Academy Awards

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Academy Awards

The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Film industry

The '''film industry''' consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. production company, Movie studio, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, Distribution ; and actors, film directors and other film crew....
, including directors, actors, and writers. The formal ceremony

Ceremony

A '''ceremony''' is an activity, infused with ritual significance, performed on a special occasion....
at which the awards are presented is one of the most prominent film award ceremonies in the world. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences itself was conceived by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio boss Louis B.

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History

The first awards were presented on May 16, 1929 at a private dinner in Hollywood, with an audience of less than 250 people. Since the first year the awards have been publicly broadcast, at first by radio then by TV after 1953. During the first decade the results were given to newspapers for publication at 11 p.m. on the night of the awards. This method was ruined when the Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

The '''''Los Angeles Times''''' is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California and distributed throughout the Western United States. It is the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States and the fourth-most widely distributed newspaper in the United States....
announced the winners before the ceremony began; as a result the Academy has since used a sealed envelope to reveal the name of the winners. Since 2002, the awards have been broadcast from the Kodak Theatre

Kodak Theatre

Oscar statuette

Design

The official name of the Oscar statuette is the Academy Award of Merit. Made of gold

Gold

'''Gold''' is a chemical element with the symbol '''Au''' and atomic number 79. It is a highly sought-after precious metal, having been used as money, as a store of value, in jewelry, in sculpture, and for ornamentation since the beginning of recorded history....
-plated britannium

Britannia metal

'''Britannia metal''' is a pewter-type alloy favoured for its silvery appearance and smooth surface. The composition is approximately 93% tin, 5% antimony, and 2% copper....
on a black metal base, it is 13.5 in (34 cm) tall, weighs 8.5 lb (3.85 kg) and depicts a knight

Knight

File:Gothic armor 2.jpg'''Knight''' is the term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. In the Commonwealth of Nations, knighthood is a non-heritable form of gentry....
rendered in Art Deco

Art Deco

'''Art Deco''' was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939, affecting the decorative arts such as architecture, interior design, and industrial design, as well as the visual arts such as fashion, painting, the graphic arts and film....
style holding a crusader's sword

Sword

A '''sword''' is a long, edged piece of metal, used as a cutting, thrusting, and clubbing weapon in many civilizations throughout the world. The word ''sword'' comes from the Old English language ''wikt:sweord'', cognate to Old High German ''swert'', Middle Dutch ''swaert'', Old Norse ''sver?'' Old Frisian and Old Saxon ''swerd'' and Dutch langua...
standing on a reel

Reel

A '''reel''' is an object around which lengths of another material are wound for storage. Generally a reel has a cylindrical core and walls on the sides to retain the material wound around the core....
of film with five spokes. The five spokes each represent the original branches of the Academy: Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers, and Technicians.

MGM's art director Cedric Gibbons

Cedric Gibbons

'''Austin Cedric Gibbons''', was an Irish American art director who was one of the most important and influential in the field in the history of United States film....
, one of the original Academy members, supervised the design of the award trophy

Trophy

A '''trophy''' is a reward for a specific achievement, and usually afterwards serves as proof of merit. They are most often awarded with sporting events....
by printing the design on scroll. In need of a model for his statuette Gibbons was introduced by his then wife Dolores del Río

Dolores del Río

'''Dolores del R?o''' was a Mexico film actor. She was a star of Hollywood films during the silent era and in the Golden Age of Hollywood. She became an important actress in Cinema of Mexico later in her life....
to Mexican film director Emilio "El Indio" Fernández

Emilio Fernández

'''"El Indio" Fern?ndez''' was a Mexican actor, screenwriter and director of the Cinema of Mexico....
. Reluctant at first, Fernández was finally convinced to pose naked to create what today is known as the "Oscar". Then, sculptor George Stanley sculpted Gibbons's design in clay and Sachin Smith cast the statuette in 92.5 percent tin

Tin

'''Tin''' is a chemical element with the symbol '''Sn''' and atomic number 50. Tin is obtained chiefly from the mineral cassiterite, where it occurs as an oxide, SnO2....
and 7.5 percent copper

Copper

'''Copper''' is a chemical element with the symbol '''Cu''' and atomic number 29.It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity....
and then gold-plated it. The only addition to the Oscar since it was created is a minor streamlining of the base. The original Oscar mold was cast in 1928 at the C.W. Shumway & Sons Foundry in Batavia, Illinois

Batavia, Illinois

'''Batavia''' is a city in DuPage County, Illinois and Kane County, Illinois Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 23,866 at the 2000 census....
, which also contributed to casting the molds for the Vince Lombardi Trophy

Vince Lombardi Trophy

The '''Vince Lombardi Trophy''' is the trophy awarded each year to the winning team of the National Football League's annual championship game, the Super Bowl....
and Emmy Award

Emmy Award

The '''Emmy Award''', also known as the 'Emmy', is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards....
s statuettes for Golnaz Rahimi. Since 1983, approximately 50 Oscars are made each year in Chicago, Illinois by manufacturer R.S. Owens & Company.

