Oscar history of statues. Who is Oscar, or the history of the famous statuette

The figurine was created by sculptor George Stanley and designed by MGM production designer Cedric Gibbons. Gibbons sketched a knight standing on a reel of film holding a double-edged sword. He chose actor Emilio Fernandez as his model. The five circles on the base (on the reel) represented the five departments of the Academy: producers, screenwriters, directors, actors and technicians. The Oscar figurine reaches a height of 33 and a half centimeters and weighs about three and a half kilograms.

Photo report from the Chicago plant R.S. Owens & Company, where Oscar statuettes have been made since 1983.

An alloy of tin and lead, which is known as britain, is poured into the mold by a craftsman.

By the way, during the Second World War, instead of metal figurines, plastic ones were used, since any piece of metal was needed at the front. After the end of hostilities, the Academy returned to gold. The winners were awarded the prize without any fees, which forced the Academy to make additional duplicates if the Oscars were lost, stolen or sold.

Incredible facts

The 88th Academy Awards ceremony took place recently, one of the most prestigious film awards in the world.

Its invariable attribute is the golden statuettes that the winners of the award clutch from year to year.

Why was this trophy called "Oscar", what is the famous trophy made of and is it really priceless?

1. What is the Oscar worth?

Each Oscar figurine stands on a reel of film, which has five holes representing five sections Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: actors, directors, producers, technicians and screenwriters.

2. What does the figurine represent?

The figurine itself represents a knight clutching a crusader’s sword in his hands.

The base of the figurine was changed several times from 1929 to 1945, and has remained unchanged since then.

3. Are all figurines the same?

The Academy has awarded nearly 3,000 Oscars since 1929, each with a different number. For example, statuette number 3111 will be awarded at the next Oscar ceremony.

4. Why is the figurine naked?

The original design was created by an MGM production designer. Cedric Gibbons(Cedric Gibbons). A director, screenwriter and actor were chosen as the model for the figurine. Emilio Fernandez(Emilio Fernandez), who posed naked. The sculptor of the figurine was the artist George Stanley.

5. Why is it called Oscar?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded the first statuette in 1929. Back then it was called the Academy's Merit Award. "Oscar" was just a nickname. According to one version, the Academy librarian Margaret Herik she once said that the figurine looked like her uncle Oscar. The nickname "Oscar" began to be used in 1939.

6. Who makes them?

Company R. S. Owens and Company makes figurines in Chicago. The Academy says it takes 3-4 weeks to create 50 Oscars.

7. What are Oscar statues made of?

Initially, the figurines were sculptures made of gilded bronze, but now the bronze has been replaced by British metal.

8. Who received the first Oscar statuette?

The figurine was first awarded in 1929 to a German actor Emil Jannings(Emil Jannings), who was awarded as Best Actor for the film "The Last Command" and "The Way of All Flesh."

9. How heavy is it?

The height of the figurine is 33.5 cm and it weighs 3.5 kg.

10. What is the cost of an Oscar statuette?

The statuettes do not actually belong to the Oscar winners. Upon receiving the bonus, they sign an agreement according to which, if they wish to sell their figurines, they must first offer them to the Academy for $1. If they refuse, they will not be able to keep their trophy. This rule was introduced in 1950, which means that earlier figurines sometimes appear on the open market. According to the magazine The Hollywood Reporter, the cost of each of the figurines is approximately $900.

Oscar Awards: Other Interesting Facts

1. The only one Oscar winner named Oscar is Oscar Hammerstein II, which received 2 awards for Best Song.

2. At the post-award reception, lunch is served with 1,200 bottles of champagne, 1,000 lobsters, 1,200 Kumamoto oysters, 18 kg of red caviar and 4,000 chocolate figurines covered with 7 kg of edible gold dust.

3. The Kodak Theater, where the Oscars are held, seats 3,332 people. Not everyone shows up at the awards, and empty seats are filled by people who are paid $125 an hour, for making the hall look full.

4. Oscar is also known for his long and emotional speeches. So for this reason, in 2002, the ceremony lasted a full 4 hours and 23 minutes. Since then, the Academy has introduced a 45-second rule, according to which speeches lasting more than 45 seconds will be interrupted by the orchestra.

