1.
A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody
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A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody is a popular song written by Irving Berlin in 1919 which became the theme song of the Ziegfeld Follies. The first verse and refrain are considered part of the Great American Songbook and are covered as a jazz standard. The portion of the song composed entirely by Berlin and published as sheet music comprised the first verse, the refrain begins, A pretty girl is like a melody / That haunts you night and day, a summary of the songs extended simile. The refrain is better known than the verse, which Rubins calls mercifully little-known. The later verses from the original 1919 stage show were patter lyrics by Berlin to the air of classical tunes and these verses were comical vignettes of the singers past trysts, successful or otherwise. Their lyrics were long believed lost, but survived in the unpublished script. The source music was, Magee concludes, from Travis lack of memory of the Träumerei, Berlin had agreed with Florenz Ziegfeld to write one act of the 1919 follies, including a Ziegfeld Girl number to showcase the showgirls. He first conceived of the classical portion, to match costumes the girls would be wearing and he needed a framing device for the entire sequence, and so subsequently wrote the initial verse and refrain which would become famous. In the 1919 Follies, the song was sung by the tenor John Steel and he sang the first verse and chorus alone on stage, then each of the remaining five verses while a showgirl sashayed by in costume appropriate to the quoted air. The final refrain saw Steel surrounded by all five beauties and this format was the template for similar numbers in many musical revues of subsequent decades. A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody was the hit song of that years Follies, and became the theme song for all later Follies. In the 1936 film The Great Ziegfeld, the song was the musical number performed on a huge set comprising a spiral staircase. The scene reworked the original stage number on a far grander scale, with dancers in various period costumes. The scene became famous and was included in the 1974 anthology film Thats Entertainment, the song was used frequently in the annual Miss America pageant prior to 1955, when There She Is, Miss America by Bernie Wayne became its new theme song. In 1963, Tom Prideaux wrote in Life magazine that the song has played ever since for God knows how many beauty contests, debutante cotillions. It was also used in catwalk fashion shows. Fred Astaire danced to the song in the film Blue Skies in 1946, among the singers who have recorded the song are Pat Boone, Bobby Vinton, Bing Crosby, Vic Damone, Ethel Merman, Rudy Vallée, Bobby Gordon, Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland. A clarinet version performed by Woody Allen with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band is on the soundtrack of his 2000 movie Small Time Crooks, in 1947, Berlin called the song one of his five most important songs structurally, saying he used the same rhythmic pattern in other songs
A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody
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Sheet music cover
2.
The Great Ziegfeld
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The Great Ziegfeld is a 1936 American musical drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and produced by Hunt Stromberg. It stars William Powell as the theatrical impresario Florenz Flo Ziegfeld, Jr. Luise Rainer as Anna Held, and Myrna Loy as Billie Burke. Many of the performers of the theatrical Ziegfeld Follies were cast in the film as themselves, including Fanny Brice and Harriet Hoctor, and Billie Burke acted as a supervisor for the film. The A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody set alone was reported to have cost US$220,000, featuring a towering rotating volute of 70 ft diameter with 175 spiral steps, weighing 100 tons. The music to the film was provided by Walter Donaldson, Irving Berlin, the extravagant costumes were designed by Adrian, taking some 250 tailors and seamstresses six months to prepare them using 50 pounds of silver sequins and 12 yards of white ostrich plumes. Over a thousand people were employed in the production of the film and it won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture for producer Hunt Stromberg, Best Actress for Luise Rainer, and Best Dance Direction for Seymour Felix, and was nominated for four others. In 1951, they produced their Technicolor remake of Show Boat, the son of a highly respected music professor, Florenz Flo Ziegfeld, Jr. yearns to make his mark in show business. Flo travels to England on a liner, where he runs into Billings again who is laughing at a newspaper article denouncing him as a fraud. Flo discovers that Billings is on his way to sign a contract with beautiful French star, despite losing all his money gambling at Monte Carlo, Flo charms Anna into signing with him instead, pretending that he doesnt know Billings. Anna twice almost sends him away for his rudeness and for being broke, Ziegfeld promises to give her more publicity than she ever dreams of and to feature her alongside Americas most prominent theatrical performers. At first, Annas performance at the Herald Square Theatre is not a success, however, Flo manages to generate publicity by sending 20 gallons of milk to Anna every day for a fictitious milk bath beauty treatment, then refusing to pay the bill. The newspaper stories soon bring the curious to pack his theater, audience members comment on how the milk must make her skin beautiful and the show is a major success. Flo sends Anna flowers and jewelry and a note saying you were magnificent my wife, however, one success is not enough for the showman. He has an idea for a new kind of show featuring a bevy of blondes and brunettes. The new show, the Ziegfeld Follies, an opulent production filled with women and highly extravagant costumes and sets, is a smash hit. Ziegfeld tries to make an out of Audrey Dane, who is plagued with alcoholism. He gives stagehand Ray Bolger his break as well, mary Lou, now a young woman, visits Ziegfeld, who doesnt recognize her initially, and hires her as a dancer. The new production upsets Anna, who realizes that Flos world does not revolve around just her and she divorces him after walking in on Flo and a drunk Audrey at the wrong moment
The Great Ziegfeld
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Nat Pendleton as
Eugen Sandow
The Great Ziegfeld
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Theatrical release poster
The Great Ziegfeld
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Luise Rainer as
Anna Held
The Great Ziegfeld
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Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. (
William Powell) and
Billie Burke (
Myrna Loy).
3.
Broadway Melody of 1936
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Broadway Melody of 1936 is a musical film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1935. In New York, the opened at the Capitol Theatre. It was a follow-up of sorts to the successful The Broadway Melody, the film was written by Harry W. Conn, Moss Hart, Jack McGowan and Sid Silvers. It was directed by Roy Del Ruth and starred Jack Benny, Eleanor Powell, Robert Taylor, Frances Langford, Sid Silvers, Buddy Ebsen and it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Irene Foster tries to convince her high school sweetheart, Broadway producer Robert Gordon, to give her a chance to star in his new musical, irene tries to show Gordon that she has the talent to succeed, but he will not hire her. Things become complicated when she begins impersonating a French dancer, who was actually the invention of a gossip columnist, cast notes This was Powells first leading role, and her first film for MGM. She would appear in the two entries in the Broadway Melody series, Broadway Melody of 1938 and Broadway Melody of 1940. This also marked Ebsens film debut, though she was dubbed in this film by Marjorie Lane, Eleanor recorded You Are My Lucky Star with Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra. Broadway Melody of 1936 at the Internet Movie Database Broadway Melody of 1936 at the TCM Movie Database Broadway Melody of 1936 at AllMovie
Broadway Melody of 1936
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original film poster
4.
Busby Berkeley
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Busby Berkeley was a Hollywood movie director and musical choreographer. Berkeley devised elaborate musical numbers that often involved complex geometric patterns. Berkeleys works used large numbers of showgirls and props as fantasy elements in kaleidoscopic on-screen performances, Berkeley was born in Los Angeles, California, to stage actress Gertrude Berkeley. Whether he was actually christened Busby Berkeley William Enos, or Berkeley William Enos, in addition to her stage work, Gertrude played mother roles in silent films while Berkeley was still a child. Berkeley made his stage début at five, acting in the company of his performing family, during World War I, Berkeley served as a field artillery lieutenant. Watching soldiers drill may have inspired his later complex choreography, during the 1920s, Berkeley was a dance director for nearly two dozen Broadway musicals, including such hits as A Connecticut Yankee. As a choreographer, Berkeley was less concerned with the skill of his chorus girls as he was with their ability to form themselves into attractive geometric patterns. His musical numbers were among the largest and best-regimented on Broadway, berkeleys top shot technique appeared seminally in the Cantor films, and also the 1932 Universal drama film Night World. As choreographer, Berkeley was allowed a degree of independence in his direction of musical numbers. Berkeleys popularity with an entertainment-hungry Great Depression audience was secured when he choreographed four musicals back-to-back for Warner Bros. 42nd Street, Footlight Parade, the aforementioned Gold Diggers of 1933, Dames, berkeleys innovative and often sexually charged dance numbers have been analyzed at length by cinema scholars. In particular, the numbers have been critiqued for their display of the form as seen through the male gaze. Berkeley always denied any deep significance to his work, arguing that his professional goals were to constantly top himself. As the outsized musicals in which Berkeley specialized became passé, he turned to straight directing, the result was 1939s They Made Me a Criminal, one of John Garfields best films. Berkeley had several well-publicized run-ins with MGM stars such as Judy Garland, in 1943, he was removed as director of Girl Crazy because of disagreements with Garland, although the lavish musical number I Got Rhythm, which he directed, remained in the picture. His next stop was at 20th Century-Fox for 1943s The Gangs All Here, the film made money, but Berkeley and the Fox brass disagreed over budget matters. Berkeley returned to MGM in the late 1940s, where many other accomplishments he conceived the Technicolor finales for the studios Esther Williams films. Berkeleys final film as choreographer was MGMs Billy Roses Jumbo, in the late 1960s, the camp craze brought the Berkeley musicals back to the forefront
Busby Berkeley
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c. 1935
Busby Berkeley
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The "
By A Waterfall " production number from
Footlight Parade (1933) made use of one of the largest soundstages ever built, constructed especially by
Warner Bros. to film Berkeley's creations.
Busby Berkeley
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A typical Busby Berkeley geometrical arrangement of dancers, from
Dames (1934).
Busby Berkeley
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Carmen Miranda in
The Gang's All Here (1943)
5.
