During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards – later to be colloquially known as "Oscars," in 12 categories. The winners had been announced three months ahead of the ceremony. Some nominations did not reference a specific film, such as Ralph Hammeras and Nugent Slaughter, who were nominated for Engineering Effects, a category that was dropped the following year (along with those for Unique and Artistic Production, Best Director (Comedy), and Best Title Writing).[4] Unlike later ceremonies, an actor could be awarded for multiple films: Emil Jannings won Best Actor for his work in both The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command, while Best Actress winner Janet Gaynor was honored for three films. Charlie Chaplin and Warner Brothers each received an honorary award.[5][6] Jannings, a Swiss-born performer who gained fame in Berlin, had been notified in advance of his victory; he subsequently posed for pictures with his statuette before leaving for Germany.[2]
Major winners at the ceremony included 7th Heaven and Sunrise, with three awards apiece (the latter winning for Unique and Artistic Picture), and Wings receiving two awards, including Outstanding Picture. The academy decided retroactively that Wings' award was its highest honor the following year and dropped Unique and Artistic Picture.[4][7]
Louis B. Mayer, the founder of the Louis B. Mayer Pictures Corporation, which would later merge into Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), established the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in 1927. Mayer's purpose in creating the award was to unite the five branches of the film industry: actors, directors, producers, technicians, and writers.[8] Mayer commented on the creation of the awards: "I found that the best way to handle [filmmakers] was to hang medals all over them ... If I got them cups and awards, they'd kill themselves to produce what I wanted. That's why the Academy Award was created."[9] Mayer asked Cedric Gibbons, art director of MGM, to design an Academy Award trophy.[8][10] Nominees were notified through a telegram in February 1928.[8] In August 1928, Mayer contacted the Academy Central Board of Judges to decide the winners.[8] However, according to the American director King Vidor, the voting for the Academy Award for Best Picture was in the hands of the AMPAS founders: Mayer, Douglas Fairbanks, Sid Grauman, Mary Pickford, and Joseph Schenck.[11]
The ceremony was held on May 16, 1929,[5][6][12] at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, located in Los Angeles.[5] It consisted of a private dinner with 36 banquet tables,[13] where 270 people attended, and tickets cost $5 (equivalent to $89 in 2023).[5] Actors and actresses arrived at the hotel in luxury vehicles, and many fans attended to encourage celebrities.[13] The ceremony was not broadcast on radio,[5] and was hosted by AMPAS director Fairbanks[5][6][14] during a 15-minute event.[12]
Charlie Chaplin, a multiple nominee for one movie (Best Actor, Best Writer, and Best Director, Comedy; all for The Circus) (1928), has been removed from the list so as to recognize his total contribution to the industry;[6] and Warner Bros., an award for pioneering talking pictures (The Jazz Singer). Three categories were eliminated for subsequent presentations: Best Engineering Effects, Best Title Writing, and Best Unique and Artistic Quality of Production.[4] The larger film producers received the preponderance of awards: Fox Film Corporation, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures, Radio-Keith-Orpheum, and Warner Bros.[8]
At the 1st Academy Awards (1927–1928), the nomination process allowed candidates to be nominated and awarded for a single film, multiple films, or without reference to any specific film.
Nominees were announced on February 2, 1929. Winners are listed first, in boldface, and indicated with an asterisk (*).[15]
Frank Borzage, Best Directing (Dramatic Picture) winner
^ abcThe Circus originally received three nominations: Best Director (Comedy Picture), Best Actor, and Best Writing (Original Story) – for Charles Chaplin. However, the Academy subsequently decided to remove Chaplin's name from the competitive award categories and instead to confer upon him a Special Award "for acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus".[16]
Wings is the first film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, which was at the time known as Outstanding Picture. Also won an award for the Best Engineering Effects.[7]
Sunrise won the Academy Award for Best Unique and Artistic Picture, the only year that such a prize was awarded. The prize was intended to honor prestige art films separately from "commercial fare".[21]
^ abcd"The Official Academy Awards Database". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on December 23, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2019. Reader must select "1927/28" in the "Award Year(s):" drop-down menu and press "Search".
^"The 1st Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. October 8, 2014. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