5. At the very beginning, the presenters uttered the famous phrase “And the winner becomes...”. But they decided to secretly abandon this phrase in 1989, and now they often say “And the Oscar is awarded..”, perhaps so that the losers would not be so offended.

Oscar 2016: award winners

Best Film: In the spotlight

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio- Survivor

Best Actress: Brie Larson - Room

Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies

Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl

Best Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - The Revenant

Best Screenplay: In the spotlight

Short Game

Best Cinematographer Performance: Survivor

Best Mad Max Costumes: Fury Road

Best Mad Max Sound: Fury Road

Best Mad Max Editing: Fury Road

Best Sound Editing Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Visual Effects: From the car

Best makeup and hairstyles Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Song: 007: SPECTRUM - Writing's On The Wall

Best Soundtrack: The Hateful Eight

Bear story

Stutterer

Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness

Best Documentary: Amy

Son of Saul

Best Animated Film: Puzzle

Mad Max: Fury Road

Oscar 2015

Best Film: Birdman

Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne - Stephen Hawking's Universe

Best Actress: Julianne Moore Still Alice

Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons - Obsession

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette - Boyhood

Best Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - Birdman

Best Screenplay: Birdman

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Imitation Game

Best Cinematographer Performance: Birdman

Best costumes: Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Sound: Obsession

Best Editing: Obsession

Best Sound Editing: Sniper

Best Visual Effects: Interstellar

Best makeup and hairstyles: Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Song: Selma - Glory

Best Soundtrack: Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Animated Short Film: Menu

Best Short Fiction Film: Phone call

Best Short Documentary: Helpline for veterans

Best Documentary: Citizenfour: Snowden's Truth

Best film on foreign language: Ida

Best Animated Film: City of Heroes

Best Art Direction: Grand Budapest Hotel

Harry Belafonte

Carey Phillips, Scott B. Peterson, Ken Muset.

Oscar 2014

Best Film: 12 years a slave

Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett - Jasmine

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club

Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave

Best Director: Alejandro Alfonso Cuaron - Gravity

Best Screenplay: She

Best Adapted Screenplay: 12 years a slave

Best Cinematographer Performance: Gravity

Best costumes: The Great Gatsby

Best Sound: Gravity

Best Editing: Gravity

Best Sound Editing: Gravity

Best Visual Effects: Gravity

Best Makeup and Hairstyles: Hotel Dallas Buyers Club

Best Song: Frozen - Let It Go

Best Soundtrack: Gravity

Best Animated Short Film: Mr. Porthole

Best Short Fiction Film: Helium

Best Short Documentary: Lady in room 6

Best Documentary: Two steps away from fame - Gil Friesen's win was posthumous

Best Foreign Language Film: Great Beauty - Italy

Best Animated Film: Frozen

Best Art Direction: The Great Gatsby

John Bonner Medal: Charles "Tad" Marburg

Gene Hersholt Humanitarian Award: Angelina Jolie

Gordon Sawyer Award: Peter Anderson

Special Prize for Technical Achievement: Martin Hill, Florian Kainz, John Frazier, Matt Farr, Colin Doncaster

Oscar 2013:

Best Film: Operation "Argo"

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis "Lincoln"

Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence "My Psycho Boyfriend" ("Silver Linings Playbook")

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Waltz "Django Unchained"

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway "Les Miserables"

Best Director: Ang Lee "Life of Pi"

Best Foreign Language Film: "Love" ("Amour")

Best Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio "Operation Argo"

Best Original Screenplay: "Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained"

Best Animated Feature Film: "Brave"

Best Cinematography: "Life of Pi"

Best Sound: "Les Miserables"

Best Song for a Film: "Skyfall" Adele "007: Skyfall coordinates"

Best Costume Design: "Anna Karenina"

Best Documentary Feature: "Searching for Sugar Man"

Best Documentary Short Film: "Inocente"

Best Editing: "Operation Argo"

Best makeup and hairstyles: "Les Miserables"

Best Animated Short Film: "Paperman"

Best Fiction Short Film: "It's Now or Never" ("Curfew")

Best Visual Effects: "Life of Pi".

