$1 for the Oscar statuette to 45-second allotment for acceptance speeches: Oscar info | Defined Information

The delivery of the nickname ‘Oscars’

Formally named the Academy Award of Benefit, there are a number of explanations as to how the nickname Oscars originated.

The most well-liked is attributed to Margaret Herrick, a librarian on the Academy from 1936 to 1943, who additionally later served as its government director. It’s believed that when she first noticed the award trophy on an government’s desk, she famous the way it reminded her of her Uncle Oscar. A newspaper columnist current on the spot talked about this in an article, and the title caught.

In accordance with one other account, actress Bette Davis got here up with the title when she received the award for Finest Actress for Harmful in 1936, and remarked how the again of the Oscar reminded her of her husband as he left the bathe. Her husband was musician Harmon Oscar Nelson.

Yet one more claimant of the nickname is Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky, who used the time period “Oscar” in his column close to Katharine Hepburn’s Finest Actress win for Morning Glory in 1934. In his 1975 memoir, Don’t Get Me Improper − I Love Hollywood, Skolsky wrote that the title appeared when he felt annoyed with the official time period “statuette”. He used it in a mocking tribute to vaudeville reveals he had seen, the place comedians having enjoyable with the conductor of the orchestra would say, “Will you have got a cigar, Oscar?”

The resale worth of the Oscar statuette

Standing 13 1/2 inch tall and weighing 8.5 kilos, every Oscar trophy reportedly prices over $400 to provide, however the official regulation of the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences states that the winners or anybody else can’t promote it available in the market. The official web site notes: “Award winners shall not promote or in any other case get rid of the Oscar statuette, nor allow it to be offered or disposed of by operation of legislation, with out first providing to promote it to the Academy for the sum of $1.00. This provision shall apply additionally to the heirs and assigns of Academy Award winners who might purchase a statuette by present or bequest.”

Discovering a loophole within the rule that was solely launched in 1951, an public sale of 15 Oscar statuettes handed earlier than the mentioned date was held in 2012. It garnered complete gross sales of greater than $3 million. The highlights included Herman Mankiewicz’s 1941 Finest Screenplay statuette for Citizen Kane, which went for $588,455.

American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson additionally reportedly purchased the Oscar for Finest Image awarded to Gone With the Wind in 1940 at a 1999 Sotheby’s public sale for $1.54 million.

The 45-second restrict for acceptance speeches

Profitable an Oscar is likely to be one of many highlights of a profession, however in an intimate dinner with this yr’s Oscars nominees final week, Janet Yang, President of the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences, requested the winners to conclude their acceptance speech in 45 seconds. In accordance with a information report on AFP, Yang requested the winners to maintain it: “heartfelt, humorous should you’d like, poignant, inspirational, however transient.”

The longest speech the Oscar stage has seen until date was by actor Greer Garson, when she was accepting the award for Finest Actress in 1943 for Mrs Miniver. She reportedly spoke for over 5 minutes, throughout which she additionally spoke concerning the subjective nature of awards ceremonies.

The shortest has been a mere “Thanks”, said by Patty Duke, when she received the statuette for Finest Supporting Actress for The Miracle Employee in 1963. These near it embrace veteran filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, who whereas accepting the Irving G Thalberg Memorial Award in 1968, said: “Thanks, very a lot certainly.”

Why are the names of the winners sealed in envelopes?

Whereas the names of the award winners have been as soon as shared beneath strict embargo to the press earlier than the ceremony, this custom noticed a change after 1940 when The Los Angeles Instances leaked the winners listing earlier than the bulletins have been formally made. Thereafter, the names of the winners are strictly sealed in an “envelope” as a safety measure.

The accounting agency PricewaterhouseCoopers is accountable for tabulating the ballots and handing the presenters envelopes with the names of the winners.

Designed by Los Angeles-based designer Marc Friedland since 2011, three envelopes are reportedly produced for every class. Describing the envelope, the web site marcfriedland.com reveals: “The surface of the award envelope contains a refined watermarked sample and an Artwork Deco-inspired satin gold foil body and debossed cavity. An ecru inset panel bears the title of every award class in a wealthy charcoal ink. Contained in the envelope, a heavy-weight ecru card options deco gold foil accents with a gold leaf-embossed Oscar® statuette together with the phrase, “And the Oscar ® goes to…” The winner’s title is printed in charcoal ink and mounted onto an identical, hand-wrapped purple lacquer body. The again of the cardboard signifies the particular award class, and is seen to viewers.”