Steve Martin (right) and Alec Baldwin (left) will serve as co-hosts of the 82nd Academy Awards®. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide. credit: Bob D'Amico/ABC

Jeff Margolis has been tapped to serve as Executive Producer of the Academy Awards pre-show, Countdown to the Oscars.

For those of you who haven’t caught that particular event before, Countdown to the Oscars takes fans right onto the red carpet for an up-close look at the gowns and the excitement as the stars make their way down the arrivals line and into the Kodak Theatre…all the glam…all the gold…and all the nerves.

“We’re proud to claim one of the legends of the industry is taking charge of the Oscar show co-producer Bill Mechanic said – with fellow producer Adam Shankman adding, “We expect it to be brilliant.”

It should be a good show, Margolis has held the reigns of 100 TV events over 30 years. He’s either produced or directed the SAG Awards for the past 12 years and has had eight Emmy nominations…taking home the statue for actually directing the Academy Awards telecast in 1995. His resume is endless with not only the Oscars and the SAG Awards to his credit, but also a glut of awards shows from the American Music Awards to the Michael Jackson special, Michael Jackson One Night Only.

Countdown to the Oscars will air Sunday, March 7th beginning 5:00 p.m. PT. The Academy Awards ceremony follows – both from the Kodak Theatre…and both airing live on ABC.