Best Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
The Life of Emile Zola also won Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor (Joseph Schildkraut) and Writing – Screenplay (Norman Reilly Raine, Heinz Herald, Geza Herczeg)
The Awards ceremony was delayed for one week due to major rains and flooding in Los Angeles.
Luise Rainer became the first performer to win a second Oscar.
The award for dance direction was given for the last time, to Hermes Pan for the Fun House number from Damsel in Distress.
In March 1937, the first issue of the comic book Detective Comics was published. In March 1939, Detective Comics introduced Batman in issue No. 27.
In April 1937, the animated short Porky’s Duck Hunt, directed by Tex Avery for the Looney Tunes series and featuring the debut of Daffy Duck, was released.
On May 6, 1937, the German airship Hindenburg burst into flames while attempting to land in Lakehurst, New Jersey.
In July 1937, Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared after taking off from New Guinea during Earhart’s attempt to become the first woman to fly around the world.
On July 11, 1937, George Gershwin died in Los Angeles of a brain tumor at age 38.
In September 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit was published in London.
Special Award
To Mack Sennett, for his lasting contribution to the comedy technique of the screen, the basic principles of which are as important today as when they were first put into practice, the Academy presents a Special Award to that master of fun, discoverer of stars, sympathetic, kindly, understanding comedy genius - Mack Sennett.
Special Award
To Edgar Bergen for his outstanding comedy creation, Charlie McCarthy.
Special Award
To The Museum of Modern Art Film Library for its significant work in collecting films dating from 1895 to the present and for the first time making available to the public the means of studying the historical and aesthetic development of the motion picture as one of the major arts.
Special Award
To W. Howard Greene for the color photography of A Star Is Born. (This Award was recommended by a committee of leading cinematographers after viewing all the color pictures made during the year.)
Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award
To Darryl F. Zanuck.