Harris hosted the Tony Awards last year and Emmy in 2013 and 2009, so with Oscar, he is apparently going for the EGOT sweep of hosts. (All that remains is Grammy.) He is appearing in Fox's B.O. hit "Gone Girl." He has won five Emmys and this year took home a Tony for the lead role in the musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch."

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will be handling their third consecutive Oscar producing stint (Variety, April 21), working in conjunction with Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and ABC honchos.

 The 87th Oscar show will air live on ABC TV.

Oscar hosting is considered a primo gig, but it isn't easy. The host needs to maintain the show's energy, both for the audience inside the Dolby Theatre and for the millions of TV viewers. There is always a guessing game on hosts, but there are a limited number of individuals who have shown their talent in such a role. Ellen DeGeneres was successful at the March 2 rites, but apparently was reluctant even then to do it, and didn't want to do it for the 2015 ceremony.