Oscar Categories That Got Cut: The Shocking List of Awards That Used to Exist

Looking back as we approach the 2025 Oscar nominations and the start of awards season, it’s fascinating to delve into the history of the Academy Awards. As anticipation builds for Hollywood’s grandest event, the Oscars, these prestigious accolades will once again recognize outstanding filmmaking, upholding a tradition that spans almost a century.

There’s ongoing discussion about whether the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences should establish a unique category to honor stunt work, given the breathtaking actions depicted in top-tier action films such as Mission: Impossible, John Wick, and Mad Max: Fury Road. Many individuals, including Jason Statham, a strong supporter of stunt performers, believe that stunt coordinators and performers should be acknowledged alongside cameramen, editors, and visual effects artists for their contributions.

It’s debatable whether stunts deserve a separate Oscar category, but what’s particularly intriguing is that the Academy has surprisingly abolished several categories over time. While some of these disappearances are understandable, given their relevance to silent film eras, others leave one pondering why they were eliminated in the first place.

Some intriguing Academy Award categories that used to be a part of Oscar’s past, but have now been consigned to it, include:

1. Best Title Writing (1934-1940)
2. Most Original Screen Play (1935-1943)
3. Best Story (1940-1956)
4. Best Documentary – Short Subject (1932-1972)
5. Best Documentary Feature (1941-1965)
6. Best Live Action Short Film – Two-Reel (1936-1950)
7. Best Live Action Short Film (1934-1966)
8. Best Special Effects (1968-1972)
9. Best Costume Design/Color (1966-1968)
10. Best Art Direction – Interior Decoration/Black and White (1934-1965)
11. Best Art Direction – Set Decoration/Color (1966-1987)

Academy Juvenile Award (1935–1960)

Prior to the days when talented child actors like Anna Paquin (from “The Piano”) or Tatum O’Neal (from “Paper Moon”) received competitive Oscars, there was a distinct award known as the Academy Juvenile Award. This honorary recognition was bestowed upon exceptional performances by young actors who were considered too immature to contend in the standard acting categories.

The initial honoree was Shirley Temple, who was awarded it at six years old in 1935. Notable recipients since then include Judy Garland from “The Wizard of Oz,” Mickey Rooney, and Hayley Mills.

As a fan, I can’t help but reflect on the Academy’s decision back in 1960 when they discontinued the special category for young talents. This change left child actors battling it out alongside their adult peers, a scenario that is quite uncommon due to the intense competition and industry politics at play.

Best Engineering Effects (1928)

Prior to the regular Best Visual Effects category being introduced at the Oscars, the Academy had a brief run with the now-defunct Best Engineering Effects category, which they inaugurated as early as 1928 for the first Academy Awards. This category was established to acknowledge outstanding technical innovations in filmmaking.

The one-of-a-kind victor in the “Best Picture” category was “Wings” (1927), marking the very first win in this esteemed list of “Best Picture” winners. The film’s groundbreaking aerial battle scenes, remarkable for their time, paved the way and established the benchmark for war movies that followed.

Subsequently, it was determined by the Academy to combine the concept of honoring technological advancements with the Scientific and Technical Awards, an event held independently at present.

Best Title Writing (1929)

In the time when exceptional silent films were popular, dialogues and backstory could only be presented through intertitles – those screens displaying written text between scenes. The Academy chose to acknowledge this art form by introducing the Best Title Writing category during the inaugural Oscars held in 1929.

As a devoted cinephile, I must acknowledge that in a bygone era, the laurel of first place was bestowed upon Joseph W. Farnham – an unsung hero who crafted captivating title cards for numerous films that year. However, with the advent of talkies, the humble title card was relegated to obscurity, and the category it once graced was erased entirely from the annals of film history.

Picture this scenario: If it had developed into a service similar to high-quality subtitles or closed captioning, now wouldn’t that be a fascinating contemporary counterpart?

Best Unique and Artistic Picture (1929)

Initially, the first Academy Awards had two Best Movie categories: Outstanding Film (later known as the current Best Picture category) and Exceptional and Artistic Film, designed to acknowledge movies with exceptional innovation or artistic flair.