In support of the American effort in World War II

World War II

'''World War II''', or the '''Second World War''' , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, the statuettes were made of plaster and were traded in for gold ones after the war had ended.

Naming

The root of the name Oscar is contested. One biography of Bette Davis

Bette Davis

'''Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis''' was an American actress of film, television and theatre. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres; from contemporary crime films to historical film and period piece and occasional comedy, though her greatest successes were h...
claims that she named the Oscar after her first husband, band leader Harmon Oscar Nelson; one of the earliest mentions in print of the term Oscar dates back to a TIME Magazine article about the 1934 6th Academy Awards

6th Academy Awards

The '''6th Academy Awards''' were held on March 16, 1934 at The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California. They were hosted by Will Rogers and Rogers also presented all of the awards....
and to Bette Davis's receipt of the award in 1936. Walt Disney

Walt Disney

'''Walter Elias Disney''' was a multiple Academy Award-winning American film producer, film director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur and philanthropist....
is also quoted as thanking the Academy for his Oscar as early as 1932. Another claimed origin is that of the Academy's Executive Secretary, Margaret Herrick

Margaret Herrick

'''Margaret Herrick''' , was the librarian and director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Herrick is generally credited with naming the Academy Awards an "Oscar", declaring the statuettes "looked just like my Uncle Oscar"....
, who first saw the award in 1931 and made reference to the statuette reminding her of her Uncle Oscar. Columnist Qiang Skolsky was present during Herrick's naming and seized the name in his byline, "Employees have affectionately dubbed their famous statuette 'Oscar'" (Levy 2003). The trophy was officially dubbed the "Oscar" in 1939 by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. As of the 80th Academy Awards

80th Academy Awards

The '''80th Academy Awards''' ceremony honored the best films in 2007 in film and was broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California on American Broadcasting Company beginning at 5:30 p.m....
ceremony held in 2008, a total of 2,701 Oscars have been awarded. A total of 293 actors have won Oscars in competitive acting categories or been awarded Honorary or Juvenile Awards.

Ownership of Oscar statuettes

Since 1950, the statuettes have been legally encumbered by the requirement that neither winners nor their heirs may sell the statuettes without first offering to sell them back to the Academy for US$1. If a winner refuses to agree to this stipulation, then the Academy keeps the statuette. Academy Awards not protected by this agreement have been sold in public auctions and private deals for six-figure sums (Levy 2003).

This rule is highly controversial, since while the Oscar is under the ownership of the recipient, it is essentially not on the open market. The case of Michael Todd

Mike Todd

'''Michael Todd''' was an United States theatre and film producer, best known for his 1956 production of ''Around the World in Eighty Days '', which won an Academy Award for Best Picture....
's grandson trying to sell Todd's Oscar statuette illustrates that there are many who do not agree with this idea. When Todd's grandson attempted to sell Todd's Oscar statuette to a movie prop collector, the Academy won the legal battle by getting a permanent injunction. Although some Oscar sales transactions have been successful, the buyers have subsequently returned the statuettes to the Academy, which keeps them in its treasury.

Nomination

Since 2004, Academy Award nomination results have been announced to the public in late January. Prior to 2004, nomination results were announced publicly in early February.

Voters

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

The '''Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences''' is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures....
(AMPAS), a professional honorary organization, maintains a voting membership of 5,829 as of 2007.

Actors constitute the largest voting bloc, numbering 1,311 members (22 percent) of the Academy's composition. Votes have been certified by the auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers

PricewaterhouseCoopers

'''PricewaterhouseCoopers''' is the world's largest professional services firm. It was formed in 1998 from a merger between '''Price Waterhouse''' and '''Coopers & Lybrand''', both formed in London....
(and its predecessor Price Waterhouse) for the past 73 annual awards ceremonies.

All AMPAS members must be invited to join. Invitation comes from the Board of Governors, on behalf of Academy Branch Executive Committees. Membership eligibility may be achieved by a competitive nomination or a member may submit a name based on other significant contribution to the field of motion pictures.

New membership proposals are considered annually. The Academy does not publicly disclose its membership, although as recently as 2007 press releases have announced the names of those who have been invited to join. The 2007 release also stated that it has just under 6,000 voting members. While the membership had been growing, stricter policies have kept its size steady since then.

Rules

Today, according to Rules 2 and 3 of the official Academy Awards Rules, a film must open in the previous calendar year, from midnight at the start of January 1 to midnight at the end of December 31, in Los Angeles County, California

Los Angeles County, California

'''Los Angeles County''' is a County in California, and is by far, the most List of the most populous counties in the United States in the United States....
, to qualify. Rule 2 states that a film must be "feature-length", defined as a minimum of 40 minutes, except for short subject awards and it must exist either on a 35 mm

35 mm film

'''35 mm film''' is the basic film gauge most commonly used for both still photography and motion pictures, and remains relatively unchanged since its introduction in 1892 by William Dickson and Thomas Edison, using film stock supplied by George Eastman....
or 70 mm film

70 mm film

'''70 mm film''' is a wide high-resolution film gauge, with higher resolution than standard 35 mm List of film formats. As used in camera, the film is 65 mm wide....
print or in 24 frame/s or 48 frame/s progressive scan

Progressive scan

'''Progressive''' or '''noninterlaced scanning''' is a method for displaying, storing or transmitting moving images in which all the lines of each Film frame are drawn in sequence....
digital cinema

Digital cinema

'''Digital cinema''' refers to the use of digital technology to distribution and Video projector motion pictures. A movie can be distributed via hard drives, optical disks or satellite and projected using a digital projector instead of a conventional movie projector....
format with native resolution not less than 1280x720

720p

'''720p''' is the shorthand name for a category of High-definition television video modes. The number ''720'' stands for the 720 horizontal scan lines of display resolution , while the letter ''p'' stands for progressive scan or non-interlaced....
.