Gold Diggers of 1935
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Gold Diggers of 1935 is an American musical film directed and choreographed by Busby Berkeley. Starring Dick Powell, Adolphe Menjou, Gloria Stuart and Alice Brady, featuring Winifred Shaw, Hugh Herbert, the film is best known for the famous Lullaby of Broadway production number, which features Shaw singing the song which won Harry Warren and Al Dubin an Academy Award. Both the original and the 1933 film made a deal of money for Warner Bros. It was followed by Gold Diggers of 1937 and Gold Diggers in Paris, in the resort of Lake Waxapahachie, the swanky Wentworth Plaza is where the rich all congregate, and where the tips flow like wine. Mrs. Prentiss wants Ann to marry eccentric middle-aged millionaire T. Mosley Thorpe, whos an expert on snuffboxes. Meanwhile her brother, Humbolt has a weakness for a pretty face, hes been married, every summer, Mrs. Prentiss produces a charity show for the Milk Fund, and this year she hires the flamboyant and conniving Russian dance director Nicolai Nicoleff to direct the show. Dick Powell as Dick Curtis Adolphe Menjou as Nicolai Nicoleff Gloria Stuart as Ann Prentiss Alice Brady as Matilda Prentiss Hugh Herbert as T. Lullaby of Broadway – One of the most famous Busby Berkeley numbers is actually a short film-within-a-film, which tells the story of a Broadway Baby who plays all night and sleeps all day. It opens with a shot of singer Wini Shaw against a black background, then the camera pulls back and up. As everyone rushes off to work, Shaw returns home from her nights carousing, when she awakens, that night, we follow her and her beau from club to club, with elaborate large cast tap numbers, until she is accidentally pushed off a balcony to her death. The sequence ends with a return to Shaws head, as she sings the end of the song, of all the musical numbers Berkeley created in his career, he named this as his personal favorite. Gold Diggers of 1935 was in production at Warner Bros, burbank studios until 14 January 1935, and was released on 15 March of that year. During production a chorus dancer, Jack Grieves, died on the set due to acute indigestion, Harry Warren and Al Dubin received an Academy Award for Best Original Song for Lullaby of Broadway, and Busby Berkeley was nominated for Best Dance Direction. The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists,2004, AFIs 100 Years
Gold Diggers of 1935
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Gold Diggers of 1935
Gold Diggers of 1935
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Busby Berkeley 's "Lullaby of Broadway" production number from Gold Diggers of 1935
6.
Go into Your Dance
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Go into Your Dance is a 1935 American musical film starring Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler, and Glenda Farrell. The film was directed by Archie Mayo and is based on the novel of the name by Bradford Ropes. It was released by Warner Bros. on April 20,1935, an irresponsible Broadway star gets mixed up with gambling and gangsters. Broadway star Al Howard has a habit of walking out on hit shows and his sister Molly promises his agent he will never do it again, but he is banned from Broadway. Molly tracks Al down in Mexico, where he is on a binge, when Molly runs into Dorothy Wayne a friend who is a dancer, she begs Dorothy to form a team with Al, because she can get Al a job if he has a partner. At first Molly is reluctant but finally agreed and it takes some work to convince Al, but he eventually agrees to form a team with Dorothy. They become a big success in Chicago, Dorothy falls in love with Al and thinking that he does not return her affection decides to quit the act. Al asks her to stay, telling her that he plans to open his own nightclub on Broadway. Molly introduces Al to Duke Hutchinson a gangster who is willing to back the club as a showcase for his wife, Al flirts with Luana, Dorothy warns him about his involvement with Luana, but Al continues his flirtation with her. Duke gives Al an additional $30,000 to open the club, but before opening night, Al uses the money to post bond for Molly, who has been arrested on suspicion of murder. When Al turns down a proposal from Luana, she angrily tells Duke the club will not open on schedule, at the last minute, Molly is cleared of the murder and the necessary money is returned, with the show opening on time and to great applause. Duke tries to call off his gunmen, but Luana does not give them the message, Al finally realizes that he is in love with Dorothy and asks her to dinner. As they step out the door, Dorothy sees the gunmen and she is wounded and as Al holds her, he tells Dorothy that he loves her. The doctor proclaims that Dorothy will be fine and Als club is a huge success, Barton MacLane was billed as Barton Mac Lane. Go into Your Dance was released in Britain as Casino de Paris and this film, a famous early musical, includes the numbers This Evening About a Quarter to Nine and Latin From Manhattan sung by Al Jolson. The former song was recreated in color in the film The Jolson Story. Dance director Bobby Connolly received an Academy Award nomination for his work on the Latin from Manhattan and her tap dancing is so much better. On the credit side are the Warren-Dubin songs, the absence—mark this. —of overhead shots of the chorus, Helen Morgans rendition of The Little Things You Used to Do, and Mr. Jolson
Go into Your Dance
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Go into Your Dance
7.
Hermes Pan
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Hermes Pan was an American dancer and choreographer, principally remembered as Fred Astaires choreographic collaborator on the famous 1930s movie musicals starring Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Pan was born Hermes Panagiotopoulos in 1909 in Memphis, Tennessee and his father, the Greek consul in Memphis, Tennessee was from Aigio in Peloponnese, where his family had opened the first theatre. Following the death of Pans father, his uncle held Pan, his sister and mother at gunpoint and burned all their shares and money on the grounds if he could not have them. Hermes and his sister Vasso were eventually raised Catholic by his mother, penniless, they moved to the poorest area of New York where Hermes learned his first tap dancing steps on the streets from local black children. At their lowest ebb, the family had only some potatoes and they vowed to commemorate that day and every year on June 13, they wrote down what they did and ate that day in a journal. The date became a family celebration, eventually the family headed West with Sammy, a black boy they met at a gas station, to Los Angeles, California. Pans career began with an appearance as a boy in 1928 in the Marx Brothers Broadway production of Animal Crackers. He also danced in partnership with his sister Vasso, who appeared in the chorus of many of the Astaire-Rogers pictures. He first met Ginger Rogers in 1930, when he appeared as a singer in the Broadway musical Top Speed. He retained links with his relatives in Greece and made a visit in the 1970s to meet them. He met Fred Astaire, whom he resembled, on the set of Flying Down to Rio. While Astaire was trying to out a series of steps for The Carioca number, it was suggested to him that Pan had a few ideas. Hermes Pan demonstrated a brief break he had picked up from his days in New York. He had previously received Academy Award nominations for the Top Hat and The Piccolino numbers from Top Hat, given Astaires obsessive rehearsal habits, this was no mean task. In addition, he recorded Gingers taps in post production in some numbers, Pan continued to collaborate with Astaire right up until the latters last musical picture, Finians Rainbow, which was a disaster on a number of fronts, not least for Pan himself. Eventually, Coppola fired Pan, who had a small part in the film. He appeared with Betty Grable in Moon Over Miami and Coney Island and his longest filmed dance routine is a complex tap duet with Grable in Footlight Serenade that echoes his work with Astaire and Rogers in which his similarity to Astaire is striking. He also appeared with Rita Hayworth in My Gal Sal and with Betty Grable again in Pin Up Girl, in these films he had non-speaking dancing roles and acted as choreographer
Hermes Pan
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Fred Astaire and Hermes Pan working out a dance routine
Hermes Pan
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Astaire and Pan (standing third from left) in
Second Chorus (1940)
Hermes Pan
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Hermes Pan and Rita Hayworth in the dance routine "On the Gay White Way" from
My Gal Sal (1942)
8.
Top Hat
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Top Hat is a 1935 American screwball musical comedy film in which Fred Astaire plays an American dancer named Jerry Travers, who comes to London to star in a show produced by Horace Hardwick. He meets and attempts to impress Dale Tremont to win her affection, the film was written by Allan Scott and Dwight Taylor. It was directed by Mark Sandrich, the songs were written by Irving Berlin. Top Hat, White Tie and Tails and Cheek to Cheek have become American song classics and it has been nostalgically referred to — particularly its Cheek to Cheek segment — in many films, including The Purple Rose of Cairo and The Green Mile. Top Hat was the most successful picture of Astaire and Rogers partnership, while some dance critics maintain that Swing Time contained a finer set of dances, Top Hat remains, to this day, the partnerships best-known work. An American dancer, Jerry Travers comes to London to star in a show produced by the bumbling Horace Hardwick, while practicing a tap dance routine in his hotel bedroom, he awakens Dale Tremont on the floor below. She storms upstairs to complain, whereupon Jerry falls hopelessly in love with her, Dale mistakes Jerry for Horace, who is married to her friend Madge. Jerry proposes to Dale, who, while believing that Jerry is Horace, is disgusted that her friends husband could behave in such a manner. Fortunately, Bates, Horaces meddling English valet, disguises himself as a priest and conducts the ceremony, on a trip in a gondola, Jerry manages to convince Dale and they return to the hotel where the previous confusion is rapidly cleared up. The reconciled couple dance off into the Venetian sunset, to the tune of The Piccolino, Top Hat began filming on April 1,1935 and cost $620,000 to make. Shooting ended in June and the first public previews were held in July. These led to cuts of ten minutes, mainly in the last portion of the film, the carnival sequence. After Mutiny on the Bounty, it made more money than any film released in 1935. Dwight Taylor was the principal screenwriter in this, the first screenplay written specially for Astaire, Astaire reacted negatively to the first drafts, complaining that it is patterned too closely after The Gay Divorcee, and I am cast as. A sort of young man without charm or sympathy or humour. Of his role in the creation of Top Hat, Taylor recalled that with Sandrich, the whole style of the picture can be summed up in the word inconsequentiality. When I left RKO a year later, Mark said to me, on the films release, the script was panned by many critics, who alleged it was merely a rewrite of The Gay Divorcee. Eight songs from the score were discarded as they were not considered to advance the films plot
Top Hat
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theatrical release poster
Top Hat
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The final supported backbend – Astaire and Rogers in the climax to "Cheek to Cheek"
9.
