Roberto Begnini - 1999
Roberto Begnini gave us some of the most entertaining Oscar speeches in 1999 when he swept the board with his masterpiece, Life is Beautiful. He started the ceremony by aping around shouting ’Thank you! Thank you! I want to be rocked by the waves of your love!’ when presented with the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. He followed up with a collection of the Best Actor Oscar, ’This must be a mistake because I’ve used up all my English,’ he cried before going on to ramble about ’egg salad sandwiches in the aisles of liquid,’ and how he was ’besiding myself’. As if that wasn’t enough the hilarious chap was invited back the next year to present the Best Actress Oscar, ’I have run around like a dog! Look at me bark! Look at me happy as a yellow wicked film clam!’

Cuba won’t quit - 1996
When the 45 second rule was introduced to the Oscars our celebrities weren’t impressed. Cuba Gooding Jr, accepting his Oscar for Jerry Maguire took it upon himself to ignore the rule completely by shouting his remaining thanks over the top of the orchestra as they began to play him out after his allotted speech time.

Anne Frank’s Diary saved - 1995
When the winner of Best Documentary took to the stage in 1995 he brought with him a woman we’d never seen on film before. She was introduced as the woman who had saved Anne Frank’s original diary from destruction by the Nazis in the Second World War. The audience gave one of the longest standing ovations in Oscar history.

Stanley Donen taps in to something - 1997
In 1997 cinematic legend Stanley Donen was presented with an honorary Oscar for his contributions to film. Rather than stick with the emotional thank yous Donen instead decided to take us back in time to the golden years by singing his acceptance speech as he tap danced by the podium.

Disney tears - 1941
Walt Disney expressed his disappointment at the box office failings of his most treasured film, Fantasia when he was presented with the Thalberg Award in 1941. Although he had already had great success from his other films and Fantasia itself had received Oscars he was clearly upset and gave a heartfelt speech about learning from one’s mistakes. Poignantly the film was re-released after Disney’s death and became a great success.