Why are Academy Awards called Oscars?
In 1928 a founder member of the Academy MGM, the Irish art director, Cedric Gibbon, created the initial design for the 33 cm high gold-plated statuette. The following year the Academy commissioned the Los Angeles sculptor, George Stanley to produce the 3D version.
In 1930 Gibbon stepped up to collect the first of 11 awards he would go on to win for production design.
So when did this ugly/beautiful piece of work become Oscar?
In 1934 the term was first publicly used by a Hollywood columnist describing Katharine Hepburn's first Best Actress victory. By 1939 the word Oscar was universally known.Uncle Oscar?
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Bette Davies collects Oscar for Jezebel (1938) |