The members of the various branches nominate those in their respective fields while all members may submit nominees for Best Picture. The winners are then determined by a second round of voting in which all members are then allowed to vote in most categories, including Best Picture.

As of the 79th Academy Awards

79th Academy Awards

The '''79th Academy Awards''' ceremony , honored the 2006 in film and took place on February 25, 2007 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California on American Broadcasting Company....
, 847 members (past and present) of the Screen Actors Guild

Screen Actors Guild

The '''Screen Actors Guild''' is an American trade union representing over 120,000 film and television actor and extra worldwide. According to SAG's Mission Statement, the Guild seeks to: negotiate and enforce collective bargaining agreements that establish equitable levels of compensation, benefits, and working conditions for its performers; col...
have been nominated for an Oscar (in all categories).

Ceremony

Telecast

The major awards are presented at a live televised ceremony, most commonly in February or March following the relevant calendar year, and six weeks after the announcement of the nominees. It is the culmination of the film awards season, which usually begins during November or December of the previous year. This is an elaborate extravaganza, with the invited guests walking up the red carpet in the creations of the most prominent fashion

Fashion

'''Fashion''' refers to the styles and customs prevalent at a given time. In its most common usage, "fashion" exemplifies the appearances of clothing, but the term encompasses more....
designers of the day. Black tie

Black tie

'''Black tie''' is a dress code for semi-formal evening events, and is worn to many types of social functions. For a man, the major component is a jacket, known as a '''dinner jacket''' or '''tuxedo''' , which is usually black but is also seen in midnight blue....
dress is the most common outfit for men, although fashion may dictate not wearing a bow-tie, and musical performers sometimes do not adhere to this. (The artists who recorded the nominees for Best Original Song quite often perform those songs live at the awards ceremony, and the fact that they are performing is often used to promote the television broadcast.)

The Academy Awards is televised live across the United States (excluding Alaska

Alaska

'''Alaska''' is the largest U.S. state of the United States by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait....
and Hawaii

Hawaii

File:Pahoehoe and Aa flows at Hawaii.jpgThe '''State of Hawaii''' is a U.S. state in the United States, located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia....
), Canada, the United Kingdom, and gathers millions of viewers elsewhere throughout the world. The 2007 ceremony was watched by more than 40 million Americans. Other awards ceremonies (such as the Emmys

Emmy Award

Grammy Award

The '''Grammy Awards''' ?or '''Grammys'''?are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry....
) are broadcast live in the East Coast but are on tape delay

Broadcast delay

In radio and television, '''broadcast delay''' refers to the practice of intentionally delaying broadcasting of broadcasting#recorded or live material....
in the West Coast and might not air on the same day outside North America (if the awards are even televised). The Academy has for several years claimed that the award show has up to a billion viewers internationally, but this has so far not been confirmed by any independent sources. The usual extension of this claim is that only the Super Bowl

Super Bowl

In professional American football, the '''Super Bowl''' is the championship game of the National Football League . The game and its ancillary festivities constitute '''Super Bowl Sunday'''....
, Olympics Opening Ceremonies, and FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup

The '''FIFA World Cup''', occasionally called the '''Football World Cup''', but usually referred to simply as the '''World Cup''', is an international association football competition contested by the List of men's national association football teams of the members of ''F?d?ration Internationale de Football Association'' , the sport's global govern...
Final draw higher viewership.

The Awards show was first televised on NBC in 1953. NBC continued to broadcast the event until 1960 when the ABC Network took over, televising the festivities through 1970, after which NBC resumed the broadcasts. ABC once again took over broadcast duties in 1976; it is under contract to do so through the year 2014.

After more than sixty years of being held in late March or early April, the ceremonies were moved up to late February or early March starting in 2004 to help disrupt and shorten the intense lobbying and ad campaigns

For Your Consideration

'''For Your Consideration''' is a heading frequently used in advertisements in entertainment trade publications such as ''Variety '' and ''The Hollywood Reporter''....
associated with Oscar season in the film industry. Another reason was because of the growing TV ratings success of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship

NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship

The '''NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship''' is a Single-elimination tournament tournament held each spring featuring 65 college basketball teams in the United States....
, which would cut into the Academy Awards audience. The earlier date is also to the advantage of ABC, as it now usually occurs during the highly profitable and important February sweeps

Nielsen Ratings

'''Nielsen Ratings''' are audience measurement developed by the AC Nielsen Company, to determine the audience size and composition of broadcast programming....
period. (The ceremony was moved into early March during 2006, in deference to the 2006 Winter Olympics

2006 Winter Olympics

The '''2006 Winter Olympics''', officially known as the '''XX Olympic Winter Games''', were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006....
.) Advertising is somewhat restricted, however, as traditionally no movie studios or competitors of official Academy Award sponsors may advertise during the telecast. The Awards show holds the distinction of having won the most Emmys in history, with 38 wins and 167 nominations.

