Remembrance of Flings Past

Times and tastes have certainly changed. What began humbly enough as a relaxed “family” evening with a dinner of broiled chicken on toast has evolved into the biggest event in the film industry.

As the Academy Awards settle into their first permanent home--the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland--it’s a good opportunity to reflect on the places the extravaganza has outgrown.

The first event, May 16, 1929, was held in the Blossom Room at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Far from the tightly guarded secret they are today, winners had been announced three months earlier.

Most of the 270 attendees were academy members. Guests paid $5 to attend. Academy President Douglas Fairbanks was host along with Chairman William C. DeMille and presented all the awards.

For the second ceremony, April 3, 1930, the event ventured to the Cocoanut Grove nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel. In their first broadcast, the awards were aired for one hour on KNX radio.

With the guest list expanding, the fourth gala moved to the more spacious Sala D’Oro at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on Nov. 10, 1931. Table assignments, unfortunately, weren’t given out in advance so dinner was delayed until 9 and the presentation didn’t start until midnight.

The event returned to the Ambassador, but in the Fiesta Room, on Nov. 18, 1932, and in a first, the evening concluded early--at 11 p.m. Another first was a best-actor tie: Wallace Beery for “The Champ” and Fredric March for “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

After two years in the Fiesta Room, the Oscars trekked back downtown to the Biltmore Bowl on Feb. 27, 1935. Nearly 1,000 guests were on hand to see Frank Capra’s “It Happened One Night” take Oscars for best picture, director, actor (Clark Gable), actress (Claudette Colbert) and screenplay (Robert Riskin). Colbert was waiting for a train at Union Station when her name was read. An academy official tracked her down and taxied her to the Biltmore.

The Oscars continued at the Biltmore or the Ambassador through 1943, but by Oscar’s 13th birthday, the affair had become so popular that banquets were impractical. So on March 2, 1944, the ceremony was held at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, which had seating for 2,258. It allowed the academy to invite not only members and their guests, but also servicemen and women fighting in World War II.

Jack Benny was the host that year, when “Casablanca” was named best picture. The radio broadcast was recorded for delivery to troops overseas.

After three years, the Academy Awards moved to the Shrine Auditorium for the 19th ceremony, held March 13, 1947. That year, academy membership had swelled from 700 to 1,675. Because the Shrine could seat nearly 7,000, the public was invited to attend for the first time. Even so, the show wasn’t a sellout and tickets were given to members of the military.

After two years at the Shrine, the Oscars moved to the academy’s own Melrose Avenue theater, which seated 985. The austere shift on March 24, 1949, was made because the studios had withdrawn financial support following rumors that they were pressuring voters. Attendees had to be shuttled in limos from parking lots blocks away. To make matters worse, it snowed. But the show did go on. “Hamlet” became the first non-Hollywood best picture.The next year, the event returned to Hollywood Boulevard, where it remained for 11 years at the Pantages Theatre.

On April 17, 1961, the Academy Awards moved from Hollywood to the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. For the first time, ABC telecast the ceremony, with host Bob Hope. All eyes were on Elizabeth Taylor, recovering from nearly fatal pneumonia. She received her first Oscar, for “Butterfield 8.”

In their 41st year, the Oscars moved to the Dorothy Chandler downtown. Hosts of the April 14, 1969, show were “Friends of Oscar,” including Ingrid Bergman, Sidney Poitier and Frank Sinatra. For the first time since Beery and March, there was an acting tie. Barbra Streisand won for her first film, “Funny Girl,” and Katharine Hepburn won her third Oscar, for “The Lion in Winter.” Streisand raised eyebrows when she accepted in a see-through pantsuit. “Oliver!” became the last musical named best film.

“I didn’t really notice” the new venue, said multiple nominee Quincy Jones, who was up for the title song from “For Love of Ivy.” “You go to the show, you are sweating about the nomination. Rod Steiger called it pleading for your dignity.”

The Chandler was home to the Oscars until their 60th birthday, when they returned to the Shrine, alternating between the two venues until this year.

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Susan King is a Times staff writer.