Oscars...

[Ferrallafez]

I heard this somewhere but I do not remember where. Why are the Academy Awards called Oscars? I know that they are named after someone but I cannot remember that guys name. I know his name was Oscar, but what's his last name and what did he do?

<img src="http://www.autumn-sky.com/wedding.jpg">

[Lulu]

The Oscar statuette,designed by MGM's chief art director Cedric Gibbons, depicts a knight holding a crusader's sword, standing on a reel of film with five spokes, signifying the original branches of the Academy: Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers, and Technicians. <P>
Frederic Hope, Gibbons' assistant, created the original Belgian black marble base; artist George Stanley sculpted the design; and the California Bronze Foundry hand cast the first statuette in bronze plated with 24-karat gold. <P>
Born in 1928, years would pass before the Academy Award of Merit was officially named

[Ferrallafez]

Thank you. But how did that work of art go on to be called Oscar? Why not Fred, or Jimmy, or Al?

<img src="http://www.autumn-sky.com/wedding.jpg">

[Lulu]

Born in 1928, years would pass before the Academy Award of Merit was officially named <P>
<P>
what the f?!? it cut off. here is the whole thing. <P>
Born in 1928, years would pass before the Academy Award of Merit was officially named

[Lulu]

GOD DAMNIT!!!! it cut off agian!!!! GRRR!!! i am so angry right now!



This message was edited by Lulu on 3-22-02 @ 9:03 PM

[Ferrallafez]

Thanks for trying...

<img src="http://www.autumn-sky.com/wedding.jpg">

[Lulu]

i'm sorry....

[Meatball]

A website i stumbled upon had this reply to your question plus some other interesting tidbits: <P> The true origin of the nickname `Oscar' has never been confirmed. There are three main sources; the first being Actress Bette Davis claiming that the backside of the statuette looked like that of her husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson. Academy librarian Margaret Herrick claimed that the statue looked like her Uncle Oscar, and columnist Sidney Sklosky insists that he thought up the name to negate pretension. <P> During World War II, Oscar statuettes were made of plaster to conserve metal. <P> Alfred Hitchcock has been nominated five times in the Directing category but has never won an Oscar, though he did take home the Irving G Thalberg Memorial Award. <P> Biopics generate the most Best Picture nominations than any other genre. <P> The only Oscar statuette made of wood was presented to Edgar Bergen for his ventriloquist's dummy/partner, Charlie McCarthy. <P> Katherine Hepburn has been presented with the most Academy Awards for an actress. <P> The official name for the Oscar Statuette is `The Academy Award of Merit'. <P> `Midnight Cowboy' was the only X-rated film to win Best Picture (it was later reduced to an R rating). <P> The Academy Awards made their TV debut in 1953. <P> At 76 years 317 days old, Henry Fonda is the oldest actor to ever win the Leading Actor category. Fonda waited forty-one years before his first nomination and his first win. <P> Tatum O'Neal is the youngest Academy Award winner at 10 years 148 days old, for Best Supporting Actress in `Paper Moon'. <P> John Ford has won the most Academy Awards for Directing. <P> Woody Allen has been nominated in the Writing category 13 times (making it the most times anyone has been nominated in that category). He has only won twice. <P> Lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II is the only Oscar to win an Oscar. <P> In 1973, a naked man ran across the stage revealing what host David Niven called `his shortcomings'. <P> Walt Disney was presented with a special Oscar for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1939 to commemorate the first all-animation feature film. He received a statue surrounded by seven mini statues on a large base. <P> After winning his Supporting Actor award for `City Slickers' Jack Palance did four one-armed push ups. <P> The Academy Awards have been delayed or postponed only three times - a flood in 1938, the funeral of Martin Luther King Jnr in 1968 and after the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in 1981. <P> At the first Academy Awards ceremony there were only 12 competitive award categories. <P> In 1972 Marlon Brando sent actress Maria Cruz dressed as a Native American called Sacheen Littlefeather to refuse his Leading Actor award. She read a political statement and quietly left the stage. <P> Greer Garson gave the longest ever Thank You speech - so long that no-one can be sure exactly how long. <P> Bob Hope hosted the most Academy Award ceremonies (18). <P> The Oscar statuette currently weighs 8 « pounds <P> Originally the names of the award winners were given to the press in advance with the stipulation that the information not be revealed until after the awards presentation. However, in 1939 the Los Angeles Times printed the names of the winners before the ceremony. Since then, the winners' names have been kept secret until the official announcement at the awards ceremony. <P> Angelina Jolie has won every award she has been nominated for, including her 2000 Best Supporting Actress award for `Girl, Interrupted'. <P> Michael Caine nearly fainted when he turned around while walking up the steps to receive his second Best Supporting Actor award for `The Cider House Rules'. He hadn't realised he was getting a standing ovation, and was shocked, to say the least. <P> <P>

[Lulu]

quite interesting to say the least.

[lleeder]

Never was a big fan of the whole Oscars thing.

[HordeKing1]

I don't follow the Oscars, with the exception of laughing at IM's about Paulo's reviews.

I don't feel the people who hand out these silly awards are any more qualified to determine what is the "Best Movie" than any person on the street. In fact, every person likes different types of movies thus making the opinion of the acadamy irrelevant.

I always thought that the Oscars were named after the balogna that filled the star's lunch sandwhiches fortifying them with 7 essential daily preservatives so they can give their best performance.

http://members.aol.com/rnfpantera/hking2

[brodieman]

quote: Why not Fred, or Jimmy, or Al?


because doesn't "and the Freddy goes to" sound kinda goofy?

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