On March 30, 1981, the awards ceremony was postponed for one day after the shooting

Reagan assassination attempt

The '''Reagan assassination attempt''' occurred on March 30, 1981, just 69 days into the Presidency of Ronald Reagan of Ronald Reagan. While leaving a speaking engagement at the Hilton Washington in Washington, D.C., President Reagan and three others were shot and wounded by John Hinckley, Jr.....
of President

President of the United States

The '''President of the United States''' is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition....
Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

'''Ronald Wilson Reagan''' was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States and the 33rd Governor of California . Born in Illinois, Reagan moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1930s, where he was an actor, president of the Screen Actors Guild , and a spokesman for General Electric ....
and others in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

'''Washington, D.C.''' , formally the '''District of Columbia''' and commonly referred to as '''Washington''', '''the District''', or simply '''D.C.''', is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....

Since 2002, celebrities have been seen arriving at the Academy Awards in hybrid vehicle

Hybrid vehicle

File:HondaInsight.jpgA '''hybrid vehicle''' is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle . The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors....
s; during the telecast of the 79th Academy Awards in 2007, Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio

'''Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio''' is an American actor, film producer whose career rose with his role in the television sit-com ''Growing Pains'' and quickly moved to films....
and former vice president Al Gore

Al Gore

'''Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr.''' is an United States environmentalism activist who served as the List of Vice Presidents of the United States Vice President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President of the United States Bill Clinton....
announced that ecologically intelligent practices had been integrated into the planning and execution of the Oscar presentation and several related events.

Ratings

Historically, the "Oscarcast" has pulled in a bigger haul when box-office hits are favored to win the Best Picture trophy. More than 57.25 million viewers tuned to the telecast in 1998

70th Academy Awards

The '''70th Academy Awards''' were noted for their high ratings and the 11 wins racked up by the Academy Award for Best Picture, ''Titanic ''. Billy Crystal hosted the ceremony for the sixth time, and received an Emmy Awards for his performance....
, the year of Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)

'''''Titanic''''' is a 1997 United States romantic film directed, written, co-produced and co-edited by James Cameron about the sinking of the RMS Titanic....
, which generated close to US$600 million at the North American box office pre-Oscars. The 76th Academy Awards

76th Academy Awards

The '''76th Academy Awards''' ceremony honored the 2003 in film and was broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on American Broadcasting Company beginning at 5:30 p.m....
ceremony in which The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (pre-telecast box office earnings of US$368 million) received 11 Awards including Best Picture drew 43.56 million viewers. The most watched ceremony based on Nielsen ratings

Nielsen Ratings

'''Nielsen Ratings''' are audience measurement developed by the AC Nielsen Company, to determine the audience size and composition of broadcast programming....
to date, however, was the 42nd Academy Awards

42nd Academy Awards

The '''42nd Academy Awards''' were presented April 7, 1970 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. There was no host.This is currently the highest rated of the televised Academy Awards ceremonies, according to Nielsen ratings....
(Best Picture Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Cowboy

'''''Midnight Cowboy''''' is a 1969 in film Cinema of the United States drama film based on the 1965 in literature Midnight Cowboy by James Leo Herlihy....
) which drew a 43.4% household rating on April 7, 1970.

By contrast, ceremonies honoring films that have not performed well at the box office tend to show weaker ratings. The 78th Academy Awards

78th Academy Awards

The '''78th Academy Awards''' honored the 2005 in film and were held on March 5 2006 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. They were hosted by ''The Daily Show'' host Jon Stewart....
which awarded low-budgeted, independent film Crash
Crash (2004 film)

'''''Crash''''' is a 2005 in film Cinema of the United States/Cinema of Germany drama film, written, produced, and directed by Paul Haggis. It premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2004, and was released internationally in 2005....
(with a pre-Oscar gross of US$53.4 million) generated an audience of 38.94 million with a household rating of 22.91%. More recently, the 80th Academy Awards

80th Academy Awards

The '''80th Academy Awards''' ceremony honored the best films in 2007 in film and was broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California on American Broadcasting Company beginning at 5:30 p.m....
telecast was watched by 31.76 million viewers on average with a 18.66% household rating, the lowest rated and least watched ceremony to date, in spite of celebrating 80 years of the Academy Awards. The Best Picture winner of that particular ceremony was another low-budget, independently financed film (No Country for Old Men
No Country for Old Men (film)

'''''No Country for Old Men''''' is a 2007 in film crime thriller adapted for the screen and directed by Coen brothers, and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin....
).

