History of the first Oscars held at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in 1929

LOS ANGELES — The year 2026 marks the 98th Academy Awards in Hollywood.

Since 2002, the ceremony has been held at the iconic Dolby Theatre (formerly known as the Kodak Theatre) on Hollywood Boulevard.

But what most people may not know is where Oscars history begins: the very first award ceremony on May 16, 1929, took place at the famous Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

It was the only Oscars ceremony that wasn’t televised or broadcast on the radio.

“It was the shortest Oscar ceremony. It was 15 minutes long. That’s all. We handed 12 statuettes, and it cost you $5 to eat here that night,” said Juan Pineda, Director of Entertainment at The Hollywood Roosevelt.

The movie “Wings” was the big winner that night, and there was a special honor for Mr. Charlie Chaplin.

“We celebrate him here at the hotel. We have a statue of him out by the Tropicana pool,” Pineda told 6abc’s Alicia Vitarelli.

Another star was born by the same pool.

“This is where she becomes Marilyn Monroe. She is brought to this hotel in 1950 when we opened the cabanas as Norma Jean. And she was an aspiring actress, and she takes her very first photo shoot at the Tropicana pool on this diving board,” said Pineda.

Some of the celebrities who stayed at The Hollywood Roosevelt include Clark Gable and Carol Lombard, who even have a penthouse named after them.

“Prince lived in there. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper shot ‘A Star is Born’ in that very room as well,” shared Pineda.

The Hollywood Roosevelt is also the only hotel on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where you can step out from the front doors onto the walk and feel like a star.

Don’t miss Hollywood’s biggest night: The Oscars on ABC!

Our live Oscar pre-show, “On The Red Carpet at the Oscars,” begins at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT and will feature live interviews with the nominees, red carpet fashion analysis and more!

Watch the 98th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien, on March 15 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC and Hulu, followed by “The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose.”

Check your local listings or stream on Hulu and OnTheRedCarpet.com.