LeRoy Prinz
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He was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Dance Direction in the 1930s, and won the Golden Globe in 1958. Among the films whose dances he choreographed were Show Boat, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Rhapsody in Blue, LeRoy Jerome Prinz was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. His grandfather was a master, and his father taught ballroom dancing etiquette to young men and women at Prinzs Academy in St. Joseph. According to one account, he was sent to school after chasing his stepmother with a carving knife. Later that year, he told interviewers, he went on a ship to Europe as a boy, jumped ship. In Marseilles he joined the French Foreign Legion, serving as a bugler in Algiers and he also represented a rubber company in St. Louis and Kansas City. After the outbreak of World War I, he returned to France, was trained as a pilot and he was with the 94th from November 1917 to June 1918, when he switched to the 27th Aero Squadron, where he stayed until November 1918. At the 27th his duties included working at the Aircraft Acceptance Park test facility at Orly, according to his obituary in the Los Angeles Times, Prinz returned to the U. S. in 1919 and studied theater at Northwestern University. After graduation from Northwestern, the reported, Prinz returned to France. A November 1919 St. Louis Post-Dispatch report states that Prinz was employed in the portion of an American Legion show, also featuring actor William S. Hart. The newspaper gives Prinzs rank as captain and states that he was a partner of Quentin Roosevelt. A Wisconsin newspaper reported in 1921 that Prinz, which it said had danced with Al Jolson, was teaching dance at a camp for wounded veterans. The newspaper said that Prinz himself had fallen 3000 feet but had recovered and he told interviewers that he worked for gangster Jim Colosimos restaurant in Chicago, and that he produced stage shows for Al Capone. He claimed in a 1945 New York Times profile that Capone hired him to book entertainment, Prinz left Chicago and worked as a dance director in New York, Florida, Mexico and Cuba. His employers included Earl Carroll, Broadways Shubert family, Tex Guinan and he choreographed Earl Carrolls Vanities of 1930 and other Broadway shows between 1929 and 1933. His first employment in films was in 1931 by director Cecil B, deMille, who employed him as dance director. While filming Cleopatra, Prinz clashed with DeMilles niece Agnes de Mille, according to Agnes de Milles biographer, her uncle always deferred to the reliable but pedestrian Prinz, even after agreeing to his nieces flamboyant dances in advance. Agnes de Mille left the film and he worked in over 150 films, mainly as a choreographer, among them The Desert Song, Tea for Two, and The Jazz Singer, a remake of the first sound movie
LeRoy Prinz
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LeRoy Prinz and dancers at
Paramount
LeRoy Prinz
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Prinz clashed with
Agnes de Mille while staging dances for her uncle's film
Cleopatra (1934).
LeRoy Prinz
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In Prinz's choreography of films like
Yankee Doodle Dandy, the camera was like a member of the audience.
10.
The Big Broadcast of 1936
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The Big Broadcast of 1936 is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Norman Taurog, and is the second in the series of Big Broadcast movies. The film featured an appearance by Dorothy Dandridge. Glenn Miller appears as part of the Ray Noble Orchestra, in Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, George Thomas Simon noted that Glenn Miller was paid extra by Ray Noble for working on The Big Broadcast of 1936, so that Glenns total weekly pay was $356. The screenplay was by Walter DeLeon, Francis Martin, Ralph Spence, and Julius J. Epstein, the film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Dance Direction by LeRoy Prinz for Its the Animal in Me. Although the film has not been released on DVD or VHS, both Spud and Smiley play the role of Lochinvar. Burns and Allen ask Miller for an advance of $5,000 for the invention, Spud decides to enter an international broadcast competition with a prize of $250,000. Ysobel listens to the Lochinvar radio show and believes that he has sent her a letter and she finds out that he sends letters to listeners of the show. Outraged, she goes to the station to shoot Lochinvar. Spud and Smiley are able to win her over after her gun fails to shoot and they attempt to convince her to invest $5,000 in The Radio Eye invention which would allow them to win the competition. She takes Spud and Smiley to her Caribbean island, Clementi and she will decide to marry one of them before midnight. Gordoni, however, plans to murder them, Spud and Smiley are able to notify George Burns and Gracie Allen in New York and inform them that they are in grave danger. Burns and Allen then depart for the island on a boat, Gracie sets a fire on the boat. A Coast Guard cutter takes them on board and heads for the island, Gordoni has Drowzo put in the drinks to put Ysobel to sleep. Spud and Smiley turn on The Radio Eye to listen to the Vienna Boys Choir, Spud and Smiley are able to escape on coaches with teams of horses. After a chase, during which Spud is separated from his horses in a bifurcation in the road, they reach the pier where the Coast Guard and Burns, Spud wins the international broadcast competition. Spud tells Ysobel that he may marry her after a period of observation and she tells him, Let this be the start of a beautiful friendship. Paramounts Big Broadcast series began in 1932 and continued in late 1935 with The Big Broadcast of 1936, the movie was filmed at the Kaufman Astoria Studios on 3412 36th Street, Astoria, Queens, in New York City. Bing Crosbys cameo was filmed in Hollywood in April 1935
The Big Broadcast of 1936
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The Big Broadcast of 1936
11.
She (1935 film)
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She is a 1935 American film produced by Merian C. Based on H. Rider Haggards novel of the same name, the film reached a new generation of moviegoers with a 1949 re-release. The ancient civilization of Kor is depicted in an Art Deco style with special effects. The setting is Arctic Siberia, rather than in Africa, as in the first book, the third book is set in the Himalayas. With music by Max Steiner, the film stars Helen Gahagan, Randolph Scott and it was hoped that She would follow Coopers previous success, King Kong. Cooper had originally intended to shoot the film in color, but budget cuts by RKO forced him to shoot the film in black, however, the black and white film had disappointing results at the box office. It initially lost $180,000, although it later had a successful re-release, the film is listed in Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilsons book The Official Razzie Movie Guide as one of the The 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made. In 2006, Legend Films and Ray Harryhausen colorized the film as a tribute to Cooper, the colorized trailer for She premiered at the 2006 Comic-Con. She was considered a lost film for years until an original print. She originally had a time of 102 minutes, but on its 1949 re-release, was edited down to 94 minutes. The 8 minutes of missing scenes, taken from a lower quality 16mm print, were finally reinstated in 2007 by Kino Video. Following the route outlined in an old journal, Leo and Holly travel through frozen wastes, as a guide named Tugmore and his daughter, Tanya join them on their quest. They stumble upon the ancient city of Kor, where they are attacked by cannibals but are saved by She Who Must Be Obeyed and her Minister Billali. She believes that Leo is the reincarnation of her lover, John Vincey, Tanya warns Leo that nothing human can live forever. At the end, She asks Leo to step into the Flame of Life with her, when Leo hesitates, She offers to step in first. Rather than renewing her youth, She ages hundreds of years, becomes a withered mummy-like creature, Leo, Holly and Tanya then safely make their escape. The ageless ice goddess served as inspiration for the Evil Queen in Walt Disneys Snow White, the film version conflates characters, events and locations from all three books, The location of Ayeshas realm is a free adaptation from the second novel. In the film, it is located in the north of the Russian Arctic, whereas in the original novel She the city of Kor is located in eastern Africa
She (1935 film)
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Theatrical release poster
She (1935 film)
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The title character inspired Disney's Evil Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
12.
A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody
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A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody is a popular song written by Irving Berlin in 1919 which became the theme song of the Ziegfeld Follies. The first verse and refrain are considered part of the Great American Songbook and are covered as a jazz standard. The portion of the song composed entirely by Berlin and published as sheet music comprised the first verse, the refrain begins, A pretty girl is like a melody / That haunts you night and day, a summary of the songs extended simile. The refrain is better known than the verse, which Rubins calls mercifully little-known. The later verses from the original 1919 stage show were patter lyrics by Berlin to the air of classical tunes and these verses were comical vignettes of the singers past trysts, successful or otherwise. Their lyrics were long believed lost, but survived in the unpublished script. The source music was, Magee concludes, from Travis lack of memory of the Träumerei, Berlin had agreed with Florenz Ziegfeld to write one act of the 1919 follies, including a Ziegfeld Girl number to showcase the showgirls. He first conceived of the classical portion, to match costumes the girls would be wearing and he needed a framing device for the entire sequence, and so subsequently wrote the initial verse and refrain which would become famous. In the 1919 Follies, the song was sung by the tenor John Steel and he sang the first verse and chorus alone on stage, then each of the remaining five verses while a showgirl sashayed by in costume appropriate to the quoted air. The final refrain saw Steel surrounded by all five beauties and this format was the template for similar numbers in many musical revues of subsequent decades. A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody was the hit song of that years Follies, and became the theme song for all later Follies. In the 1936 film The Great Ziegfeld, the song was the musical number performed on a huge set comprising a spiral staircase. The scene reworked the original stage number on a far grander scale, with dancers in various period costumes. The scene became famous and was included in the 1974 anthology film Thats Entertainment, the song was used frequently in the annual Miss America pageant prior to 1955, when There She Is, Miss America by Bernie Wayne became its new theme song. In 1963, Tom Prideaux wrote in Life magazine that the song has played ever since for God knows how many beauty contests, debutante cotillions. It was also used in catwalk fashion shows. Fred Astaire danced to the song in the film Blue Skies in 1946, among the singers who have recorded the song are Pat Boone, Bobby Vinton, Bing Crosby, Vic Damone, Ethel Merman, Rudy Vallée, Bobby Gordon, Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland. A clarinet version performed by Woody Allen with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band is on the soundtrack of his 2000 movie Small Time Crooks, in 1947, Berlin called the song one of his five most important songs structurally, saying he used the same rhythmic pattern in other songs
A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody
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Sheet music cover
13.
Gold Diggers of 1937
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Gold Diggers of 1937 is a Warner Bros. movie musical directed by Lloyd Bacon with musical numbers created and directed by Busby Berkeley. The film stars Dick Powell and Joan Blondell, who were married at the time, with Glenda Farrell, the film features songs by the teams of Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg, Harry Warren and Al Dubin and it was based on the play Sweet Mystery of Life by Richard Maibaum, Michael Wallach and George Haight, which ran briefly on Broadway in 1935. Warren Duff wrote the screenplay with the assistance of Tom Warren and this is the fifth movie in Warner Bros. series of Gold Digger films, following the now Lost film The Gold Diggers and Gold Diggers of Broadway. And a remake of the earlier film Gold Diggers of 1933, the film was followed by Gold Diggers in Paris. Meek, aging, hypochondriac stage producer J. J, hobart, who always thinks he is about to die, is going to mount a new show, but his partners Morty Wethered and Tom Hugo lost the money for the show in the stock market. On the advice of chorus girl Genevieve Larkin, they insure J. J. for a million dollars, so that when he dies, genevieves friend, ex-chorus girl Norma Perry is sweet on insurance salesman Rosmer Peek, and he writes the policy. On the other hand, Morty and Hugo have everything to gain if J. J. dies, when that fails, they talk Genevieve into seducing J. J. but she ends up falling in love with him instead. When the show is a success Genevieve and J. J. get married, davidson as Andy Callahan Olin Howland as Dr. MacDuffy Charles Halton as Dr. Bell The production numbers were created, designed, staged and directed by Busby Berkeley. Originally, all the songs for the film were to have been written by Harold Arlen, yip Harburg, but Berkeley was dissatisfied and brought in Harry Warren and Al Dubin, who had contributed songs to his previous Warner Bros. films. Their song With Plenty of Money and You became a hit, Alls Fair in Love and War - by Harry Warren and Al Dubin – The staging for this number utilized 104 women in white military uniforms tapping in military formations and geometric patterns. Gold Diggers of 1937 marked Victor Moores return to the screen after a two-year absence following Gift of Gab, the film was in production at Warner Bros. Burbank studio beginning in mid-July 1936, and premiered on 26 December 1936 and it went into general release two days later. In 1937, Busby Berkeley was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Dance Direction for the Alls Fair in Love and War production number
Gold Diggers of 1937
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portion of theatrical poster
Gold Diggers of 1937
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A
Busby Berkeley production number from Gold Diggers of 1937
14.
