1st Academy Awards

1927 1928 February 2012 July 2022 1 Academy Awards 1stOscars 1929.jpg The first Academy Awards ceremony (pictured) was held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Large, ornate room, filled with people in formal dress sitting at different tables. 1929 05 16 Hollywood Roosevelt HotelHollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S. Douglas Fairbanks Wingshttps://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1929/memorable-moments The 1st Academy Awards Memorable Moments Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences February 25, 2021 live January 4, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210104224149/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1929/memorable-moments 7th Heaven and Sunrise (3 each) 7th Heaven (5) 2nd The 1st Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and hosted by AMPAS president Douglas Fairbanks, honored the best films from August1, 1927, to July31, 1928, and took place on May 16, 1929, at a private dinner held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Tickets cost $5 ($US 5 1929 in US, considering inflation); 270 people attended the event, which lasted 15 minutes. It is the only Academy Awards ceremony not broadcast on either radio or television; a radio broadcast was introduced for the 2nd Academy Awards.https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1930/memorable-moments The 2nd Academy Awards Memorable Moments Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences February 25, 2021 live January 4, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210104221602/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1930/memorable-moments During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards later to be colloquially known as "Oscars" in 12 categories. The winners had been announced three months ahead of the ceremony. Some nominations did not reference a specific film, such as Ralph Hammeras and Nugent Slaughter, who were nominated for Engineering Effects, a category that was dropped the following year along with those for Unique and Artistic Production, Best Director (Comedy), and Best Title Writing. Unlike later ceremonies, an actor could be awarded for multiple films: Emil Jannings won Best Actor for his work in both The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command, while Best Actress winner Janet Gaynor was honored for three films. Charlie Chaplin and Warner Brothers each received an honorary award. Jannings, a Swiss-born performer who gained fame in Berlin, had been notified in advance of his victory; he subsequently posed for pictures with his statuette before leaving for Germany.Wallechinsky David Wallace Irving 1975 The People's Almanac https://archive.org/details/peoplesalmanac00wall/page/830/mode/2up Garden City, New York Doubleday & Company, Inc. 831 0-385-04060-1 Major winners at the ceremony included 7th Heaven and Sunrise, with three awards apiece (the latter winning for Unique and Artistic Picture), and Wings receiving two awards, including Outstanding Picture. The academy decided retroactively that Wings award was its highest honor the following year and dropped Unique and Artistic Picture.The Official Academy Awards Database Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ November 11, 2019 December 23, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171223043220/http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ live Reader must select "1927/28" in the "Award Year(s):" drop-down menu and press "Search". Background Louis B. Mayer, the founder of the Louis B. Mayer Pictures Corporation, which would later merge into Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), established the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in 1927. Mayer's purpose in creating the award was to unite the five branches of the film industry: actors, directors, producers, technicians, and writers.Cosgrave 2007 1 Mayer commented on the creation of the awards: "I found that the best way to handle [filmmakers] was to hang medals all over them ... If I got them cups and awards, they'd kill themselves to produce what I wanted. That's why the Academy Award was created."Eyman 2005 117 Mayer asked Cedric Gibbons, art director of MGM, to design an Academy Award trophy.Eyman 2005 209 Nominees were notified through a telegram in February 1928. In August 1928, Mayer contacted the first Academy Central Board of Judges to decide the winners. However, according to the American director King Vidor, the voting for the Academy Award for Best Picture was in the hands of the AMPAS founders: Mayer, Douglas Fairbanks, Sid Grauman, Mary Pickford, and Joseph Schenck.Eyman 2005 138 Ceremony The ceremony was held on May 16, 1929, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, located in Los Angeles. It consisted of a private dinner with 36 banquet tables, where 270 people attended, and tickets cost $5 (US 5 1929 0 eq).https://www.oscars.org/nicholl/history May 6, 2010 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences History of the Academy Awards https://web.archive.org/web/20100408194217/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/about/history.html April 8, 2010 live Actors and actresses arrived at the hotel in luxury vehicles, and gathered outside to cheer the attendees.Cosgrave 2007 4 The ceremony was not broadcast on radio, and was hosted by AMPAS president Fairbankshttp://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,927950,00.html People: May 27, 1929 Time Time Inc. October 5, 2010 May 27, 1929 https://web.archive.org/web/20101027220628/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C927950%2C00.html October 27, 2010 dead during a 15-minute event. Overview thumb|Members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in 1929. Janet Gaynor (center) holds her statuette for Best Actress.