| 2nd Academy Awards | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Date | April 3, 1930 | |||
| Site | Ambassador Hotel | |||
| Host | William C. Demille | |||
| Highlights | ||||
| Best Picture | The Broadway Melody | |||
| Most wins | ||||
| Most nominations | In Old Arizona & The Patriot (5) | |||
| ||||
The 2nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films released between August 1, 1928, and July 31, 1929. They took place on April 3, 1930, at an awards banquet in the Coconut Grove of The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Radio coverage began with this ceremony, with a local broadcast by KNX, Los Angeles. As the ceremony was being held more than eight months after the end of the eligibility period, it was decided that the 3rd Academy Awards would be held in November 1930, so as to bring the awards ceremony closer to the relevant time period. As a result, 1930 was the only calendar year in which two awards ceremonies were held. The second ceremony included a number of changes over the first. Most importantly, it was the first presentation for which the winners were not announced in advance. Additionally, the number of categories was reduced from twelve to seven.
The 2nd Academy Awards is unique in being the only occasion where there were no official nominees. Mary Pickford, a founding member of AMPAS and the wife of its first president, lobbied to be considered for the Best Actress award, inviting the judges over for tea at her home, while other actresses who were considered for the same award were not made aware of their consideration. Subsequent research by AMPAS has resulted in a list of unofficial or de facto nominees, based on records of which films were evaluated by the judges. This is the only year in which no movie won more than one Oscar.
Nominees & Winners[]
Outstanding Picture[]
The Broadway Melody
See also: Best Outstanding Picture
- Winner
- The Broadway Melody — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Nominees
- Alibi — Feature Productions
- Hollywood Revue — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- In Old Arizona — Fox
- The Patriot — Paramount Famous Lasky
Best Director (Dramatic Picture)[]
The Divine Lady
See also: Best Director (Dramatic Picture)
- Winner
- Frank Lloyd — The Divine Lady
- Nominees
- Lionel Barrymore — Madame X
- Harry Beaumont — The Broadway Melody
- Irving Cummings — In Old Arizona
- Frank Lloyd — Drag; and Weary River
- Ernst Lubitsch — The Patriot
Best Actor[]
In Old Arizona
See also: Best Actor
- Winner
- Warner Baxter — In Old Arizona
- Nominees
- Lewis Stone — The Patriot
- Chester Morris — Alibi
Best Actress[]
Coquette
See also: Best Actress
- Winner
- Mary Pickford — Coquette
- Nominees
- Ruth Chatterton — Madame X
- Betty Compson — The Barker
- Jeanne Eagels — The Letter
- Corinne Griffith — The Divine Lady
- Bessie Love — The Broadway Melody
Best Writing[]
Patriot
See also: Best Writing
- Winner
- Hans Kraly — The Patriot
- Nominees
- Bess Meredyth — A Woman of Affairs, Wonder of Women
- Elliott Clawson — The Cop, The Leatherneck, Sal of Singapore, Skyscraper
- Hans Kraly — The Last of Mrs. Cheyney
Best Art Direction[]
The Bridge of San Luis Rey
See also: Best Art Direction
- Winner
- Cedric Gibbons — The Bridge of San Luis Rey
- Nominees
- Harry Oliver — Street Angel
Best Cinematography[]
White Shadows in the South Seas
See also: Best Cinematography
- Winner
- Clyde De Vinna — White Shadows in the South Seas
- Nominees
- George Barnes — Our Dancing Daughters
- Arthur Edeson — In Old Arizona
- Ernest Palmer — Four Devils, Street Angel
- John Seitz — The Divine Lady