1st Academy Awards

The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).  It was to honor the best movies of 1927 and 1928.  It took place on May 16, 1929 in Los Angeles, California. AMPAS president Douglas Fairbanks hosted the show.

Tickets cost five dollars, 270 people attended the event and the ceremony lasted fifteen minutes. Awards were made by Louis B. Mayer. It is the only Academy Awards ceremony not to be broadcast either on radio or television.

During the ceremony, the AMPAS gave Academy Awards (now commonly called Oscars) in twelve categories. Winners were announced three months before the live event. Some nominations were announced without reference to a specific movie.  Examples were Ralph Hammeras and Nugent Slaughter, who received nominations in the now defunct category of Engineering Effects. Reader must select "1927/28" in the "Award Year(s):" drop-down menu and press "Search". Unlike later ceremonies, an actor or director could be awarded for multiple works in a 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.

Nominees and winners
Winners are listed first.

+ Nominees and winners of the 1st Academy Awards  Outstanding Picture, Production  Unique and Artistic ProductionLucien Hubbard for Paramount Pictures – Wings
Howard Hughes for Paramount Pictures – The Racket
William Fox for Fox Film Corporation – Seventh HeavenWilliam Fox for Fox Film Corporation – Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack for Paramount Pictures – Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness
Irving Thalberg for MGM – The Crowd  Best Director, Comedy Picture  Best Director, Dramatic PictureLewis Milestone – Two Arabian Knights
Ted Wilde – SpeedyFrank Borzage  – Seventh Heaven
 Herbert Brenon – Sorrell and Son
 King Vidor – The Crowd  Best Actor in a Leading Role  Best Actress in a Leading RoleEmil Jannings – The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh
Richard Barthelmess – The Noose and The Patent Leather Kid 
Janet Gaynor – Seventh Heaven, Street Angel and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
Louise Dresser – A Ship Comes In
Gloria Swanson – Sadie Thompson  Best Writing, Original Story  Best Writing, Adapted StoryUnderworld – Ben Hecht
The Last Command – Lajos BíróSeventh Heaven – Benjamin Glazer
Glorious Betsy – Anthony Coldeway
The Jazz Singer – Alfred A. Cohn  Best Cinematography  Best Art DirectionSunrise: A Song of Two Humans – Charles Rosher and Karl Struss
The Devil Dancer – George Barnes
The Magic Flame – George Barnes
Sadie Thompson – George BarnesThe Dove and Tempest – William Cameron Menzies
Seventh Heaven – Harry Oliver
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans – Rochus Gliese  Best Engineering Effects  Best Writing, Title WritingWings – Roy Pomeroy
(No specific film) – Ralph Hammeras
(No specific film) – Nugent Slaughter(No specific film) – Joseph Farnham
(No specific film) – George Marion, Jr.
The Private Life of Helen of Troy – Gerald Duffy

Honorary Award
Charlie Chaplin
"For versatility and genius in acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus".
Warner Brothers Production
"For producing The Jazz Singer, the pioneer outstanding talking picture, which has revolutionized the industry".

Multiple nominations and winners
The following movies received multiple nominations.
Five: Seventh Heaven
Four: Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
Two: The Crowd, Sadie Thompson and Wings

The following movies received multiple awards.
Three: Seventh Heaven and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
Two: Wings

References

Category:Academy Awards