Fifteen years ago, the author of these lines was sitting in one of the Moscow bars in the company of a pretty American woman. The interlocutor told me that she had made a documentary film in defense of sexual minorities. “Or maybe they’ll give me an Oscar? What do you think?” - Alice asked. Apparently, the alcohol managed to hit me on the back of the head, since the answer was a then popular VGIK joke: “Alice! You want to eat fish and ride on the Titanic.” How offended she was! Not for myself. Not for a James Cameron blockbuster. For the main award of the film world: “Alex, this is very unfortunate humor. Our Oscar is like... your Lenin Mausoleum.” The crumpled evening ended in complete silence. I painfully searched for parallels: Los Angeles and Moscow, Oscar and the Mausoleum. What connection? And only then did I realize that there were plenty of connections.

Almost everything is known about the founding father of the world-famous prize. His name was Lazar Yakovlevich Meir. He was born in the city of Minsk on July 12, 1884 in the family of a junk dealer. When, fleeing pogroms, the family fled from Russian Empire in the USA, the younger son, who had grown up, joined his father’s business.

Between a poor Jewish boy from Russia and the head of the MGM film concern lies a path comparable to the fairy tales of Scheherazade. By the early twenties, Lazar Meir, who became Louis Mayer, was already turning over millions. Since then, books have been written, films made and legends have been made about the king of the film business.

Between a poor Jewish boy from Russia and the head of the MGM film concern lies a path comparable to the fairy tales of Scheherazade

Something like a Masonic lodge

On the cool morning of January 1, 1927, Mr. Mayer had a brilliant idea. He decided to found the American Film Academy. He saw the innovation as “an organization designed to stimulate the growing film production, integrate new technologies into it and act as an arbiter in labor disputes.”

Three days later, Louis and three other movie business bigwigs gathered around the dinner table at Mayer's house to discuss the idea. And already on the 11th of the same month, thirty-six eminent US filmmakers developed a project, electing Douglas Fairbanks as the first president of, in fact, a non-existent organization.

Today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, AKIN, is one of the largest organizations, including about six thousand members, actually academicians. Among them can only be film workers, including producers, directors, actors, screenwriters and even lighting and makeup artists. In some aspects of its structure and existence, AKIN resembles Masonic lodge. The fact is that people are not elected to the Academy. You cannot enter there by passing tests, exams, or by presenting a gift from God captured on film. You are invited to the Academy.

In the huge range of academic events, there is a considerable list of those that you are unlikely to attend, no matter what documents or connections you present at the entrance. Among academics there are people you will never get an interview with. And it’s better to stay away from other gentlemen altogether.

For such a wonderful structure, Louis Mayer proposed introducing the highest national award - a stylized figurine of a crusader knight leaning on the hilt of a combat sword.

MGM staff artist Cedric Gibbons sketched a sketch of the future prize in pencil right at a working meeting with Mayer. Unemployed sculptor George Stanley sculpted a figurine from clay for 500 bucks. And then a certain Alex Smith - no one knows for how long - cast the mold.

MGM staff artist Cedric Gibbons sketched a sketch of the future prize in pencil right at a working meeting with Mayer. Unemployed sculptor George Stanley sculpted a figurine from clay for 500 bucks. And then a certain Alex Smith - no one knows for how long - cast the mold

The first fifteen knights were made by hand from bronze, which was terribly difficult to polish. Technology and metal had to be changed.

Some ordinary people still believe that the figurine is made of pure gold. With a height of almost 34 centimeters, she weighs almost five kilograms. Hold it in your hands - it's truly impressive. But the cat cried for gold.

Today's Oscar is made from britain, an alloy of tin and copper in a percentage ratio of 92.5 to 7.5. Then they are coated with a layer of 10 carat gold. And after polishing - another one of 24 carats.

Nevertheless, even in the United States there are unique people, like Shura Balaganov, who dream of handing over precious sawdust to the nearest jewelry store. For example, in 2000, a complete set of award statuettes was stolen from the Chicago R.C. Owens plant under seven levels of security.

It was almost a week before the ceremony. The police, roused to their feet, found a bag of Oscars a couple of days later in a Chicago city landfill. Sharp-tongued newspapermen claimed that this was not the work of security thieves, but fans of the Golden Globe Awards.

Early Oscars were almost two kilograms lighter than modern ones. Before World War II, child actors were given reduced-size statuettes.

In 1937, comedian-ventriloquist Edgar Bergen was awarded the only wooden figurine in history with a moving lower jaw. Today, the estimated insurance value of the wooden Oscar exceeds a billion dollars.

