Health & Fitness
Marcus Theatres Movie Biz Blog: Oscar Trivia
It's that time of year again – The Oscars are back! This month's blog explores little-known facts about the movie industry's biggest night.
It looks like my Uncle Oscar...
On February 24, cinema’s elite will gather at the Dolby Theatre on the corner of Hollywood and Highland for The Oscars ®. Some will walk away holding the iconic gold statuette while others will dutifully say it was an honor just to be nominated.
The Academy Awards® started in 1929 when the first winners were honored at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on May 16, three months after their awards were announced. In 1929 the Oscars bore only a slight resemblance to what they are today. There were only 12 awards. Winners were selected for their work in a specific film, for their work in several films or for their body of work for the year. That year’s Best Actress, Janet Gaynor, won for 7th Heaven, Street Angel and Sunrise. There were also two best director awards, one for Directing (Comedy Picture) and the other for Directing (Dramatic Picture). There was even a writing award for the titles used in silent films. The winner for Outstanding Picture was Wings, the first and only silent film to win (unless you count last year’s The Artist).
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Here is a little Oscar trivia: The Oscar statuette is 13.5 inches high and is officially named “The Academy Award of Merit.” How the award got its nickname, Oscar, is a matter of speculation. Some stories say it was coined by Bette Davis whose husband’s name was Harmon Oscar Nelson. The most common story is that the award was named by the Academy’s librarian Margaret Herrick who saw the statuette and reportedly remarked “it looks just like my uncle Oscar.” No matter its origin, the name stuck and has been officially used by the Academy since 1939.
Fast forward to 2013 Oscar trivia.
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- All five best supporting actor nominees (Alan Arkin in Argo,Robert De Niro in Silver Linings Playbook,Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Master,Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln and Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained are previous Oscar winners.
By the time the clock chimes midnight on February 24 the winners of the 85th Academy Awards, except maybe Wallis and Riva if they win, will be making the rounds to all the post-Oscar festivities and posing with their newfound “BFF.” The rest of us will be headed off to bed so we can get to work the next morning and discuss with our co-workers if Seth MacFarlane was an Oscar-worthy host.
Don’t miss... The Oscar Experience! Milwaukee is one of only 46 cities in the US hosting an officially sanctioned Oscar watching party. The Oscar Experience in Milwaukee is a charity benefit for COA (Children’s Outing Association) Youth and Family Centers that will be held at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center on February 24. For more information visit: http://www.coa-yfc.org/
About Marcus Theatres
Follow the Marcus Theatres® Movie Biz Blog to receive the most up-to-date information and behind-the-scenes scoop about the movies you can’t wait to see on the big screen. As the sixth largest theatre circuit in the United States, Marcus Theatres wants to hear your thoughts about the latest in the entertainment world. Visit www.marcustheatres.com and follow the company on Facebook and Twitter (@Marcus_Theatres).