Nick Nolte Sky Diving
Academy Awards: The 80th Anniversary Edition
Back in 1997, I noticed the Academy Awards were honoring the 69 years of its history in one awesome montage. Best Picture winners were shown from the very beginning of this prestigious award ceremony to the 1996 Oscar winner, The English Patient. Thinking back, I realized I should commemorate the 80th Anniversary for myself.
This list is one that took me about 5 days to finish. I had help from certain websites. While writing and compiling the list, I remembered a few things. Namely, one being that Alfred Hitchock - the same man who gave us such timeless classics as North by Northwest, Psycho, Vertigo and Rear Window never received the Oscar for Best Director. Stanley Kubrick, a filmmaker whose career has inspired many others to date never received that same award statue. You might say that this is not just an oversight or snub, but these are major dishonors. However, looking over the list again, I must say The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have made some great decisions over the years. Look for yourselves. 1927 - 1928 Wings won Best Picture. The contenders were The Racket, Seventh Heaven, The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command. Emil Jannings, a Swiss actor won Best Actor for The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command. The contenders were Richard Barthelmess in The Noose and The Patent Leather Kid. Special note: Charles Chaplin was originally announced as a nominee in The Circus, but the Academy pulled him in order to give him the special Honorary Award instead. Janet Gaynor or should I say, Laura Augusta Gainor won Best Actress for Seventh Heaven, Street Angel and Sunrise. The contenders were Louise Dresser in A Ship Comes In, and Gloria Swanson for Sadie Thompson. Best Director for a drama went to the mystical romanticist, Frank Borzage (Seventh Heaven). The contenders were Herbert Brenon for Sorrell and Son, and King Vidor for The Crowd. Best Director for a comedy went to Lewis Milestone or should I say, Lev Milstein for Two Arabian Knights. The contender was Ted Wilde for Speedy. Special note: Again, Charlie Chaplin for The Circus was cut out of this category to get the Honorary Award. 1928-1929 The Broadway Melody won Best Picture. The contenders were Alibi, Hollywood Revue, In Old Arizona, and The Patriot. Warner Baxter or Warner Leroy Baxter won Best Actor for In Old Arizona. The contenders were George Bancroft in Thunderbolt, Chester Morris in Alibi, Paul Muni in The Valiant, and Lewis Stone in The Patriot. Canadian motion picture star, Mary Pickford won Best Actress for Coquette. The contenders were Ruth Chatterton in Madame X, Betty Compson in The Barker, Jeanne Eagels in The Letter, Corinne Griffith in The Divine Lady, and Bessie Love in Broadway Melody. Best Writing went to Hans Kraly for The Patriot. The contenders were Tom Barry for In Old Arizona and The Valiant, Elliott Clawson for The Cop, The Leatherneck, Sal of Singapore, and Skyscraper, Hans Kraly for The Last of Mrs. Cheney, Josephine Lovett for Our Dancing Daughters, and Bess Meredyth for A Woman of Affairs and Wonder of Women. Best Cinematography went to Clyde De Vinna for White Shadows in the South Seas. The contenders were George Barnes for Our Dancing Daughters, Arthur Edeson for In Old Arizona, Ernest Palmer for Four Devils and Street Angel, and John Seitz for The Divine Lady. By Luke M. -Next page: Aff Skydiving In Washington State
