When we think of the most prestigious honor in cinema, the first word that comes to mind is "Oscar." However, the official name of the iconic golden statuette is actually the "Academy Award of Merit." This award has been presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since 1929. But if that’s its official title, where did the widely recognized nickname "Oscar" come from?
(Image: People.com)
The Most Popular Theory: A Librarian's Remark
The most widely accepted explanation for the nickname traces back to the early 1930s and a woman named Margaret Herrick.
Herrick worked as a librarian for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences before later becoming its executive director. According to legend, when she first saw the golden statuette, she remarked that it resembled her Uncle Oscar.
Although she may not have intended it as a serious observation, the name stuck. It quickly spread among Academy staff, and by the mid-1930s, entertainment journalists and Hollywood insiders were calling the award "Oscar."
Other Competing Theories
While Herrick’s story is the most famous, it isn’t the only theory about how the name came to be. Some believe the name "Oscar" originated from different sources:
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Bette Davis' Husband – Some reports suggest that Bette Davis, one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actresses, named the statuette after her first husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson. She allegedly thought the back of the figure looked like his.
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Sidney Skolsky’s Hollywood Column – The well-known entertainment journalist Sidney Skolsky also claimed credit for popularizing the name. He supposedly used "Oscar" to make the award seem less formal and prestigious in his Hollywood columns. Skolsky often wrote about movie stars in a more casual, relatable way, and calling the trophy "Oscar" may have been his way of making the award sound more approachable.
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Emil Jannings’ Acceptance Speech – Another theory suggests that Emil Jannings, the first-ever winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1929, affectionately called his trophy "Oscar" when he received it. Some believe this moment led to the name spreading informally among Hollywood circles.
When Did the Academy Officially Recognize the Name?
Regardless of which origin story is true, the nickname had gained major traction in the 1930s. By 1934, the name was used in Hollywood columns, and in 1939, the Academy officially adopted "Oscar" as the award’s nickname.
The Design of the Oscar Statuette
The Oscar statuette is instantly recognizable. It was designed in 1928 by Cedric Gibbons, a top art director at MGM Studios and one of the Academy’s founding members. The actual sculpture was created by George Stanley.
The design features:
- A knight holding a crusader’s sword
- Standing atop a film reel
- Five spokes in the reel, representing the five original Academy branches:
- Actors
- Directors
- Producers
- Technicians
- Writers
The trophy is 13.5 inches (34 cm) tall and weighs 8.5 pounds (4 kg). Originally, the statuette was made of solid bronze, but since 1983, it has been composed of Britannia metal and plated with 24-karat gold.
During World War II (1942-1945), due to metal shortages, the Academy was forced to produce Oscars made of painted plaster. Winners were later allowed to exchange these for traditional gold-plated versions once materials were available again.
(Image: Parade)
How the Oscar Became Hollywood’s Most Coveted Prize
Over the decades, the Oscar name and statuette have become synonymous with cinematic excellence. Winning an Oscar is the pinnacle of achievement in Hollywood, and the Academy Awards ceremony remains one of the most-watched television events in the world.
What started as a simple joke about a man named Oscar has since transformed into the most prestigious honor in the film industry, proving that sometimes, the smallest moments in history can have the most lasting impact.
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