The History of the Academy Awards

The History of the Academy Awards

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.
  1. Academy AwardsThe Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, is an iconic Hollywood event where the best of the film world is recognized for outstanding achievements in the current year. The first dinner was held on May 16, 1929 at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and has grown to be one of the most anticipated awards shows in existence. From Shirley Temple to James Cameron to Walt Disney to Audrey Hepburn, the Academy Awards is all about the glitz, the glamor, and who will take home the coveted Oscar statuettes.

    The Early Academy Awards Ceremonies

    The first Academy Awards ceremony did not keep the recipients a secret. The winners were announced months in advance and would receive the statuettes at the annual Academy Awards banquet.

    The Academy decided to change this and began keeping the winners a secret, but leaking envelopes to the press at 11:00 pm the night of the banquet. However, in 1940, the LA Times released the winners before the banquet had taken place and the Academy Awards have adopted the sealed envelope policy ever since.

    Emil Jannings was the first person to receive an Academy Award statuette and the first film to win Best Picture was Wings, a silent film about World War I pilots released by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by William A. Wellman and produced by Lucien Hubbard.

    Now the Academy maintains a number of 5,835 who votes on the best out of the nominees.

    OscarsWhy is it called an "Oscar"?

    We are unsure as to why exactly the name "Oscar" stuck with the statuettes. Some say that the librarian at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) said that the statuette looked like her "Uncle Oscar."

    Another story is that Bette Davis named it after her ex-husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson Jr.

    Sidney Skolsky also called that statuette "Oscar" in his column saying that the name was derived from the music hall joke, "Will you have a cigar, Oscar?" He used this term in 1934 in regards to Katherine Hepburn’s win, and Walt Disney used the term at the Awards Ceremony that year as well.

    Academy Awards throughout History

    Undoubtedly the Academy Awards has a lot of interesting and controversial things happen at the ceremony itself. Who could forget when Adrien Brody gave Halle Berry the big smooch when he won Best Actor for "The Pianist," or when Michael Moore was booed during his "Bowling for Columbine" acceptance speech for being openly against President George Bush. In 1974, Robert Open ran across the stage naked wearing nothing but a peace sign.

    Click the links below to see who has won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year.

    Film2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

    2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991

    1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981

    1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971

    1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961

    1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951

    1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941

    1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931

    1930 1929

Leave a Reply