<P> The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with Janet Gaynor receiving the award for her roles in 7th Heaven , Street Angel , and Sunrise . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . In the first three years of the awards , actresses were nominated as the best in their categories . At that time , all of their work during the qualifying period ( as many as three films , in some cases ) was listed after the award . However , during the 3rd ceremony held in 1930 , only one of those films was cited in each winner 's final award , even though each of the acting winners had two films following their names on the ballots . </P>
<P> The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with Janet Gaynor receiving the award for her roles in 7th Heaven , Street Angel , and Sunrise . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy . In the first three years of the awards , actresses were nominated as the best in their categories . At that time , all of their work during the qualifying period ( as many as three films , in some cases ) was listed after the award . However , during the 3rd ceremony held in 1930 , only one of those films was cited in each winner 's final award , even though each of the acting winners had two films following their names on the ballots . </P>
who won the first oscar for best actress
who won the first oscar for best actress
Janet Gaynor
Janet Gaynor