L.A.Home of the Oscars
While L.A. is home to a number of big award shows, none stands out quite as much as the Academy Awards.
The first Academy Awards were handed out on May 16, 1929 when movies had just begun to talk. The attendance was 270 and tickets cost $5. Today, attendance is by invitation only. No tickets are sold to the public.
The first ceremony took place in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The Kodak Theater is home to the Oscars today.
The Oscar statuette has been called "the Academy statuette," "the golden trophy" and "the statue of merit." It weighs 8.5 pounds and stands 13.5 inches tall. Originally cast in gold-plated bronze, today, the statuette is made of gold-plated britannium, a pewter-like alloy.
The 79th Annual Academy Awards will be held on February 25, 2007. |