Oscar Fun Facts

For more fun facts, check out these informative, engaging books: 80 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards by Robert Osbourne and So You Think You Know Oscar: Test Your Academy Award IQ by Gerald Granozio.

1. The first televised Oscar ceremony was in 1953.

2. In its more than 80-year history, the Academy Awards has only failed to take place as scheduled three times:

• In 1938 massive flooding in Los Angeles delayed the ceremony by a week.

• In 1968 the Awards ceremony was postponed from April 8th to the 10th out of respect for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who had been assassinated a few days earlier.

• In 1981 the Awards were once again postponed, this time for 24 hours because of the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.

3. The person to give the longest acceptance speech ever was Greer Garson. Her Best Actress win for Mrs. Miniver produced a six minute long spiel.

4. The Oscar statuette only measures 13 inches high.

5. According to the Variety article Oscar trophies, lost and found," the Academy forbids winners or their heirs from selling their Oscar statuettes. The legal document is known as "The Winner's Agreement," and it has been in place since 1950.

Oscar Statuette Mishaps:

The article also mentions that several Oscar winners have had trouble holding on to their statues. Future winners, take notice, and upgrade your security systems stat!

• Whoopi Goldberg's supporting actress Oscar for "Ghost" mysteriously disappeared after it was sent out for cleaning.

• When Clark Gable's best actor Oscar for 1934's "It Happened One Night" came up for auction in 1996, it was scooped up for over $600,000 by an anonymous bidder, who turned out to be Steven Spielberg. The director donated it to the Academy.

• Alice Brady won a supporting actress Oscar for the movie "In Old Chicago" in 1938, but was too sick to attend the ceremony. When her name was announced, a man jumped up onstage and accepted on her behalf. Unfortunately, the actress didn't know the stranger and her Oscar was never seen again.

Check out the article Oscar trophies, lost and found,"for more Oscar mishaps.