The 1st Academy Award Nominations

academy award statues

The first Academy Awards were given for movies released in 1927 and 1928.  The awards were presented on May 16, 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.  The first film to win Best Picture (then called Outstanding Picture) was the one and only silent film to win an Academy Award:  Wings.

Outstanding Picture:

racket-1928-movie-poster-1st-academy-awards-howard-hughesThe Racket

7th-heaven-seventh-1927-movie-poster-review-1st-academy-awardsSeventh Heaven

wings poster 1927 movie

WINNER:  Wings

BasementRejects Review

Unique and Artistic Production:

chang-a-drama-of-the-wilderness-movie-poster-1st-academy-awards-reviewChang:  A Drama of the Wilderness

crowd-movie-poster-1928-1st-academy-awards-reviewThe Crowd

sunrise-a-song-of-two-humans-movie-poster-george-obrien-janet-gaynor-1st-academy-awards-reviewWINNER:  Sunrise:  A Song of Two Humans

Best Director, Comedy Picture:

speedy-1928-ted-wilde-directorTed Wilde—Speedy

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two-arabian-knights-lewis-milestone-1st-academy-awards-director-comedy-winner-douglas-fairbanks-presenterWINNER:  Lewis Milestone—Two Arabian Knights

Best Director, Drama Picture:

crowd-1928-king-vidor-best-director-nominee-1st-academy-awardsKing Vidor—The Crowd

7th-heaven-seventh-1927-frank-borzage-best-director-winner-academy-awards-reviewWINNER:  Frank Borzage—Seventh Heaven

sorrell-and-son-herbert-brenon-best-director-nominee-1st-academy-awards-reviewHerbert Brenon—Sorrell and Son

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

noose-richard-barthelmess-1st-academy-awards-best-actor-reviewRichard Barthelmess—The Noose/The Patent Leather Kid

last-command-emil-jannings-1st-academy-awards-best-actorWINNER:  Emil Jannings—The Last Command/The Way of All Flesh

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

ship-comes-in-louise-dresser-1st-academy-awards-review-best-actressLouise Dresser—A Ship Comes In

7th-heaven-seventh-1927-janet-gaynor-1st-academy-awards-best-actress-winner-reviewWINNER:  Janet Gaynor—Seventh Heaven/Street Angel/Sunrise:  A Song of Two Humans

sadie-thompson-gloria-swanson-1st-academy-awards-best-actress-nominee-reviewGloria Swanson—Sadie Thompson

Best Writing, Original Story:

last-command-emil-jannings-1st-academy-awards-reviewThe Last Command

underworld-1927-movie-poster-1st-academy-awards-reviewWINNER:  Underworld

Best Writing, Adapted Story:

glorious-betsy-review-poster-1st-academy-awardsGlorious Betsy

jazz-singer-poster-review-1st-academy-awards-talkie-al-jolsonThe Jazz Singer

BasementRejects Review

7th-heaven-seventh-1927-movie-poster-review-1st-academy-awardsWINNER:  Seventh Heaven

Best Cinematography:

devil-dancer-movie-poster-review-1st-academy-awardsThe Devil Dancer

magic-flame-movie-poster-1st-academy-awards-reviewThe Magic Flame

sadie-thompson-gloria-swanson-movie-poster-1st-academy-awards-reviewSadie Thompson

sunrise-a-song-of-two-humans-movie-poster-george-obrien-janet-gaynor-1st-academy-awards-reviewWINNER:  Sunrise:  A Song of Two Humans

Best Art Direction:

dove-1927-movie-poster-1st-academy-awards-reviewWINNER:  The Dove/Tempest

7th-heaven-seventh-1927-movie-poster-review-1st-academy-awardsSeventh Heaven

sunrise-a-song-of-two-humans-movie-poster-george-obrien-janet-gaynor-1st-academy-awards-reviewSunrise:  A Song of Two Humans

Best Engineering Effects:

Ralph Hammeras—No Specific Film

wings poster 1927 movie

WINNER:  Roy Pomeroy—Wings

BasementRejects Review

Nugent Slaughter—No Specific Film

Best Writing, Title Writing:

magic-flame-movie-poster-1st-academy-awards-reviewThe Magic Flame

The Private Life of Helen of Troy

red-mill-poster-review-1st-academy-awardWINNER:  The Red Mill

Followed By:

The 2nd Academy Award Nominations

Author: JPRoscoe View all posts by
Follow me on Twitter/Instagram/Letterboxd @JPRoscoe76! Loves all things pop-culture especially if it has a bit of a counter-culture twist. Plays video games (basically from the start when a neighbor brought home an Atari 2600), comic loving (for almost 30 years), and a true critic of movies. Enjoys the art house but also isn't afraid to let in one or two popular movies at the same time.

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