On April 11, 1983, at
The 55th Annual Academy Awards (1983), Polish animator
Zbigniew Rybczynski (pronounced "Rib-chin-ski") had probably the worst night that any Academy Award winner has ever had at the annual Oscar show. When presenter
Kristy McNichol announced Rybczynski's short film,
Tango (1981), as the winner in the Best Animated Short category, she mispronounced his name as "Zib-new-ski...sky." When Rybczynski accepted the award at the podium, the orchestra cut off his acceptance speech with the "Looney Tunes" theme. After talking with reporters in the press room backstage, Rybczynski stepped outside into an alley to have a cigarette. When he tried to re-enter the theater, an overzealous security guard refused to let him back in. Although Rybczynski was holding his Oscar, he was wearing a cheap tuxedo and tennis shoes, because he had been unable to afford better clothes. Rybczynski tried to explain things, but his English was poor, and the guard assumed he was drunk and called two police officers, who slammed the Polish director up against the wall. During the altercation, Rybczynski reportedly shouted, "American pig! I have Oscar!" and tried to kick a policeman in the groin. Rybczynski spent the night in jail before the mess was sorted out.
