OSCAR, DEAD AT 93
A Hollywood Parody
Oscar, the most renowned and coveted award in the entertainment industry died on Sunday, April 25th in Los Angeles. He was 93. The cause of death was not immediately established, but it is believed to be related to diminishing audience syndrome (DAS), exacerbated by the Coronavirus pandemic which has taken a devastating toll on the entertainment business.
His death was announced by the Nielsen company, who said that Oscar’s health had been in serious decline over the past several years.
The brainchild of MGM studio chief, Louis B. Mayer, Oscar was conceived at a dinner party at Mr. Mayer’s home in 1927 and born on May 16, 1929. Although officially named the Academy Award of Merit, the newborn trophy, designed by MGM art director, Cedric Gibbons and realized by Los Angeles sculptor George Stanley, was 13 ½ inches long and weighed in at 8 ½ pounds. The iconic 24-karat gold-plated statuette of a knight standing on a reel of film gripping a crusader’s sword went unnamed for many years until Academy librarian (and eventual executive director), Margaret Herrick, observed the majestic statue for the first time and said, “He looks just like my Uncle Oscar.” The name stuck, and in 1939 the moniker was officially adopted.
In his infancy, there was little suspense about who would take Oscar home when 270 attendees crowded into the Blossom Room of the Roosevelt Hotel for the first Academy Awards ceremony. The winners, including Wings for best picture, had been announced three months prior to the ceremony. It wasn’t until 1940 that the sealed-envelope system was adopted.
Modern day audiences may be surprised to learn that in those days actors were rewarded for their complete body of work released within one year, hence Best Actor winner Emil Jannings won for his performances in two films (The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh) while Best Actress winner, Janet Gaynor was recognized for her work in three (Seventh Heaven, Street Angel and Sunrise). Remarkably, the first “talkie”, The Jazz Singer was not eligible for the Best Picture award as it was deemed unfair for a sound picture to compete with silent films. By 1942, excitement over Oscar was so high that an LA radio station produced a live broadcast.
Oscar made his television debut at the age of 24 in 1953. According to the Academy, 34 million viewers made his first telecast the most-watched show on commercial television. As master of ceremonies, Bob Hope presided over the broadcast live from Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre. Unlike today, all presenters were former winners. While Mr. Hope’s monologue included numerous swipes at television, including the quip, “Television, that’s where movies go when they die,” no one could have predicted a future where the biggest stars made the leap to the small screen to find lucrative deals and new audiences.
In Oscar’s youth, television was still considered the red-headed step-child, except when it came to the Academy Awards telecast. Along with its burgeoning audience came profitable advertising deals and official sponsorships. Glamorous brands including Revlon, American Express and Kodak lined up to bask in Oscar’s glow. Before long, Oscar was an industry unto himself. Brands couldn’t seem to get enough of him and in an attempt to generate more revenue, in 1961 the pre-ceremony Red Carpet arrivals were broadcast for the first time. Over time, the Red Carpet evolved and cable networks offered extended coverage where the likes of Joan Rivers showed more interest in what people were wearing than what roles they were nominated for.
Pretty soon Oscar became the centerpiece of a night of celebrations. While nearly all attendees started their post-ceremony festivities at the Governor’s Ball, the requisite event was usually just the first stop in a night full of parties. For nearly 30 years, legendary agent Swifty Lazar hosted Hollywood’s triple-A-list Oscar night bash, first at the Bistro before segueing in 1985 to the original Spago high above Sunset Boulevard. After Lazar’s death in 1993, Vanity Fair magazine swooped in and suddenly Oscar night was the Super Bowl of glam. Beginning in 1994 the fête was held at Morton’s, the industry power spot on Melrose Avenue before moving to the Sunset Tower Hotel in 2009. The new venue could accommodate a larger press line, which helped make the event the most famous party since Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball.
But Oscar’s story wasn’t all about celebrations. There have been some dark moments in his history as well. When interviewed by PROVOKR shortly before his death he said, “When I look back at my life I think I am most ashamed by the fact that when Hattie McDaniel became the first African American to win me, (for her role as Mammy in Gone With the Wind), she wasn’t allowed to sit alongside her white castmates and was relegated to the back of the theatre.” When asked about his favorite memory he said, “It’s so hard to pick just one – it could be when Charlie Chaplin received a 12-minute standing ovation in 1972 or when Kathryn Bigelow broke the glass ceiling to become the first woman to win for Best Director, but I also loved Ellen DeGeneres’ selfie with all of those big stars.” When asked about the infamous streaker in 1974 he smiled and said, “Poor Elizabeth Taylor had to follow that!”
Oscar, who enjoyed his biggest audience in 1998 (when then box office record holder, Titanic drove his telecast audience to 55.25 million viewers), has been in deteriorating health since 2014. That year he delivered 41.62 million viewers. This year, the trophy saw his ratings plummet to an all-time low of 10.4 million viewers, a 56% decline from the previous year’s low of 23.6 million in overall viewership and an unprecedented 60% decline in the coveted 18-49 demographic. Nevertheless, in a year where the film industry was ravaged by the Coronavirus pandemic, Oscar still delivered ABC with the most watched awards show.
The oldest of five, Oscar and his siblings, sister Golden “Goldie” Globes, brother Tony, sister Emmy and non-binary sibling, Grammy have all achieved unrivaled success in the awards space. Grammy died in March of this year due to technical difficulties experienced during their telecast. Oscar, who was reportedly worth approximately $1 billion, was the most successful of the lot.
The effect of his unexpected death on his $482 million Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which is scheduled to open September 30, 2021, is unclear. One can only hope that without Oscar’s megawatt presence, the long-awaited museum will not become just another stop on the Hollywood tourist circuit alongside Ripley’s Believe It or Not and Madame Tussaud’s.
While many insiders blame his death on COVID19, speaking under the condition of anonymity, a number of industry players attributed Oscar’s demise to the public’s lack of awareness of eligible films and the general apathy that has pervaded the movie business. Other suspected causes include the telecast’s rudderless ship-type atmosphere resulting from the absence of an on-air host, the show’s long, drawn out introductions, the lack of movie clips and Best Song performances. A significant number also mentioned the highly anticipated and usually heart-touching In Memoriam. This year’s tribute sped by so quickly, one would have to be a graduate of Evelyn Wood’s Speedreading course in order to read it all.
In an interview conducted shortly after this year’s nominations were announced, Oscar said, “I’ve tried to be inclusive, to represent the changing face of filmmaking and recognize women and people of color in a way that maybe I haven’t before. I think this year’s nominees speak to the progress I’ve made.”
When asked to reflect on his legacy as the standard bearer of motion picture excellence, Oscar was humble. “It’s been said that I’ve transformed careers, opened doors and have made the studios a lot of money, but at the end of the day, while I’ve been placed on mantels and other places of honor, I’ve also been used as doorstops and bookends. I’m just thankful.”
Copyright 2021 by Michael Arkin. All Rights Reserved.
