The forgotten Oscar: title writing’s one-time category

A century ago, title writing was a distinct craft in silent cinema. Intertitles carried dialogue and exposition between shots, and some, like those for 1927’s Sunrise, had personalities of their own. The early Academy Awards looked very different from today. The first ceremony covered films from 1927 and 1928, honored bodies of work rather than single performances, split directing into drama and comedy, and unfolded as a 15-minute banquet for 270 guests at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

The Academy presented a Best Writing (Title Writing) award only once, in the final year when silent films still dominated the ballot. Joseph Farnham won that unique Oscar for his collective work in 1927 and 1928; he had more than 100 credits dating back to 1918 but was honored for his body of work rather than a single picture.

Once sound arrived, title cards largely disappeared from storytelling.

United States, Hollywood

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