Every Best Actor Winner In Oscar History
By Jenn Reid
Winners in the 1930s
The second Oscars ceremony aired in April 1930 and the third Oscars ceremony was in November 1930, the first and only time that two Oscars were given out in the same calendar year. This was due to the eligibility periods still being mid-year (ending in August), and the Academy trying to figure out when to actually hold the awards. The April ceremony, eight months after the August cut off date, was too far removed for Oscar voters, so the next ceremony got bumped up to November.
In 1930, the second ever Best Actor winner was Wayne Baxter for In Old Arizona, and then the third ever Best Actor winner was George Arliss for Disraeli. Arliss was also nominated for The Green Goddess since actors were still allowed to be nominated for their body of work though out the year, but he only officially won for the one role. The Oscars never gave a reason why — seems like they were still just working out the kinks of this whole ceremony and rules thing.
The next Oscar went to Lionel Barrymore in A Free Soul, followed by a tie between Wallace Beery (The Champ) and Frederic March (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). Charles Laughton won the sixth Oscar for his portrayal of King Henry VIII in The Private Life of Henry VIII, and then Oscars finally settled on a regular schedule. The Oscars now took place around between February and March, and awarded films and performances from the previous calendar year.
In 1935, Clark Gable won the 7th Best Actor award for It Happened One Night.
The following year, Victor McLagen won for The Informer, beating out three Mutiny on the Bounty stars: Franchot Tone, Charles Laughton and the previous year’s winner Clark Gable. Paul Muni won the next year for The Story of Louis Pasteur.
Spencer Tracy won back to back Oscars in 1938 and 39, for Captains Courageous and Boys Town. Tracy is the first male actor to have achieved this honor and a close second to the first back to back acting winner overall. Luise Ranier gets that honor, having accomplished the feat only one year before Tracy.
Winners
1930: Wayne Baxter – Old Arizona
1931: George Arliss – Disraeli
1932: Lionel Barrymore – A Free Soul
1933: Wallace Beery – The Champ & Frederic March – Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (tie)
1934: Charles Laughton – The Private Life of Henry VIII
1935: Clark Gable – It Happened One Night
1936: Victor McLagen – The Informer
1937: Paul Muni – The Story of Louis Pasteur
1938: Spencer Tracy – Captains Courageous
1939: Spencer Tracy – Boys Town