First Broadcast

On March 19, 1953, the 25th Academy Awards ceremony was broadcast live for the first time, bridging the gap between Hollywood and viewers at home. This historic event took place at the RKO Pantages Theatre in Hollywood and was carried by NBC TV and radio network. Notably, Bob Hope served as the master of ceremonies, a role for which he would become renowned in the years to come. The Oscars, which began in 1929, had previously been covered only by radio broadcasts from their second year onward. Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth was awarded "Best Picture," while John Ford clinched the "Best Director" award for The Quiet Man. The top acting honors were bestowed upon Gary Cooper for High Noon and Shirley Booth for Come Back, Little Sheba.