Reel Old Movies

The 2023 Academy Awards are Sunday, March 12, but the first decades of Oscar honors were fertile ground for history-making movies.  Take a look at a few of the best, some of the firsts and a couple of the mosts when it comes to the Academy Awards' golden statuette and the Golden Age of Hollywood.  The first best picture nominees The first Academy Awards took place in 1929, honoring movies made from mid-1927 to 1928.  It was also the only year that two categories for "best" picture were included: One was for "Unique and Artistic Picture" and the other for "Outstanding Picture." The Artistic Picture category was dropped the following year, and the Outstanding Picture would evolve into the Best Picture category today. The movies nominated in each of the categories included: Outstanding Picture: "Wings" ** Won "The Racket" "7th Heaven" Unique and Artistic Picture: "Sunrise"  ** Won ( Watch for free ) "Chang&quo

On this date in Hollywood history -- March: Jean Harlow's birthday, Cyd Charisse's birthday, "The Covered Wagon" premiered, Steve McQueen's birthday ...  Discover what happened on days throughout March in Hollywood history, from historic film premieres and industry milestones to anniversaries of birthdays/deaths of beloved Old Hollywood figures, and more. (This story will be updated throughout the month)  March 3 The "Blonde Bombshell" Jean Harlow was born March 3, 1911, and was one of the legendary leading ladies of Old Hollywood. She rose to fame with 1930's "Hell's Angels" and would go on to star in two dozen movies before her untimely death just seven years later. Her biggest hits included "Platinum Blonde" (1931), "Red-Headed Woman" (1932), "Dinner at Eight" (1933), "Wife vs. Secretary" (1936) and "Libeled Lady" (1936). "Red Dust," made in 1932, featured Harlow at her most

On this date in Hollywood history -- February: MGM's first "all-talkie" movie premiered ... Clark Gable's birthday ... Raquel Welch and Burt Bacharach passed away ... Discover what happened on days throughout February in Hollywood history, from historic film premieres and industry milestones to anniversaries of birthdays/deaths of beloved Old Hollywood figures, and more. (This story will be updated throughout the month)  February 1  👯‍♀️”One more crack from you and you’ll be holding a lily!” Bessie Love deals with her critics in “The Broadway Melody of 1929.”  It was the first “all-talkie” musical movie from MGM and won the best picture Oscar. The box office smash, which premiered February 1, also helped set the stage (so to speak) for MGM to dominate the musical genre for decades to come. Anita Page and Bessie Love play two sisters who head to New York with dreams of making it on Broadway. Of course, they encounter some obstacles along the way. … View thi