Cain and Mabel
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Cain and Mabel is a 1936 romantic comedy film designed as a vehicle for Marion Davies in which she co-stars with Clark Gable. The story had been filmed before, in 1924, by William Randolph Hearsts production company, Cosmopolitan, as a silent called The Great White Way, starring Anita Stewart and Oscar Shaw. Inevitably, the two fall in love for real, and plan on getting married, with Mabel quitting show business to be a housewife and Cain quitting the fight racket to run garages in New Jersey. When their entourages get wind of their plan, they plant the story in the newspapers, Mabel abandons her show and rushes to Philadelphia where Cain is fighting. Having been told by his manager that Mabel is going to marry crooner Ronny Caudwell, reilly confesses to Cain that he was the one who leaked the story, and Cains second, DoDo accidentally throws a towel into the ring, making Cain the loser by a technical knockout. But since Mabel has bet on the boxer, the newly reunited couple will have a tidy nest egg to start their new life together. The film was a flop, with critics finding that Gable was miscast as a fighter. Cain and Mabel was nominated for a 1937 Academy Award for Best Dance Direction by Bobby Connolly, notes Cain and Mabel at the Internet Movie Database Cain and Mabel at the TCM Movie Database Cain and Mabel at AllMovie Cain and Mabel at the American Film Institute Catalog
Cain and Mabel
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sheet music for "I'll Sing You a Thousand Love Songs"
15.
Born to Dance
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The score was composed by Cole Porter. Blake In the score during the Rolling Home number Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean Written by David T. Shaw Arranged by Thomas A, the film co-stars James Stewart as Powells love interest and Virginia Bruce as the films resident femme fatale and Powells rival. Powells Broadway Melody co-stars Buddy Ebsen and Frances Langford return to provide comedy, highlights of the film include a rare musical number by Stewart, and a bombastic finale called Swingin the Jinx Away. This finale was also lifted in its entirety and re-used in another Powell film, I Dood It, although considered one of Powells most memorable musical numbers, and often featured in retrospectives such as Thats Entertainment. Musical director Roger Edens was often quoted as being embarrassed by the segment, the film introduced the Porter standards Youd Be So Easy to Love and Ive Got You Under My Skin, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song. It was the first film in which Stewart sang, some of the musical numbers were recorded in stereophonic sound, making this one of the first films to utilize multi-channel technology. Rhino Records included the tracks in its soundtrack album, released on CD, including Jimmy Stewarts
Born to Dance
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1936 theatrical poster
16.
Swing Time (film)
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Swing Time is a 1936 American RKO musical comedy film set mainly in New York City, and starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It features Helen Broderick, Victor Moore, Betty Furness, Eric Blore and Georges Metaxa, with music by Jerome Kern, the film was directed by George Stevens. Noted dance critic Arlene Croce considers Swing Time Astaire and Rogers best dance musical and it features four dance routines that are each regarded as masterpieces. According to The Oxford Companion to the American Musical Swing Time is a candidate for the best of the Fred Astaire. The Oxford Companion says that, although the screenplay is contrived, it left plenty of room for dance, … Although the movie is remembered as one of the great dance musicals, it also boasts one of the best film scores of the 1930s. S. Jerome Kerns score, the second of two he composed specially for Astaire, contains three of his most memorable songs, the films plot has been criticized, though, as has the performance of Metaxa. More praised is Rogers acting and dancing performance, Rogers herself credited much of the films success to Stevens, He gave us a certain quality, I think, that made it stand out above the others. Nevertheless, the film was a hit, costing $886,000, grossing over $2,600,000 worldwide. The partnership never again regained the creative heights scaled in this, in 1999 Swing Time was one of Entertainment Weeklys top 100 films. In 2004 it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being culturally, historically, in the new AFIs 100 Years. 100 Movies it has added at #90. John Lucky Garnett is a gambler and dancer and he is set to marry Margaret, but his friends hold him up so that he is late for the wedding. Margarets father phones to call off the wedding, but Lucky doesnt get that message and his friends bet him that he will not be getting married, and he agrees to the bet. Margarets father tells Lucky that he must earn $25,000 to demonstrate his good intentions and he and his friend Pop Cardetti try to buy train tickets, but his friends take his money – because he lost the bet. So they hitch the first freight train to New York, broke, they wander around the city. Lucky meets Penny, a school instructor, when he asks for change for a quarter. Its his lucky quarter and Pop feels bad that Lucky lost it and they attempt to get it back, but Penny is in no mood to deal with them. When she drops her things, Pop sneaks the quarter out of her purse and they follow Penny to her work
Swing Time (film)
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theatrical release poster
17.
Dancing Pirate
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Dancing Pirate is a 1936 American musical comedy film directed by Lloyd Corrigan. It is the film shot in the three strip Technicolor process and the first musical in that format. The film features the debut of stage star Charles Collins and the cast includes Rita Hayworth as one of The Royal Cansino Dancers, other dancers in the film were Pat Nixon and Marjorie Reynolds. Set in Boston in the 1820s, the tells of dancing teacher Jonathan Pride, shanghaied by pirates. He is seen by a shepherd who warns the nearest town whose excitable population transform Jonathans arrival into a full-fledged pirate invasion, the Alcade Don Emilio Perena leads the militia into shooting up their own town whilst Jonathan is later captured in the boudoir of Alcades daughter Serafina. When Serafina and the women of the town discover Jonathans profession of dancing teacher, Don Balthazar also plans on secretly executing his rival Jonathan. Jonathan makes his escape and motivates the local downtrodden but peaceful Indians into an uprising through a teaching them a war dance. The Indians use their only weapons their lassoes to capture the soldiers now bandits. Don Balthazar challenges Jonathan to a duel with swords but Jonathan defeats and captures him with his umbrella and his dancing skills
Dancing Pirate
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Poster
18.
A Damsel in Distress
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A Damsel in Distress is a 1937 English-themed Hollywood musical comedy film starring Fred Astaire, Joan Fontaine, George Burns, and Gracie Allen. With a screenplay by P. G. Wodehouse, loosely based on his novel of the name, music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin. It is the second Astaire musical directed by Stevens, the first was Swing Time, everyone on staff at Tottney Castle knows that the lovely Lady Alyce Marshmorton must marry soon, so a wager is proposed as to the identity of the lucky man. With all the likely candidates already claimed, young footman Albert places a bet on a Mr. X, Lady Alyce secretly has a romantic interest in an American no one from her family has yet met. She leaves the one day to venture into London, where by chance she encounters Jerry Halliday. He is an American entertainer, accompanied by press agent George and secretary Gracie, Jerry is incorrectly led to believe that he is the American that Lady Alyce is in love with. He goes to the castle, encouraged by Albert but discouraged by Keggs, the closest Jerry can get to Lady Alyce is a castle tour, at least until Albert can sneak him upstairs. False impressions abound, as Jerry also fails to recognize Lady Alyces father and he is slapped in the face in a Tunnel of Love, misunderstanding the young ladys intentions entirely. In the end, however, he and Lady Alyce do find romance, Gershwin died of a brain tumor while the film was in production. The picture was released four months after his death, for this, the first Astaire RKO film not to feature Ginger Rogers, the nineteen-year-old Fontaine was chosen, with Burns and Allen drafted in to provide the comedy. It soon emerged that Fontaine couldnt dance, but Stevens persuaded Astaire not to replace her with Ruby Keeler, the film was the first Astaire picture to lose money, costing $1,035,000 to produce and losing $65,000. The Stiff Upper Lip routine garnered co-choreographer Hermes Pan the 1937 Academy Award for Best Dance Direction and they would work together twice more, on the Astaire-Rogers films Carefree and The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, before Baravalles sudden death in 1939. I Cant Be Bothered Now, sung by Astaire while executing a tap solo with cane in the middle of a London street and escaping on a bus. Stiff Upper Lip, sung by Gracie Allen and followed by an innovative extended comic dance by Astaire, Burns, a Foggy Day, Astaire introduces what has become a standard in the Great American Songbook, sung while alternately walking and dancing solo through a wooded landscape. It was later featured heavily in the film The Notorious Landlady, nice Work If You Can Get It, the films second Gershwin standard is introduced by Astaire and chorus, followed by an Astaire tap solo, executed while confined by and playing a set of drums. It was shot in one continuous take, the movie also features two faux madrigals written by the Gershwins, Sing of Spring and The Jolly Tar and the Milkmaid. These are performed by a group of singers, with Astaire joining in on the latter song. org
A Damsel in Distress
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A Damsel in Distress film poster
19.
Varsity Show (film)
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Varsity Show is a 1937 American musical film released by Warner Brothers Warner Bros. The film was directed by William Keighley from a script by Jerry Wald, Richard Macaulay, Warren Duff, the movie features songs by Richard A. Whiting and many others. The finale was directed by Busby Berkeley, the film follows a group of students at fictional Winfield College who butt heads with their faculty advisor while producing an annual stage show. In 1937, Fred Waring was approached to play a role in this film. He brought his famous glee club, the Pennsylvanians, to the shoot, when Waring arrived at the campus he found the Glee Club conductor was ill but his replacement was Robert Shaw. Shaw followed Fred Waring, after the movie was finished, to New York, there, Shaw founded the Collegiate Chorale and the Robert Shaw Chorale. Robert Shaw went on to be one of the most important personalities in American choral music in the 20th century, varsity Show at the Internet Movie Database
Varsity Show (film)
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Varsity Show
20.
