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The Academy Awards Through The Years (PHOTOS)

Oscar Photos Through The Years

First Posted: 02/22/2012 5:18 pm Updated: 02/22/2012 9:23 pm

It's a night of glitz and glamour, honors and upsets, obvious wins and outrageous snubs. The Academy Awards has become one of the most anticipated nights in Hollywood, but this Super Bowl of award shows has a history far longer than the train of Halle Berry's 2002 gown. There are 83 years of red carpet wonders and blunders that have made the Academy Awards what it is today.

In 1929, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences handed out the very first Oscar statuette at a brunch held in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Films released between Aug. 1, 1927 and Aug. 1, 1928 were up for top honors, with "Wings" taking home the now-coveted Outstanding Picture award (check out the rest of the winners from the first Academy Awards at Oscar.com.) That May 16 ceremony marked the very first Oscars, and although it was far from what we now know award shows to be, the ceremony packed the same A-list star power that will hit the red carpet on Oscar night.

From Oscar party images of Spencer Tracy and Bette Davis in 1939 to red carpet shots of Audrey Hepburn in 1954 -- the year she won Best Actress for "Roman Holiday" and old blue eyes himself, Frank Sinatra, won Best Supporting Actor for "From Here to Eternity" -- Hollywood's biggest night is full of the boldest and most beautiful stars of all time. Take a look back at photos from the start, when Old Hollywood was present day and glamour was timeless.

For the ultimate guide to everything Oscar, head over to Oscar.com for a timeline of nominees and winners from the past 83 shows.

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It's a night of glitz and glamour, honors and upsets, obvious wins and outrageous snubs. The Academy Awards has become one of the most anticipated nights in Hollywood, but this Super Bowl of award sho...
It's a night of glitz and glamour, honors and upsets, obvious wins and outrageous snubs. The Academy Awards has become one of the most anticipated nights in Hollywood, but this Super Bowl of award sho...
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11:07 PM on 02/25/2012
These photos are beautful. I love Huffington Post!
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dbrockskk
09:00 AM on 02/24/2012
I gave up when Brokeback lost to Crash.
10:25 AM on 02/23/2012
I remeber when people used to have a little more talent. The should be catergory for none of the above. that way if there are no good movies etc. the awward will go unclaimed. I lost interest when"out of Africa' won. i didn't think it was that good, just ahead of the pack or a safe choice that year.
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Furdurp
Get the facts First. then you can distort them.
09:03 AM on 02/23/2012
Jack Nicholson and Angelica Houston were awesome together
07:25 AM on 02/23/2012
These awards are stupid. They rarely include movies that made big bucks, apparently, just on principle. If the masses like it, the performances must not be good. Then there was the year The Color Purple was nominated for every award there was--but NOT director, Stephen Spielberg. Did the movie direct itself?? And now they have extended the Best Picture list to 10 films and man, they are reaching with some of these but just can't include Harry Potter. Not even the last one(not the best in the series) as a nod to the entire series, like they did with Lord of the Rings? Or nominate the actors--especially Radcliffe--for supreme performances in the latter films? I have not watched since Billy Crystal's last hosting but since he is back this year I may watch the start. "You look MAV-elous!!"
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Film Shark
I love cinema.
06:51 AM on 02/23/2012
Sally Field's acceptance speech has to be the most memorable in The Academy's history. She received a lot of flak for her emotional speech BUT it is unforgettable. "You like me, you really like me." Those words ring so true. Most actresses performed to be liked by their peers.
01:01 AM on 02/23/2012
Remember when Dances With Wolves beat Goodfellas for best picture? The academy lost almost all credibility in my eyes after that. They lost ALL their credibility after Slumdog Millionaire was decidedly the best movie of the year (LOL!).

The oscars is nothing but prom night for rich, beautiful people. The voting is irrelevant, seeing as how it's solely based on political motivation and who has the deeper pockets to woo Academy members during "consideration" period. It's all a big popularity contest. You can kiss being judged solely on artistic merit out the window. Anyway, enjoy the 2012 oscars, everyone! I wonder if the Artist will win best picture... oh wait, it already has. (See Golden Globes, BAFTA, SAG, etc.)

P.S. If I have to see that stupid dog Uggie one more time, I might punch a toddler in the face.
12:39 PM on 02/23/2012
:D
07:17 AM on 02/24/2012
"Slumdog Millionaire" was far and away the best movie of its year
01:10 PM on 02/25/2012
LOL! thanks for making me laugh
01:13 PM on 02/25/2012
You know why it won? Because the Oscar Awards rating were boosted on TV from everyone tuning in to see if a bunch of poor Indian kids would walk on stage to except. THATS a movie in itself. The Academy was dragged into the whole emotional perspective. That film, in no way, deserves the highest regard a film can receive.
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Darren Christman
12:07 AM on 02/23/2012
As Joan Collins just revealed today...the Oscar's are totally fake corporate awards. How a hack like Collins gets to vote in it is proof beyond all doubt. Who is the gayguy on the left of Liz Taylor? I've never seen him before
10:36 PM on 02/22/2012
I mean really, HP...couldn't you have put up Denzel or Halle in that line up. Whatever happen to diversification? geez.
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Darren Christman
12:08 AM on 02/23/2012
Who is the guy on the left?
07:23 AM on 02/23/2012
George Chakaris?
ae12wrangell
Everybody is entitled to my opinion
01:00 PM on 02/23/2012
George Chakaris - Best Supporting Actor 'West Side Story' (Fantastic movie. Romeo and Juliet in Manhattan)
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Darren Christman
12:09 AM on 02/23/2012
these are fake corporate awards...rife with religious bias. They violate the 1964 Civil Rights act worse than any other American Industry
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wonketteRAWKS
Hypocrisy is prevalent in BOTH parties!
07:48 PM on 02/22/2012
Really? On the front page it's spelled "ACADAMY?"
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Darren Christman
12:10 AM on 02/23/2012
It's fake anyway -- Joan Collins -- a BAD TV actress is a member and admitted she voted for the Artist and has never even seen the film
Holypat777
Got no time 4 closed minds-WA/3D
01:51 PM on 02/24/2012
Jesus Christ . . .
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dbrockskk
06:34 PM on 02/22/2012
I gave up on them when Brokeback lost to Crash.
ae12wrangell
Everybody is entitled to my opinion
01:01 PM on 02/23/2012
Not every favorite wins.
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dbrockskk
09:02 AM on 02/24/2012
true. Ernest Borgnine (sp) voted against it and never even saw it!