And the Oscar Goes To...
The Story of the First Academy Awards

"The Academy is the League of Nations of the Motion Picture Industry. It is our open forum where all branches can meet and discuss constructive solutions to problems with which each is confronted. In the past, we have never been able to get together on a common ground and in making this possible the Academy has conferred a great service. The producer, star, featured player, cinematographer—in fact, every individual can
come into the Academy with any problem or proposal and feel that all barriers are leveled, that in this open court his voice carries the same weight as that of any other person, regardless of position and standing. There is no greater force for coordination, no greater avenue for constructive and intelligent coopera tion for advancement than that offered by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences." (Mary Pickford, April 2, 1928)

It’s unthinkable! Two movies taking the Best Picture nod?! A busy Best Actress winning for three separate roles not just one? How about two Best Directors—one for comedy and one for drama? Now, imagine the Academy Awards without that red carpet! Shocking, but true! That’s the way it was back in Hollywood when the whole ball of wax was just beginning to roll.

With the popularity of silent movies on the downswing and an astonishing new technology offering sound, 1920s Hollywood needed help to keep the motion picture momentum going. A relatively new industry recently racked by scandal, the key players with no rules to go by, made them up as they went along. To police themselves, both onscreen and off, they hired President Warren Harding’s former Postmaster General, Will H. Hayes in 1922.

Four years later, nine studios, along with representatives of the carpenters, painters, electricians, stagehands and musicians, signed a Studio Basic Agreement in an early attempt to unionize. It wasn’t enough, however. The motion picture industry needed one united front where competitive factions could come together and disputes could be resolved. MGM’s Louis B. Mayer had an idea and over dinner one Sunday evening in early January 1927, he discussed it with his guests, actor Conrad Nagel, director Fred Niblo and producer Fred Beetson.

The three men agreed with Mayer’s concept of one organized group overseeing the film industry. Days later, they presented their plan to 32 filmmaking giants at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Approved unanimously by everyone present, the following 36 men and women founded The International Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences:

The group didn’t waste time. Within two months, they elected officers. Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. was the first president, along with Vice President Fred Niblo, Treasurer M.C. Levee and Secretary Frank Woods. The following May, the state of California recognized the group as a non-profit corporation. Later that month, the Academy hosted its first official banquet at the Biltmore Hotel. Of the 300 guests invited, 230 paid a $100 fee and joined the newly formed organization with its five main branches: Producers, Actors, Directors, Writers and Technicians.

One of the Academy’s responsibilities was to publicly promote outstanding achievements in film. Kind of like tooting your own horn. Hence, the Academy Awards were born. Art director Cedric Gibbons sketched out a statuette of a man holding a sword and standing on a reel of film. Sculptor George Stanley made the molds. The Award of Merit, as it was known back then, was 13 ½ inches tall and weighed almost seven pounds—not much different than today’s Oscar.

With little glitz and glamour and absolutely no suspense (winners had been announced three months earlier), the first award ceremony quietly took place in the Blossom Room of Hollywood’s famous Roosevelt Hotel on May 16, 1929. Tickets were ten dollars each. The room was simply decorated with Chinese lanterns. Candles adorned each table along with candy replicas of the award itself. That way, if you didn’t get an Oscar, you could eat one.

Before dinner, there was an hour of dancing. As president, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. presented all of the following official awards, which totaled twelve, including two for Best Picture and two for Best Director.

Best Picture (Production): Wings

Best Picture (Artistic Quality of Production): Sunrise

Best Actor: Emil Jennings (The Way of All Flesh, The Last Command)

Best Actress: Janet Gaynor (Seventh Heaven, Street Angel, Sunrise)

Best Director (Drama): Frank Borzage (Seventh Heaven)

Best Director (Comedy): Lewis Milestone (Two Arabian Nights)

Best Writing (Original story): Ben Hecht (Underworld)

Best Writing (Adaptation): Benjamin Glazer (Seventh Heaven)

Best Writing (Title Cards): Joseph Farnham (Fair Co-Ed, Laugh Clown, Laugh, Telling the World)

Best Cinematography: Charles Rosher/Karl Struss (Sunrise)

Best Engineering Effects: Roy Pomeroy (Wings)

Art Direction: William Cameron Menzies (The Dove, The Tempest)

Two special awards were also presented that night. One to Warner Brothers for producing The Jazz Singer and one to Charles Chaplin for writing, acting, directing and producing The Circus.

This was the first and only year, the Academy recognized two best pictures and the only time, winners were recognized for more than one movie. It was also the only time a silent movie reached best picture status.

Somewhere along the line, the Academy dropped the word ‘International’ from its title and their award got a nickname.

No one really knows for sure where it came from, but credit is often given to Margaret Herrick, an Academy librarian and executive director. It is said that she thought the statuette looked like her Uncle Oscar and the name stuck.

Fact or fiction, the Academy Awards, no matter what you call them, still represent the best in Motion Picture achievement. Only now The Oscars come complete with bright lights, designer dresses and excited anticipation. And let us not forget that all-important red carpet.

It may be a little different from what those early founders had in mind; but admit it – we wouldn’t have it any other way.