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Outstanding Picture Prior to the Awards for 1951, no producer(s) named with nominations
 THE RACKET - Caddo (UA). [Produced by Howard Hughes]
SEVENTH HEAVEN (Won 3 Awards) - Fox. [Produced by William Fox]
 WINGS - Paramount/Famous Players-Lasky. [Produced by Lucien Hubbard]
Unique and Artistic Picture Prior to the Awards for 1951, no producer(s) named with nominations
This is the only year for an Award in this category.
CHANG - Paramount/Famous Players-Lasky
THE CROWD - MGM
SUNRISE (Won 3 Awards) - Fox
Actor
Emil Jannings THE LAST COMMAND and THE WAY OF ALL FLESH
Richard Barthelmess THE NOOSE and THE PATENT LEATHER KID
Charles Chaplin THE CIRCUS 1
Actress
Louise Dresser A SHIP COMES IN
Janet Gaynor SEVENTH HEAVEN, STREET ANGEL and SUNRISE
Gloria Swanson SADIE THOMPSON
Directing (Dramatic Picture)
Frank Borzage SEVENTH HEAVEN
Herbert Brenon SORRELL AND SON
King Vidor THE CROWD
Directing (Comedy Picture)
This is the only year for an Award in this category.
Lewis Milestone TWO ARABIAN KNIGHTS
Ted Wilde SPEEDY
Charles Chaplin THE CIRCUS 1
Writing (Adaptation)
Alfred Cohn THE JAZZ SINGER
Anthony Coldeway GLORIOUS BETSY
Benjamin Glazer SEVENTH HEAVEN
Writing (Original Story)
Lajos Biro THE LAST COMMAND
Ben Hecht UNDERWORLD
Charles Chaplin THE CIRCUS 1
1"The Academy Board of Judges on merit awards for individual achievements in motion picture arts during the year ending August 1, 1928, unanimously decided that your name should be removed from the competitive classes, and that a special first award be conferred upon you for writing, acting, directing and producing 'The Circus.' The collective accomplishments thus displayed place you in a class by yourself." -- Letter from the Academy to Mr. Chaplin, dated February 19, 1929.
Writing (Title Writing)
This is the only year for an Award in this category.
Gerald Duffy - THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HELEN OF TROY
Joseph Farnham - (This award was not associated with any specific film title.)
George Marion, Jr. - (This nomination was not associated with any specific film title.)
Art Direction
Rochus Gliese - Art Direction SUNRISE
William Cameron Menzies - TEMPEST and THE DOVE
Harry Oliver - SEVENTH HEAVEN
Cinematography
George Barnes THE DEVIL DANCER, MAGIC FLAME and SADIE THOMPSON
Charles Rosher & Karl Struss SUNRISE - (For this awards year, awards were presented in the name of the individual and could honor work on one or more films. Rosher & Struss were both honored for cinematography on this film. It is considered a single nomination for the film.)
Engineering Effects
Ralph Hammeras - (This nomination was not associated with any specific film title.)
Roy Pomeroy WINGS
Nugent Slaughter - (Though no specific titles were indicated during the presentation of May 16, 1929 or in the official results from the Central Board of Judges for this honorable mention, Academy records indicate that Slaughter was most often mentioned in connection withTHE JAZZ SINGER.)
Special Awards
Warner Bros. - For producing THE JAZZ SINGER, the pioneer outstanding talking picture, which has revolutionized the industry.
Charles Chaplin - For acting, writing, directing and producing THE CIRCUS. (See letter from the Academy to Chaplin, above)
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| OF SPECIAL NOTE
· The Academy Award statuette has remained unchanged since its original design by MGM art director Cedric Gibbons: a gold-plated naked man 14 inches tall and weighing 7 pounds, his sword plunged into a reel of film.
· The original Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences consisted of 230 members, who paid a fee of $100 each.
· In the beginning, winners were selected in a three-tiered process that consisted of: (1) nominations from members; (2) a Board of Judges that narrowed each category list down to three; and (3) a final Central Board of five judges that determined the outcome. These five consisted of one member from each of the branches: writing, technical achievement, producers, directors, and performers.
SINS OF OMISSION
· There were loud complaints that Janet Gaynor's popular co-star in 7th Heaven, Charles Farrell, had been unjustly ignored by the judges.
· The first comic superstar, Charlie Chaplin, was not well loved in Hollywood, which probably accounted for the nullification of his initial nominations for Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Writer.
UNMENTIONABLES
· Adolf Hitler was big fan of Chaplin's -- so big, in fact, that he grew his mustache like Chaplin's character the Little Tramp. Before that, Hitler's mustache was an 1880s-type handlebar.
· In her book, Tramp: The Life of Charlie Chaplin, Joyce Milton asserts that Nabokov's controversial classic, Lolita, was inspired by Chaplin's relationship with Lita Grey.
· Louis B. Mayer and Charlie Chaplin came to blows over the studio chief's snide remarks about the star's divorce from ingenue Mildred Harris. Chaplin got in the first swing, but Mayer finally decked him.
· "America's sweethearts" of the 1920s, Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, co-stars in twelve films, were careful to keep their homosexuality out of the public spotlight.
· Al Jolson paid his equally talented brother, Harry, $150 per week to stay out of show business.
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