This Oscars list information was originally compiled in 1998 from various sources as experimental material for a database project. The database was soon abandoned (too much work!) but as the lists began to look fairly nice, the pages have been kept up to date to show how it's possible to present "moving picture" information in an interesting way without being totally dependent on the actual pictures...

"Oscars" are awarded annually for outstanding individual or collective efforts in each of (currently) 24 categories by A.M.P.A.S. (the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) in Hollywood - their official website at www.oscars.org is always worth a visit and includes a searchable database of all winers and nominees.

The actual term "Oscar" was only coined in the early 1930's (reputedly by Academy librarian Margaret Herrick, who claimed the statuette looked like her Uncle Oscar). The first Academy Awards ceremony occurred in May 1929, in relation to films issued in Los Angeles County between mid-1927 and mid-1928 (hence the term 1927/8 awards etc). The first ceremony awarded 15 statuettes in relation to 13 categories. Over the years since, the number of categories has grown as follows (now totalling 24):

• 1927/8: 13 categories:
Actor, Actress, Picture, Unique & Artistic Picture, Directing (Comedy, Dramatic), Writing (Adaptation, Original Story, Titles), Cinematography, Art Direction, Engineering Effects, Special Awards.
• 1928/9: Simplified to 9 categories:
  Actor, Actress, Picture, Directing, Writing (Adaptation, Original Story), Cinematography, Art Direction, Special Awards.
• 1929/30: + Sound
• 1934: + Film Editing, + Score (Musical, Drama/Comedy), + Song
• 1936: + Supporting Actor, + Supporting Actress
• 1939: + Special Effects
• 1941: + Documentary Film
• 1945: Doc.Film split into Doc. Feature + Doc. Short Subject
• 1948: + Costume Design
• 1956: + Foreign Language Film (previously Special/Honorary)
• 1955: + Set Decoration
• 1963: Special FX split into Visual Effects + Sound Effects
• 1976: (Sound Effects ceased)
• 1981: + Make-Up (previously Honorary), + Sound Effects Editing
• 2001: + Animated Feature Film

The 1997 Awards ceremony (in March 1998) was noteable for being the 70th anniversary of the original presentation, by which time over 2,200 individual statuettes had been distributed as awards through the years.

All original website graphics by Pvh (EuDesign), except for "animated spotlight" (found at a U.S. site while browsing the 'Net, and credited as being created or modified by "Charles (Chuck) Poynter").

 

INDEX +YRS

THE FILMS

FILMS +DIR

DIRECT'RS

NO-DOUBLE

WRITERS

ACTORS

ACTRESSES

SONGS

FOREIGN

SPECIALS

CURIOUS

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