Oscar flew first class on Thursday. Academy President Tom Sherak , along with his wife Madeleine and other Academy officials, helped pers...
Oscar flew first class on Thursday.
Academy President Tom Sherak, along with his wife Madeleine and other Academy officials, helped personally escort 42 of the golden statuettes back to Academy headquarters in Beverly Hills, Calif.
United Airlines renamed its four-and-a-half hour flight — from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago to Los Angeles — to "Oscar 1" for the annual trip.
Capt. Mel Mason Jr., the pilot of Oscar 1, told the AP's Sandy Cohen that the statuette was his most prestigious "non-human" passenger yet."It's a special treat. We want everyone to enjoy the flight and enjoy the show," the pilot told Cohen.
The statuettes are made at R.S. Owens & Company, in a northwest suburb of Chicago. Its typically takes about three to four weeks to manufacture 50 statuettes. The company has been making the 8.5-pound statuettes since 1983. R.S. Owens also makes nameplates for every nominee in each category. The plates are added backstage after the winners are announced.
We are now 17 days away from the 84th Academy Awards. The statuettes will be handed out on Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. ABC will televise the ceremony live, beginning with a 90-minute Red Carpet pre-show, at 7 p.m. ET.
The Gold Knight will be reporting LIVE from Hollywood during Oscar Week. Stay here for the latest news and information.
