VOTD: ‘The Origin Of Oscar’ Reveals The History Of The Famous Gold Man
“Oscar” is synonymous with “Academy Award” at this point, but how did it get to be that way? Who is Oscar? Why is he called that? What other forms has he taken on over the years? And once you get your hands on one of him, what happens next?
A fun featurette from the Academy reveals the answers to all those and more. WatchThe Origin of Oscar, featuring past Oscar winnersHelen Mirren,Whoopi Goldberg,Ben Kingsley, andBenicio del Toro, after the jump.
IMDbpresents the Academy Originals featurette, titledThe Origin of Oscar.
It took less than a decade for the Academy Award to pick up the Oscar nickname, and yet no one seems quite sure where the name came from. The video offers three different explanations, but I choose to believe my favorite: “Bette Davisclaimed she named it Oscar because the rear end of Oscar reminded her of her husband [Harmon Oscar Nelson] when he got out of the shower in the morning.”
The featurette is clearer on where the Oscar design comes from. MGM Studios art directorCedric Gibbonssketched the design, andGeorge Stanleysculpted it. (There’s a longstanding rumor, not mentioned here, that Mexican filmmakerEmilio Fernández Romoserved as the model. But thathas never been confirmed.)
The basic look has remained the same ever since, though tweaks are made from time to time. A few people have received specially designed Oscars, as described above, and Oscar switched to plaster during World War II thanks to the metal shortage.
Maybe the most amusing revelation is that the winners have to stand in line to get their names engraved on the trophies they’ve won. It just seems like such a mundane way to follow up one of the glitziest, most glamorous events in existence. Not that that stopsNatalie PortmanorCate Blanchettfrom beaming brightly enough to light up the room.