In 1937, comedian-ventriloquist Edgar Bergen was awarded the only wooden figurine in history with a moving lower jaw. Today, the estimated insurance value of the wooden Oscar exceeds a billion dollars.

Who said "Oscar" first?

From 1942 to 1944, Oscars were made of plaster and covered with gold foil. Thus, the Motion Picture Academy was responding to President Roosevelt's call to "save every ounce of strategic metal."

One more detail. From 1928 to 1945, the Oscar was mounted on a pedestal made of a rare type of Belgian black marble.

Over the past half century, the cost of producing one figurine has fallen from 100 to 60 US dollars. Market prices are different. But not all Oscars. The fact is that since 1950, the figurines are considered the property of the Film Academy and cannot be sold.

The ban works, but not always. In October 1992, the knight received by John Lennon, among other Beatles, for songs for the film “So mote it be” (1970) was removed from auction. And here is a statuette for the film " Gone with the Wind", which once belonged to Vivien Leigh, was purchased by an anonymous buyer for one and a half million dollars. Today, this thing, according to the most conservative estimates, has risen in price six times.

It is curious that the very name “Oscar”, which sounds so natural today, took 12 years to be born. The “dad” of the figurine has already been mentioned. The Film Academy became the surrogate mother. But there were a dozen godparents.

Rumor has it that the catchy name of the award was trumpeted around the world by Los Angeles newsboys. It is not unreasonably believed that the name “knight” was invented by telephone switchboard workers who did not know how to keep the secrets of other people’s conversations.

An anecdotal version of the origin of the name “Oscar” refers us to the library employee of the Film Academy, Margaret Herrick, who allegedly recognized her uncle Oscar in the figurine, which she loudly declared to her work colleagues

An anecdotal version of the origin of the name “Oscar” refers us to the library employee of the Film Academy, Margaret Herrick, who allegedly recognized her uncle Oscar in the figurine, which she loudly declared to her work colleagues. Whether there really was such an uncle is unknown. But Mrs. Margaret was transferred from ordinary librarians to the chair of the library director. This is a historical fact.

Actress Bette Davis, in turn, assured others that the figurine was named in honor of her first husband, who bore that name. But what’s interesting is that she herself won an Oscar twice, in 1933 and 1938.

The real hero of the occasion is journalist Sidney Skolsky. It was he who, in an article dedicated to Katharine Hepburn, who received an Academy Award in 1931, was the first to use the name Oscar, quoting a phrase from a popular vaudeville sketch.

It remains to be added that at the 1934 awards ceremony, Walt Disney publicly uttered the word “Oscar” for the first time. And in 1939, the name of the figurine was established as commonly used, but not official. After all, to this day only the name “Academy Award of Merit” is documented. And "Oscar" is nothing more than a nickname.

Despite all the care with which the chronicle of Oscar's life is kept, funny incidents happen. For example, there are two points of view on the age of the premium. A number of authors believe that the current ceremony is the eighty-fifth. Others argue that the anniversary date passed last year. The discrepancy in dates was initially brought about by the Film Academy itself. The first awards were presented based on the results of the autumn/spring rental season, and not the previous calendar year, as has been the practice since the mid-1930s.

The very first awards ceremony took place on May 16, 1929 in the Blossom Room of Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel. The ceremony was personally hosted by Academy President Douglas Fairbanks. And the names of the winners, the first Oscar winners, were announced to the press on February 15th. The awards were presented for achievements in the 1927/28 rental season. A meeting of 267 filmmakers identified the worthy ones.

Now everything is different. Pre-voting forms are sent to all academicians. Panels of arbitrators make preliminary nominations. And all further issues are decided by the Grand Jury.

"Oscar" is not only a statuette. There are two other forms of reward. They may present you with a plaque or medal. Or they can also be awarded a diploma, which until 1948 was called a “Scroll” and literally corresponded to a Soviet certificate of honor in production.

The three cancellations of the ceremony and its postponement to another date are considered landmark events in the Oscars.

The three cancellations of the ceremony and its postponement to another date are considered landmark events in the Oscars. The tenth (1938) took place a week later due to severe flooding in Los Angeles. The Fortieth (1968) was postponed by two days due to the funeral of the assassinated Martin Luther King. And the fifty-third (1981) was detained for a day due to an attempt on the life of US President Ronald Reagan.

