1938 Academy Awards: Oscar Winners, Nominees and Highlights
The 10th Academy Awards ceremony, held on March 10, 1938, at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, marked a significant milestone in Hollywood's golden age
Hosted by Bob Burns, the event celebrated the outstanding film achievements of 1937
The night's big winner was "The Life of Emile Zola," which took home Best Picture
Spencer Tracy and Luise Rainer made history by winning back-to-back acting awards, a feat not repeated for decades
Walt Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" received an honorary Oscar, recognizing its groundbreaking impact on animation
The ceremony reflected the era's social climate, with films addressing serious themes amid the looming threat of war in Europe
This awards night set the stage for the Oscars' growing influence on American culture and the film industry's evolving artistic ambitions.
Major Award Categories: Winners and Nominees
In 1938, during the 10th Academy Awards Cerimony, held on 10/03/1938 the following movies, actors, actresses and directors were awarded with the Oscar in 6 categories honoring the films released in 1938:
What movie won the Best Picture Oscar in 1938?
Who won the Best Director Oscar in 1938?
Who won the Best Actor Oscar in 1938?
Who won the Best Actress Oscar in 1938?
Who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1938?
Who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1938?
Memorable Moments and Trivia
- Walt Disney received an honorary Oscar for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," which consisted of one full-sized statuette and seven miniature ones.
- Spencer Tracy won Best Actor for "Boys Town," becoming the first actor to win back-to-back Oscars (he had won the previous year for "Captains Courageous").
- Bette Davis won Best Actress for "Jezebel," her second Oscar win.
- "You Can't Take It with You" won Best Picture, directed by Frank Capra, who also won Best Director.
- This was the first year that the ceremony was held at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, which would become a frequent venue for the awards.
- The Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress categories were introduced for the first time at this ceremony.
- Fay Bainter became the first person to be nominated for both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress in the same year.
- Walter Brennan won the first-ever Best Supporting Actor award for his role in "Kentucky."
- Alice Brady won Best Supporting Actress for "In Old Chicago," but was unable to attend due to a broken ankle. A man claimed the award on her behalf and disappeared with it, never to be found.
- This was the last year that all nominees in the acting categories were exclusively from the United States.
FAQ
- Who was the host of the 1938 Academy Awards?
There was no official host for the 1938 Academy Awards ceremony. At that time, the Academy Awards did not have a designated host as they do in modern ceremonies. - What were the biggest surprises at the 1938 Oscars?
One of the biggest surprises at the 1938 Oscars was Walt Disney winning a special Academy Award for 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'. The award consisted of one full-sized Oscar statuette and seven miniature ones, recognizing the film's groundbreaking achievement as the first full-length animated feature film. - What were the most memorable speeches at the 1938 Academy Awards?
Unfortunately, there are no widely known or recorded memorable speeches from the 1938 Academy Awards. The ceremony was much smaller and less publicized than modern Oscar ceremonies, and detailed records of individual speeches were not typically kept or reported on at that time.
What happened in 1938?
Discover what the world looked like in 1938: