Today is the 87th anniversary of the first Academy Awards ceremony on May 16, 1929. The ceremony took place in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (a stone’s throw from the current site of the Oscars, the Dolby Theatre) and honored films released between August 1927 and August 1928. About 270 people attended the private dinner. Unlike today, winners were announced three months in advance. Here’s a quick snapshot of the ceremony:

Cost of a Guest Ticket: $5 (or $69 by today’s standards)
Number of Statues Awarded: 15
Length of Ceremony: 15 minutes

Outstanding Picture: Wings 
Unique and Artistic Picture: Sunrise 
Directing (Drama Picture): Frank Borzage (7th Heaven)
Directing (Comedy Picture): Lewis Milestone (Two Arabian Nights)
Actor: Emil Jannings (The Last Command, The Way of All Flesh)
Actress: Janet Gaynor (7th Heaven, Street Angel, Sunrise)
Writing (Adaptation): 7th Heaven 
Writing (Original Story): Underworld 

Other awards were given for Cinematography (Sunrise), Art Direction (The Dove), Engineering Effects (Wings), and Writing (Title Writing) (Joseph Farnham); Special Awards were given to The Circus and The Jazz Singer.