1st Academy Awards
{{Oscars short description|films-year=1927|films-year2=1928}}
{{Featured list}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2012}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox film awards
| number = 1
| award = Academy Awards
| image = 1stOscars 1929.jpg
| caption = The first Academy Awards ceremony (pictured) was held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
| alt = Large, ornate room, filled with people in formal dress sitting at different tables.
| date = {{Start date|1929|05|16}}
| site = Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| host = Douglas Fairbanks
| best_picture = Wings{{Cite web |url=https://oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1929/memorable-moments/|title=The 1st Academy Awards Memorable Moments|publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|access-date=February 25, 2021|url-status=live|archive-date=January 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104224149/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1929/memorable-moments}}
| most_wins = 7th Heaven and Sunrise (3 each)
| most_nominations = 7th Heaven (5)
| next = 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 1 August 1927 to 31 July 1928 and took place on May 16, 1929, at a private dinner held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Tickets cost $5 (${{Inflation|US|5|1929}} in {{Inflation-year|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.{{Cite web |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1930/memorable-moments|title=The 2nd Academy Awards Memorable Moments|publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|access-date=February 25, 2021|url-status=live|archive-date=January 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104221602/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1930/memorable-moments}}
During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards {{ndash}} later to be colloquially known as "Oscars" {{ndash}} 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 {{ndash}} 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.{{cite book |last1=Wallechinsky |first1=David |last2=Wallace |first2=Irving |date=1975 |title=The People's Almanac |url=https://archive.org/details/peoplesalmanac00wall/page/830/mode/2up |location=Garden City, New York |publisher=Doubleday & Company, Inc. |page=831 |isbn=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{{'s}} award was its highest honor the following year and dropped Unique and Artistic Picture.{{cite web |title=The Official Academy Awards Database |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |url=http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ |access-date=November 11, 2019 |archive-date=December 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171223043220/http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ |url-status=live }} Reader must select "1927/28" in the "Award Year(s):" drop-down menu and press "Search".{{cite web|url=http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-academy-awards-ceremony |title=This day in History |date=November 24, 2009 |publisher=History. A&E Television Networks |access-date=October 5, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100307211648/http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-academy-awards-ceremony |archive-date=March 7, 2010 }}
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.{{harvnb|Cosgrave|2007|p=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."{{harvnb|Eyman|2005|p=117}} Mayer asked Cedric Gibbons, art director of MGM, to design an Academy Award trophy.{{harvnb|Eyman|2005|p=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 best ever voting for the Academy Award for Best Picture was in the hands of the AMPAS fore founders: Mayer, Douglas Fairbanks, Sid Grauman, Mary Pickford, and Joseph Schenck.{{harvnb|Eyman|2005|p=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 ({{Inflation|US|5|1929|r=0|fmt=eq}}).{{cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/about/history.html |access-date=May 6, 2010 |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |title=History of the Academy Awards |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408194217/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/about/history.html |archive-date=April 8, 2010 |url-status=live }} Actors and actresses arrived at the hotel in luxury vehicles, and many fans attended to encourage celebrities.{{harvnb|Cosgrave|2007|p=4}} The ceremony was not broadcast on radio, and was hosted by AMPAS director Fairbanks{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,927950,00.html |title=People: May 27, 1929 |magazine=Time |publisher=Time Inc. |access-date=October 5, 2010 |date=May 27, 1929 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027220628/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C927950%2C00.html |archive-date=October 27, 2010 |url-status=dead }} during a {{nowrap|15-minute}} event.
= Overview =
The winners were announced three months before the ceremony. The recipients included: Emil Jannings, the inaugural first award recipient for Best Actor (The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command);{{cite web|title=1927–28 Academy Awards Winners and History |first=Tim |last=Dirks |website=Filmsite|publisher=Rainbow Media |url=http://www.filmsite.org/aa27.html |access-date=May 6, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100724204258/http://www.filmsite.org/aa27.html |archive-date=July 24, 2010 }}{{cite web |title=The Story of the First Academy Awards |website=The MediaDrome |first=Debra Ann |last=Pawlak |url=http://www.themediadrome.com/content/articles/film_articles/first_academy_awards.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050315222027/http://www.themediadrome.com/content/articles/film_articles/first_academy_awards.shtml |archive-date=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 (the most expensive film of its time). Two presentations were made of a Special Award: to Charles Chaplin and Warner Bros.
Charlie Chaplin, a multiple nominee for one movie (Best Actor, Best Writer, and Best Director, Comedy; all for The Circus) (1928), has been removed from the list so as to recognize his total contribution to the industry; and Warner Bros., an award for pioneering talking pictures (The Jazz Singer). Three categories were eliminated for subsequent presentations: Best Engineering Effects, Best Title Writing, and Best Unique and Artistic Quality of Production. The larger film producers received the preponderance 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 (1927{{ndash}}1928), 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, and indicated with an asterisk ({{asterisk}}).{{Cite web |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1929|title=The 1st Academy Awards |date=October 8, 2014 |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|access-date=February 25, 2021|url-status=live|archive-date=February 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218184947/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1929}}
{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| total_width = 150
| image1 = Frank Borzage 001.JPG
| caption1 = Frank Borzage, Best Directing (Dramatic Picture) winner
| alt1 = A picture of Frank Borzage. He wears a suit.
| image2 = Emil Jannings - no watermark.jpg
| caption2 = Emil Jannings, Best Actor winner
| alt2 = A portrait of Emil Jannings. He wears a suit.
| image3 = Janet Gaynor Argentinean Magazine AD.jpg
| caption3 = Janet Gaynor, Best Actress winner
| alt3 = The image of a smiling Janet Gaynor. She is wearing a light-colored blouse.