A Day at the Races (film)
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A Day at the Races is the seventh film starring the three Marx Brothers, with Margaret Dumont, Allan Jones, and Maureen OSullivan. Like their previous Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature A Night at the Opera, this film was a major hit, the Sanitarium has fallen on hard times, and banker J. D. Morgan is attempting to gain control of the sanitarium in order to convert the building into a casino. Judy hopes that Mrs. Upjohn will make a large donation, meanwhile, Judys beau, singer Gil Stewart, who performs in Morgans nightclub, has spent his lifes savings on a racehorse named Hi-Hat. His hope is that the horse, which he purchased from Morgan, will win a big race and the money will allow Judy to save the sanitarium. Unfortunately, he now has no money to pay for the feed, and he and Tony, who works for the sanitarium. By the time Hackenbush is finally able to place a bet, next, Whitmore brings in the eminent Dr. Steinberg from Vienna, whom he hopes will expose Hackenbush as a quack. Hackenbush, Tony, Stuffy and Gil hide out in Hi-Hats stable, Whitmore finally exposes Hackenbush as a horse doctor and Morgan is about to have them arrested when Hi-Hat hears Morgans voice and bolts, jumping several obstacles in the way. Gil realizes that Hi-Hat is a jumper, and enters him into the upcoming steeplechase race, Morgan, who witnessed Hi-Hats jumping ability, tries to prevent him from being entered in the race. After some difficulty getting past Morgan and the Sheriff, the race begins, knowing that Hi-Hat is afraid of Morgan, everyone works to make Hi-Hat aware of his presence before reaching the fence. On the last lap, Hi-Hat and Morgans horse wipe out, Stuffy realizes that the mud-covered horses were switched after the accident, and Morgans jockey was riding Hi-Hat in the finish, thus making Hi-Hat the winner. Cast notes In My Life with Groucho, A Sons Eye View, the screenplay went through numerous outlines, treatments and drafts before arriving at its final version. The majority of the screenplay was written by Al Boasberg, but due to a spat with MGM. As they had with A Night At The Opera, the Brothers honed the material during a pre-production Vaudeville tour. Grouchos character was originally named Quackenbush but was changed to Hackenbush over fear of lawsuits by several real Dr. Quackenbushes, during production, Irving Thalberg, who had brought the Marx Brothers to MGM, died suddenly of pneumonia at age 37. After Thalbergs death the studio never gave the care to the Marx Brothers. The original release of A Day at the Races presented the water carnival sequence in light brown sepia and the ballet scene with a blue tint. The songs in the film, by Bronislaw Kaper, Walter Jurmann, and Gus Kahn, are On Blue Venetian Waters, Tomorrow Is Another Day, two other songs were filmed, but cut because it was felt that the film was too long. One, Dr. Hackenbush, was sung by Groucho about what a doctor he is
A Day at the Races (film)
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theatrical release poster
A Day at the Races (film)
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The Marx Brothers on the set with director Sam Wood
21.
Ali Baba Goes to Town
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Ali Baba Goes to Town is a 1937 film starring Eddie Cantor, Tony Martin, and Roland Young. Cantor plays a hobo named Aloysius Al Babson, who walks into the camp of a company that is making the Arabian Nights. He falls asleep and dreams he is in Baghdad as an advisor to the Sultan and he organizes work programs, taxes the rich, and abolishes the army, in a spoof of Roosevelts New Deal. The cast also includes Gypsy Rose Lee, using the name of Louise Hovick. The Raymond Scott Quintette also appears, performing Twilight In Turkey, a clip from Ali Baba Goes to Town is shown in the movie The Day of the Locust, in which Karen Black plays an aspiring actress in 1930s Hollywood. A brief shot of Black is edited into the Ali Baba footage to create the impression that her character played a bit role in that film, Ali Baba/Aloysius Al Babson Tony Martin. Omar, The Rug Maker Warren Hymer, specialty Dancer Uncredited Guests At Premiere, Phyllis Brooks. Herself List of American films of 1937 Ali Baba Goes to Town at the Internet Movie Database
Ali Baba Goes to Town
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Film poster
22.
Thin Ice (1937 film)
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Thin Ice is a United States comedy/romance film directed by Sidney Lanfield starring Tyrone Power and figure skater Sonja Henie. The plot follows ski instructor Lili Heiser, who works at a luxury hotel in the Swiss Alps. She falls in love with a man who goes skiing every morning and she thinks hes an everyday tourist, not knowing that hes a prince trying to escape the pressures of royal life. The movie showcased Sonja Henies skating talents, after winning gold in the 1928,1932 and 1936 Winter Olympics, Henie became a professional film actress in 1936. The film also features Tyrone Power in the beginnings of his career, the movie was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Dance Direction for the Prince Igor Suite. Thin Ice at the Internet Movie Database
Thin Ice (1937 film)
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Film poster by Joseph A. Maturo
23.
Waikiki Wedding
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Waikiki Wedding is a 1937 American musical film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Bing Crosby, Bob Burns, Martha Raye, and Shirley Ross. Crosby plays the part of Tony Marvin, a PR man charged with extolling the virtues of Hawaii, the female lead, played by Shirley Ross is a local beauty queen who makes unhelpful comments about the islands. Bob Burns, along with Martha Raye, are the comic relief, amongst the supporting cast was a young Anthony Quinn. It was made by Paramount Pictures as a rival to the Fred Astaire, the film is best remembered for the song Sweet Leilani with words and music by Harry Owens, which won the Oscar for Best Song in 1937. Other songs included Blue Hawaii, In a Little Hula Heaven, Nani Ona Pua, Okolehao, Crosby is cast in a romantic Hawaiian setting as Tony Marvin a publicity agent for Imperial Pineapple Company. The winner of the contest was promised three weeks in Hawaii and her happy impressions are to be syndicated in the press for publicity. Unfortunately it seems Georgia Smith, the girl from Birch Falls who won the Pineapple Girl contest, the prospect of such adverse publicity enrages J. P. who tells Tony that he must do something to stop the girls leaving. To give a little romantic colour therefore, Tony sings Blue Hawaii outside the girls bungalow helped by a Hawaiian chorus, when Myrtle opens the door he mistakes her for Georgia and is therefore unaware that it is Georgia he later meets at the dockside. When, shortly afterwards, she and Myrtle are about to board ship bound for home a stranger thrusts into her hand a black pearl, consequently, they are prevented from leaving and Tony and Shad arrive opportunely to offer help. Apparently the pearl is sacred and must be returned to a shrine on an island from which it has been stolen or, according to a native legend. Kimo, a native, says the girls must themselves return the pearl, the whole business has been arranged by Tony to prevent Georgia from returning home and he has also written, in her name, glowing reports for press hand-outs. On the trip across to the island Tony and Georgia sing Blue Hawaii, meanwhile, J. P. receives a long-distance call from Georgias fiancé, dentist Dr. Quimby, who says that he is coming to fetch her. On the island Georgia offers to hand over the pearl but is told to await the arrival of the High Priest, while they are detained on the island Shad and Myrtle become well acquainted and enliven the scene with comedy episodes involving Walford the pig. Tony, with Hawaiian chorus, sings Sweet Leilani to a native girl. When the High Priest arrives the pearl is handed over and at a celebration ceremony Georgia sings In a Little Hula Heaven, Myrtle sings Okolehao, the name for a potent native drink. When the volcano continues to rumble and smoke the High Priest announces that the pearl must be fake, the volcanos activity is, at Tonys instigation, manufactured by natives maintaining the fire and flames. Tony helps Georgia escape and the four make for the boat, Tony sings Sweet Is the Word for You and it is also sung by Georgia. When she returns to her hotel next day she finds Quimby and her uncle Herman awaiting her, meanwhile, Tony, regretting his actions, has called on J. P. and told him not to publish the articles he has written
Waikiki Wedding
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Theatrical release poster
24.
Academy Awards
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The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette, officially called the Academy Award of Merit, which has become commonly known by its nickname Oscar. The awards, first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, are overseen by AMPAS, the awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953. It is now live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online. The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony and its equivalents – the Emmy Awards for television, the Tony Awards for theater, and the Grammy Awards for music and recording – are modeled after the Academy Awards. The 89th Academy Awards ceremony, honoring the best films of 2016, were held on February 26,2017, at the Dolby Theatre, in Los Angeles, the ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC. A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th, the first Academy Awards presentation was held on May 16,1929, at a private dinner function at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel with an audience of about 270 people. The post-awards party was held at the Mayfair Hotel, the cost of guest tickets for that nights ceremony was $5. Fifteen statuettes were awarded, honoring artists, directors and other participants in the industry of the time. The ceremony ran for 15 minutes, winners were announced to media three months earlier, however, that was changed for the second ceremony in 1930. Since then, for the rest of the first decade, the results were given to newspapers for publication at 11,00 pm on the night of the awards. The first Best Actor awarded was Emil Jannings, for his performances in The Last Command and he had to return to Europe before the ceremony, so the Academy agreed to give him the prize earlier, this made him the first Academy Award winner in history. With the fourth ceremony, however, the system changed, for the first six ceremonies, the eligibility period spanned two calendar years. At the 29th ceremony, held on March 27,1957, until then, foreign-language films had been honored with the Special Achievement Award. The 74th Academy Awards, held in 2002, presented the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, since 1973, all Academy Awards ceremonies always end with the Academy Award for Best Picture. The Academy also awards Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, see also § Awards of Merit categories The best known award is the Academy Award of Merit, more popularly known as the Oscar statuette. The five spokes represent the branches of the Academy, Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers. The model for the statuette is said to be Mexican actor Emilio El Indio Fernández, sculptor George Stanley sculpted Cedric Gibbons design. The statuettes presented at the ceremonies were gold-plated solid bronze
Academy Awards
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Academy Awards
Academy Awards
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31st Academy Awards Presentations,
Pantages Theatre, Hollywood, 1959
Academy Awards
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81st Academy Awards Presentations,
Dolby Theatre, Hollywood, 2009
Academy Awards
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Pantages Theatre, 2008
25.
