16 Mind-Blowing Oscar Facts You Probably Don’t Know
You might remember Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, or the time La La Land was mistakenly presented with Best Picture, but you might know lesser-known Oscar facts, such as the 1974 streaker or the time a dog nearly won Best Actor.
Since 1929, the prestigious ceremony has entertained audiences with its awards, acceptance speeches, and unexpected (and outlandish) moments.
Blow your friends away with your Academy Award trivia this year. Read the following 16 mind-blowing Oscar facts you probably don’t know.
1. The Winner Doesn’t Own the Oscar Statue
It might surprise you to learn that an Oscar winner will not officially own the statue. In 1951, the Academy announced that the winner or its heir must offer to sell the award back to the Academy for $1 before they can sell it themselves.
If the winner refuses to comply with this rule, the Academy will have the legal right to block the sale of the award. So, don’t expect to see an official Oscar up for auction on eBay anytime soon.
However, you might find a pre-1951 statue, as the rule only applies to accolades from 1951 onwards.
For instance, Michael Jackson purchased the Gone with the Wind Best Picture trophy for $1.5 million.
2. Walt Disney Holds the Record for the Most Wins and Nominations
Walt Disney holds the record for the most Oscar nominations and wins, earning 59 nods and 26 accolades.
He also set a single-year record by winning an impressive four Oscars in a single night in 1954.
His most memorable award is, of course, the one full-size Oscar statue and seven miniature ones that he received for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), which were presented on a stepped base.
3. Plaster Oscar Statues Were Presented in WWII
Due to the scarcity of metal during World War II, Oscar winners from 1943 to 1945 were presented with a painted plaster statue.
Once the Second World War was over, the Academy allowed the winners to swap the plaster statue for a standard gold-plated bronze version.
4. Only One X-Rated Film Has Won an Oscar
Believe it or not, an X-rated film has won an Academy Award. Midnight Cowboy made history by winning Best Picture in 1969, despite its X-rating.
While the movie rating was later downgraded to an R, it is the only time in Oscar history when an X-rated film received an award.
5. A Dog Almost Won the Best Actor Award
Rin Tin Tin, a German Shepherd, nearly won the Best Actor award at the first Academy Award ceremony in 1929.
After the ballots were counted, Rin Tin Tin reportedly received the most votes for the accolade, to the Academy members’ horror.
As the ceremony’s prestigious reputation was on the line during the first-ever ceremony, they decided to disqualify the dog for the award and present it to the runner-up, Emil Jannings.
However, many believe it was a prank started by screenwriter Darryl F. Zanuck, who filled out a joke ballot for the beloved canine.
The Academy head, Bruce Davis, also investigated the 1928 ballot and couldn’t find any votes for Rin Tin Tin.
6. An Academy Librarian Inspired the Nickname
Have you ever wondered why the Academy Awards are nicknamed the Oscars? Legend has it that Margaret Herrick, the Academy librarian who later became executive director, inspired the nickname.
After setting eyes on the award for the first time, she reportedly said, “He looks just like my Uncle Oscar!”
7. Greer Garson Delivered the Longest Oscar Speech
Greer Garson currently holds the record for the longest Oscar speech. After winning the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1943 for Mrs. Miniver, Garson delivered a seven-minute speech.
It led to the Academy introducing a strict 45-second acceptance speech rule, preventing the ceremony from running into the morning.
8. Patty Duke Gave the Shortest Oscar Speech in History
Patty Duke delivered the shortest acceptance speech at the 1963 Academy Awards.
The 16-year-old walked onto the stage and said “Thank you” for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Miracle Worker (1962).
9. Hal Mohr Won an Oscar Without a Nomination
Despite not receiving an Academy Award nomination, cinematographer Hal Mohr won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography at the 1935 ceremony.
Thanks to an overwhelming write-in campaign, Mohr won the award for A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
He is the only person in Oscar history to win the award due to a write-in, and the ceremony’s rules were changed the next year to stop it from happening in the future.