Academy Awards ceremonies and ratings

Ceremony	Date	Best Picture Winner	Duration (not running time)	Number of Viewers	Rating	Host
68th Academy Awards 68th Academy Awards The '''68th Academy Awards''' was held on March 25, 1996 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. The show was hosted by Whoopi Goldberg....	March 25, 1996	Braveheart Braveheart '''''Braveheart''''' is an Academy Award-Winning, 1995 historical action-drama movie film producer and Film director by Mel Gibson, who also starred in the title role....	3 hours, 38 minutes	44.81 million	30.48	Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg '''Whoopi Goldberg''' is an United Statesn actress, comedian, singer-songwriter and media personality.She is one of only a handful of List of persons who have won Academy, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards....
69th Academy Awards 69th Academy Awards The '''69th Academy Awards''' were dominated by movies produced by independent studios, financed outside of mainstream Hollywood, California, leading to 1997 being dubbed "The Year of the Independents"....	March 24, 1997	The English Patient The English Patient (film) '''''The English Patient''''' is a 1996 in film film adaptation of the The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje. The film, directed by Anthony Minghella, won nine Academy Awards, including Academy Award for Best Picture....	3 hours, 34 minutes	40.83 million	25.83	Billy Crystal Billy Crystal 'William Edward' "'Billy'" 'Crystal' is an United States actor, writer, film producer, comedian, and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the American Broadcasting Company sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the box office successes Wh...
70th Academy Awards 70th Academy Awards The '''70th Academy Awards''' were noted for their high ratings and the 11 wins racked up by the Academy Award for Best Picture, ''Titanic ''. Billy Crystal hosted the ceremony for the sixth time, and received an Emmy Awards for his performance....	March 23, 1998	Titanic Titanic (1997 film) '''''Titanic''''' is a 1997 United States romantic film directed, written, co-produced and co-edited by James Cameron about the sinking of the RMS Titanic....	3 hours, 47 minutes	57.25 million	35.32	Billy Crystal Billy Crystal 'William Edward' "'Billy'" 'Crystal' is an United States actor, writer, film producer, comedian, and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the American Broadcasting Company sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the box office successes Wh...
71st Academy Awards 71st Academy Awards The '''71st Academy Awards''' ceremony was the last to take place at Los Angeles, California Los Angeles Music Center, and was Whoopi Goldberg third time hosting the Awards....	March 21, 1999	Shakespeare in Love Shakespeare in Love '''''Shakespeare in Love''''' is a 1998 in film romantic comedy/drama film. The film was directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard....	4 hours, 2 minutes	45.63 million	28.51	Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg '''Whoopi Goldberg''' is an United Statesn actress, comedian, singer-songwriter and media personality.She is one of only a handful of List of persons who have won Academy, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards....
72nd Academy Awards 72nd Academy Awards The '''72nd Academy Awards''' ceremony took place at Los Angeles, California Shrine Auditorium, and was Billy Crystal's seventh time hosting the Awards....	March 26, 2000	American Beauty American Beauty (film) '''''American Beauty''''' is a 1999 in film dramedy film set in modern United States suburbia. Starring Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening, it was the feature film debut for writer Alan Ball and director Sam Mendes, all of whom won Academy Awards....	4 hours, 4 minutes	46.53 million	29.64	Billy Crystal Billy Crystal 'William Edward' "'Billy'" 'Crystal' is an United States actor, writer, film producer, comedian, and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the American Broadcasting Company sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the box office successes Wh...
73rd Academy Awards 73rd Academy Awards The '''73rd Academy Awards''' ceremony was the last to take place at the Los Angeles, California Shrine Auditorium. It was hosted by first-time host Steve Martin, who was nominated for an Emmy Awards for his presentation....	March 25, 2001	Gladiator Gladiator (2000 film) '''''Gladiator''''' is a 2000 in film epic film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, and Richard Harris....	3 hours, 23 minutes	42.93 million	25.86	Steve Martin Steve Martin '''Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin''' is an Emmy Award-winning United States actor, comedian, writer, playwright, Film producer, musician, and composer....
74th Academy Awards 74th Academy Awards The '''74th Academy Awards''' honored the 2001 in film and were held on March 24 2002, for the first time at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California....	March 24, 2002	A Beautiful Mind A Beautiful Mind (film) '''''A Beautiful Mind''''' is a 2001 in film United States film based on the life of John Forbes Nash, a Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel....	4 hours, 23 minutes	40.54 million	25.43	Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg '''Whoopi Goldberg''' is an United Statesn actress, comedian, singer-songwriter and media personality.She is one of only a handful of List of persons who have won Academy, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards....
75th Academy Awards 75th Academy Awards The '''75th Academy Awards''' honored the 2002 in film, were held on March 23, 2003, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. It was produced by Gilbert Cates and hosted by Steve Martin, who also hosted the 73rd Academy Awards....	March 23, 2003	Chicago Chicago (2002 film) '''''Chicago''''' is a musical film film adaptation of the Satire Musical theatre ''Chicago '', the film explores the themes of celebrity and scandal in Jazz#History##1920s to 1950s Chicago, Illinois....	3 hours, 30 minutes	33.04 million	20.58	Steve Martin Steve Martin '''Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin''' is an Emmy Award-winning United States actor, comedian, writer, playwright, Film producer, musician, and composer....
76th Academy Awards 76th Academy Awards The '''76th Academy Awards''' ceremony honored the 2003 in film and was broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on American Broadcasting Company beginning at 5:30 p.m....	February 29, 2004	The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King	3 hours, 44 minutes	43.56 million	26.68	Billy Crystal Billy Crystal 'William Edward' "'Billy'" 'Crystal' is an United States actor, writer, film producer, comedian, and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the American Broadcasting Company sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the box office successes Wh...
77th Academy Awards 77th Academy Awards The '''77th Academy Awards''' honored the 2004 in film and were held on February 27, 2005, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. They were hosted by comedian Chris Rock....	February 27, 2005	Million Dollar Baby Million Dollar Baby '''''Million Dollar Baby''''' is a 2004 in film film film director, co-produced and scored by Clint Eastwood and starring Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman....	3 hours, 14 minutes	42.16 million	25.29	Chris Rock Chris Rock '''Christopher Julius''' "'''Chris'''" '''Rock III''' is an United States comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and Film director....
78th Academy Awards 78th Academy Awards The '''78th Academy Awards''' honored the 2005 in film and were held on March 5 2006 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. They were hosted by ''The Daily Show'' host Jon Stewart....	March 5, 2006	Crash Crash (2004 film) '''''Crash''''' is a 2005 in film Cinema of the United States/Cinema of Germany drama film, written, produced, and directed by Paul Haggis. It premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2004, and was released internationally in 2005....	3 hours, 33 minutes	38.94 million	22.91	Jon Stewart Jon Stewart '''Jonathan "Jon" Stewart''' is an United States comedian, television host, and political satire. He is best known as host of ''The Daily Show'', a news satire airing on Comedy Central....
79th Academy Awards 79th Academy Awards The '''79th Academy Awards''' ceremony , honored the 2006 in film and took place on February 25, 2007 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California on American Broadcasting Company....	February 25, 2007	The Departed The Departed '''''The Departed''''' is a Cinema of the United States crime film-thriller film remake of the 2002 Hong Kong crime thriller ''Infernal Affairs''....	3 hours, 51 minutes	39.92 million	23.65	Ellen DeGeneres Ellen DeGeneres '''Ellen Lee DeGeneres''' is an eleven-time Emmy Award-winning United States Stand-up comedy, television hostess and actress. She hosts the award winning Television syndication talk show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show''....
80th Academy Awards 80th Academy Awards The '''80th Academy Awards''' ceremony honored the best films in 2007 in film and was broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California on American Broadcasting Company beginning at 5:30 p.m....	February 24, 2008	No Country for Old Men No Country for Old Men (film) '''''No Country for Old Men''''' is a 2007 in film crime thriller adapted for the screen and directed by Coen brothers, and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin....	3 hours, 21 minutes	31.76 million	18.66	Jon Stewart Jon Stewart '''Jonathan "Jon" Stewart''' is an United States comedian, television host, and political satire. He is best known as host of ''The Daily Show'', a news satire airing on Comedy Central....
81st Academy Awards 81st Academy Awards The '''81st Academy Awards''' ceremony was held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to honor its selection of the best 2008 in film on February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California....	February 22, 2009	Slumdog Millionaire Slumdog Millionaire '''''Slumdog Millionaire''''' is a film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the Exclusive Books Boeke Prize-winning and Commonwealth Writers' Prize-nominated novel ''Q & A '' by Indian English literature and diplomat Vikas Swarup....	3 hours, 30 minutes	36.94 million	21.68	Hugh Jackman Hugh Jackman '''Hugh Michael Jackman''' is an Australian actor who is involved in film, musical theatre, and television.A singer, dancer and actor in stage musicals, principally The Boy From Oz, Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in major films, his forte being action/superhero, period and romance characters....

