The 4th Academy Award: 1931 a year of records

The 4th Academy Award: 1931 a year of records

 Director Norman Taurog with his nephew Jackie Cooper, both nominated in 1931.

I'd like to start by describing why it has been defined "a year of records"... well let me tell you that it was pretty easier to reach a record since the Oscars were established only three years before... 

That year "Cimarron" was the first Western movie to ever win Best Picture (the second will be "Dances with Wolves" in 1990, directed by Kevin Costner), and also the first movie reaching the highest number of nominations, with a total of 7, winning 3 Awards for Outstanding Production (RKO), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Art Director.  

 From "Cimarron" (Richard Dix and Irene Dunne)

Furthermore in 1931 actor Jackie Cooper, that fell asleep during the ceremony, born in 1922, at the age of 9, was the youngest actor receiving a nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role, for the movie "Skippy". It was only in 1979 when Justin Henry was nominated for "Kramer vs. Kramer", at the age of 8, that Cooped was surpassed, even if Henry was nominated in another category, Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

Jackie Cooper was the nephew of Director Norman Taurog, who won the Academy Award for Best Director for "Skippy", becoming the youngest person to win the Award. Both Taurog and Cooper have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, respectively Vine Street 1600 and 1507. 

 Marie Dressler ("Min and Bill") and Lionel Barrymore ("A Free Soul") with their Statuette

In 1931 John Barrymore and Lionel Barrymore, both members of the Barrymore Family (grandfather and grand-uncle of Drew Barrymore) starred in two Nominated Movies, respectively "Svengali" and "A free soul", and Lionel won the Oscar for Best Actor that year.

The award for Best Actress in a Leading Role went to Marie Dressler for "Min and Bill", co-star with Wallace Beery, one of the highest paid actors before Clark Gable. From 1900 Dressler has been one of the most influent actresses; she worked with Chaplin, Mabel Normand and Irving Thalberg.

Dressler was honoured in 1960 with a Star at 1731, Vine Street for her contribution to the motion picture industry. Talking about records, "Cimarron" and "A Free Soul" were the first two movies to receive multiple acting nominations.

"The Dawn patrol", directed by the amazing Howard Hawks and starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. won the Academy Award for Best Story (future Original Screenplay award). "Tabu, a Story of the South Seas", directed by Academy Award winning Murnau (Sunrise) won the Award for Best Cinematography, thanks to the great job of Floyd Crosby (Cinematography for "High Noon", 1952). Unfortunately Murnau died one week after the premiere of "Tabu" on March 18, 1931.

Morocco, a movie  by Josef von Sternberg, starring Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich and Adolph Menjou (nominated for Best Actor the same year for "The Front Page") was nominated for four Academy Awards, but didn't succeed despite great actors and the great and future director of "Der Blaue Engel", also starring Marlene Dietrich.

That year the Ceremony was held at the Biltmore hotel, and hosted by Lawrence Grant, and for that occasion President Herbert Hoover sent Vice President Charles Curtis to attend the ceremony (Source: Oscars.org).

The 4th Academy Awards banquet held at the Sala D’Oro in the Biltmore Hotel 

(Source: Oscars.org)

That year were celebrated also for the first time the Scientific and Technical Award, during a dinner ceremony separated from the annual telecast. Those were Special Award for scientific or technical achievements and conferred by vote of the Academy Board of Governors.

The Biltmore Hotel in the 30's 

 And today... still a milestone