Lexie Hammesfahr5 Facts You Didn't Know About The Academy Awards
1. George C. Scott became the first person to refuse an Oscar in 1971 for "Patton."
He said the Oscars were "a beauty contest in a slaughterhouse" and he didn't want to be in competition with other actors.
2. Marlon Brando refused his 1973 Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for "The Godfather."
He also rejected his Oscar win, sending Native American actress Sacheen Littlefeather in his place.
"The reasons for this are the treatment of Native Americans today by the film industry," Sacheen Littlefeather said.
3. Sidney Poitier became the first African-American to win the best actor Oscar in 1964.
No African-American won again until Denzel Washington 38 years later. Halle Berry became the first African-American actress to win best actress that same year.
4. Walt Disney received one of the most distinctive Oscar statuettes at the 11th Academy Awards.
For producing the first animated film, he received one big statuette accompanied by seven mini ones — mimicking the dwarfs from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."
5. Tom Hanks accidentally outed his high school teacher at the 1994 Oscars.
The situation was turned into the Kevin Kline movie, "In & Out."
The 2016 Oscars air live Sunday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.
This video includes images from Getty images.
