Buzz
The Oscars have certainly given us plenty of unforgettable scenes, from blunders to controversial slaps, and even an unexpected streaker running across the stage behind presenter David Niven during the infamous streaking craze of the 1970s. But since its inception, the Academy's rules and values have created some truly unique developments, evolving alongside the film industry to better align with the times and honor the talents of its members.
10. The First Academy Awards: No Surprises to Be Had
The very first Academy Award ceremony took place on May 16, 1929, as part of an intimate black-tie dinner and lasted a mere fifteen minutes. With the winners already announced in February and published in the Academy's newsletter, there was little suspense. The first-ever Oscar statuette (not yet known by that name) had already been presented to actor Emil Jannings, who was photographed with it before he made his return to Germany.
In the following year, the Academy opted to hold off on announcing the winners until the ceremony itself, though it still provided the list to newspapers in advance for immediate publication afterward. This practice continued until 1940 when the Los Angeles Times prematurely printed the winners in an evening edition, which was available to attendees upon arrival. As a result, the Academy adopted the use of sealed envelopes and total secrecy going forward.
9. The Initial Judges Set Their Own Standards
The early selection process was far from democratic. Academy members proposed films from those released between August 1, 1927, and July 31, 1928. A small Board of Judges then narrowed down the top ten films in nine categories to just three finalists each. From there, a five-man (all male) Central Board of Judges made the final decisions. There was no distinction between lead and supporting roles, and performers were recognized for their overall work within the given timeframe, rather than for individual films.
The Board of Judges also had the ultimate authority over eligibility. While various technologies had experimented with combining music and sound effects in short films for years, The Jazz Singer (1927) was the game-changer. This groundbreaking feature not only featured music but also included moments of spoken dialogue, including the iconic first ad-lib on film: Al Jolson's famous line, 'Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain’t heard nothing yet.'
The influential judges deemed The Jazz Singer to be unfair competition to silent films and ruled it ineligible for the first Outstanding Picture award. As a compromise, Warner Bros. received a Special Award for 'producing The Jazz Singer, the pioneering outstanding talking picture that has revolutionized the industry.'
In another bold move, the judges awarded a second Special Award to Charlie Chaplin. In their letter to him, they stated that they had 'unanimously decided that your name should be removed from the competitive classes and that a special first award be conferred upon you for writing, acting, directing, and producing The Circus. The collective accomplishments thus displayed place you in a class by yourself.'
8. The Academy’s Formula
The 1931-1932 Academy Awards marked not only the first radio broadcast of part of the ceremony but also the unique instance of two awards being given for the same category. Frederic March received one more vote for his role in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde than Wallace Beery for The Champ, but the Academy’s peculiar rules at the time deemed a margin of fewer than three votes as a tie, and so both actors were awarded. March and Beery also shared a personal connection, both having recently adopted children. March humorously commented, 'Under the circumstances, it seems a little odd that Wally and I were both given awards for the best male performance of the year.'
As the years passed, the rules were adjusted to only recognize an exact tie in major categories. In 1969, during the first globally televised ceremony, Katharine Hepburn (The Lion in Winter) and Barbra Streisand (Funny Girl) shared the Best Actress award, each receiving 3,030 votes. For Hepburn, it marked her record-breaking eleventh nomination and third victory. For Streisand, it was her debut performance in a feature film.
7. Oscar Junior
W.C. Fields is famous for advising actors to avoid working with children or animals. But how much more challenging to compete for an award with a child, as occurred when Lionel Barrymore triumphed over nine-year-old Jackie Cooper, who had been nominated for Best Actor for his role in Skippy (1931). To prevent a similar situation, the Academy introduced the Juvenile Award in its seventh year, creating a special half-sized Oscar for the young Shirley Temple 'In grateful recognition of her outstanding contribution to screen entertainment during the year 1934.' When she finally received her miniature statuette well past her bedtime, the sleepy six-year-old thanked the presenter and asked, 'Mommy, can I go home now?'
A total of twelve Juvenile Awards were eventually presented, including to Mickey Rooney (18 years old) and Deanna Durbin (17) in 1939, Judy Garland (17) in 1940 for *Babes in Arms* and *The Wizard of Oz*, as well as Margaret O’Brien (7) for *Meet Me in St. Louis* (1944). The final Juvenile Award was given to Hayley Mills (14) for *Pollyanna* (1960). Mills was at an English boarding school at the time, and could not attend to accept the mini-Oscar from its inaugural recipient, the grown-up Shirley Temple.
6. Lack of Support
Starting in 1936, nominations were made by a committee of fifty members, with winners being chosen by the entire Academy membership. Additionally, the two acting categories, which had long seen performers with smaller roles overshadowed by those with more screen time, were split to recognize both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress separately.
Winners in these categories were initially awarded a plaque mounted on a wooden base with a small raised Oscar figure. Supporting actors and actresses did not receive the same statuette as the lead actors until 1943.
