The first Academy Awards ceremony was held on May 16, 1929, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. 1)
The statuette awarded to winners of the Academy Awards is officially called the Academy Award of Merit, but it is commonly known as the Oscar. The origin of the name is unclear, but one popular theory is that it was named after Bette Davis' husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson. 2)
The first person to ever win an Oscar was Emil Jannings, who won Best Actor for his roles in “The Last Command” and “The Way of All Flesh” at the inaugural ceremony. 3)
The shortest acceptance speech in Academy Awards history was delivered by Patty Duke in 1963. Her speech consisted of just two words: “Thank you.” 4)
The longest acceptance speech in Academy Awards history was delivered by Greer Garson in 1943. Her speech lasted nearly six minutes. 5)
The first African American to win an Academy Award was Hattie McDaniel, who won Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Gone with the Wind” in 1939. 6)
In 1940, the Oscars were first broadcast on the radio. The first televised ceremony didn't take place until 1953. 7)
The first person to refuse an Academy Award was screenwriter Dudley Nichols, who declined the award for Best Screenplay in 1935. 8)
The first color film to win Best Picture was “Gone with the Wind” in 1940. 9)
The first non-English language film to win Best Picture was “Parasite” in 2020. 10)
In 1964, Sidney Poitier became the first African American to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in “Lilies of the Field.” 11)
In 1973, Marlon Brando famously refused his Oscar for Best Actor in “The Godfather” to protest the treatment of Native Americans in the film industry. 12)
The youngest person to ever win an Academy Award was Tatum O'Neal, who won Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Paper Moon” at the age of 10. 13)
The oldest person to ever win an Academy Award was Christopher Plummer, who won Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Beginners” at the age of 82. 14)
The only X-rated film to ever win Best Picture was “Midnight Cowboy” in 1970. 15)