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motion pictures. The Academys corporate management and general policies are overseen by a Board of Governors, the roster of the Academys approximately 6,000 motion picture professionals is a closely guarded secret. While the great majority of its members are based in the United States, the Academy is known around the world for its annual Academy Awards, now officially known as The Oscars. The Academy plans to open the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles in 2017, the notion of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences began with Louis B. He said he wanted to create an organization that would mediate labor disputes without unions and he met with actor Conrad Nagel, director Fred Niblo, and the head of the Association of Motion Picture Producers, Fred Beetsonto to discuss these matters. The idea of this elite club having a banquet was discussed. They also established that membership into the organization would only be open to people involved in one of the five branches of the industry, actors, directors, writers, technicians, and producers. That evening Mayer presented to those guests what he called the International Academy of Motion Picture Arts, everyone in the room that evening became a founder of the Academy. Several organizational meetings were held prior to the first official meeting held on May 6,1927 and their first organizational meeting was held on May 11. At that meeting Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. was elected as the first president of the Academy, while Fred Niblo was the first vice-president and that night, the Academy also bestowed its first honorary membership, to Thomas Edison. Initially, the Academy was broken down into five groups, or branches. The original five were, Producers, Actors, Directors, Writers, the initial concerns of the group had to do with labor. However, as went on, the organization moved further away from involvement in labor-management arbitrations and negotiations. By July 1928 the board of directors had approved a list of 12 awards to be presented, during July the voting system for the Awards was established, and the nomination and selection process began. This award of merit for distinctive achievement is what we know now as the Academy Award, the initial location of the organization was 6912 Hollywood Boulevard. In May 1928, the Academy authorized the construction of a state of the art screening room, the screening room was not completed until April 1929. With the publication of Report on Incandescent Illumination in 1928, the Academy began a history of publishing books to assist its members. Another early initiative concerned training Army Signal Corps officers, in 1929 Academy members in a joint venture with the University of Southern California created Americas first film school to further the art and science of moving pictures
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
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Headquarters building
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
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Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
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Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study building on La Cienega Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
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Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study in the Hollywood district
26.
Academy Award for Best Director
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The Academy Award for Best Director is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It is given in honor of a director who has exhibited outstanding directing while working in the film industry. However, these categories were merged for all subsequent ceremonies, nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the directors branch of AMPAS, winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy. For the first eleven years of the Academy Awards, directors were allowed to be nominated for multiple films in the same year, the Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture have been very closely linked throughout their history. Of the 89 films that have been awarded Best Picture,63 have also been awarded Best Director, since its inception, the award has been given to 69 directors or directing teams. John Ford has received the most awards in this category with four, william Wyler was nominated on twelve occasions, more than any other individual. As of the 2017 ceremony, Damien Chazelle is the most recent winner in category for his work on La La Land. Chazelle also became the youngest director in history to receive this award, two directing teams have shared the award, Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins for West Side Story in 1961 and Joel and Ethan Coen for No Country for Old Men in 2007. The Coen brothers are the siblings to have won the award. For the first five ceremonies, the eligibility period spanned twelve months from August 1 to July 31, for the 6th ceremony held in 1934, the eligibility period lasted from August 1,1932 to December 31,1933. Since the 7th ceremony held in 1935, the period of eligibility became the full calendar year from January 1 to December 31. org The Academy Awards Database Oscar. com
Academy Award for Best Director
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Frank Borzage, co-winner of the first award.
Academy Award for Best Director
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Lewis Milestone, co-winner of the first award.
Academy Award for Best Director
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John Ford has the most awards with four.
Academy Award for Best Director
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Clint Eastwood is the oldest winner for directing
Million Dollar Baby.
27.
Academy Award for Best Actor
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The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered a performance in a leading role while working within the film industry. The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with Emil Jannings receiving the award for his roles in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh. Currently, nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the branch of AMPAS. In the first three years of the awards, actors were nominated as the best in their categories, at that time, all of their work during the qualifying period was listed after the award. The following year, this unwieldy and confusing system was replaced by the current system in which an actor is nominated for a performance in a single film. Starting with the 9th ceremony held in 1937, the category was officially limited to five nominations per year, since its inception, the award has been given to 79 actors. Daniel Day-Lewis has received the most awards in this category with three Oscars, spencer Tracy and Laurence Olivier were nominated on nine occasions, more than any other actor. As of the 2017 ceremony, Casey Affleck is the most recent winner in category for his role as Lee Chandler in Manchester by the Sea. In the following table, the years are listed as per Academy convention, and generally correspond to the year of release in Los Angeles County. For the first five ceremonies, the eligibility period spanned twelve months from August 1 to July 31, for the 6th ceremony held in 1934, the eligibility period lasted from August 1,1932 to December 31,1933
Academy Award for Best Actor
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Emil Jannings (center) was the first winner in this category for his roles in 1928's
The Last Command and 1927's
The Way of All Flesh.
Academy Award for Best Actor
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Warner Baxter won in 1928 for his performance in
In Old Arizona.
Academy Award for Best Actor
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George Arliss won in 1929 for his performance in
Disraeli.
Academy Award for Best Actor
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Lionel Barrymore won in 1930 for his performance in
A Free Soul.
28.
Academy Award for Best Actress
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The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered a performance in a leading role while working within the film industry. The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with Janet Gaynor receiving the award for her roles in 7th Heaven, Street Angel, and Sunrise. Currently, nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the branch of AMPAS. In the first three years of the awards, actresses were nominated as the best in their categories, at that time, all of their work during the qualifying period was listed after the award. The following year, this unwieldy and confusing system was replaced by the current system in which an actress is nominated for a performance in a single film. Starting with the 9th ceremony held in 1937, the category was officially limited to five nominations per year, one actress has been nominated posthumously, Jeanne Eagels. Only three film characters have been nominated more than once in this category, elizabeth I of England, Leslie Crosbie in The Letter, and Esther Blodgett in A Star is Born. Six women on the list have received an Honorary Academy Award for their acting, they are Greta Garbo, Barbara Stanwyck, Mary Pickford, Deborah Kerr, Gena Rowlands, since its inception, the award has been given to 74 actresses. Katharine Hepburn has won the most awards in this category, with four Oscars, meryl Streep, who has a total of 20 Oscar nominations, has been nominated in this category on 16 occasions, resulting in two awards. As of the 2017 ceremony, Emma Stone is the most recent winner in category for her role as Mia Dolan in La La Land. In the following table, the years are listed as per Academy convention, and generally correspond to the year of release in Los Angeles County. For the first five ceremonies, the eligibility period spanned twelve months from August 1 to July 31, for the 6th ceremony held in 1934, the eligibility period lasted from August 1,1932 to December 31,1933
Academy Award for Best Actress
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Janet Gaynor was the first winner in this category for her roles in
7th Heaven (1927),
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927), and
Street Angel (1928).
Academy Award for Best Actress
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Norma Shearer won in 1930 for her performance in
The Divorcee.
Academy Award for Best Actress
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Katharine Hepburn has the most wins in this category for her roles in
Morning Glory (1933),
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967),
The Lion in Winter (1968), and
On Golden Pond (1981).
Academy Award for Best Actress
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Bette Davis won two awards from ten nominations for her roles in
Dangerous (1935) and
Jezebel (1938).
29.
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
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The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered a performance in a supporting role while working within the film industry. At the 9th Academy Awards ceremony held in 1937, Walter Brennan was the first winner of award for his role in Come. Initially, winners in both supporting acting categories were awarded instead of statuettes. Beginning with the 16th ceremony held in 1944, however, winners received full-sized statuettes, currently, nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS, winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy. Since its inception, the award has given to 72 actors. Brennan has received the most awards in this category with three awards, Brennan, Jeff Bridges, Robert Duvall, Arthur Kennedy, Jack Nicholson, and Claude Rains were nominated on four occasions, more than any other actor. As of the 2017 ceremony, Mahershala Ali is the most recent winner in category for his role as Juan in Moonlight. In the following table, the years are listed as per Academy convention, and generally correspond to the year of release in Los Angeles County. Toronto, Ontario, Canada, University of Toronto Press, ISBN 978-1-55002-574-3. org The Academy Awards Database Oscar. com Complete Downloadable List of Academy Award Nominees
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
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Walter Brennan was the first winner in this category for 1936's
Come and Get It; He would also win for his roles in
Kentucky (1938) and
The Westerner (1940).
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
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Van Heflin won in 1942 for his performance in
Johnny Eager.
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
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George Sanders won for his role in 1950's
All About Eve.
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
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Karl Malden won in 1951 for
A Streetcar Named Desire.
30.
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
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The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered a performance in a supporting role while working within the film industry. At the 9th Academy Awards ceremony held in 1937, Gale Sondergaard was the first winner of award for her role in Anthony Adverse. Initially, winners in both supporting acting categories were awarded instead of statuettes. Beginning with the 16th ceremony held in 1944, however, winners received full-sized statuettes, currently, nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS, winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy. Since its inception, the award has given to 78 actresses. Dianne Wiest and Shelley Winters have received the most awards in this category with two awards each, despite winning no awards, Thelma Ritter was nominated on six occasions, more than any other actress. As of the 2017 ceremony, Viola Davis is the most recent winner in category for her role as Rose Maxson in Fences. In the following table, the years are listed as per Academy convention, and generally correspond to the year of release in Los Angeles County. Toronto, Ontario, Canada, University of Toronto Press, inside Oscar, The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards. New York, United States, Ballantine Books, oscars. org Oscar. com The Academy Awards Database
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
–
Alice Brady won for her performance in 1937's
In Old Chicago.
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
–
Hattie McDaniel won in 1939 for her role as Mammy in
Gone with the Wind, thus becoming the first black performer to win an Oscar.
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
–
Jane Darwell won for her performance as Ma Joad in
The Grapes of Wrath (1940).
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
–
Teresa Wright won for her role in 1942's
Mrs Miniver.
31.
Academy Award for Best Cinematography
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The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work on one particular motion picture. In its first film season, 1927–28, this award was not tied to a specific film, the second year,1929, there were no nominations at all, although the Academy has a list of unofficial titles which were under consideration by the Board of Judges. In the third year,1930, films, not cinematographers, were nominated, finally, for the 1931 awards, the modern system in which individuals are nominated for a single film each was adopted in all profession-related categories. From 1939 to 1967, there were separate awards for color and for black-and-white cinematography. Since then, the only film to win is Schindlers List. Floyd Crosby won the award for Tabu in 1931, which was the last silent film to win in this category, hal Mohr won the only write-in Academy Award ever, in 1935 for A Midsummer Nights Dream. Mohr was also the first person to win for both black-and-white and color cinematography, no winners are lost, although some of the earliest nominees are lost, including The Devil Dancer, The Magic Flame, and Four Devils. The Right to Love is incomplete, and Sadie Thompson is incomplete, the first nominees shot primarily on digital video were The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Slumdog Millionaire in 2009, with Slumdog Millionaire the first winner. The following year Avatar was the first nominee and winner to be entirely on digital video. As of 2017 no woman has ever been nominated for Best Cinematography, winners are listed first in colored row, followed by the other nominees
Academy Award for Best Cinematography
–
Charles Rosher, the first recipient in 1928
32.