5. An Oscar That Might Speak for Itself
Edgar Bergen, as a young boy, taught himself ventriloquism from a 25-cent pamphlet titled 'Herrmann’s Wizards’ Manual.' By the 1920s, he and his puppet, Charlie McCarthy, gained popularity on the vaudeville circuit, largely due to their comedic timing rather than Bergen’s ventriloquism skills, as he played the straight man to his quick-witted sidekick.
Their fame grew first on radio, followed by a series of movie shorts and features. In 1937, the Academy honored both with an Honorary Award: a fitting Oscar statuette made of wood, featuring a movable mouth. The pair attended the ceremony in their trademark top hats and tuxedos.
4. Better Late Than Never
Walt Disney’s studio produced two out of the three nominees in the new Short Subjects category in 1932, and Disney won the award for his six-minute animated short *Flowers and Trees*, the first to be made in full color. He continued to earn wins and nominations in this category during the first decade of the Oscars.
While *Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs* (1937) amazed audiences, the film was only nominated for Best Music, Score, alongside thirteen other contenders, because the 'cartoon' category was thought to refer to short films, not full-length features.
To rectify this oversight, Disney was presented with an Honorary Award in 1939 that acknowledged (albeit late) his masterpiece 'as a significant screen innovation that charmed millions and pioneered an entirely new entertainment domain.' This special award featured a full-sized Oscar atop a wooden column, flanked by seven miniature dwarf Oscars arranged on descending steps.
In 1971, the 'cartoon' category for short subjects was renamed to the broader 'animated films.' Yet again ahead of its time, Disney's magnificent *Beauty and the Beast* (1991) had to compete with live-action films for Best Picture, as feature-length animated films did not have their own category until a decade later, when *Shrek* (2001) received the honor.
3. Oscar Sees Dead People
James Dean's career was tragically brief, with only three major roles, yet he was nominated for Best Actor in consecutive years—both posthumously. Six months after his debut in *East of Eden* (1955) and just weeks before *Rebel Without a Cause* (1955) hit theaters, Dean was killed in a car accident. On September 30, 1955, at age twenty-four, his Porsche Spyder collided with another vehicle on a mountain road near Cholame, California, only hours after being ticketed for speeding.
Dean received an Oscar nomination that winter for *East of Eden*, but lost to Ernest Borgnine, who starred in the Best Picture winner *Marty*. As his final film, *Giant* (1956), wasn't released until the following year, Dean had another shot at an Oscar nomination posthumously, but lost again, this time to Yul Brynner for his performance in *The King and I*.
Peter Finch, a seasoned film star, passed away from a heart attack shortly before receiving a Best Actor nomination for his role in *Network* (1976). He made history as the first actor to win an Oscar posthumously. His widow, Eletha Finch, and the film's screenwriter, Paddy Chayefsky, accepted the award on his behalf.
At the age of 28, Heath Ledger tragically died on January 22, 2008, from an accidental overdose of prescription medications. A year later, on the same date, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of The Joker in *The Dark Knight* (2008). Ledger became the first posthumous winner in this category, and his parents and sister accepted the award on his behalf.
2. Better Really Late Than Never
After receiving special honors in the Academy's first year, Charlie Chaplin won only one competitive Oscar, and it was for work that took two decades to be acknowledged. In October 1952, Chaplin left for London just before *Limelight*—a film he had written, directed, starred in, and composed the score for—was released in New York City.
Meanwhile, without clear proof, the U.S. Justice Department investigated rumors of Chaplin's supposed communist ties, and the attorney general called him 'an unsavory character.' Still a British citizen, Chaplin had his re-entry permit revoked and vowed never to return. The American Legion and other veterans' groups threatened to picket *Limelight*, which led RKO Studios head Howard Hughes to advise theaters against screening the film, causing it to be pulled from theaters nationwide.
According to the Academy's rules at the time, a film needed a public screening in Los Angeles to be eligible for an Oscar in that year. While *Limelight* had a one-week run in San Francisco in 1955, it didn't meet the L.A. screening requirement until December 1972. In March 1973, Chaplin, along with Ray Rasch and Larry Russell (both long deceased), were awarded the Oscar for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score for the film. The previous spring, Chaplin had broken his vow and returned to Hollywood to accept a second Honorary Award 'for the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century.'
1. Oscar Joins the War Effort
The 14th Academy Awards ceremony was set for February 26, 1942, less than three months after the attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II. Instead of canceling, the Academy chose to hold a more subdued event, with no searchlights outside, and the stars dressed in more casual attire instead of tuxedos and gowns. Some, like James Stewart, a second lieutenant in the Army Air Force, appeared in military uniform.
Even the Oscars were scaled back for the war effort. Previously, the 13 ½-inch tall statuette was made of solid bronze with a 24-karat gold plate. However, from 1943 to 1945, the awards were made of plaster and coated with bronze lacquer to conserve metal for the war. Winners were informed they could exchange their plaster statues for the traditional version once the war had ended.