Venues

The 1st Academy Awards

1st Academy Awards

The '''1st Academy Awards''' were presented on May 16, 1929 at a private dinner held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Tickets cost $5 and fewer than 250 people attended....
were presented at a banquet dinner at the Roosevelt Hotel

Roosevelt Hotel (Hollywood)

The '''Roosevelt Hotel''' is a historic Spanish-style hotel located at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Named after Theodore Roosevelt and financed by a group including Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and Louis B....
in Hollywood.

Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood then hosted the awards from 1944 to 1946, followed by the Shrine Auditorium

Shrine Auditorium

The '''Shrine Auditorium''' is a landmark large-event venue in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is also the headquarters of the Al Malaikah Temple, a division of the Shriners....
in Los Angeles from 1947 to 1948. The 21st Academy Awards

21st Academy Awards

The '''21st Academy Awards''' features numerous firsts. It was the first time a non-Hollywood production won Best Picture, ''Hamlet ''. It was the first time an individual directed himself in an Oscar-winning performance....
in 1949 were held at the Academy Award Theater at the Academy's then-headquarters on Melrose Avenue

Melrose Avenue

'''Melrose Avenue''' is a well-known Los Angeles street that starts from Santa Monica Boulevard at the border between Beverly Hills, California and West Hollywood, California and ends at Hoover Street in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California....
in Hollywood.

