Some Oscar Firsts from Nearly a Century of Academy Awards

There are many types of film competitions each year, but the Academy Awards provides the pinnacle of recognition for film artists and professionals. Each January, hundreds of millions of fans and critics tune in to see who the big winners are—those honorees who will go down in history.

For a lot of my writing on the DVD Netflix blog, I consult the official Oscars website. Today, I decided to have some fun and look up memorable firsts during the near-century of Academy Awards. Wherever possible, I’ve included links to make renting them easier.

1929 (1^st) – The first Academy Awards were held in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Thursday, May 16, 1929.

1934 (6^th) – The first-known time “Oscar” was used as a reference for the Academy Awards was by Sidney Skolsky in his gossip column on March 16, 1934.

1935 (7^th) – Music is honored for the first time: scoring and song

1940 (12^th) – Bob Hope is master of ceremonies for the first time. Hattie McDaniel is the first African-American artist to win an Oscar (Gone with the Wind).

1941 (13^th) – The first time an American president participated in the Academy Awards evening (Franklin D. Roosevelt).

1947 (19^th) – General public is permitted to buy tickets to the ceremony for the first time.

1949 (21^st) – First awards for costume design, separated by black-and-white and color.

1953 (25^th) – First time television cameras covered the Academy Awards.

1956 (28^th) – First actor posthumously nominated for an Academy Award (James Dean)

1961 (33^rd) – Ceremony is telecast for the first time by ABC Television Network

1963 (35^th) – Frank Sinatra makes his first appearance as the host of the Academy Awards. Patty Duke is the first actor under 18 to receive a competitive Academy Award (The Miracle Worker).

1964 (36^th) – Sidney Poitier becomes the first African American to win Best Actor (Lilies of the Field).

1966 (38^th) – The first year the awards are broadcast in color.

1977 (49^th) – Peter Finch is the first performer to win a posthumous Oscar (Network). Lina Wertmüller is the first woman to be nominated for directing (Seven Beauties).

1982 (54^th) – First competitive category for makeup is created.

1987 (59^th) – Marlee Matlin is the first deaf actress to be nominated for an Academy Award (Children of a Lesser God).

1990 (62^nd) – Billy Crystal hosts for the first time.

1992 (64^th) – Beauty and the Beast is the first fully animated feature to receive a Best Picture nomination.

1994 (66^th) – Whoopi Goldberg is the first woman, and first African-American, to host the awards alone.

1999 (71^st) – The first time the awards took place on a Sunday.

2002 (74^th) – The first time the ceremony takes place at the Kodak Theatre. Halley Berry wins first African-American woman to win Best Actress (Monster’s Ball).

2010 (82^nd) – Kathryn Bigelow becomes the first female to win Best Director (The Hurt Locker)

2011 (83^rd) – The first time both a male and a female hosted together (Anne Hathaway and James Franco).

2014 (86^th) – Steve McQueen becomes first black filmmaker to direct a Best Picture-winning film (12 Years a Slave)

Those were just a few of the many firsts over the history of the Academy Awards. Do you know of some more?

Disclaimer: I am a DVD Netflix director, which earns me rewards.  DVD Netflix has hundreds of thousands of movies to choose from, many that you won’t find on streaming services.