Nominations Announcement | Ceremony Details | Presenters | Song Performances | Sci-Tech Awards

Nominations Announcement

Nominations Announcement Date: Sunday, February 11, 1940

Ceremony Details

Awards Ceremony Date/Time: Thursday, February 29, 1940, 8:30pm
Location: Banquet, Coconut Grove, Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles
Host: Bob Hope
Length: 3 hours, 52 minutes

Presenters

Scientific & Technical Awards: Darryl F. Zanuck
Special Award: William Cameron Menzies for “Gone With the Wind,” Technicolor Company: Darryl F. Zanuck
Film Editing: Darryl F. Zanuck
Sound Mixing: Darryl F. Zanuck
Cinematography: Darryl F. Zanuck (NOTE: Both Black-and-White and Color awards presented together)
Production Design: Darryl F. Zanuck
Special Effects: Darryl F. Zanuck
Music: Original Score: Gene Buck
Music: Scoring: Gene Buck
Original Song: Gene Buck
Animated Short Film: Bob Hope
Live Action Short Film (One-Reel): Bob Hope
Live Action Short Film (Two-Reel): Bob Hope
Special Award: Judy Garland: Mickey Rooney
Directing: Mervyn LeRoy
Writing: Original Story: Sinclair Lewis
Writing: Screenplay: Sinclair Lewis
Picture: Y. Frank Freeman
Special Award: The Motion Picture Relief Fund: Basil O’Connor
Irving G. Thalberg Award: David O. Selznick: Dr. Ernest Martin Hopkins
Special Award: Douglas Fairbanks (Commemorative): Walter Wanger
Supporting Actor: Fay Bainter
Supporting Actress: Fay Bainter
Actor: Spencer Tracy
Actress: Spencer Tracy

Previous Acting & Directing Winners

The tradition of prior acting winners returning the subsequent year to present the opposite-gender category is a long one. Each year, we look to see whether the prior winners returned. There was an intermittent tradition where the prior directing winner returned as well, but this was a rare occurrence.

Actor – Spencer Tracy: Yes and No (Presented: both lead awards)
Actress – Bette Davis: No
Supporting Actor – Walter Brennan: No
Supporting Actress – Fay Bainter: Yes and No (Presented: both supporting awards)
Directing – Frank Capra: No

Song Performances

Faithful Forever: Not Performed
I Poured My Heart Into a Song: Not Performed
Over the Rainbow: Not Performed
Wishing: Not Performed

Original Song Film Performers

Was the song performed at the Oscars by the same individuals who performed it in the film?

Faithful Forever: Not Performed (Performed in the Film by: Jessica Dragonette, Lanny Ross)
I Poured My Heart Into a Song: Not Performed (Performed in the Film by: Tyrone Power, Rudy Vallee)
Over the Rainbow: Not Performed (Performed in the Film by: Judy Garland)
Wishing: Not Performed (Performed in the Film by: Chorus)