The Academy Award for Best Story was an Academy Award given from the beginning of the Academy Awards until 1956. The award co-existed with the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The Oscar for Best Story most closely resembles the usage of modern film treatments, or prose documents that describe the entire plot and characters, but typically lack most dialogue. A separate screenwriter would convert the story into a full screenplay.
As an example, at the 1944 Academy Awards, producer and director Leo McCarey won Best Story for Going My Way while screenwriters Frank Butler and Frank Cavett won Best Screenplay. The elimination of this category in 1956 reflected the decline of Hollywood's studio system and the emergence of independent screenwriters.
Winners and nominees
1920s Year Film Nominees 1927–1928(1st)UnderworldBen Hecht The Last Command Lajos Bíró The Circus Charlie ChaplinThe Circus originally received a nomination for Best Director (Comedy Picture), as well as nominations for Best Actor and Best Writing (Original Story), all for Charles Chaplin. However, the Academy subsequently decided to remove Chaplin's name from the competitive award categories and instead to confer upon him a Special Award "for acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus".
1930s Year Film Nominees 1930–1931(4th)The Dawn PatrolJohn Monk Saunders Doorway to Hell Rowland Brown Laughter Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast, Douglas Doty, Donald Ogden Stewart The Public Enemy John Bright, Kubec Glasmon Smart Money Lucien Hubbard, Joseph Jackson 1931–1932(5th)The ChampFrances Marion Lady and Gent Grover Jones, William Slavens McNutt The Star Witness Lucien Hubbard What Price Hollywood? Adela Rogers St. Johns, Jane Murfin 1932–1933(6th)One Way PassageRobert Lord The Prizefighter and the Lady Frances Marion Rasputin and the Empress Charles MacArthur 1934(7th)Manhattan MelodramaArthur Caesar Hide-Out Mauri Grashin The Richest Girl in the World Norman Krasna 1935(8th)The ScoundrelBen Hecht, Charles MacArthur Broadway Melody of 1936 Moss Hart The Gay Deception Stephen Morehouse Avery, Don Hartman 1936(9th)The Story of Louis PasteurPierre Collings, Sheridan Gibney Fury Norman Krasna The Great Ziegfeld William Anthony McGuire San Francisco Robert Hopkins Three Smart Girls Adele Comandini 1937(10th)A Star Is BornRobert Carson, William Wellman Black Legion Robert Lord In Old Chicago Niven Busch The Life of Emile Zola Heinz Herald, Geza Herczeg One Hundred Men and a Girl Hans Kraly 1938(11th)Boys TownEleanore Griffin, Dore Schary Alexander's Ragtime Band Irving Berlin Angels with Dirty Faces Rowland Brown Blockade John Howard Lawson Mad About Music Marcella Burke, Frederick Kohner Test Pilot Frank Wead 1939(12th)Mr. Smith Goes to WashingtonLewis R. Foster Bachelor Mother Felix Jackson Love Affair Mildred Cram, Leo McCarey Ninotchka Melchior Lengyel Young Mr. Lincoln Lamar Trotti
