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 August1, 1927, to July31, 1928, and took place on May 16, 1929, at a private dinner held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Tickets cost $5 ($ in , 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;

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.

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.

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. 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." Mayer asked Cedric Gibbons, art director of MGM, to design an Academy Award trophy. Nominees were notified through a telegram in February 1928.

Ceremony

thumb|left|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.]]

The ceremony was held on May 16, 1929, Actors and actresses arrived at the hotel in luxury vehicles, and gathered outside to cheer the attendees. The ceremony was not broadcast on radio, during a event. 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 (which was the most expensive film produced up to that time).

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  • Wings Paramount Famous Lasky
  • The Racket The Caddo Company
  • 7th Heaven Fox

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  • Sunrise Fox
  • Chang Paramount Famous Lasky
  • The Crowd Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

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  • Frank Borzage 7th Heaven
  • Herbert Brenon Sorrell and Son
  • King Vidor The Crowd

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  • Lewis Milestone Two Arabian Knights
  • Charles Chaplin The Circus
  • Ted Wilde Speedy

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  • Emil Jannings The Last Command as General Dolgorucki (Grand Duke Sergius Alexander) and The Way of All Flesh as August Schilling
  • Richard Barthelmess The Noose as Nickie Elkins and The Patent Leather Kid as The Patent Leather Kid
  • Charles Chaplin The Circus as A Tramp

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  • Janet Gaynor 7th Heaven as Diane, Street Angel as Angela, and Sunrise as The Wife
  • Louise Dresser A Ship Comes In as Mrs. Pleznik
  • Gloria Swanson Sadie Thompson as Sadie Thompson

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  • Underworld Ben Hecht
  • The Circus Charles Chaplin
  • The Last Command Lajos Biro

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  • 7th Heaven Benjamin Glazer
  • Glorious Betsy Anthony Coldeway
  • The Jazz Singer Alfred Cohn

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  • Joseph Farnham – no specific film
  • Gerald Duffy – The Private Life of Helen of Troy
  • George Marion Jr. – no specific film

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  • The Dove William Cameron Menzies
  • Tempest William Cameron Menzies
  • 7th Heaven Harry Oliver
  • Sunrise Rochus Gliese

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  • Sunrise Charles Rosher and Karl Struss
  • The Devil Dancer George Barnes
  • The Magic Flame George Barnes
  • Sadie Thompson George Barnes

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  • Wings Roy Pomeroy
  • No specific film Ralph Hammeras
  • No specific film Nugent Slaughter

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; Notes

Special Awards

The following Honorary Awards then called Special Awards were conferred:

  • To Charles Chaplin for acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus.
  • The award for Best Engineering Effects was discontinued.
  • The award for Best Unique and Artistic Picture was discontinued. These categories would be separated again for the 4th Academy Awards.
  • The award for Best Writing (Title Writing) was discontinued.

|File:7th Heaven (1927).webm|The full film of 7th Heaven

|File:The Crowd (1928).webm|The full film of The Crowd

See also

  • 1927 in film
  • 1928 in film

References

Bibliography