}}
; Notes
{{Notelist-ua|120em}}
= Special Awards =
{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| total_width = 150
| image1 = Charlie Chaplin in unknown year.jpg
| caption1 = Charles Chaplin, Honorary Award
| alt1 = Portrait of Charles Chaplin in the early 1900s
| image2 = Warner Bros 1920.jpg
| caption2 = Warner Brothers Production, Honorary Award. First National Studios, Burbank (c. 1928) pictured
| alt2 = First National Studios, Burbank, circa 1928. It can be appreciate the first company buildings.
}}
The following Honorary Awards {{ndash}} then called Special Awards {{ndash}} 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
{{Col-begin|width=80%}}
{{Col-1-of-2}}
The following six films received multiple nominations:
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
| scope="col" width="55" | Nominations
! scope="col" align="center" | Film |
|---|
| style="text-align: center;" | 5 |
| style="text-align: center;" | 4 |
| style="text-align: center;" | 3
| The Circus |
| rowspan=4 style="text-align:center" | 2 |
| The Last Command |
| Sadie Thompson |
| Wings |
{{Col-2-of-2}}
The following three films received multiple awards:
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
| scope="col" width="55" | Awards
! scope="col" align="center" | Film |
|---|
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 3 |
| Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans |
| style="text-align: center;" | 2
| Wings |
{{Col-end}}
Changes to Academy Awards
After the 1st Academy Awards (1927{{ndash}}1928), 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.{{cite web|url=https://vulture.com/2019/02/what-happened-to-oscars-dedicated-to-comedy.html|title=What Happened to Oscars Dedicated to Comedy (and Should They Be Brought Back)?|first=Ramsey|last=Ess|publisher=Vulture.com|date=February 22, 2019|url-status=live|archive-date=January 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125075421/https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/what-happened-to-oscars-dedicated-to-comedy.html|access-date=February 25, 2021}}
- The award for Best Engineering Effects was discontinued.{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/10-oscars-categories-were-discontinued-slideshow-wp-105424704/photo-p-given-once-once-only-photo-105424769.html|title=10 weird Oscars categories that were discontinued|first=Hanna|last=Flint|publisher=Yahoo!|date=February 20, 2019|access-date=February 25, 2021|url-status=live|archive-date=February 26, 2021|archive-url=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.{{Cite web |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1930|title=The 2nd Academy Awards|publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|access-date=January 2, 2021|url-status=live|archive-date=January 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102231842/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1930}}
- The award for Best Writing (Title Writing) was discontinued.
Gallery
{{Gallery
|title=Academy Award-winning films – 1st Academy Awards
|width=165
|height=175
|Image:Wings (1927) poster.jpg|alt1=The theatrical poster of Wings. It focuses on Clara Bow, with war planes in the background.|Wings 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 vintage.jpg|alt2=The theatrical poster of Sunrise. George O'Brien holds Janet Gaynor from behind as they are in front of the sunup.|Sunrise 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".{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zYspVgLeX0UC&q=%22Best+Unique+and+Artistic+Picture%22&pg=PA69|title=Hollywood and the Culture Elite: How the Movies Became American|page=69|first=Peter|last=Decherney|date=August 14, 2012|publisher=Columbia University Press|via=Google Books|isbn=9780231508513|access-date=April 10, 2021|archive-date=November 21, 2023|archive-url=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|url-status=live}}
|File:Wings (1927).webm|The full film of Wings
|File:Sunrise - A Song of Two Humans (1927).webm|The full film of Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
|File:7th Heaven (1927).webm|The full film of 7th Heaven
|File:The Crowd (1928).webm|The full film of The Crowd
}}
See also
{{portal|Film}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
{{Refbegin}}
- {{Cite book|last=Cosgrave
|first=Bronwyn
|title=Made for Each Other: Fashion and the Academy Awards
|year=2007
|isbn=978-0-7475-7630-3
|oclc=74523691
|edition=I
|location=New York, United States
|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing USA
}}
- {{Cite book
|last=Eyman
|first=Scott
|title=Lion of Hollywood: the life and legend of Louis B. Mayer
|year=2005
|isbn=0-7432-0481-6
|location=New York, United States
|oclc=57506846
|edition=I
|publisher=Simon & Schuster
|url-access=registration
|url=https://archive.org/details/lionofhollywoodl00eyma
}}
{{Refend}}
{{Academy Awards}}
{{Authority control}}
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Category:1929 in American cinema