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The Oscars: trivia, tidbits and the TV schedule

 
Published Feb. 18, 2015

 This year's acting nominations set one record and extended another. Robert Duvall (The Judge) passed Hal Holbrook to become the oldest nominee ever at age 84, and Meryl Streep (Into the Woods) earned her 19th nomination.

 All four acting categories would be swept by first-time Oscar winners for the first time since 2010 if the favorites prevail. Eddie Redmayne (or Michael Keaton), Julianne Moore, J.K. Simmons and Patricia Arquette have never won before.

 With his third consecutive acting nomination, Bradley Cooper (American Sniper) is one away from Marlon Brando's record of four in a row.

The Grand Budapest Hotel had the earliest release date (March 28) of any best picture nominee since The Silence of the Lambs, and it is the first best picture nominee since 2000's Gladiator to hit theaters before the month of May.

 Banfield Pet Hospitals surveyed clients to find pet names associated with tonight's Academy Awards. Winners include Bradley Pooper, Benedict Cumberscratch and Bark Ruffalo. Six dogs and two cats are named Clint Eastwood, and one feline is called Bill Furray.

 Every best picture winner since 1981 was also nominated in the film editing category. Birdman is this year's most highly regarded contender that isn't in the editing competition.

 Should Michael Keaton (Birdman) win tonight, he'll pass John Wayne (True Grit) as the second-oldest best actor Oscar winner ever, at age 63. The record is held by Henry Fonda (On Golden Pond), age 76.