First televised Academy Awards in 1953

The 25th Academy Awards was held on March 19, 1953.

It was the first to be televised, broadcast live by NBC from both the RKO Pantages Theatre in Hollywood and the NBC International Theatre in New York.

It was hosted by Bob Hope in Hollywood and Fredric March in New York.

This history making event brought the ceremony to a nationwide television audience.

The Greatest Show on Earth won Best Picture.

Previously, The Academy was hesitant to take the financial plunge.

They paid the production fees to NBC in order to reach a wider audience.

The 90 minute broadcast used ten cameras in Hollywood and six in New York.

Gary Cooper won Best Actor for his performance in High Noon.
Shirley Booth won Best Actress for her performance in Come Back, Little Sheba

An estimated 34 million viewers tuned in and this change in production marked a major turning point for the industry.