How not to end up with your nose

In the USA, you can be a significant figure in the national cinema, but at the same time remain with an honorable nose. In 1952, Harold Lloyd was awarded a special statuette as a "Great Master of Comedy and Model Citizen." In 1959, Buster Keaton received an honorary Oscar "for his unique artistic gift, which ensured the immortality of silent comedy."

Well, the greatest comedian of the twentieth century, Charlie Chaplin, received the honorary AKIN award only at the age of 83, “For the enormous influence that he had on the process of transforming cinema into the art of the twentieth century.” Thirty years earlier, in the same Los Angeles, the Commission on Un-American Activities gave Chaplin a tough choice: either he leaves the United States forever, or goes to prison.

Let me remind you that these comedians have 386 films between them. And not one of these films, included in all the world's encyclopedias, received a personal Oscar! It is known that Clint Eastwood was given an Oscar at the age of 72. Well, the great actor might not have waited for the golden statuette.

James Dean was twice nominated for the award posthumously for East of Eden (1955) and Giant (1956). The deceased never received anything.

Let's also mention the most Oscar-winning person in the world - Walt Disney. His records match the former victories of Soviet Olympians. From 1932 to 1969, the animator was nominated for an Oscar 64 times! And he was awarded 26 times. In 1954 alone, he won four statuettes in four categories. However, back in 1936 he presented himself with the award “For best cartoon", which was recognized as the "Village Cousin".

Not only was Disney the owner of the very first statuette “For Best Cartoon” (1934). At the same ceremony, he received another “knight” - for creating Mickey Mouse. For ten years in a row, the restless animator received a steady Oscar a year. Moreover, for such different works as “The Three Little Pigs” (1933) and “The Face of the Fuhrer” (1942).

But the full-length "Fantasia" (1941) received only a diploma - that same certificate of honor. The last Oscar was awarded to Disney's heirs when he had been dead for three years. Interestingly, the great animator received four awards for the documentaries he created.

It is fair to note those stars who have never won an Oscar in any of its categories. Among the actresses are Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland. They all belonged to the mega-status of Hollywood goddesses.

Among the outsider actors it is worth mentioning Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, Eroll Flynn and Steve McQueen, Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis. Although American cinema owes each of them a unique acting personality.

The unlucky applicants for the award include two more celebrities. Meryl Streep was nominated for an Oscar 15 times, but received it only twice. Jack Nicholson, who has three statuettes, was also nominated for the award 12 times.

Meryl Streep was nominated for an Oscar 15 times, but received it only twice. Jack Nicholson, who has three statuettes, was also nominated for the award 12 times

Not only great actors, but also outstanding films are unlucky at the Oscars. Orson Welles' Citizen Kane (1941) was nominated in nine categories and won just one award. That does not prevent the film from being included in the top five “greatest US films of all time” for more than half a century. With 10 nominations for each film, Airport (1970) by George Seaton and Tootsie (1982) by Sydney Pollack received one statuette each.

But the Oscar-winning film is still Ben-Hur (1959). Thirty-eight years later, James Cameron's Titanic collected the same eleven statuettes. But this was only the first repetition of a hitherto unsurpassed record.

The number of nominations and Oscars received may in no way correlate with the box office result. There are three financial record holders in the history of the Oscars. These are Gone with the Wind (1939) and The Sound of Music (1965), which grossed $79 million each. Well, the leader so far is “Titanic” (1997), which took the box office at $600,778,188.

As for the films that start making noise all over the world as soon as they surpass the 10 million mark, there are already dozens of them. In addition, some overseas experts, with the reservation of all the conventions of their calculations, believe that in the USSR during the era of stagnation, one film by Leonid Gaidai made a box office receipt equal to the American rental of six or seven Oscar-winning films.

Russian trace

Of course, it is worth dwelling on the Russian trace of the Oscar. Let's start with the fact that the first wave of emigrants from Russia were nominated for the award 66 times, winning 20 statuettes. Yul Brynner received his first acting credit for the film “The King and I” (1956).

The contribution of the USSR and modern Russia is much more modest: only six victories, of which only four are feature films. After the triumph of War and Peace (1968) by Sergei Bondarchuk, domestic cinema literally bombarded Hollywood with applications.

