In 1978 , the 50th annual ceremony for the Academy Awards ( the Oscars ) honored the golden anniversary of the award with a special segment featuring Sammy Davis , Jr. , singing the Marvin Hamlisch song , “ Come Light the Candles , ” over a memorial montage . In 1994 , the '' In Memoriam '' segment , paying tribute to the movie stars , film crew members , and Hollywood movie executives who had passed away in the previous year , debuted as an annual Oscar tribute at the 66th Academy Awards . Soon after , the Grammys , the Emmys , and the Screen Actors Guild ( SAG ) Awards followed suit . By the 21st century , the in memoriam tribute had become one of the most popular , and most scrutinized , segments at annual awards ceremonies
50th annual ceremony
50th Academy Awards
In memoriam segment