Several Academy records, many of them "unique," were made during the period from 1940 to 1949. Here are some of the lesser known and more unusual of them.
The First Sealed Envelope
In the ten years following the first awards in 1929, when the winners were announced three months in advance, members of the media were given the winners’ names ahead of the ceremony on the condition that the news would not be leaked beforehand. In 1939, the Los Angeles Times violated this agreement and the following year the Academy established the rule, still in effect, that all names would be kept in sealed envelopes and not released beforehand to the media.
The First Non-Metallic Statuettes
Because of the metal shortage in World War II, there was a period of three years when the Oscars were made of gold-painted plaster. After the war, the Academy exchanged these for the traditional gold-plated metal statuette.
Most Consecutive Oscar Nominations
Starting in 1941, Walt Disney had a string of twenty-two straight years of Oscar nominations in at least one category, a record which has never been surpassed. During this time, he was nominated forty-two times, and won ten. During his career, Disney, who received his first Oscar in the 1930s, won a total of twenty-six Oscars and honorary awards.
Youngest Individual Nominated for Best Director
Orson Welles was 26 years old when he was nominated for his 1941 film, Citizen Kane. This record remained until African-American director John Singleton was nominated at the age of 24 for Boys N the Hood (1991). Neither Welles nor Singleton won. The youngest to ever win was Norman Taurog, age 33, in 1930/31 for Skippy.
First Sister Oscar Nominees in the Same Category and Same Year
For the 1941 ceremony, sisters Joan Fontaine (Suspicion) and Olivia de Havilland (Hold Back the Dawn) were both nominated for best actress, with Fontaine winning. According to some sources, this helped stoke a long simmering feud between the siblings that eventually led to their estrangement.
At the 1966 Academy Awards, this oddity was repeated when Lynn Redgrave (Georgy Girl) and Vanessa Redgrave (Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment) were both nominated for best actress. Neither actress won.
The Longest Acceptance Speech
This honor goes to Greer Garson on accepting her best actress award for Mrs. Miniver (1942). Despite some later reports that her speech lasted 30 minutes or more, Miss Garson always claimed that it was six minutes, and anecdotal evidence seems to support her. Regardless, soon afterwards the Academy placed time restrictions on acceptance speeches.
Most Consecutive Best Actress Nominations
This honor also goes to Miss Garson who shares the record with Bette Davis. Garson was nominated five straight years from 1941 to 1945, winning for her performance in Mrs. Miniver (1941). Davis’s streak ran from 1938 to 1942 and included her Oscar winning role in Jezebel (1937). Five other actors and actresses have been nominated four consecutive times in this category.
First African-American Oscar Winner
In 1940, Hattie McDaniel became the first black Oscar winner when she was honored for her supporting work in Gone with the Wind (1939). Unfortunately, Miss McDaniel’s success did not open any doors for other black actors and, for many years following, they continued to only appear in mostly small, often stereotypical roles.
First Foreign Language Film Honored by the Academy
At the 1948 ceremonies, the Academy bestowed an honorary award on the Italian film Soiuscia (Shoe-Shine, 1946). In doing so, the Academy noted that, “[This film], in a country (Italy) scarred by war, is proof to the world that the creative spirit can triumph over adversity.”
Shoe-Shine was followed by seven other foreign films to be given honorary awards before the category of Best Foreign Language Film was added in 1956.
The First Sealed Envelope
In the ten years following the first awards in 1929, when the winners were announced three months in advance, members of the media were given the winners’ names ahead of the ceremony on the condition that the news would not be leaked beforehand. In 1939, the Los Angeles Times violated this agreement and the following year the Academy established the rule, still in effect, that all names would be kept in sealed envelopes and not released beforehand to the media.
The First Non-Metallic Statuettes
Because of the metal shortage in World War II, there was a period of three years when the Oscars were made of gold-painted plaster. After the war, the Academy exchanged these for the traditional gold-plated metal statuette.
Most Consecutive Oscar Nominations
Starting in 1941, Walt Disney had a string of twenty-two straight years of Oscar nominations in at least one category, a record which has never been surpassed. During this time, he was nominated forty-two times, and won ten. During his career, Disney, who received his first Oscar in the 1930s, won a total of twenty-six Oscars and honorary awards.
Youngest Individual Nominated for Best Director
Orson Welles was 26 years old when he was nominated for his 1941 film, Citizen Kane. This record remained until African-American director John Singleton was nominated at the age of 24 for Boys N the Hood (1991). Neither Welles nor Singleton won. The youngest to ever win was Norman Taurog, age 33, in 1930/31 for Skippy.
First Sister Oscar Nominees in the Same Category and Same Year
For the 1941 ceremony, sisters Joan Fontaine (Suspicion) and Olivia de Havilland (Hold Back the Dawn) were both nominated for best actress, with Fontaine winning. According to some sources, this helped stoke a long simmering feud between the siblings that eventually led to their estrangement.
At the 1966 Academy Awards, this oddity was repeated when Lynn Redgrave (Georgy Girl) and Vanessa Redgrave (Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment) were both nominated for best actress. Neither actress won.
The Longest Acceptance Speech
This honor goes to Greer Garson on accepting her best actress award for Mrs. Miniver (1942). Despite some later reports that her speech lasted 30 minutes or more, Miss Garson always claimed that it was six minutes, and anecdotal evidence seems to support her. Regardless, soon afterwards the Academy placed time restrictions on acceptance speeches.
Most Consecutive Best Actress Nominations
This honor also goes to Miss Garson who shares the record with Bette Davis. Garson was nominated five straight years from 1941 to 1945, winning for her performance in Mrs. Miniver (1941). Davis’s streak ran from 1938 to 1942 and included her Oscar winning role in Jezebel (1937). Five other actors and actresses have been nominated four consecutive times in this category.
First African-American Oscar Winner
In 1940, Hattie McDaniel became the first black Oscar winner when she was honored for her supporting work in Gone with the Wind (1939). Unfortunately, Miss McDaniel’s success did not open any doors for other black actors and, for many years following, they continued to only appear in mostly small, often stereotypical roles.
First Foreign Language Film Honored by the Academy
At the 1948 ceremonies, the Academy bestowed an honorary award on the Italian film Soiuscia (Shoe-Shine, 1946). In doing so, the Academy noted that, “[This film], in a country (Italy) scarred by war, is proof to the world that the creative spirit can triumph over adversity.”
Shoe-Shine was followed by seven other foreign films to be given honorary awards before the category of Best Foreign Language Film was added in 1956.
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