MusicMummyMich

unhistorical:

May 16, 1929: The first Academy Awards are held.

The first Academy Awards were held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and hosted by the silent movie star Douglas Fairbanks, one of the founding members of the Academy. Ironically, among the movies nominated was one of the first “talkies” (The Jazz Singer), the advent of which helped bring about the end of Fairbanks’ career. The entire event was attended by 270 people, mostly Academy members, and it lasted less than an hour - a far cry from the international glamour-fest it would become within decades.

Also unlike today’s Oscars, the winners of the 1929 Academy Awards were announced three months before the actual ceremony, and there were only twelve categories - and no Best Picture award. Instead, there was a “Most Outstanding Production” award (its 1929 counterpart) and a “Most Artistic Quality of Production” award. The latter was won by F.W. Murnau’s Sunrise; the latter by Wings, the first and last silent movie to win Best Picture until 2012.  Originally, Charlie Chaplin was nominated for the Best Actor, Writer, and Director (Comedy) awards for his film The Circus; instead, he received an Honorary Academy Award “for versatility and genius”. 

sousaphlute:

same

(via tomkingofireland)