All About Oscar

The gold-plated statuette has been a fixture of the Academy Awards ceremony since 1929. But where did the Oscar get its name?

Janet Gaynor receives her Best Actress Oscar from Douglas Fairbanks at the first Academy Awards ceremony, held in 1929. Gaynor won for her performances in three silent films: “7th Heaven,” “Street Angel,” and “Sunrise.” She wore white tennis shoes to the ceremony. Getty Images

There will be scores of famous names at the 95th Academy Awards ceremony at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 12. But one famous name will dominate: Oscar, the nickname by which the award statue has been officially known since 1939.