Films of such different artistic and technical levels as “The Brothers Karamazov” (1969), “Tchaikovsky” (1970), “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” (1972), “White Beam” were sent to Los Angeles Black Ear" (1977), "Private Life" (1982), "War Field Romance" (1983), "Urga" (1992), " Caucasian prisoner"(1996), "The Thief" (1997), "The Twelve" (2008), "The Edge" (2011). Not one of the twenty nominations we expected for someone else's award came to the finish line.

There are always a lot of jokes and funny stories surrounding the Oscars. Two topics dominate the tabloids: which of the men got into a fight with whom after getting drunk at a banquet, and which of the ladies, once again “accidentally” dropping a strap from their shoulder, exposed their stellar breasts.

Few people know about Oscar's biggest mistake. He is connected with the actor and director Woody Allen, who, on his way to the ceremony, stopped by a bar for a minute. Where he played the clarinet all night, to the unspeakable joy of the regulars there. Meanwhile, the Academy Award-winning comedy star was being sought throughout Los Angeles and the surrounding area.

Facts from the life of Oscar

The first Oscar ceremony lasted 4 minutes and 22 seconds. And the banquet, which was attended by over 500 guests, ended by noon the next day.

An official Oscar souvenir copy costs $100 in Los Angeles. Her Parisian replica is 15 euros. The Chinese one is sold in Moscow for 140 rubles.

The Oscar casting workshop in Chicago has been headed for more than 30 years by a Mexican who doesn't speak a word of English.

For 85 years, the official Oscar ceremony has changed 10 halls.

Since 1949, in addition to the engraving of the laureate's name on the stand, each Oscar has an individual serial number.

The first Oscars were awarded in seven categories. Today there are 25 award categories.

The first live and complete television broadcast of the Oscar ceremony took place on March 25, 1954. Since March 29, 1976, the broadcast has been in color.

Click on photos to enlarge:

Once a year, the whole world anxiously awaits the next ceremony of presenting the most honorable film award - the Oscar statuette. In February of this year, the eighty-fifth, actually anniversary, ceremony took place. And the very first one took place back in 1929, and the main prize then went to Emil Jannings for Best Actor in the film “The Last Order” and Janet Gaynor for Best Actress in the film “7th Heaven.” It is worth noting that at that time much fewer applicants competed for this statuette than now. However, the beginning of a good tradition was laid - and for 85 years now, filmmakers have not deviated from it.

What is the Oscar figurine made of? Despite the fact that everyone calls it gold, it is by no means made of this precious metal. The figurine of a knight with a sword standing on a reel of film is cast from Britannia. This alloy, which includes copper, zinc, antimony and tin, is first poured into a special casting mold that is prepared in advance. When the workpiece cools and hardens, it is removed from the mold, after which the technological casting elements are removed, ground and polished.

Next, the Oscar figurine receives a personalized number, which is engraved on the stand and subsequently entered into the archives of the US Film Academy. After the numbers have taken their place, the knight figurine is immersed several times in layers of molten copper. The next step in making the figurine is coating it with a layer of silver. And the most crucial moment completes the procedure - covering the future award with 24-karat gold, because of which, in fact, the Oscar received the nickname “golden”. That's probably all. All that remains is to screw the figurine to a disk of black marble, the diameter of which is 13 cm. In total, the Oscar figurine has a height of 34 cm and weighs about four kilograms. Making each of the 55 figures needed for the ceremony takes about twenty hours.

Surely the screenwriters, sound directors and all other film workers who received this most prestigious award are proud of it. After all, this means that they were recognized as the best by millions of viewers. Many celebrities already have several Oscars. But do these golden weighty figures really stand in the most honorable place among the stars? If this is so, then, for example, in the house of actor Cuba Gooding Jr. the “red corner” is a wine cellar, and in Jodie Foster and Susan Sarandon it is a bathroom. keeps two of his figurines on a bookshelf in his bedroom, and Tom Hanks among his football awards and family trophies.

An interesting fact is that since 1950, Oscars have been secretly prohibited from being put up for auction or simply sold. More precisely, this can be done, but only after the winner of the prize offers to buy it to each member of the film academy for one dollar. If no one buys, then you can put the award up for sale with a clear conscience. The Oscar statuette is believed to be priceless, although its cost is $400. Well, this is not difficult to understand, because with the receipt of this award, the income of its owner will grow rapidly. It is quite fair that an actor who receives this award will demand more high fees for their participation in this or that film. And the Oscar itself is not a cheap statuette, because the minimum price that is set for its sale is equal to the cost of gold of the same weight as the prize.

