1st Annual Academy Awards Results and Commentary (1929)

©A.M.P.A.S.®

• Date of Ceremony: Thursday, May 16, 1929
• For films released in: 1927-1928
• Host(s): Douglas Fairbanks and William C. deMille

• Nominations List

Other years:

2nd >

The 1st Academy Awards were handed out during a small 15 minute ceremony held as part of an Academy dinner at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The winners knew beforehand who was going to go home with the hardware that night as the results had been announced three months earlier on February 18, 1929.

The event was hosted by actor Douglas Fairbanks and director William C. deMille. Certificates of honorable mention went to the runners-up, but the big prize of the night went to Outstanding Picture of the Year winner Wings.

Results

Outstanding Picture

• Wings
  Lucien Hubbard [Producer]

Unique and Artistic Production

• Sunrise

Best Directing (Dramatic Picture)

• 7th Heaven
  Frank Borzage

Best Directing (Comedy Picture)

• Two Arabian Knights
  Lewis Milestone

Best Actor

• The Last Command
  Emil Jannings
• The Way of All Flesh
  Emil Jannings

Best Actress

• 7th Heaven
  Janet Gaynor
• Street Angel
  Janet Gaynor
• Sunrise
  Janet Gaynor

Best Art Direction

• The Dove
  William Cameron Menzies
• Tempest
  William Cameron Menzies

Best Cinematography

• Sunrise
  Charles Rosher and Karl Struss

Best Engineering Effects

• Wings
  Roy Pomeroy

Best Writing (Adaptation)

• 7th Heaven
  Benjamin Glazer

Best Writing (Original Story)

• Underworld
  Ben Hecht

Best Writing (Title Writing)

• Joseph Farnham

Special Award

• The Circus
  Charles Chaplin
  Note: …for acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus.
• The Jazz Singer
  Warner Bros.
  Note: …for producing The Jazz Singer, the pioneer outstanding talking picture, which has revolutionized the industry.