Bob Hope holds the record for hosting the Academy Awards the most times, with 19 appearances solo or as a co-host
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It's not easy to successfully host theAcademy Awards, let alone be invited back to do so multiple times. However, a few leading men — and one woman — have done just that.
The first Oscars ceremony was held in 1929, and since then, the awards show has experimented with everything from solo acts anddynamic groupstogoing hostless. The most memorable emcees, though, leaned funny, likeBilly Crystal, who hosted a whopping nine ceremonies. Still, 10 fewer times than the record-holder and four-timerWhoopi Goldberg.
Conan O'Brienwill onlybe on his second roundwhen hetakes the Oscar stageon March 15, 2026, and only time will tell if he'll hit four likehis late-night talk show hostbrethrenJimmy Kimmelor even five likeJohnny Carson.
From Hope to Kimmel, here's a look at the celebrities who've hosted the Academy Awards at least three times.
Bob Hope: 19 Times
Bob Hope— known for his work alongside the legendaryBing Crosby— hosted the Academy Awards a record 19 times.
The British-American comedian and actor first took to the stage at the 12th Academy Awards in 1940. Revered for his jokes and witty one-liners, he hosted the show's first televised event in 1953, in addition to its first broadcast in color in 1966.
The icon's last hosting gig came in 1978, but in 1991, he returned to the Oscar stage while Crystal was emcee.
"Remember me? TheMacaulay Culkinof 1927?" he joked,according to the New York Historical Museum.
Hope died on July 27, 2003, at age 100.
Years hosted: 1940-1943, 1945, 1946, 1953, 1955, 1958, 1959-1962, 1965-1968, 1975 and 1978.
Billy Crystal: Nine Times
Crystal, who got his big break on the ABC sitcomSoapand in 1989'sWhen Harry Met Sally, hashosted the Oscars nine times.
"To me,a show needs a host; you need a center," Crystal told PEOPLE in 2021 before adding, "I had so many great memories hosting the show. It was a history of cinema for me."
The comedian, director and actor took the stage for the first time at the 62nd Academy Awards in 1990, and the last time he hosted was at the 84th ceremony in 2012. He has opened up about how he'll most likely never host the Oscars again.
Years hosted: 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2012
Johnny Carson: Five Times
Carson was no stranger to the hosting scene, most notably recognized for his three-decades-long run as host ofThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Regarded as "The King of Late Night," Carson hosted the Oscars five times before his death in 2005.
The 51st Academy Awards in 1979 marked Carson's first time as host. He hosted the show for four consecutive years before returning to the stage in 1984 to lead the 56th ceremony.
Years hosted: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1984
Jack Lemmon: Four Times
Not only hasJack Lemmonhosted the Oscars four times, but he's a two-time winner as well — he took home Best Supporting Actor forMister Robertsin 1955 andBest Actor forSave the Tigerin 1973.
Lemmon first hosted alongside Hope,Rosalind Russell,James "Jimmy" Stewartand Donald Duck (yes, you read that correctly) at the show's 30th ceremony in 1958. In 1972, he hosted again alongside Helen Hayes, Alan King andSammy Davis Jr.
The actor, who died in June 2001 at age 76, led the show solo for the first time in 1964 and for his last time in 1985.
Years hosted: 1958, 1964, 1972 and 1985
Whoopi Goldberg: Four Times
Goldberg, whowon an Oscar for Best Supporting Actressin 1990 forGhost,hosted the Academy Awards four times.
The actress, comedian and host ofThe Viewmade history as the first Black woman to emcee the Oscars solo, which she did at the 66th ceremony in 1994. She also has a place in awards show history as one of the few stars toearn an EGOT(winner of anEmmy,Grammy, Oscar andTony Award).
Goldberg is also the only woman to have hosted the awards ceremony more than three times. Three women have hosted or co-hosted twice:Ellen DeGeneres,Jane FondaandGoldie Hawn.
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Years hosted: 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2002
Jimmy Kimmel: Four Times
Kimmel has brought his late-night hosting chops to the Oscar stage four times.
The actor, comedian and talk show host kicked off his Oscars spree in 2017, which also happened to be the evening of the infamousEnvelopegate.
After a brief hiatus, he made a successful return in 2023 following the memorable all-female emcee lineup ofAmy Schumer,Regina HallandWanda Sykes.
"I always dreamed of hosting the Oscarsexactly four times," Kimmel said in a statement about hosting the 2024 Oscars.
Years hosted: 2017, 2018, 2023 and 2024
Jerry Lewis: Three Times
Nicknamed "The King of Comedy,"Jerry Lewishosted the Oscars three times, but the third time was not necessarily "the charm" for the actor, who died in 2017.
Lewis emceed consecutively at the 28th and 29th Academy Awards, followed by his third and final gig at the 31st ceremony in 1959.
That last time is infamously recognized as the ceremony in which the final award was presented ahead of schedule, causing the show to end 20 minutes early.
As the first host in history to experience this situation, Lewisput his improvisational skills to useto kill time, rallying actors onstage to sing "There's No Business Like Show Business." That's live TV for you!
Years hosted: 1956, 1957 and 1959
David Niven: Three Times
David Niven hosted the Oscars three times, and they were all memorable for various reasons.
He first co-hosted alongside multiple emcees, including Donald Duck, in 1958. The following year, at the 31st Academy Awards, the British actor made history as the first and only person to ever host and receive an Oscar in the same year when hereceived the honor of Best ActorforSeparate Tablesin 1959.
Notably, during his last hosting gig at the 46th ceremony in 1974, famed photographer Robert Opelstreaked across the Oscar stage.
Niven died on July 29, 1983. He was 73.
Years hosted: 1958, 1959 and 1974
Steve Martin: Three Times
Also an EGOT winner,Steve Martinhashosted the Oscars three times, plus he opened the 92nd Academy Awards alongsideChris Rockin 2020, the year there was no host.
Martin's first two emcee stints in 2001 and 2003 were solo, but for his third time commanding the famous crowd at the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010, he was joined by co-hostAlec Baldwin.
Years hosted: 2001, 2003 and 2010
Conrad Nagel: Three Times
A leading man in the 1920s and 1930s and a co-founder of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Conrad Nagel hosted the Oscars three times.
Nagel commanded two of the earliest ceremonies: the 3rd Academy Awards in 1930 and the fifth iteration in 1932. During the latter ceremony, which he co-hosted withLionel Barrymore, Nagel was the Academy president.
The silent screen star had a notable gap between his last two gigs, as he didn't return to the Academy Awards stage as master of ceremonies until 1953, when he co-hosted with Hope.
Nagel, who died in 1970 at age 72, was given an Honorary Academy Award in 1940 for his work on the Motion Picture Relief Fund, perThe New York Times.
Years hosted: 1930, 1932 and 1953
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Bob Hope holds the record for hosting the Academy Awards the most times, with 19 appearances solo or as a co-host ...
