Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress award was awarded for acting in a film, on May 16, 1929 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) at the Academy Awards to Janet Gaynor for her role of Diane in 7th Heaven, Angela in Street Angel and The Wife - Indre in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans.[1] In theatre, it was first awarded on April 6, 1947 by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at the Tony Awards to Ingrid Bergman for her role of Mary Grey / Joan of Arc in Joan of Lorraine and to Helen Hayes for her role of Addie in Happy Birthday.[2] In television, it was first awarded on January 23, 1951 by Academy of Television Arts & Sciences at the Primetime Emmy Awards to Gertrude Berg for her role of Molly in The Goldbergs.[3] In a film festival, presented as the Volpi Cup, it was first awarded between August 1–20, 1934 by the Venice Film Festival to Katharine Hepburn for her role of Josephine 'Jo' March in Little Women.[4]
- ^ "This day in History". History.com. A&E Television Networks. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ^ "Search past Tony Award winners". Tonyawards.com. Tony Award Productions. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ^ "3rd Primetime Emmys Nominees and Winners". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ^ "Volpi Cup for Best Actress". carnivalofvenice.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.