"Oscar" Has Now Reached His Majority

Waikato Independent, Volume XLV, Issue 6235, 6 May 1949, Page 2

"Oscar" Has Now Reached His Majority

"Oscar," the golden symbol of fame conferred by the Academy of Motion Pictrue Arts and Sciences, has reached 1:1. Since his first appearance in Hollywood his birth, origins and history have become confused in tradition and much elaborated myth. Oft beset by perplexed inquiries in the years between the "Motion Picture Almanac" set about research for the purpose of presenting for the industry the truth about "Oscar." "Oscar!' was nameless when he came into the world as an award symbol the year the academy was founded, 1927, and he remained so for four years, known then as "the statuette." The idea fo r a statuette originated ar, a meeting of the firs,t board of govenovs of the academy. Cedrie Gibbons, now executive art director for Metro-Gold-wyu-Mayer, after hearing discussions on certificates, scrolls, medals and plaqes, urged that the award should be represented by a figure of dignity and individual character which recipients would be proud to display. While he talked he sketched a "figure and design. It was "Oscar's" first picture. The drawing was adopted and sent for execution in the round to George Stanley, a Los Angeles sculptor. From his. hands came the "Oscar" which has been growing in fame ever since.