Academy Award for Best Film Editing
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The Academy Award for Best Film Editing is one of the annual awards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Nominations for this award are closely correlated with the Academy Award for Best Picture. For 33 consecutive years,1981 to 2013, every Best Picture winner had also nominated for the Film Editing Oscar. Only the principal, above the line editor as listed in the credits are named on the award, additional editors, supervising editors. The nominations for this Academy Award are determined by a ballot of the members of the Editing Branch of the Academy. The members may vote for up to five of the films in the order of their preference. The Academy Award itself is selected from the films by a subsequent ballot of all active. This award was first given for films released in 1934, the name of this award is occasionally changed, in 2008, it was listed as the Academy Award for Achievement in Film Editing. Michael Kahn won for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindlers List, thelma Schoonmaker won for Raging Bull, The Aviator, and The Departed. To date, two film directors have won this award, James Cameron and Alfonso Cuarón for the films Titanic and Gravity, also, nominated editors Robert Wise, Francis D. West Side Story, The Sound of Music, The Sand Pebbles and The Andromeda Strain for Wise, Crazylegs for Lyon and Bound for Glory, superlatives taken from a document published by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. These listings are based on the Awards Database maintained by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Academy Award for Best Film Editing
–
Thelma Schoonmaker and Columba Powell at the
Cannes Film Festival (2009). Schoonmaker is among the deans of film editing; Powell is the son of
Michael Powell, a prominent film director to whom Schoonmaker was married until his death in 1990.
33.
1st Academy Awards
–
AMPAS president Douglas Fairbanks hosted the show. Tickets cost $5,270 people attended the event and the ceremony lasted fifteen minutes. Awards were created by Louis B, Mayer, founder of Louis B. Mayer Pictures Corporation. It is the only Academy Awards ceremony not to be broadcast either on radio or television, during the ceremony, the AMPAS presented Academy Awards in twelve categories. Winners were announced three months before the live event, some nominations were announced without reference to a specific film, such as for Ralph Hammeras and Nugent Slaughter, who received nominations in the now defunct category of Engineering Effects. Unlike later ceremonies, an actor or director could be awarded for works within a calendar year. Emil Jannings, for example, was given the Best Actor award for his work in both The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command, moreover, Charlie Chaplin and Warner Brothers each received an Honorary Award. Major winners at the ceremony included 7th Heaven and Sunrise, which received three awards, and Wings, receiving two awards. Among its honors, Sunrise won the award for Unique and Artistic Picture and these two categories at the time were seen as equally the top award of the night intended to honor different and equally important aspects of superior film making. The next year, the Academy dropped the Unique and Artistic Picture award, in 1927, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was established by Louis B. Mayer, originator of Louis B. Mayer Pictures Corporation, which then would be joined into Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, mayers purpose in creating the award was to unite the five branches of the film industry, including actors, directors, producers, technicians, and writers. Mayer commented on the creation of the awards I found that the best way to handle was to hang medals all over them, if I got them cups and awards theyd kill them to produce what I wanted. Thats 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, in August 1928, Mayer contacted the Academy Central Board of Judges to decide winners. The ceremony was held on May 16,1929, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, located in Los Angeles and it consisted of a private dinner with thirty-six banquet tables, where 270 people attended and tickets cost five dollars. Actors and actresses arrived at the hotel in luxury vehicles, where many attended to encourage celebrities. The ceremony was not broadcast on radio or television, and was hosted by AMPAS director Fairbanks, winners were announced three months before the ceremony. Three categories were eliminated for subsequent presentations, Best Engineering Effects, Best Title Writing, the larger film producers received the preponderance of awards, Fox Films Corporation, MGM, Paramount Pictures, Radio-Keith-Orpheum and Warner Brothers Production
1st Academy Awards
–
The first Academy Awards was at the
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
1st Academy Awards
1st Academy Awards
1st Academy Awards
34.
Academy Juvenile Award
–
The trophy itself was a miniature Oscar statuette which stood approximately 7 inches tall. The honor was first awarded by the Academy in 1935 to 6-year-old Shirley Temple for her work in 1934, the Academy Awards, first presented on May 16,1929, did not originally present a Special Award for Juvenile actors. The very first child actor to be nominated for an Oscar was 9-year-old Jackie Cooper who was nominated as Best Actor in 1931 for his work in the film Skippy, but lost that year to Lionel Barrymore. On February 27,1935, the 7th Annual Academy Awards honoring achievements in film for the year 1934, became the first Oscar ceremony to award the Special Juvenile Award. Playfully dubbed the Oscarette by Bob Hope in 1945, the statuette itself was a miniaturized Oscar, depicting an Art Deco image of a holding a crusaders sword. Presented on April 17,1961, the 33rd Annual Academy Awards honoring achievements in film for the year 1960 would be the last Oscar ceremony to present the Honorary Juvenile Award. The 7th Annual Academy Awards recognized Shirley Temple with the Academys first Juvenile Award to honor her outstanding contribution to screen entertainment during the year 1934. Beginning her film career at the age of three, in 1934 Temple had attained child stardom in such films as Stand Up and Cheer, Little Miss Marker, Baby Take a Bow and Bright Eyes. Just six years old on the night she accepted her Honorary statuette, Temple became the youngest recipient ever to be honored by the Academy, a distinction she still holds to this day. Eighteen years old on the night he accepted the accolade, Rooney would be the eldest recipient ever to be honored with the Academys Juvenile Award, the 12th Annual Academy Awards recognized Judy Garland with the Juvenile Award honoring her outstanding performance as a screen juvenile during the past year. In 1939, 16-year-old Garland had become one of Hollywoods brightest young starlets, appearing that year in the MGM musicals Babes in Arms, the 17th Annual Academy Awards recognized Margaret OBrien with the Juvenile Award honoring her as outstanding child actress of 1944. Hosting the Annual ceremony that year was Bob Hope who endearingly dubbed the Juvenile Award the Oscarette upon presenting OBrien with her miniature Oscar, the 18th Annual Academy Awards recognized Peggy Ann Garner with the Juvenile Award honoring her as outstanding child actress of 1945. The 19th Annual Academy Awards recognized Claude Jarman Jr. with the Juvenile Award honoring him as outstanding child actor of 1946,13 years old in 1946, Jarman was honored with the Juvenile Oscar for his screen debut as Jody in Warner Brothers family drama, The Yearling. Although the Academy didnt officially begin to present the Juvenile Award for a work in a specific film until two years later, The Yearling was Jarmans first and only film released in 1946. The 21st Annual Academy Awards recognized Ivan Jandl with the Juvenile Award honoring him for the outstanding performance of 1948. Born in Czechoslovakia, and beginning his brief film career in 1948 at the age of eleven. Unable to travel to the United States to attend the ceremony, the 22nd Annual Academy Awards recognized Bobby Driscoll with the Juvenile Award honoring him as the outstanding juvenile actor of 1949. That year, 12-year-old Driscoll had starred in the Disney tear-jerker So Dear to My Heart, the 27th Annual Academy Awards recognized both Jon Whiteley and Vincent Winter with the Juvenile Award honoring their outstanding juvenile performance in The Little Kidnappers
Academy Juvenile Award
–
Bobby Driscoll accepting the Juvenile Award
35.
3rd Academy Awards
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The 3rd Academy Awards were awarded to films completed and screened released between August 1,1929, and July 31,1930, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. All Quiet on the Western Front was the first film to win both Best Picture and Best Director, a feat that would become common in later years, lewis Milestone became the first person to win two Oscars, having won Best Director – Comedy at the 1st Academy Awards. The Love Parade received six nominations, the greatest number of any film to that point, however, it did not win in any category. Best Sound Recording was introduced this year, making it the first new category since the inception of the Oscars and it was awarded to Douglas Shearer, brother of Best Actress winner Norma Shearer, making them the first sibling winners in Oscar history. Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface,1929 in film 1930 in film Academy Awards Database
3rd Academy Awards
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Carl Laemmle, Jr..
36.
12th Academy Awards
–
The 12th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, honored the best in film for 1939. The ceremony was held on February 29,1940, at a banquet in the Coconut Grove at The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles and it was hosted by Bob Hope. David O. Selznicks production Gone with the Wind received the most nominations of the year with thirteen and this was the first year in which an Academy Award was awarded in the category of special effects. This was also the first time that two awards for cinematography were presented, hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to receive an Academy Award, winning in the Best Supporting Actress category for Gone with the Wind. Sidney Howard became the first posthumous winner for his screenplay for Gone with the Wind, AMPAS presented Academy Awards of Merit in twenty categories. Nominees for each award are listed below, award winners are listed first, among those who campaigned in favour of the film were Hedda Hopper who declared it as great as Lincolns Gettysburg speech, while Sheilah Graham called it the best talking picture ever made. Screen Book magazine stated that it should win every Academy Award, frank Capra, the director, and James Stewart, the films star were considered front runners to win awards. Gone with the Wind premiered in December 1939 with a Gallup poll taken shortly before its release concluding that 56.5 million people intended to see the film. The New York Film Critics Award was given to Wuthering Heights after thirteen rounds of balloting had left the voters deadlocked between Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Gone with the Wind, the press were divided in their support for the nominated actors. West Coast newspapers, particularly in Los Angeles, predicted Bette Davis would win for Dark Victory, observing that Davis had achieved four box office successes during the year, one paper wrote, Hollywood will stick by its favourite home-town girl, Bette Davis. Capra was the incumbent President of the Academy, and in a first for Academy Awards ceremonies, sold the rights for the event to be filmed. Warner Bros. obtained the rights, for $30,000 to film the banquet and the presentation of the awards, to use as a short, among these were Clark Gable and Bette Davis. Following the banquet, Capra opened proceedings at 11pm with a speech before introducing Bob Hope who made his first appearance as host of the awards. Looking at a table laden with awards awaiting presentation, he quipped, mickey Rooney presented an Academy Juvenile Award to Judy Garland, who then performed Over the Rainbow, a Best Song nominee from The Wizard of Oz. As the evening progressed, Gone with the Wind won the majority of awards, making a speech, Selznick paused to extend praise and gratitude to Olivia de Havilland, a Best Supporting Actress nominee, and made it clear in his speech he knew she had not won. Hattie McDaniel became the first black performer to win an Academy Award, de Havilland was among those to make their way to McDaniels table to offer congratulations, though it was reported de Havilland then fled to the kitchen, where she burst into tears. The press reported an irritated Irene Mayer Selznick followed her, and told her to return to their table, robert Donat, the winner for Best Actor, was one of three nominated actors not present. Accepting the award for Donat, Spencer Tracy said he was sure Donats win was welcomed by the entire motion-picture industry before presenting the Best Actress award to Vivien Leigh, the press noted Bette Davis was among those waiting to congratulate Leigh as she returned to her table
12th Academy Awards
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Dark Victory
12th Academy Awards
–
Clark Gable –
Gone With the Wind
12th Academy Awards
–
Bette Davis –
Dark Victory
12th Academy Awards
–
Brian Aherne –
Juarez
37.