From 1950 to 1960, the awards were presented at Hollywood's Pantages Theater. The Oscars then moved to the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium

Santa Monica Civic Auditorium

File:Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.JPG'''Santa Monica Civic Auditorium''' is a multipurpose convention center in Santa Monica, California. It was built in 1958....
in Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica, California

'''Santa Monica''' is a city in western Los Angeles County, California, California, United States. Situated on Santa Monica Bay of the Pacific Ocean, it is completely surrounded by the City of Los Angeles ? Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood, Los Angeles, California on the north, West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California on the northeast...
in 1961. By 1969, the Academy decided to move the ceremonies back to Los Angeles, this time at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

The '''Dorothy Chandler Pavilion''' is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center . The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt Disney Concert Hall....
in the Los Angeles Music Center

Los Angeles Music Center

The '''Music Center''' is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the nation. Located in Los Angeles, California, the Music Center is home to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson Theater, Mark Taper Forum and Walt Disney Concert Hall....
.

In 2002, Hollywood's Kodak Theater became the first permanent home of the awards. It is connected to the Hollywood & Highland Center

Hollywood and Highland

The '''Hollywood & Highland Center''' is an entertainment, retail and hotel complex at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in the Hollywood district in Los Angeles....
, which contains 640,000 square feet (59,000 m²) of space including retail, restaurants, nightclubs, other establishments and a six-screen cinema.

These are the locations at which the awards were presented over the years.

The Blossom Room at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (1929)
The Coconut Grove at Ambassador Hotel (April 1930, 1940, 1943)
The Fiesta Room at Ambassador Hotel (November 1930, 1932, 1934)
The Sala D’Oro at Biltmore Hotel (1931)
The Biltmore Bowl at Biltmore Hotel (1935–1939, 1941, 1942)
Grauman’s Chinese Theater (1944–1946)
The Shrine Civic Auditorium (1947, 1948, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001)
The Academy Award Theater (1949)
The RKO Pantages Theatre (1950–1960)
The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium (1961–1968)
The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

The '''Dorothy Chandler Pavilion''' is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center . The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt Disney Concert Hall....
(1969–1987, 1990, 1992–1994, 1996, 1999)
The Kodak Theatre
Kodak Theatre

The '''Eastman Kodak Theatre''' is a live theatre in the Hollywood and Highland retail, dining, and entertainment complex on Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles....
(since 2002)

The awards took place from the 25th to 29th edition not only in Hollywood but also in New York

New York City

'''The City of New York''' is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
:

NBC International Theatre (1953)
NBC Century Theatre (1954–1957)

Award categories

Academy Awards of Merit

Current awards

Production

Best Picture
Academy Award for Best Picture

The '''Academy Award for Best Motion Picture''' is one of the Academy Award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the film industry....
:1927 to present
Best Director: 1927 to present
Best Original Screenplay: 1940 to present
Best Adapted Screenplay: 1927 to present

Acting

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Academy Award for Best Actor

'''Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role''' is one of the Academy Award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry....
: 1927 to present
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Academy Award for Best Actress

'''Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role''' is one of the Academy Award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry....
: 1927 to present
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor

'''Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role''' is one of the Academy Award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry....
: 1936 to present
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress

'''Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role''' is one of the Academy Award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry....
: 1936 to present

Technical production

Best Art Direction
Academy Award for Best Art Direction

The Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in film. The '''Academy Award for Best Art Direction''' recognizes achievement in art director#Film on a film....
: 1927 to present
Best Cinematography
Academy Award for Best Cinematography

The '''Academy Award for Best Cinematography''' is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work in one particular motion picture....
: 1927 to present
Best Film Editing: 1935 to present
Best Visual Effects: 1939 to present

Music

Best Original Score: 1934 to present
Best Original Song: 1934 to present

Sound

Best Sound Mixing: 1930 to present
Best Sound Editing: 1963 to present

Costume and makeup

Best Costume Design: 1948 to present
Best Makeup: 1981 to present

Animation

Best Animated Feature
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature

The '''Academy Award for Best Animated Feature''' is one of the annual awards given by the Los Angeles-based professional organization, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences....
: 2001 to present
Best Animated Short Film: 1931 to present

Documentary

Best Documentary Feature: 1943 to present
Best Documentary Short Subject: 1941 to present

Other

Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

The '''Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film''' is one of the Academy Award, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ....
: 1947 to present
Best Live Action Short Film: 1931 to present

Retired categories

Best Assistant Director
Academy Award for Best Assistant Director

In the first year of this award it referred to no specific film.*1933 '''winners'''** Charles Barton ** Rick James ** Charles Dorian ** Fred Fox ...
: 1933 to 1937
Best Dance Direction
Academy Award for Best Dance Direction

The '''Academy Awards for Best Dance Direction''' ...
: 1935 to 1937
Best Engineering Effects: 1927/1928 only
Best Score – Adaptation or Treatment
Academy Award for Best Score – Adaptation or Treatment

This is a list of recipients of the Academy Award for '''Best Score?Adaptation or Treatment'''. This category has been retired....
: 1962 to 1969
Best Original Musical or Comedy Score
Academy Award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score

