Of the three Shakespearean films directed by Olivier, "Richard III" received the least critical praise at the time, although it was still acclaimed. It was the only one not to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, though Olivier's acting performance was nominated. The film gained popularity in the US through a 1966 re-release, which broke box office records in many US cities. Many critics now consider Olivier's "Richard III" his best screen adaptation of Shakespeare. The British Film Institute has pointed out that, given the enormous TV audience it received when shown in the United States on NBC, Sunday afternoon, March 11, 1956, the film "may have done more to popularise Shakespeare than any other single work".