|alt=Group photograph showing several men and one woman standing together. They pose closely, facing the camera. The winners were announced three months before the ceremony. The recipients included: Emil Jannings, the inaugural award recipient for Best Actor (The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command);1927–28 Academy Awards Winners and History Tim Dirks Filmsite Rainbow Media https://www.filmsite.org/aa27.html May 6, 2010 live https://web.archive.org/web/20100724204258/http://www.filmsite.org/aa27.html July 24, 2010 usurped The Story of the First Academy Awards The MediaDrome Debra Ann Pawlak https://www.themediadrome.com/content/articles/film_articles/first_academy_awards.shtml https://web.archive.org/web/20050315222027/http://www.themediadrome.com/content/articles/film_articles/first_academy_awards.shtml March 15, 2005 Janet Gaynor for Best Actress (7th Heaven, Street Angel, and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans); Frank Borzage for Best Director, Drama (7th Heaven); Lewis Milestone for Best Director, Comedy (Two Arabian Knights); and Wings for Best Picture (which was the most expensive film produced up to that time). Two Special Award were also presented, to Charles Chaplin and Warner Bros. Chaplin, who was nominated multiple times for the 1928 film The Circus (Best Actor, Best Writer, and Best Director, Comedy), was instead honored for his overall contribution to the industry, while Warner Bros. was awarded for pioneering talking pictures with The Jazz Singer (1927). Three categories were eliminated for subsequent presentations: Best Engineering Effects, Best Title Writing, and Best Unique and Artistic Quality of Production. The major film studios received the majority of awards: Fox Film Corporation, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures, Radio-Keith-Orpheum, and Warner Bros. Winners and nominees Awards At the 1st Academy Awards (19271928), the nomination process allowed candidates to be nominated and awarded for a single film, multiple films, or without reference to any specific film. Nominees were announced on February 2, 1929. Winners are listed first, in boldface.https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1929 The 1st Academy Awards October 8, 2014 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences February 25, 2021 live February 18, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210218184947/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1929 right vertical 150 Frank Borzage Best Dramatic Director 1929.jpg Frank Borzage, Best Directing (Dramatic Picture) winner A picture of Frank Borzage with an Oscar statuette. He wears a suit. Lewis Milestone Best Comedy Director 1929.jpg Lewis Milestone, Best Directing (Comedic Picture) winner A picture of Lewis Milestone with an Oscar statuette. He wears a suit Emil Jannings - no watermark.jpg Emil Jannings, Best Actor winner A portrait of Emil Jannings. He wears a suit. Janet Gaynor Argentinean Magazine AD.jpg Janet Gaynor, Best Actress winner The image of a smiling Janet Gaynor. She is wearing a light-colored blouse. Benjamin Glazer September 1927.jpg Benjamin Glazer, Best Adapted Screenplay winner A portrait of Benjamin Glazer in a spotted bowtie. #F9EFAA Outstanding Picture Wings Paramount Famous Lasky The Racket The Caddo Company 7th Heaven Fox | valign="top" width="50%" | #F9EFAA Best Unique and Artistic Picture Sunrise Fox Chang Paramount Famous Lasky The Crowd Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |- | valign="top" width="50%" | #F9EFAA Best Directing (Dramatic Picture) Frank Borzage 7th Heaven Herbert Brenon Sorrell and Son King Vidor The Crowd #F9EFAA Best Directing (Comedy Picture) Lewis Milestone Two Arabian Knights Charles Chaplin The CircusChaplinNote The Circus originally received three nominations: Best Director (Comedy Picture), Best Actor, and Best Writing (Original Story) for Charles Chaplin. However, the Academy subsequently decided to remove Chaplin's name from the competitive award categories and instead to confer upon him a Special Award "for acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus".https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2016/05/16/the-first-oscars-what-happened-in-1929/ Martin Chilton The Daily Telegraph The first Oscars: what happened in 1929 February 25, 2021 subscription May 16, 2016 live May 19, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160519015239/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2016/05/16/the-first-oscars-what-happened-in-1929/ Ted Wilde Speedy #F9EFAA Best Actor Emil Jannings The Last Command as General Dolgorucki (Grand Duke Sergius Alexander) and The Way of All Flesh as August Schilling Richard Barthelmess The Noose as Nickie Elkins and The Patent Leather Kid as The Patent Leather Kid Charles Chaplin The Circus as A TrampChaplinNote #F9EFAA Best Actress Janet Gaynor 7th Heaven as Diane, Street Angel as Angela, and Sunrise as The Wife Louise Dresser A Ship Comes In as Mrs. Pleznik Gloria Swanson Sadie Thompson as Sadie Thompson |- | valign="top" width="50%" | #F9EFAA Best Writing (Original Story) Underworld Ben Hecht The Circus Charles ChaplinChaplinNote The Last Command Lajos Biro #F9EFAA Best Writing (Adaptation) 7th Heaven Benjamin Glazer Glorious Betsy Anthony Coldeway The Jazz Singer Alfred Cohn #F9EFAA Best Writing (Title Writing) Joseph Farnham – no specific film Gerald DuffyGerald Duffy's nomination for Best Writing (Title Writing) was a posthumous