1940s Year Film Nominees 1940(13th)Arise, My LoveBenjamin Glazer, John Toldy Comrade X Walter Reisch Edison, the Man Hugo Butler, Dore Schary My Favorite Wife Leo McCarey, Samuel Spewack and Bella Spewack The Westerner Stuart N. Lake 1941(14th)Here Comes Mr. JordanHarry Segall Ball of Fire Thomas Monroe, Billy Wilder The Lady Eve Monckton Hoffe Meet John Doe Richard Connell, Robert Presnell, Jr. Night Train to Munich Gordon Wellesley 1942(15th)49th ParallelEmeric PressburgerHoliday Inn Irving BerlinThe Pride of the Yankees Paul GallicoThe Talk of the Town Sidney HarmonYankee Doodle Dandy Robert Buckner 1943(16th)The Human ComedyWilliam SaroyanAction in the North Atlantic Guy GilpatricDestination Tokyo Steve FisherThe More the Merrier Frank Ross, Robert RussellShadow of a Doubt Gordon McDonell 1944(17th)Going My WayLeo McCareyA Guy Named Joe David Boehm, Chandler SpragueLifeboat John SteinbeckNone Shall Escape Alfred Neumann, Joseph ThanThe Sullivans Edward Doherty, Jules Schermer 1945(18th)The House on 92nd StreetCharles G. BoothThe Affairs of Susan László Görög, Thomas MonroeA Medal for Benny John Steinbeck, Jack WagnerObjective, Burma! Alvah BessieA Song to Remember Ernst Marischka 1946(19th)Vacation from MarriageClemence DaneThe Dark Mirror Vladimir Solomonovich PoznerThe Strange Love of Martha Ivers Jack PatrickThe Stranger Victor TrivasTo Each His Own Charles Brackett 1947(20th)Miracle on 34th StreetValentine DaviesA Cage of Nightingales (French: La Cage aux rossignols) Georges Chaperot, René WheelerIt Happened on Fifth Avenue Herbert Clyde Lewis, Frederick StephaniKiss of Death Eleazar LipskySmash-Up, the Story of a Woman Frank Cavett, Dorothy Parker 1948(21st)The SearchRichard Schweizer, Louisiana Story Robert J. Flaherty, Frances H. FlahertyThe Naked City Malvin WaldRed River Borden ChaseThe Red Shoes Emeric Pressburger 1949(22nd)The Stratton StoryDouglas MorrowCome to the Stable Clare Boothe LuceIt Happens Every Spring Valentine Davies, Shirley SmithSands of Iwo Jima Harry BrownWhite Heat Virginia Kellogg
1950s Year Film Nominees 1950(23rd)Panic in the StreetsEdna Anhalt, Edward Anhalt Bitter Rice Giuseppe De Santis, Carlo Lizzani The Gunfighter William Bowers, André de Toth Mystery Street Leonard Spigelgass When Willie Comes Marching Home Sy Gomberg 1951(24th)Seven Days to NoonJames Bernard, Paul Dehn Bullfighter and the Lady Budd Boetticher, Ray Nazarro The Frogmen Oscar Millard Here Comes the Groom Liam O'Brien, Robert Riskin Teresa Alfred Hayes, Stewart Stern 1952(25th)The Greatest Show on EarthFrank Cavett, Fredric M. Frank, Theodore St. JohnMy Son John Leo McCareyThe Narrow Margin Martin Goldsmith, Jack LeonardThe Pride of St. Louis Guy TrosperThe Sniper Edward Anhalt, Edna Anhalt 1953(26th)Roman HolidayDalton TrumboAbove and Beyond Beirne Lay, Jr.The Captain's Paradise Alec CoppelHondo Louis L'AmourLittle Fugitive Ray Ashley, Morris Engel, Ruth Orkin 1954(27th)Broken LancePhilip YordanBread, Love and Dreams (Italian: Pane, amore e fantasia) Ettore MargadonnaForbidden Games (French: Jeux interdits) François BoyerNight People Jed Harris, Tom ReedThere's No Business Like Show Business Lamar Trotti (posthumous nomination) 1955(28th)Love Me or Leave MeDaniel FuchsThe Private War of Major Benson Joe Connelly, Bob MosherRebel Without a Cause Nicholas RayThe Sheep Has Five Legs (French: Le Mouton à cinq pattes) Jean Marsan, Henri Troyat, Jacques Perret, Henri Verneuil, Raoul PloquinStrategic Air Command Beirne Lay, Jr. 1956(29th)The Brave OneDalton TrumboThe Eddy Duchin Story Leo KatcherHigh Society Edward Bernds, Elwood UllmanThe Proud and the Beautiful (French: Les Orgueilleux) Jean-Paul SartreUmberto D. Cesare Zavattini
See also List of Academy Award–nominated films
Notes
References