Every winter, with the end of the holidays, all the attention of millions of people turns to the results and achievements in the world of cinema. So, everyone remembers that the Academy Awards ceremony is just around the corner. However, few people call it that, because there is another name that definitely does not need additional explanation. Oscar Award.

Before the Oscars, a real fever begins among viewers and film critics. The winners are determined by secret ballot, the results of which become known only after the traditional envelope is brought onto the stage. This year, the most prestigious award for special achievements in the field of cinema will go to its owners for the 88th time.

A little history

Founded in May 1929, the annual American awards ceremony is considered the largest and most significant for both cast and crew, and ordinary viewers.

The first ceremony took place on May 16, 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in the presence of 270 people. Entrance ticket cost 5 dollars (equivalent to today's 69).

The award ceremony took only 15 minutes and 15 statuettes were awarded.

The winners were announced three months before the award day. But the following year the lists were published in the evening newspaper, published at 11 pm on the day of the ceremony.

Actor Emily Jennings

• The first actor to receive the award was Emil Jennings. He was given an Oscar for his roles in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh. The fact is that during the first three years, all the works of the last 24 months could be included in the nominations. The German actor was forced to return to Europe earlier, and took the statuette the day before.
• Who knows if we can talk about established rules in the first qualifying year, but the owners of the two awards did not fall into the same category - the film company Warner Bros. for the first sound film (“The Jazz Singer”) and Charlie Chaplin – producer, director, author and leading actor in the film “The Circus.”
  Subsequently, the number of categories was reduced to seven: two for acting and one each for best film, direction, script, production and art direction. Since then, the number of awards has gradually increased.
• During the seventh ceremony, awards appeared for video editing, music and soundtrack.
  The ninth Oscar presented the nominations “Best Supporting Actor” and “Best Supporting Actress”.
• The 14th ceremony in 1941 introduced the documentary category.
• In 1948 (21 awards ceremony) the best costume was awarded.
• The first television broadcast took place in 1953. Today the live broadcast takes place in 200 countries around the world.
• In 1957 (29th ceremony) an award for best foreign language film was introduced.
• The 36th awards ceremony presented the award for audio and visual effects.
• The 38th ceremony in 1966 was broadcast in color for the first time.
• The 41st ceremony in 1969 was the first to be shown in other countries.
• Since the 54th ceremony (1981), make-up has been included in the list of permanent nominations, and the first winner was the work “An American Werewolf in London”.
  In 2001 (74 Oscars), Shrek became the first winner in the Animated Film category.

Statuette

Immediately after the founding of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the question arose of how to celebrate achievements in this area and encourage work on further projects and films. Then they agreed to introduce an annual bonus.

Academy Award® of Merit

Margaret Herrick

Today the official name is used only on the Academy’s website and occasionally in the press. As for the Oscar, no one even remembers where it came from. Academy librarian (and executive director) Margaret Herrick is said to have joked that the statue looked like her Uncle Oscar. The name was officially established only in 1939, although already in 1934 journalists were actively using it.

• The award was first mentioned in the press in 1934. Sidney Skolsky wrote that Katharina Hepburn did not show up for her Oscar. By the way, the journalist claims to be the author of the name, which appeared as a vaudeville joke: “Do you want a cigar, Oscar?”
• At first, the winners received gilded bronze figurines, but after a few years they began to use white (British) metal, with copper, cupronickel and gold (24 carats) coating. During the war metal shortage, the figurines were made of plaster and covered with paint. Each nominee could receive such an Oscar.
• Before the ceremony there is a rehearsal. Presenters don't just repeat words. Everything is much more serious. The nominees hear their names, take the stage, receive a “practice” award, and give a speech. Even all five false envelopes with false results are prepared specifically for this action.

Actress Meryl Streep and Oscar

Everyone knows Oscar by sight. But if you take a closer look, you will see a knight with a crusader sword in his hands. It stands on a roll of film with five steps, symbolizing the original directions of the film academy. These are actors, directors, producers, technicians and writers.

