The first Academy Awards were presented in 1929, and covered films from 1927 and 1928.
The first-ever Best Picture, awarded at the 1929 ceremony. Clara Bow, its star, rose from grinding poverty to become the original “It” girl, the “It” being sex appeal.
Grand Hotel was the 1932 Best Picture winner. It was up against Arrowsmith, Bad Girl, The Champ, Five Star Final, One Hour with You, Shanghai Express and The Smiling Lieutenant.
Greer Garson was 1942’s Best Actress, in Mrs. Miniver. Garson studied at King’s College, London and University of Grenoble. After theatrical work (including some of the earliest television ever) in England, she was discovered by Louis B. Mayer.
1952’s Best Picture. Also nominated that year were High Noon, The Quiet Man, Ivanhoe and Moulin Rouge. Gary Cooper won Best Actor for High Noon, and Shirley Booth Best Actress for Come Back, Little Sheba.
In 1962, Gregory Peck won Best Actor for his role in To Kill a Mockingbird. Best Picture was Lawrence of Arabia. Other notable films that year were The Miracle Worker, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Birdman of Alcatraz and Days of Wine and Roses, whose wistful theme won Best Song.
1972’s Best Director award went to Bob Fosse’s Cabaret. Ceremony hosts were Rock Hudson, Michael Caine, Carol Burnett and Charlton Heston. Big films that year were The Godfather, Deliverance and Sounder. Diana Ross lost the Best Actress award (for Lady Sings the Blues) to Liza Minnelli in Cabaret.
The 1982 ceremony was dominated by Gandhi, but Meryl Streep won Best Actress for Sophie’s Choice. It was also the year of ET: the Extra-terrestrial, Das Boot and Tootsie. Louis Gossett Jr. was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his hard-ass sergeant in An Officer and a Gentleman.
1992’s Unforgiven took Best Picture – old guys really do rule. The ceremony was Billy Crystal’s 4th hosting job. Best Original Song was A Whole New World, from Aladdin.
In 2002, Chicago garnered 13 nominations and 6 wins, including Best Picture. Best Director nominees were Pedro Almodovar for Talk to Her; Stephen Daldry for The Hours; Rob Marshall for Chicago; Roman Polanski for The Pianist, and Martin Scorsese for Gangs of New York.
In 2012 we have 9 nominees for Best Picture. The Artist; The Descendants; Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close; The Help; Hugo; Midnight in Paris; Moneyball; The Tree of Life; War Horse.