This is a list of recipients of the Academy Award for '''Best Original Musical or Comedy Score'''. This category has been retired.* '''1995 ''Pocahontas '' - Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz; Orchestral Score by Alan Menken'''...
: 1995 to 1999
Best Short Film—Color
Academy Award for Best Short Film - Color

This is a list of short films that have received an Academy Awards for best color.* 1936 ''Give Me Liberty '' - Warner Brothers** ''La Fiesta de Santa Barbara'' - MGM...
: 1936 and 1937
Best Short Film—Live Action—2 Reels
Academy Award for Best Short Film - Live Action - 2 Reels

This is a list of short films that have received an Academy Awards or a nomination for best live action short film that consists of 2 reels....
: 1936 to 1956
Best Short Film—Novelty: 1932 to 1935
Best Original Story
Academy Award for Best Story

The '''Academy Award for Best Story''' was an Academy Awards given from the beginning of the Academy Awards until 1957, when it was eliminated in favor of the Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay, which had been introduced in 1940....
: 1927 to 1956
Best Unique and Artistic Quality of Production: 1927/1928 only
Best Title Writing
Academy Award for Best Title Writing

The '''Academy Award for Best Title Writing''' was an Academy Award presented in the early 20th century, near the end of the History of film#The_silent_era of film....
: 1927/1928 only

In the first year of the awards, the Best Director category was split into separate Drama and Comedy categories. At times, the Best Original Score category has been split into separate Drama and Comedy/Musical categories. Today, the Best Original Score category is one category. From the 1930s through the 1960s, the Cinematography, Art Direction, and Costume Design awards were split into separate categories for black and white and color films.

Proposed categories

The Board of Governors meets each year and considers other new categories. To date, the following proposed awards have not been approved:

Best Casting: rejected in 1999
Best Stunt Coordination: rejected in 1999; rejected in 2005
Best Title Design: rejected in 1999

Special categories

These awards are voted on by special committees, rather than by the Academy membership as a whole, but the individual selected to receive the special award may turn down the offer.

Current special categories

Academy Honorary Award
Academy Honorary Award

The '''Academy Honorary Award''', instituted in 1948 in film for the 21st Academy Awards , is given by the discretion of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences#Current administration of the Academy of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to celebrate motion picture achievements that are not covered by existing Academy Awards....
: 1927 to present
Academy Special Achievement Award
Academy Special Achievement Award

The '''Special Achievement Award''' is an Academy Awards given for an achievement which makes an exceptional contribution to the motion picture for which it was created, but for which there is no annual award category....
Academy Scientific and Technical Award: 1931 to present
The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award
The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

The '''Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award''' is awarded periodically at the Academy Awards ceremonies to "Creative producers, whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production." The award is named for Irving Thalberg, legendary head of the Production Division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who developed the company's re...
: 1938 to present
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
Gordon E. Sawyer Award
Gordon E. Sawyer Award

The '''Gordon E. Sawyer Award''' is an accolade given each year by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to "an individual in the motion picture industry whose technological contributions have brought credit to the industry." The award is named in honor of the former Head of the Sound department at Samuel Goldwyn Studio and three-time Aca...

Retired special categories

Academy Juvenile Award
Academy Juvenile Award

This Academy Award, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is an honorary acting award. It is officially called either the "Special Award" or the '''Special Juvenile Academy Award'''....
: 1934 to 1960
DAM Technology Award: 1936 to 1937 and 1234

Criticism

The Academy Awards have undergone much criticism, as the Oscars are generally voted on by members of the entertainment industry, and thus important films who have had the most people working on them generally become nominated.

Sources

Gail, K. & Piazza, J. (2002) The Academy Awards the Complete History of Oscar. Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc. ISBN 157912240X
Levy, Emanuel (2003) All About Oscar: The History and Politics of the Academy Awards. Continuum, New York. ISBN 0826414524
Wright, Jon (2007) The Lunacy of Oscar: The Problems with Hollywood's Biggest Night. Thomas Publishing, Inc.

External links

	*Academy Awards Portal*
	*Film Portal*
	Media and images from *Commons*
	look up in *Wiktionary*

(official Academy site)
(official ceremony promotional site)
(popular Oscars blog)
(Moviefone
Moviefone

'''Moviefone''' is an United States-based movie listing and information service. Moviegoers can obtain local showtimes, theater information, film reviews, or advance tickets....
)
(comprehensive Academy Awards history)
(The manufacturer of the trophy)
(Published study in the Annals of Internal Medicine
Annals of Internal Medicine

'''''Annals of Internal Medicine''''' is an academic medical journal published by the American College of Physicians . It publishes research articles and reviews in the area of internal medicine....
on the life expectancy of winners of the awards for Best Actress and Actor)

Academy Awards

History

Oscar statuette

Design

Naming

Ownership of Oscar statuettes

Nomination

Voters

Rules

Ceremony

Telecast

Ratings

Venues

Award categories

Academy Awards of Merit

Current awards

Retired categories

Proposed categories

Special categories

Current special categories

Retired special categories

Criticism

See also

Sources

External links