#19: Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Loretta Young (1949)

In 1949, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. stepped in to accept the Best Actor Oscar on behalf of his friend Laurence Olivier, who won for his iconic performance in Hamlet. Presented by Loretta Young, the award marked a historic moment—Olivier became the first actor to win an Oscar for portraying a Shakespearean role.

His groundbreaking work in acting and directing the film cemented his reputation as one of the greatest stage-to-screen performers ever. Though Olivier wasn’t there to accept in person, his victory was a significant milestone for classical theater’s place in Hollywood.