For Oscars presenter Irving Berlin, the original-song winner was like an old friend

Irving Berlin actually presented himself with the original-song Oscar at the 15th Oscars ceremony on March 4, 1943, at the Cocoanut Grove at the Ambassador Hotel.

There were 10 song nominees that year including “It Seems I Heard That Song Before” from “Youth on Parade”; “I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo” from “Orchestra Wives”’ and “Love Is a Song” from “Bambi.” But the winner that night was Berlin’s classic standard “White Christmas,” which Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds introduced in “Holiday Inn.”

When he opened the envelope and saw his name, Berlin told the audience “I’m glad to present the award. I’ve known him for a long time.”