The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was formed in part to honor those in the film industry. Over the years, its participants have contributed to Oscar trivia.

The early years of the Academy Awards naturally featured many Oscar firsts and also some unusual happenings. Here are a few of them.

The First Oscar Statuette

The first figurines that were handed out were known officially as the Academy Award of Merit and differed little in appearance from today’s Oscars, with slight variations in the base and type of alloy used being the only changes made over the years. The original trophy was made of gold-plated bronze and was designed by Cedric Gibbons who would, himself, go on to win eleven Oscars for art direction.

Variety magazine initially referred to the Award of Merit as the “Iron Man,” a name which fortunately did not stick, and by 1934 the media was calling it the “Oscar.” The Academy officially recognized this nickname in 1939.

The First Best Actor and Actress Awards

The first ceremony in 1929 recognized actors for their body of work rather than in an individual movie. Honored at the presentations were Janet Gaynor for her work in Sunrise, Seventh Heaven, and Street Angel; and, Emil Jennings for The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command. Only 22 at the time, Gaynor would be the youngest woman to win best actress until Marlee Matlin, age 21, won in 1986. Jennings, a citizen of Germany, was back home and unable to attend the awards program. He, thus, became the first foreigner to win best actor and also the first honoree not to attend the presentation ceremony.

The First Best Supporting Actor and Actress Awards

It was not until the 10th award ceremony (1936) that Oscars were handed out in these categories. The best supporting actor award went to Walter Brennan for his role in Come and Get It. Brennan’s eventual three awards in this category is still a record today. The supporting actress award went to Gale Sondergaard for her portrayal of Faith in Anthony Adverse. Sondergaard later was offered the role of the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz, but turned it down because she did believe that the character should be “ugly.”

For the first few years, supporting actors did not receive an actual Oscar, but were given a bronze plaque instead. Eventually, the plaque winners were given statuettes.

First Academy Award Embarrassing Moment

This may have occurred in 1934 when emcee Will Rogers opened the envelope for best director and announced, “Come up and get it, Frank.” Frank Capra, who was nominated for Lady for a Day, walked halfway to the podium before being told that the recipient was actually Frank Lloyd for The Bridge of San Luis Rey.

First Movie to Win Five Major Awards

In 1935, It Happened One Night (1934) won the awards for: best picture; best actor (Clark Gable); best actress (Claudette Colbert); best director (Frank Capra); and best adapted screenplay (Robert Riskin). This feat has only been duplicated twice, by One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Silence of the Lambs.

The First Stolen Oscar

When Alice Brady won the 1937 best supporting actress award for her work in In Old Chicago, she was too ill to attend the ceremony. An unknown man accepted the award in her behalf and neither he nor the Oscar was heard from again. Sadly, before Brady could receive a duplicate award she died of cancer at the age of forty-six.

The First Refused Oscar

In 1935, Dudley Nichols won the best screenplay award for The Informer. However, Nichols refused to accept it because, at that time, the Writers’ Guild was in the middle of a dispute with the Academy. He apparently accepted it at a later date according to Academy records

For more Oscar history see: Osborne, Robert, 75 Years of the Oscar. New York: Abbeville Press, 2003; The Official Academy Award Site; and Oscar, Oscar

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