In 1927, the groundbreaking silent film “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans” by F.W. Murnau was not just the first but also the sole recipient of a prestigious award. To this day, it continues to be recognized as one of the most visually stunning films ever created.

After a year, the initial concept was abandoned and replaced with a singular Best Picture category. However, some contend that it could have developed into a Best Cinematic Innovation award, honoring visually daring films such as the groundbreaking sci-fi classic, “2001: A Space Odyssey,” or “Mad Max: Fury Road.

Best Dance Direction (1935–1937)

It could be fascinating to discover that there used to be an Academy Award category dedicated solely to choreographers, if you’re captivated by the intricate dance routines featured in old Hollywood musicals.

Between 1935 and 1937, the award for Best Dance Direction honored choreographers who crafted exceptional dance numbers for Hollywood movies. Notably, Busby Berkeley, renowned for his vibrant dance routines in films like “Gold Diggers of 1935” and “Footlight Parade,” was a significant figure in this category.

Initially, the Academy consolidated choreography under the broader categories of Best Original Song and Best Musical Score, despite not recognizing choreography itself. With the revival of musical productions such as “La La Land” and “West Side Story”, and the success of recent adaptations like “Wicked”, some believe reinstating a Best Choreography Oscar could be beneficial. Could we possibly make adjustments in time for the upcoming release of “Wicked: For Good” in 2025?

Best Original Story (1928–1956)

In the past, there used to be a distinct award category known as Best Original Story, in addition to the current ones like Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay.

This recognition was bestowed upon the individual who conceived the film concept, rather than the one who penned the screenplay itself. For instance, Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett were honored for their work on The Lost Weekend (1945), even though Wilder had also won Best Screenplay for the same movie.

It wasn’t until 1957 that the Academy decided it was illogical to keep “original story” and “screenplay” as distinct categories, and thus combined them under the title Best Original Screenplay.

Best Assistant Director (1933–1937)

1930s Hollywood saw a significant boom in movie making, with directing a film, especially a grand production, turning into quite the mammoth task. That’s where the role of the Best Assistant Director stepped in, an Oscar given to honor the tireless efforts of second-unit and assistant directors. As a passionate film buff, I can appreciate the importance of these unsung heroes in bringing the silver screen magic to life!

For a span of five years, from 1933 to 1937, it was common for several assistant directors to receive recognition in this specific category within the film industry. As movie production processes evolved and streamlined over time, this particular category eventually ceased to exist. Yet, if you were to ask many aspiring assistant directors today, they would undoubtedly express enthusiasm about its potential revival.

Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing (1963–2019)

Over a long period, the Oscars distinguished two individual categories for sound recognition: Best Sound Editing, which celebrated the crafting of sound effects, and Best Sound Mixing, which acknowledged the skillful combining of all auditory components during post-production.

In the year 2020, the Academy merged the Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing categories into one: Best Sound. Despite the intention of streamlining processes, certain industry experts view this change as a setback, since these two fields are notably separate.

Could Some Categories Make a Comeback Or Be Added

Over time, the Academy has undergone significant transformation, introducing and discontinuing categories as filmmaking has progressed. Recently, in fact, they introduced a new category last year (the first since 2001), namely Best Achievement in Casting, which will debut at the 98th Academy Awards in 2026, honoring films released in 2025. Some of these categories, like Best Title Writing, seem to be remnants of their era, while others such as Best Choreography, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Original Story could potentially make a comeback with valid arguments.

The ongoing argument about giving stunt performers their own category continues. If the Academy acknowledges makeup artists, sound editors, and visual effects supervisors, why not also honor those who risk their bodies to create some of the most exhilarating scenes in Hollywood? It seems logical to me.

Looking ahead to the upcoming Oscars, it might be beneficial to not only think about adding new categories but also re-evaluate some existing ones that continue to hold value. The 97th Academy Awards are set to debut this coming Sunday, March 2 at 7E/4P, and will be broadcast LIVE on ABC. For those with a Hulu subscription, the event can also be streamed online.

2025-03-02 00:24