Oscar-Winning Film's Historic New York Debut Marks 74 Years

74 years ago on Friday, this legendary movie had its debut in New York City,before its nationwide releaseslightly more than a month later, on March 21, 1952.

The African Queen, featuring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, debuted on February 20, 1952, at the Capitol Theatre in Manhattan. The Capitol often hosted international premieres during the first half of the 20th century until it shut down on September 16, 1968. The venue was later replaced by the Uris Building, which is now known as Paramount Plaza. The film first premiered in Los Angeles on December 26, 1951, making it eligible for the 24thAcademy Awards, which had an eligibility deadline of December 31, 1951.

Directed by John Huston, with production by Sam Speigel and John Woolf, this adventure movie is based on the 1935 book of the same title authored by C.S. Forester. It centers on Captain Charlie Allnut (Bogart) and Rose Sayer (Hepburn), a missionary, as they travel along a dangerous river in a small steamboat to confront a German gunship. Additional actors in the film include Robert Morley, Peter Bull, Walter Gotell, Richard Marner, and Theodore Bikel.

Reviews for The African Queen were typically favorable, generating approximately $4 million in North America and $6 million globally. More than 40 years following its debut, the film was chosen forpreserving works in the United States National Film Registryin 1994, the Library of Congress classified the film as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

In addition, the movie was nominated at theOscarsFor Best Screenplay, Huston and Hepburn received nominations for Best Director and Best Actress, respectively. Bogart, who was 52 years old at that time, won his first and only Oscar for Best Actor before passing away five years later.

"It's a long journey from the Belgian Congo to the stage of the Pantages Theatre, and I'm happy to note that it's somewhat better here than it was there," Bogart, known by the nickname "Bogie," said at the start of hisacceptance speechI simply wish to express a small, in fact, a very significant tribute to Mr. John Huston and Miss Katherine Hepburn because they played a key role in getting me to where I am today.