The Incredible History Of The Oscars

From controversial mishaps to funny jokes made on stage, the Oscars were home to some of the biggest events in Hollywood. The gathering at this event would go on to spark headlines in the journalism industry. This was a place for Hollywood stars to congratulate and mingle with one another, as well as give actors and filmmakers the recognition they deserved.

The statues are made out of solid bronze and plated with 24-karat gold. This award was given to those recognized for their outstanding moviemaking achievements. Cedric Gibbons designed the statue of a knight standing on top of a movie reel and it was given to a sculptor named George Stanley to have it made.

It wasn't until 1940 that they started revealing winners from envelopes on stage. In the beginning, there were many changes to the rules, including changing the number of categories and the eligibility period for the movies coming out. 

The publicity that the Oscars bring to movies is also a positive aspect. When an Oscar is won, it provides the winner with many new opportunities in the business and can generate more money and bring more roles to them. Many people who win the Oscar tend to get better movie roles and more sources of income.

In order for a film to be eligible it must be publicly released at a commercial theatre within Los Angeles county for at least one week in that year. The only people who can vote are members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and within the Academy, they are divided into different branches and nominees. 

The 1930s remain one of the greatest decades for filmmaking and the Oscars were the perfect place to reward the actors and filmmakers. The Oscars were officially on the radio until 1934 and they did not air again until the 1940s. It is unknown why they were never broadcasted to the public during those times but many say it could be due to the newspapers having a monopoly on the announcements.

This film was released multiple times throughout the 20th century because of its popularity. The film draws many points of criticism due to the glorification of slavery and the confederacy. It was the first colored film to win the award for Best Picture and beat the famous movie The Wizard Of Oz in 1939.

The Pantages Theatre held the Oscars for 10 years during the 1950s. From the 1960s through the 1980s two locations were venues for the Oscars, the Civic Auditorium and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion was used periodically during the 1990s until the ceremony changed locations to the Dolby Theatre. The Dolby Theatre is where it is still held today having only one year at the Union Station in 2021.

Many of the films that came out in the 1940s were influenced by the war including Casablanca, a movie that won Best Picture at the Oscars in 1944. After the war, many veterans returned home with difficulties coming back to society and there was a popular film depicting these stories that won Best Picture at the Oscars. This movie was called The Best Years Of Our Lives and it told the story of three men who struggled to pick up where they left off in society.

Television impacted the Oscars in many ways, allowing millions of viewers to get a look at Hollywood's famed event. It is said that around 34 million viewers watched the first broadcast of the Oscars. Many of Hollywood's famed people looked down on television but the next year it had around 40 million televised viewers. In 1953, the Oscars officially added a new category for Greatest Show, proving television had taken a spot in Hollywood's history.

There are over 13 different branches ranging from costume designers to actors. All of the voting takes place using online ballots and are counted by PricewaterhouseCoopers before they are announced onstage.

There are many aspects that go into creating a movie and the different categories help represent all the different roles. Even things such as the Best Original Score for a movie and the Best Sound Editing are given credit. Winning in each of these categories helps the winner with their career, giving them more opportunities and higher pay.

In 1973, the famous Michael Jackson performed at the Oscars when he was just 13 years old, giving an outstanding performance for the night. Aerosmith also performed their famous song "I Don't Want To Miss a Thing" in 1999 but didn't win an Oscar for Best Original Song. Many other artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Elton John, and even Mariah Carey have performed at the awards show. 

The arrival on the red carpet gives many celebrities a chance to arrive with the biggest fashion statements and be the talk of the night. The red carpet takes around two days to set up and is 16,500 square feet. It is the spot where most of the pictures are taken and even some interviews are conducted. 

Ever since the beginning of the Oscars celebrities would rush to wear their most prized outfits to show off in front of the crowds. It is a place where many fashion designers like to show off their work. Some of the most outrageous fashion designs are prevalent at this event today compared to the formal designs from before. 

This 1930s film was nominated for four categories and won two of them. It was awarded for Outstanding Production as well as Best Director. This movie was praised in the United States when it was released and had amazing critic reviews. In Germany however, it was criticized for its anti-German message and was banned during the 1930s.

This film was also the first to have the leading actor direct the movie and win an Oscar. Laurence Olivier is also the only actor to win an Oscar for a Shakespearean role. The film also won an award for Best Costume Design.