nomination.https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-mn-oscars-august-wilson-posthumous-nominees-20170213-story.html August Wilson is in good company among posthumous Oscar nominees and winners Los Angeles Times Susan King February 24, 2017 February 25, 2021 live November 12, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201112011657/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-mn-oscars-august-wilson-posthumous-nominees-20170213-story.html subscription – The Private Life of Helen of Troy George Marion Jr. – no specific film #F9EFAA Best Art Direction The Dove William Cameron Menzies Tempest William Cameron Menzies 7th Heaven Harry Oliver Sunrise Rochus Gliese #F9EFAA Best Cinematography Sunrise Charles Rosher and Karl Struss The Devil Dancer George Barnes The Magic Flame George Barnes Sadie Thompson George Barnes #F9EFAA Best Engineering Effects Wings Roy Pomeroy No specific film Ralph Hammeras No specific film Nugent Slaughter Notes 120em Special awards right vertical 150 Charlie Chaplin in unknown year.jpg Charles Chaplin, Honorary Award Portrait of Charles Chaplin in the early 1900s Warner Bros 1920.jpg Warner Brothers Production, Honorary Award. First National Studios, Burbank (c. 1928) pictured First National Studios, Burbank, circa 1928. It can be appreciate the first company buildings. The following Honorary Awards then called Special Awards were conferred: To Charles Chaplin for acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus. To Warner Bros. for producing The Jazz Singer, the pioneer outstanding talking picture, which has revolutionized the industry. Multiple nominations and awards 80% The following six films received multiple nominations: Nominations Film 5 7th Heaven 4 Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans 3 The Circus(Withdrawn nominations) 2 The Crowd The Last Command Sadie Thompson Wings The following three films received multiple awards: Awards Film 3 7th Heaven Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans 2 Wings Changes to Academy Awards After the 1st Academy Awards (19271928), the following changes were made by the AMPAS: Award categories were reduced from twelve to seven: The awards for Best Directing (Comedy Picture) and Best Directing (Dramatic Picture) were merged into a single Best Directing award.https://vulture.com/2019/02/what-happened-to-oscars-dedicated-to-comedy.html What Happened to Oscars Dedicated to Comedy (and Should They Be Brought Back)? Ramsey Ess Vulture.com February 22, 2019 live January 25, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210125075421/https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/what-happened-to-oscars-dedicated-to-comedy.html February 25, 2021 The award for Best Engineering Effects was discontinued.https://www.yahoo.com/now/10-oscars-categories-were-discontinued-slideshow-wp-105424704/photo-p-given-once-once-only-photo-105424769.html 10 weird Oscars categories that were discontinued Hanna Flint Yahoo! February 20, 2019 February 25, 2021 dead February 26, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210226021227/https://www.yahoo.com/now/10-oscars-categories-were-discontinued-slideshow-wp-105424704/photo-p-given-once-once-only-photo-105424769.html The award for Best Unique and Artistic Picture was discontinued. The awards for Best Writing (Adaptation) and Best Writing (Original Story) were merged into a single Best Writing award.https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1930 The 2nd Academy Awards Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences January 2, 2021 live January 2, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210102231842/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1930 These categories would be separated again for the 4th Academy Awards. The award for Best Writing (Title Writing) was discontinued. Gallery Academy Award-winning and nominated films – 1st Academy Awards 165 175 File:Wings (1927).webm The full film of Wings. It is the first film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, which was at the time known as Outstanding Picture. Also won an award for the Best Engineering Effects. File:Sunrise - A Song of Two Humans (1927).webm The full film of Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. It won the Academy Award for Best Unique and Artistic Picture, the only year that such a prize was awarded. The prize was intended to honor prestige art films separately from "commercial fare".https://books.google.com/books?id=zYspVgLeX0UC&q=%22Best+Unique+and+Artistic+Picture%22&pg=PA69 Hollywood and the Culture Elite: How the Movies Became American 69 Peter Decherney August 14, 2012 Columbia University Press Google Books 9780231508513 April 10, 2021 November 21, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231121131522/https://books.google.com/books?id=zYspVgLeX0UC&q=%22Best+Unique+and+Artistic+Picture%22&pg=PA69#v=snippet&q=%22Best%20Unique%20and%20Artistic%20Picture%22&f=false live File:7th Heaven (1927).webm The full film of 7th Heaven File:The Crowd (1928).webm The full film of The Crowd See also Film 1927 in film 1928 in film References Bibliography Cosgrave Bronwyn Made for Each Other: Fashion and the Academy Awards 2007 978-0-7475-7630-3 74523691 I New York, United States Bloomsbury Publishing USA Eyman Scott Lion of Hollywood: the life and legend of Louis B. Mayer 2005 0-7432-0481-6 New York, United States 57506846 I Simon & Schuster registration https://archive.org/details/lionofhollywoodl00eyma Category:1928 film awards Category:1929 in Los Angeles Category:1929 in American cinema Category:Academy Awards ceremonies Category:May 1929 in the United States Category:Articles containing video clips