The 2nd Academy Award Nominations

The 2nd Academy Awards were given away at the Ambassador Hotel’s famed Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles on April 3, 1930 for films released in 1928 and 1929.  The presentation was broadcast on radio and despite existing lists now, at the time there were no official nominees (the “official” list of nominees was compiled by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences from the film that the judges had to go by at the time of judging).  The Oscars had two stand out events in that it is the only time that no movie one more than one Oscar and the Best Director (Frank Lloyd) won without having his picture nominated for Best Picture (or Outstanding Picture which it was still called at this point).

Outstanding Picture:

Alibi

WINNER:  The Broadway Melody

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In Old Arizona

Hollywood Revue

The Patriot

Best Director:

Lionel Barrymore—Madame X

Harry Beaumont—The Broadway Melody

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Irving Cummings—In Old Aziona

WINNER:  Frank Lloyd—The Divine Lady

Frank Lloyd—Drag/Weary River

Ernst Lubitsch—The Patriot

Best Actor:

WINNER:  Warner Baxter—In Old Arizona

Chester Morris—Alibi

Paul Muni—The Valiant

Lewis Stone—The Patriot

Best Actress:

Ruth Chatterton—Madame X

Betty Compson—The Barker

Jeanne Eagels—The Letter

Corinne Griffith—The Divine Lady

Bessie Love—The Broadway Melody

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WINNER:  Mary Pickford—Coquette

Best Writing:

Tom Barry—In Old Arizona/The Valiant

Elliot Clawson—The Cop

Elliot Clawson—The Leatherneck

Elliot Clawson—Sal of Singapore

Elliot Clawson—Skyscraper

Hanns Kräly—The Last of Mrs. Cheyney

WINNER:  Hanns Kräly—The Patriot

Josephine Lovett—Our Dancing Daughters

Bess Meredyth—A Woman of Affairs

Bess Meredyth—Wonder of Women

Best Cinematography:

George Barns—Our Dancing Daughters

WINNER:  Clyde De Vinna—White Shadows in the South Seas

Arthur Edeson—In Old Arizona

Ernest Palmer—Four Devils/Street Angel

John F. Seitz—The Divine Lady

Best Art Direction:

Hans Dreier—The Patriot

WINNER:  Cedric Gibbson—The Bridge of San Luis Rey

Mitchell Leisen—Dynamite

William Cameron Menzies—Alibi/The Awakening

Harry Oliver—Street Angel

Preceded By:

The 1st Academy Award Nominations

Followed By:

The 3rd Academy Award Nominations