The Vanity Fair Oscar Party is one of the most prestigious after parties for the Oscars today. This is one of the most exclusive annual private events in the world. The event grounds are decorated with flashy designs and red carpets for the celebrities to arrive on. This party gives guests the opportunity to congratulate their co-stars and unwind.

In 1972, Marlon refused his Oscar sending the actress Littlefeather up on stage to refuse it on his behalf. She was a Native American actress and an activist in the community as well. The letter that Marlon wrote was given to her to read in front of the Oscars and said that he couldn't accept the award because his portrayal of Native Americans in his movies was degrading to the culture. This was a remarkable event in the history of the Oscars.

It was said that Robert snuck backstage at the Oscars disguised as a journalist and waited for his moment. This was a very unusual but funny moment in the Oscars' history. Shortly after everyone stopped laughing, Niven turned to the audience saying "Well, ladies and gentlemen, that was almost bound to happen... But isn't it fascinating to think that probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings?"

Katharine was nominated for her part in The Lion In Winter and Barbra was nominated for Funny Girl. Even though both tied that night, Katharine didn't show up to the show that night, but Streisand did and she went on stage to accept her Oscar and steal the fame of the night. Each of them had received exactly 3,030 votes and it was the first tie in a principal Oscar category.

Rob Lowe had a pretty good sense of humor to the reaction that the audience had given some years later and now pokes fun at it. At the time he was 25 years old, a young and naive star that was willing to take on the performance. He realized it wasn't going so well when he looked into the crowd and saw their reactions.  

Before she was on stage she was seen in the crowd acting "flirty" with her brother during the show. Her brother, James Haven, was seen with her during the afterparty on the red carpet. During the moment when she was posing with him for the paparazzi, Angelina kissed her brother on the lips and that picture made headline news for weeks to come.

The La La Land team accepted the situation with grace, congratulating the Moonlight team on the award. They were really respectful and proud to hand it off to the actual winners of the night. Warren Beatty said during the night that he opened the envelope saying that La La Land had won but no one knows if he was telling the truth or not. 

Jada suffers from alopecia, which is a hair loss condition, so she didn't take the joke so well. Soon after Will Smith walked onto the stage to confront Chris Rock and slapped him right across the face. Everyone was stunned thinking it was staged until Will sat back down and yelled at Chris telling him to "keep his wife's F'n name out of his mouth." This sparked major headlines for weeks to come after the Oscars and even gave Will Smith defamation.

Before they arrived they said they took LSD, which made it more hysterical. That night they were nominated for the Best Song award for the song "Blame Canada." It was an unusual site for many attendees and turned an eye for all of Hollywood to see.

He invited his documentary nominees on the stage with him to deliver the message saying that "they stand in solidarity with him." He continued to talk about President Bush saying that he was falsely elected and is sending us into a "fictitious war." The audience was drawn back by the speech he was making and many booed him until he left the stage. He continued to rant about the president until the music started playing, queuing him to get off the stage.

A bold move by the young actor was made when he accepted his Oscar. Most people give a hug and thank the award presenters, but Adrian got up there and gave Halle a kiss right on the lips in front of everyone. She, later on, came out saying that she had no idea that would happen and that she was surprised by the whole thing.

The nomination for his Oscar came the following year after he had passed away, and he is only one of two actors who had won after passing. Ledger's family graciously accepted the Oscar on his behalf that night. This was the first and only Oscar he would win.

Walt Disney accumulated the most Oscar wins in history, with a number of 22 Oscars and nearly 60 nominations, Disney's work would go down in history. He played an important part in Hollywood and would later have several of his films included in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

The film had a major influence in the United States when it was released, being praised as one of the greatest films to be released. The only other films that managed to sweep up the "Big Five" were One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and The Silence Of The Lambs. 

The dress she was wearing that night was worth $4 million dollars, and she must have stepped on the hem which caused her to trip. Many laughed off the fall including Jennifer who said, “You’re all only standing because I fell and you feel bad.” when she made her acceptance speech.

The youngest actual winner of an Oscar went to 10-year-old Tatum O'Neal who won the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Paper Moon. She made a short nervous speech commending her director and father before she exited the stage with her Oscar. The oldest person to have won an Oscar was Christopher Plummer for Best Supporting Actor in the movie Beginners. 

