The 6th Academy Awards were held on March 16, 1934, to honor films released between August 1, 1932, and December 31, 1933, at The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California. They were hosted by Will Rogers, who also presented the awards.

When Rogers presented Best Director, he opened the envelope and simply announced, "Come up and get it, Frank!" Frank Capra, certain he was the winner, ran to the podium to collect the Oscar, only to discover Rogers had meant Frank Lloyd, who had won for Cavalcade. Rogers then called the third nominee, George Cukor, to join the two Franks on stage.McBride, Joseph, Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success. New York: Simon & Schuster 1992. , pp. 288–292, 294–296, 298–302, 309–310 After this, he summoned two of the Best Actress nominees—Diana Wynyard and May Robson—to the stage. Although they both thought they won in a tie, Rogers thanked them for their performances before announcing the actual winner: Katharine Hepburn.

A change in the eligibility rules resulted in the longest time frame for which films could be nominated: the seventeen months from August 1, 1932, to December 31, 1933. After this, the eligibility period would coincide with the calendar year. This resulted in the only time no ceremony was held in a calendar year (1933).

This was the last time that no film had more than four nominations, as well as the only year in Academy history in which no film other than the Best Picture nominees received multiple nominations. Cavalcade became the fourth film to win Best Picture without a writing nomination, and the last until Hamlet (1948) at the 21st Academy Awards.

Walt Disney became the first person to win consecutive Academy Awards, winning Best Short Subject, Cartoon for The Three Little Pigs after having won the same award the previous year for Flowers and Trees.

This was the first time in the Academy's history that both of the major acting nominees were absent from the big night.

Winners and nominees

Nominees were announced on February 26, 1934. Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface. Select "1932/33" in the "Award Year(s)" drop-down menu and press "Search". Cavalcade – Winfield Sheehan for Fox Film Co. 42nd Street – Darryl F. Zanuck for Warner Bros. A Farewell to Arms – Adolph Zukor for Paramount Publix I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang – Hal B. Wallis for Warner Bros. Lady for a Day – Frank Capra for Columbia Little Women – Merian C. Cooper and Kenneth Macgowan for RKO Pictures The Private Life of Henry VIII – Alexander Korda for London Films She Done Him Wrong – William LeBaron for Paramount Publix Smilin' Through – Irving Thalberg for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer State Fair – Winfield Sheehan for Fox Film Co.Frank Lloyd – Cavalcade Frank Capra – Lady for a Day George Cukor – Little WomenCharles Laughton – The Private Life of Henry VIII as Henry VIII Leslie Howard – Berkeley Square as Peter Standish Paul Muni – I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang as James AllenKatharine Hepburn – Morning Glory as Eva Lovelace May Robson – Lady for a Day as Apple Annie Diana Wynyard – Cavalcade as Jane MarryotOne Way Passage – Robert Lord The Prizefighter and the Lady – Frances Marion Rasputin and the Empress – Charles MacArthurLittle Women – Victor Heerman and Sarah Y. Mason, based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott Lady for a Day – Robert Riskin, based on the story "Madame la Gimp" by Damon Runyon State Fair – Paul Green and Sonya Levien, based on the novel by Phil Strong So This Is Harris – Louis Brock and RKO Pictures Mister Mugg – Warren Doane and Universal Studios A Preferred List – Louis Brock and RKO PicturesKrakatoa – Joe Rock and Educational Pictures Menu – Pete Smith and MGM The Sea – Educational PicturesThe Three Little Pigs – Walt Disney and United Artists Building a Building – Walt Disney and United Artists The Merry Old Soul – Walter Lantz and Universal StudiosA Farewell to Arms – Franklin Hansen 42nd Street – Nathan Levinson Gold Diggers of 1933 – Nathan Levinson I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang – Nathan LevinsonCharles Barton – Paramount Scott Beal – Universal Charles Dorian – MGM Fred Fox – United Artists Gordon Hollingshead – Warner Bros. Dewey Starkey – RKO William Tummel – 20th Century Fox Al Alleborn – Warner Bros. Sid Brod – Paramount Orville O. Dull – MGM Percy Ikerd – 20th Century Fox Arthur Jacobson – Paramount Edward Killy – RKO Joseph A. McDonough – Universal William J. Reiter – Universal Frank X. Shaw – Warner Bros. Ben Silvey – United Artists John S. Waters – MGMCavalcade – William S. Darling A Farewell to Arms – Hans Dreier and Roland Anderson When Ladies Meet – Cedric GibbonsA Farewell to Arms – Charles Lang Reunion in Vienna – George J. Folsey Sign of the Cross – Karl Struss

Multiple nominations and awards + Films with multiple nominations Nominations Film 4CavalcadeA Farewell to ArmsLady for a Day 3I Am a Fugitive from a Chain GangLittle Women 242nd StreetThe Private Life of Henry VIIIState Fair

+ Films with multiple wins Wins Film 3Cavalcade 2A Farewell to Arms

Scientific or Technical Awards

Class II Awards

Electrical Research Products, Inc. (ERPI) For work in sound reproduction. RCA Victor Company, Inc. For work in sound reproduction.

Class III Awards

Fox Film Corporation, Fred Jackman and Warner Brothers Pictures, and Sidney Sanders and RKO Radio Pictures. For work in the technologies of cinematography and film projection.

See also

1932 in film 1933 in film

Notes

References