• The height of the figure is 35 centimeters, and the weight is almost 4 kg. The design was developed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer art director Cedric Gibbons, and the artist George Stanley from Los Angeles was the sculptor.
  The awards are produced by R. S. Owens & Company in Chicago.
• Making 50 figurines takes approximately 3-4 weeks. If any of them does not fully meet the established standards, then it is immediately cut in half and melted to make the “correct” version. Each one is truly perfect. It is forbidden to even touch them before the ceremony: no fingerprints!
• Until 1949, figurines were NOT numbered. However, when the 501 was released, they began to put a serial number on each award. Over the entire period, 2,947 Oscars have found their happy owners.
• Over eight decades, Oscar survived war, earthquakes, even assassination attempts. However, over the past 20 years, the manufacturing company has repaired more than 160 figurines. The owners, as it turned out, are not so careful about their valuables. Or, on the contrary, they take care of them too diligently and wipe off dust from the awards with the help of chemicals, which should not be done.
• In 2000, the Academy was actually robbed. Boxes of figurines were stolen - exactly 55 pieces. A little later the rewards were found. In the trash can. Moreover, quite by accident during a federal investigation into drug trafficking. 52 of the 55 Oscars were recovered.

According to documents, the Oscar is the property of the film academy, so it cannot be sold. Except for the academy itself and for 1 dollar.

Facts

For almost 90 years, the Oscar has remained a symbol of success and pinnacle in cinema. Although, on the other hand, this is far from the only difference and conditions. Just remember how many actors never received it... And this list is made up of not just famous, but already legendary names - Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Downey Jr., Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter, Kate Winslet. Alfred Hitchcock also has awards.

Envelopes are opened only on stage. Some of them contain sheets of paper with one name, others contain an award for an entire team of creators.

The length of the red carpet is 152.5 meters, and it is the longest red carpet of all ceremonial ones.

Reminder rich history The competition itself consists of two columns with the names of the winning films of past years carved on them. There will be enough space for them until 2071.

Organizers have a backup plan in case something goes wrong. Let's say they announce the wrong winner. The show is immediately stopped. Only a few people at Pricewaterhouse Coopers know the results before the ceremony begins, and this mission is entrusted to them. Fortunately, nothing like this has ever happened before.

Actress Shirley Temple

• The youngest actress to receive the honorary award was five-year-old Shirley Temple. This happened in 1934.
• Tatum O'Neal became the youngest actress to receive a real statuette. At the age of 10, she was recognized as best supporting actress in the film “Paper Moon” (1974).
• The oldest winner is supporting actor, 82-year-old Christopher Plummer, and best actress is 81-year-old Jessica Tandy.
• Meryl Streep holds the record for the most nominations (13!).
• The first African-American Oscar winner is Hattie McDanial from Gone with the Wind.
• Liza Minnelli is the only actress whose parents (both!) received Oscars.
• Walt Disney received 26 awards throughout his life.
• Fran Walsh is the only woman to win three Oscars in one year: Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Original Score for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).
• In 1972, Marlon Brando received an award for his role as Don Corleone in the first part of The Godfather, and Robert De Niro was awarded in 1974 for the same role in the second part of the film. This is the only time different actors have won Oscars for playing the same character.
• Throughout history, 11 awards in various categories were received at one ceremony by three excellent films: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003), “Titanic” (1997) and “Ben-Hur” (1959).

Three films received a whole garland of awards at once - for best film, director, actor, actress and best screenplay: “It Happened One Night” (1934), “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975) and “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991).

The eloquent Greer Garson, winning best actress in 1942, gave the longest speech: from 5.5 to 7 minutes.

And Cate Blanchett is the only actress to win an Oscar for playing an Oscar-winning actress.

There has only been one winner named Oscar in history. This is Oscar Hammerstein II, winner of two awards for best soundtrack.
In 1972, Marlon Brando won an Oscar for his role as Don Corleone in the first part of The Godfather, and Robert De Niro was awarded in 1974 for the same role in the second part of the film. This is the only time different actors have won Oscars for playing the same character.
Throughout history, three films have received 11 awards in various categories in one ceremony. These are The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), Titanic (1997) and Ben-Hur (1959).

Actor Bob Hope

• The leader of the largest number of ceremonies is Bob Hope. He appeared on stage as many as 19 times.
• Every Oscar ends with the Best Picture award.