During that time, the film studios were trying to prevent active unionization within Hollywood and called for both the Writers and Screen Actors Guilds to boycott the Oscars. Dudley was against unionization as well and boycotted the event and didn't even show up. A few years later he was elected the Head of the Guild.

Since he never made an agreement, he claimed he needed to sell the Oscar to cover his wife's medical expenses. He had sold the Oscar for $60,500 to a private collector in 1992. He later went on to defend his actions by saying, “I don’t know why anybody would be critical. My wife’s health is much more important than sentimental reasons. The movie will be here, even if Oscar isn’t.”

He fled the United States and mostly resides in France and Poland. He was convicted in 1977 and has been abroad ever since as he is not allowed to come back to the US. In 2003 he won the Best Director award for the film The Pianist but couldn't attend due to his situation. 

The film was an adaptation of a Broadway play that told the story of two employees at a school for the deaf. She is the only deaf actress to ever be awarded an Oscar and was also the youngest Best Actress award winner as she was only 20 years old at the time.  

During that time he resided in Switzerland and was later allowed back into the United States in 1972. He was awarded an Honorary Oscar that year which he graciously accepted, receiving a lengthy 12-minute standing ovation. 

It was something that had never been done during that time with the technology constraints. Many people said that it was a bit controversial that Donald Duck didn't wear formal clothes as he went pantless in his usual shirt and hat.

He had a dislike for the gathering and claimed that he would have no part in the ceremony. In 1970, he was awarded Best Actor for a role in the film Patton. George however, didn't bother to show up, but it was accepted by Frank McCarthy, the producer of the movie, on his behalf.

None had hosted as many times as Bob Hope, having hosted 19 times. He was always known for his great one-liners and wonderful sense of humor. He was known as the most popular Oscar host of his time and also earned five honorary Oscars.

The one thing that made the film get its Oscar revoked was that it was released in 1967 and the rules required the movie to be released the year before to be eligible. This was an oversight and a month after they realized it the Oscar was revoked and given to the runner-up, Journey Into Self.

She was presenting the Best Actor award and had a noticeable reaction when she read the name from the envelope. Casey Affleck had won Best Actor that year and Brie Larson refused to congratulate or clap for him after handing off the award. In the same year, stories came out that Affleck was sued for alleged sexual harassment of two women. Brie reacted later saying that “…whatever I did onstage kind of spoke for itself.”

When he was announced onto the stage, he got up and walked on the backs of the auditorium seats making his way to the front. As excited as he was, the speech he made that night was memorable for everyone. On stage, he said, “This is the moment of joy, and I want to kiss everybody because you are the major of the joy, and he who kisses the joy as it flies lives in eternity’s sunrise, says the poet.”

It wasn't all glamour for the star that day, because the Academy Awards had to convince the hotel venue to let her in. She was made to sit at a segregated table away from her white co-stars. Another film by the name of Slumdog Millionaire was the first non-white cast to ever win an Oscar in 2008. 

He went on to talk about the world's views on resources and how we take for granted all of what we reap. He continued by going into the dairy industry saying, “We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable. Then we take her milk that’s intended for her calf and we put it in our coffee and our cereal.”

On that night after she thanked the cast and crew she used her speech as a platform to talk about the female wage gap. In her speech, she said “To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation: We have fought for everybody else’s equal rights. It’s our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America!” Many clapped for her rousing speech including the famous Meryl Streep who rose to her feet clapping away.

While in the audience she snapped a selfie with Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, and plenty of others. This picture of the world's most famous stars earned 255,000 retweets per minute. It was retweeted a total of 3.3 million times that year becoming the most retweeted post on Twitter.

Although many did laugh at the joke, Sean was judged by the controversial announcement that he made that night. He later came out saying that “I have absolutely no apologies” and continued on to say, “In fact, I have a big f— you for … anybody who is so stupid not to have gotten the irony when you’ve got a country that is so xenophobic.”

Kathryn's ex-husband, James Cameron, was nominated for the same Oscar that year for his epic animated film Avatar, but she ended up beating him. She is only one of four female directors to ever be nominated for an Oscar and the only one to actually win it. The three other women were Sofia Coppola, Jane Campion, and Lina Wertmüller.