1st Academy Awards

1st Academy Awards
Large, ornate room, filled with people in formal dress sitting at different tables.
The first Academy Awards ceremony (pictured) was held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
DateMay 16, 1929 (1929-05-16)
SiteHollywood Roosevelt Hotel
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Hosted byDouglas Fairbanks
Highlights
Best PictureWings[1]
Most awards7th Heaven and Sunrise (3 each)
Most nominations7th Heaven (5)

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 ($89 in 2023, 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;[2] a radio broadcast was introduced for the 2nd Academy Awards.[3]

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).[4] 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.[5][6] 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.[2]

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.[4][7]

  1. ^ "The 1st Academy Awards Memorable Moments". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on January 4, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Wallechinsky, David; Wallace, Irving (1975). The People's Almanac. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc. p. 831. ISBN 0-385-04060-1.
  3. ^ "The 2nd Academy Awards Memorable Moments". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on January 4, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "The Official Academy Awards Database". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on December 23, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2019. Reader must select "1927/28" in the "Award Year(s):" drop-down menu and press "Search".
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference aa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference dirk was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "This day in History". History. A&E Television Networks. Archived from the original on March 7, 2010. Retrieved October 5, 2010.