The early years of the Academy Awards naturally featured many Oscar firsts and also some unusual happenings. Here are a few of them.
The First Oscar Statuette
The first figurines that were handed out were known officially as the Academy Award of Merit and differed little in appearance from today’s Oscars, with slight variations in the base and type of alloy used being the only changes made over the years. The original trophy was made of gold-plated bronze and was designed by Cedric Gibbons who would, himself, go on to win eleven Oscars for art direction.
Variety magazine initially referred to the Award of Merit as the “Iron Man,” a name which fortunately did not stick, and by 1934 the media was calling it the “Oscar.” The Academy officially recognized this nickname in 1939.
First Academy Award Embarrassing Moment
This may have occurred in 1934 when emcee Will Rogers opened the envelope for best director and announced, “Come up and get it, Frank.” Frank Capra, who was nominated for Lady for a Day, walked halfway to the podium before being told that the recipient was actually Frank Lloyd for The Bridge of San Luis Rey.
First Movie to Win Five Major Awards
In 1935, It Happened One Night (1934) won the awards for: best picture; best actor (Clark Gable); best actress (Claudette Colbert); best director (Frank Capra); and best adapted screenplay (Robert Riskin). This feat has only been duplicated twice, by One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Silence of the Lambs.
The First Stolen Oscar
When Alice Brady won the 1937 best supporting actress award for her work in In Old Chicago, she was too ill to attend the ceremony. An unknown man accepted the award in her behalf and neither he nor the Oscar was heard from again. Sadly, before Brady could receive a duplicate award she died of cancer at the age of forty-six.
The First Refused Oscar
In 1935, Dudley Nichols won the best screenplay award for The Informer. However, Nichols refused to accept it because, at that time, the Writers’ Guild was in the middle of a dispute with the Academy. He apparently accepted it at a later date according to Academy records.
The First Oscar Statuette
The first figurines that were handed out were known officially as the Academy Award of Merit and differed little in appearance from today’s Oscars, with slight variations in the base and type of alloy used being the only changes made over the years. The original trophy was made of gold-plated bronze and was designed by Cedric Gibbons who would, himself, go on to win eleven Oscars for art direction.
Variety magazine initially referred to the Award of Merit as the “Iron Man,” a name which fortunately did not stick, and by 1934 the media was calling it the “Oscar.” The Academy officially recognized this nickname in 1939.
First Academy Award Embarrassing Moment
This may have occurred in 1934 when emcee Will Rogers opened the envelope for best director and announced, “Come up and get it, Frank.” Frank Capra, who was nominated for Lady for a Day, walked halfway to the podium before being told that the recipient was actually Frank Lloyd for The Bridge of San Luis Rey.
First Movie to Win Five Major Awards
In 1935, It Happened One Night (1934) won the awards for: best picture; best actor (Clark Gable); best actress (Claudette Colbert); best director (Frank Capra); and best adapted screenplay (Robert Riskin). This feat has only been duplicated twice, by One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Silence of the Lambs.
The First Stolen Oscar
When Alice Brady won the 1937 best supporting actress award for her work in In Old Chicago, she was too ill to attend the ceremony. An unknown man accepted the award in her behalf and neither he nor the Oscar was heard from again. Sadly, before Brady could receive a duplicate award she died of cancer at the age of forty-six.
The First Refused Oscar
In 1935, Dudley Nichols won the best screenplay award for The Informer. However, Nichols refused to accept it because, at that time, the Writers’ Guild was in the middle of a dispute with the Academy. He apparently accepted it at a later date according to Academy records.
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