10. Alice Brady’s Oscar Was Stolen
Did you know that Alice Brady’s Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress was stolen?
In 1938, the actress was forced to miss the ceremony due to illness, resulting in an unknown man accepting the award on her behalf for her In Old Chicago (1937) performance.
After he accepted the statue, the man left the ceremony and was never seen again. As a result, the Academy had to provide Alice Brady with a replacement.
11. Emilio Fernandez May Have Inspired the Oscar Statuette
Have you ever wondered who the Oscar statuette is based on? Well, wonder no more, as it’s reportedly based on Emilio “El Indio” Fernandez, a Mexican actor and director.
It is believed that Fernandez posed nude for the iconic award in 1928, as he was close friends with actress Dolores del Rio, who was married to Cedric Gibbons, the statue’s designer and a founding member of the Academy.
However, the Academy has often refuted this claim, stating “no model was used” during the design of the statuette.
12. A Man Streaked at the 1974 Oscars
In 1974, when host David Niven was set to introduce actress Elizabeth Taylor to the stage to present the Academy Award for Best Picture, a streaker ran across the stage.
The streaker was 33-year-old Robert Opel, an art gallery owner and photographer, who darted onto the stage naked, holding a peace sign.
David Niven, who was well-regarded for his dry sense of humor, remarked, “Isn’t it fascinating to think that probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings.”
It wasn’t the first time Opel had streaked on stage, as the gay rights activist had also streaked at a Los Angeles City Council meeting, where they were discussing a nudity ban.
However, many people believe the streaking stunt was staged, as Opel avoided arrest and attended a press conference after the event.
The Oscars paid tribute to the iconic moment at the 2024 ceremony, as actor John Cena walked “naked” onto the stage holding a large envelope to cover himself.
13. There Was a Best Actress Tie in 1969
Unless you lived through the 1960s, you might not know that there was a Best Actress tie in 1969.
Barbara Streisand (Funny Girl) and Katharine Hepburn (The Lion in Winter) received 3,030 votes each, resulting in both actresses being called to the stage.
Unfortunately, Katharine Hepburn couldn’t attend the ceremony, resulting in Barbara Streisand accepting the award and delivering her iconic line “Hello, gorgeous!” to the Oscar statue.
14. 55 Statues Were Stolen in 2000
If you cast your mind back to 2000, you might remember a news report that 55 Oscar statuettes were stolen from a Californian loading dock.
During the Academy’s frantic search for the statues, a local named Willie Fulgear discovered 52 Oscars by the bins behind a junk store.
As a thank you, the Academy provided Willie with a $50,000 reward and ceremony tickets. However, he later stated that his $50,000 reward was stolen from his home.
John Williams Has Achieved a Seven-Decade Nomination Streak
Composer John Williams has composed some of the most iconic scores in film history, including the Jaws (1975) theme and the Star Wars main title.
For this reason, he has earned multiple Oscar nominations over seven different decades, starting from the beginning of his career in the 1960s to the 2020s.
He is also the most nominated living person, receiving an impressive 54 Academy Award nominations.
John Williams is also the oldest nominee in Oscar history, receiving a nod at 91 years old.
The legendary composer has earned five well-deserved Academy Awards, including Best Scoring for Fiddler on the Roof in 1972 and Best Original Score for Jaws (1976), Star Wars (1978), E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1983), and Schindler’s List (1994).
16. George C. Scott Was the First Person to Refuse an Oscar
Most actors wait their entire careers to receive an Academy Award, which is why many might not understand why George C. Scott turned down the Best Actor award.
The gifted actor reportedly sent a telegram refusing the award for his performance in Patton (1971), calling the prestigious ceremony a “two-hour meat parade.”
The actor stated he wanted no part in the awards show, and the presenter accepted the accolade on Scott’s behalf while he watched a hockey game at home.
Next Article >>> 13 Romantic TV Dramas Based on Beloved Novels