13th Academy Awards
–
The 13th Academy Awards honored American film achievements in 1940. This was the first year that sealed envelopes were used to keep secret the names of the winners which led to the phrase, May I have the envelope. The accounting firm of Price Waterhouse was hired to count the ballots, for the first time, the award for Best Screenplay was split into two separate categories, Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay. Independent producer David O. Selznick, who had produced the previous years big winner Gone with the Wind, also produced the Best Picture winner in 1940, Rebecca –, Selznick was the first to produce two consecutive winners of the Best Picture Oscar. The films studio – United Artists – was the last of the film studios to win the Best Picture Oscar. Rebecca was the first American-made film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Hitchcock had two films nominated for Best Picture, the other being Foreign Correspondent. Two other directors also had two films in the running this year, Sam Wood and John Ford, pinocchio was the first animated film to take home competitive Oscars, for both Best Score and Best Song, starting a long tradition of animated films winning in these categories. The Thief of Bagdad received the most Oscars of the evening, winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface. Bob Hope Colonel Nathan Levinson For the first time, names of all winners remained secret until the moment they received their awards, franklin D. Roosevelt gave a six-minute direct radio address to the attendees from the White House. It is the first time an American president participated in the event
13th Academy Awards
–
13th Academy Awards
13th Academy Awards
–
Rebecca, starring
Laurence Olivier and
Joan Fontaine, won the Outstanding Production award.
13th Academy Awards
–
James Stewart (left) won the Best Actor award for
The Philadelphia Story.
13th Academy Awards
–
Jane Darwell (centre right), and
Walter Brennan (far right) received the Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor award for their respective performances in
The Grapes of Wrath, and
The Westerner.
38.
14th Academy Awards
–
The 14th Academy Awards honored American film achievements in 1941 and was held in the Biltmore Bowl at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. The ceremony is now considered notable, in retrospect, as the year in which Citizen Kane failed to win Best Picture, ford won his third award for Best Director, becoming the second to accomplish three wins in that category, and the first to win in consecutive years. Most public attention was focused on the Best Actress race between sibling rivals Joan Fontaine in Alfred Hitchcock’s Suspicion and Olivia de Havilland for Hold Back the Dawn, fontaine’s victory was the only time an actress won for a performance in an Alfred Hitchcock film. This was also the first year in which documentaries were included, the first Oscar for a documentary was awarded to Churchills Island. The Little Foxes established a new high of nine nominations without winning a single Oscar and its mark was matched by Peyton Place in 1957, and exceeded by The Turning Point and The Color Purple, both of which received 11 nominations without a win. Citizen Kane was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, a portion of the ceremony was broadcast by CBS Radio. Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface
14th Academy Awards
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Gary Cooper and
Joan Fontaine holding their Oscars at an Academy Awards after party in 1942.
39.
26th Academy Awards
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The 26th Academy Awards honored the best in films of 1953. The second national telecast of the Awards show drew an estimated 43 million viewers, gary Cooper filmed his presentation of the Best Actress award in advance on a set in Mexico, with OConnor announcing the winners name. All the major winners in this year were black-and-white films, all five of its major actors and actresses were nominated, with secondary players Donna Reed and Frank Sinatra taking home Oscars. Its achievement of eight awards matched the record held by Gone with the Wind. The record would be tied again the year by On the Waterfront. Walt Disney won four awards, which remains the record for the most Oscars won in the same year, the frustrated Holden personally paid for advertisements in the Hollywood trade publications to thank everyone he wanted to on Oscar night. He also remarked that he felt that either Burt Lancaster or Montgomery Clift should have won the Best Actor Oscar for From Here to Eternity, winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface. Pete Smith – For his witty and pungent observations on the American scene in his series of Pete Smith Specialties, twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation – In recognition of their imagination, showmanship and foresight in introducing the revolutionary process known as CinemaScope. Breen – For his conscientious, open-minded and dignified management of the Motion Picture Production Code, bell and Howell Company – For their pioneering and basic achievements in the advancement of the motion picture industry. Selznick – presented the Irving G
26th Academy Awards
–
26th Academy Awards
40.
31st Academy Awards
–
The 31st Academy Awards ceremony was held on April 6,1959, to honor the best films of 1958. The shows producer, Jerry Wald, started cutting numbers from the show to make sure it ran on time and he cut too much material and the ceremony ended 20 minutes early, leaving Jerry Lewis to attempt to fill in the time. Eventually, NBC cut to a re-run of a sports show, the film Gigi won nine Oscars, breaking the previous record of eight. It would be short-lived, however, as Ben-Hur broke the record with eleven Oscars the following year, Gigi was the last film until The Last Emperor to win Best Picture without any acting nominations. It also had the biggest clean sweep that would be met by The Last Emperor, winning all 9 of its nominations. The record was broken in 2003 by The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King with all 11 of its nominations, also record of most Oscar wins with Ben-Hur. The ceremony was hosted by an ensemble of actors, Jerry Lewis, Mort Sahl, Tony Randall, Bob Hope, David Niven, Niven won Best Actor that night, making him the only host in Oscar history to have won an award during the same ceremony. Winners are listed first and highlighted with boldface Maurice Chevalier Jack L
31st Academy Awards
–
People lining the street under the marquee of the Pantages Theater at the 31st Academy Awards.
41.
37th Academy Awards
–
The 37th Academy Awards honored film achievements of 1964. For the first time, an award was presented in the field of makeup, none of the four acting awards went to American actors, something not repeated until the 80th Academy Awards were awarded for 2007. The Best Picture winner of 1964, director George Cukors My Fair Lady, was about the training of a rough-speaking flower girl into a lady. The musical had run for years on the stage. Audrey Hepburn, the lead of the film, was controversially not nominated for Best Actress. The producer of the ceremony was MGM film producer Joe Pasternak, the master of ceremonies was Bob Hope making it his 14th time hosting the show. This year marked the time in Oscar history where 3 films got 12 or more nominations. Becket and My Fair Lady both with 12 nominations and Mary Poppins with 13 and this marked the first year since the inception of the Supporting Actor and Actress categories wherein the acting Oscars were all won by non-American actors. This feat would later be repeated at the 80th Academy Awards ceremony in 2008. Winners are listed first and highlighted with boldface William Tuttle The following individuals, listed in order of appearance, 22nd Golden Globe Awards 1964 in film 7th Grammy Awards 16th Primetime Emmy Awards 17th Primetime Emmy Awards 18th British Academy Film Awards 19th Tony Awards
37th Academy Awards
–
Anne Bancroft –
The Pumpkin Eater
37th Academy Awards
–
John Gielgud –
Becket
37th Academy Awards
–
A House Is Not a Home –
Edith Head
42.
39th Academy Awards
–
The 39th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 1966, were held on April 10,1967 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California. They were hosted by Bob Hope, both were adaptations of stage dramas. Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface and indicated with a double dagger, however, the dispute was settled three hours before the ceremony was scheduled to begin. Bob Hopes opening monologue makes many references to this, and he claims that as late as 30 minutes before broadcast it was whether the telecast would go on. Vanessa Redgrave and Lynn Redgrave were both nominated for Best Actress and this was the first time in 25 years that two sisters were nominated in that category. This was the time in the history of the Academy Awards that all Best Actress nominees were born outside of the United States. Patricia Neal, making her first Hollywood appearance since a stroke of two years before, received a standing ovation from the audience. Californias governor, Ronald Reagan, was among the guests in the audience and he was a longtime Academy member and supporter. Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolfs 13 nominations constitute the first and, as of 2012 and it is also the first instance of a film receiving an acting nomination for every credited cast member. Mitzi Gaynors performance of the song Georgy Girl is often cited as being one of the most heralded performances on an Oscar broadcast, the following individuals, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers
39th Academy Awards
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39th Academy Awards
43.
40th Academy Awards
–
The 40th Academy Awards honored film achievements of 1967. The Best Picture nominees were a group of films reflecting the chaos of their era. The event was the first one since the 1948 awards show to feature clips from the Best Picture nominated films. This years nominations also marked the first time three different films were nominated for the Top Five Academy Awards, Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress. The three films were Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate and Guess Whos Coming to Dinner, however, the winner of Best Picture was producer Walter Mirisch and director Norman Jewisons thriller/mystery film, In the Heat of the Night. The Graduate is, as of the 88th Academy Awards, the last film to win Best Director, due to an all-out push by Academy President Gregory Peck,18 of the 20 acting nominees were present at the ceremony. Only Katharine Hepburn and the late Spencer Tracy, who was nominated posthumously, were missing, winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface and indicated with a double dagger. Gregory Peck Alfred Hitchcock Arthur Freed was presented for distinguished service to the Academy, prior to the postponement, Jack Lemmon was announced as a replacement for Poitier, and Shirley Jones for Davis, but once the event was delayed, the original quartet returned. Alfred Hitchcocks acceptance speech is on record for the shortest in Academy Awards history and this was the only year in which two films received nominations in all four acting categories. Legendary film composer John Williams received his first nomination for scoring Valley of the Dolls and he would go on to receive 49 more nominations, winning 5. The following individuals, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers
40th Academy Awards
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40th Academy Awards
