Monster from the Ocean Floor
• The Naked Jungle
• Night People
• No Way Back (Weg Ohne Umkehr)
• On the Waterfront
• The Outcast
• Phffft!
• Prince Valiant, an adventure starring Robert Wagner, James Mason, and Janet Leigh
• Robinson Crusoe
• Rear Window
• River of No Return
• Rogue Cop
• Romeo and Juliet
• La Ronde (U.S. release)
• Sabrina
• Sansho the Bailiff
• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
• Seven Samurai
• The Silver Chalice
• Sira` Fi al-Wadi
• A Star Is Born
• La strada
• Susan Slept Here
• Them!
• There's No Business Like Show Business
• Three Coins in the Fountain
• Top Banana
• Twenty-Four Eyes (Nijushi no hitomi)
• White Christmas
• Young at Heart

Serials

• Gunfighters of the Northwest, starring Clayton Moore and Phyllis Coates
• Man with the Steel Whip, starring Dick Simmons
• Riding with Buffalo Bill
• Trader Tom of the China Seas, starring Harry Lauter and Aline Towne

Short film series

• Looney Tunes (1930-1969)
• Terrytoons (1930-1964)
• Merrie Melodies (1931-1969)
• Popeye (1933-1957)
• The Three Stooges (1934-1959)
• Bugs Bunny (1940-1962)
• Tom and Jerry (1940-1958)
• Mighty Mouse (1942-1955)
• Chip and Dale (1943-1956)
• Droopy (1943-1958)
• Yosemite Sam (1945-1963)
• Speedy Gonzales (1953-1968)
• Ranger Don (1953-1956)

Births

• January 1 - Helen Wellington-Lloyd, actress
• January 6 - Anthony Minghella, director
• February 17 - Rene Russo, actress
• March 4 - Catherine O'Hara, actress
• June 19 - Kathleen Turner, actress
• June 22 - Freddie Prinze, actor/comedian
• December 7 - Jackie Chan, actor

Deaths

• January 18 - Sydney Greenstreet, actor
• February 12 - Dziga Vertov, filmmaker
• November 15 - Lionel Barrymore, actor
• December 8 - Gladys George, actress