From banquet to broadcast: How the Oscars have transformed over nearly a century
By Joelle Garguilo
Published on March 10, 2026.
The first Academy Awards were held in 1929, with a private dinner attended by 270 people and a 15-minute presentation hosted by Douglas Fairbanks. However, the winner had been known months in advance, leading to an embargoed list of winners being broken several years later. The sealed envelope system was introduced in 1941 and is still used today. The first televised broadcast of the Oscars took place in 1953. Over the years, notable moments include a tie for Best Actress between Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand, and a mix-up between La La Land and Moonlight for Best Picture. The Oscars have also produced memorable moments, including notable moments like Marlon winning the Oscar for The Godfather.
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