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Where Did the Oscar Statue Originate?

The Academy Award of Merit--better known as the Oscar--has been handed out by the Motion Picture Academy for outstanding achievement in film since the late 1920s. It has since become one of the most universally recognized awards on the planet, with a reputation that often outstrips the very films it honors.

  1. Origins

    • The Academy first formed in 1927, and among its original goals was an annual award to honor achievement in film. They asked MGM's art director Cedric Gibbons to design a trophy for it.

    Dimensions

    • The trophy which Gibbons created stood 13.5 inches tall and weighed a little over 8 lbs. It depicted an Art Deco knight holding a sword and standing atop a reel of film.

    First Oscars

    • The Oscars were first handed out in 1929 at the Academy's original award ceremony. Actor Emil Jannings was the first official recipient.

    Name

    • The origin of the name is unknown, but the most common story attributes it to Academy member Margaret Herrick, who said that it looked like her uncle Oscar.

    Standards

    • While the Oscar itself never changed, the base of the statue was altered occasionally in the early years. The current base has been used since 1945.

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