1940 Film Year: Oscar Winners & Nominees
The AwardWentTo archive contains 158 Academy Award records for the 1940 film year, covering 69 films and including 22 wins.
Years follow the source film eligibility/dataset year, which may differ from the ceremony calendar year. Counts describe film-linked archive records, including historical and special-award context where supplied.
Best Picture result
- ★ RebeccaSelznick International Pictures
10 Best Picture award records for this film year. See the full result · Best Picture history
Acting category results
Leading winning films
Ranked by winning records in this film-year selection.
- The Thief of Bagdad
3 wins from 4 award records
- Rebecca
2 wins from 11 award records
- The Grapes of Wrath
2 wins from 7 award records
- The Philadelphia Story
2 wins from 6 award records
- Pinocchio
2 wins from 2 award records
- Kitty Foyle
1 win from 5 award records
Category winners
Select a category to explore its history, or jump to this year's full records.
- ★ Rebecca
- ★ The Philadelphia Story — Mike Connor
- ★ The Westerner — Judge Roy Bean
- ★ Kitty Foyle — Kitty Foyle
- ★ The Grapes of Wrath — Ma Joad
- ★ Rebecca
- ★ Pinocchio — When You Wish Upon A Star
Nominations and award records by category
Showing 158 of 158 archive records. Gold stars mark winning records.
Best Picture
- ★ Rebecca IMDB — Selznick International Pictures
- All This, and Heaven Too IMDB — Warner Bros.
- Foreign Correspondent IMDB — Walter Wanger (production company)
- The Grapes of Wrath IMDB — 20th Century-Fox
- The Great Dictator IMDB — Charles Chaplin Productions
- Kitty Foyle IMDB — RKO Radio
- The Letter IMDB — Warner Bros.
- The Long Voyage Home IMDB — Argosy-Wanger
- Our Town IMDB — Sol Lesser (production company)
- The Philadelphia Story IMDB — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Best Actor
- ★ The Philadelphia Story IMDB — James StewartMike Connor
- The Great Dictator IMDB — Charles ChaplinHynkel, Dictator of Tomania
- The Grapes of Wrath IMDB — Henry FondaTom Joad
- Abe Lincoln in Illinois IMDB — Raymond MasseyAbraham Lincoln
- Rebecca IMDB — Laurence OlivierMaxim de Winter
Best Supporting Actor
- ★ The Westerner IMDB — Walter BrennanJudge Roy Bean
- Foreign Correspondent IMDB — Albert BassermanVan Meer
- They Knew What They Wanted IMDB — William GarganJoe, the Foreman
- The Great Dictator IMDB — Jack OakieNapaloni, Dictator of Bacteria
- The Letter IMDB — James StephensonHoward Joyce
Best Actress
- ★ Kitty Foyle IMDB — Ginger RogersKitty Foyle
- The Letter IMDB — Bette DavisLeslie Crosbie
- Rebecca IMDB — Joan FontaineMrs. de Winter
- The Philadelphia Story IMDB — Katharine HepburnTracy Lord
- Our Town IMDB — Martha ScottEmily Webb
Best Supporting Actress
- ★ The Grapes of Wrath IMDB — Jane DarwellMa Joad
- Rebecca IMDB — Judith AndersonMrs. Danvers
- The Philadelphia Story IMDB — Ruth HusseyLiz Imbrie
- All This, and Heaven Too IMDB — Barbara O'NeilDuchesse de Praslin
- Primrose Path IMDB — Marjorie RambeauMamie Adams
Art Direction (Black-and-White)
- ★ Pride and Prejudice IMDB — Cedric Gibbons, Paul Groesse
- Arise, My Love IMDB — Hans Dreier, Robert Usher
- Arizona IMDB — Lionel Banks, Robert Peterson
- The Boys from Syracuse IMDB — John Otterson
- The Dark Command IMDB — John Victor Mackay
- Foreign Correspondent IMDB — Alexander Golitzen
- Lillian Russell IMDB — Richard Day, Joseph C. Wright
- My Favorite Wife IMDB — Van Nest Polglase, Mark-Lee Kirk
- My Son, My Son! IMDB — John DuCasse Schulze
- Our Town IMDB — Lewis J. Rachmil
- Rebecca IMDB — Lyle Wheeler
- The Sea Hawk IMDB — Anton Grot
- The Westerner IMDB — James Basevi
Art Direction (Color)
- ★ The Thief of Bagdad IMDB — Vincent Korda
- Bitter Sweet IMDB — Cedric Gibbons, John S. Detlie
- Down Argentine Way IMDB — Richard Day, Joseph C. Wright
- North West Mounted Police IMDB — Hans Dreier, Roland Anderson
Cinematography (Black-and-White)
- ★ Rebecca IMDB — George Barnes
- Abe Lincoln in Illinois IMDB — James Wong Howe
- All This, and Heaven Too IMDB — Ernest Haller
- Arise, My Love IMDB — Charles B. Lang, Jr.
- Boom Town IMDB — Harold Rosson
- Foreign Correspondent IMDB — Rudolph Maté
- The Letter IMDB — Gaetano (Tony) Gaudio
- The Long Voyage Home IMDB — Gregg Toland
- Spring Parade IMDB — Joseph Valentine
- Waterloo Bridge IMDB — Joseph Ruttenberg
Cinematography (Color)
- ★ The Thief of Bagdad IMDB — Georges Périnal
- Bitter Sweet IMDB — Oliver T. Marsh, Allen Davey
- The Blue Bird IMDB — Arthur Miller, Ray Rennahan
- Down Argentine Way IMDB — Leon Shamroy, Ray Rennahan
- North West Mounted Police IMDB — Victor Milner, W. Howard Greene
- Northwest Passage IMDB — Sidney Wagner, William V. Skall
Best Director
Film Editing
Original Score
- ★ Pinocchio IMDB — Leigh Harline, Paul J. Smith, Ned Washington
- Arizona IMDB — Victor Young
- The Dark Command IMDB — Victor Young
- The Fight for Life IMDB — Louis Gruenberg
- The Great Dictator IMDB — Meredith Willson
- The House of the Seven Gables IMDB — Frank Skinner
- The Howards of Virginia IMDB — Richard Hageman
- The Letter IMDB — Max Steiner
- The Long Voyage Home IMDB — Richard Hageman
- The Mark of Zorro IMDB — Alfred Newman
- My Favorite Wife IMDB — Roy Webb
- North West Mounted Police IMDB — Victor Young
- One Million B.C. IMDB — Werner Heymann
- Our Town IMDB — Aaron Copland
- Rebecca IMDB — Franz Waxman
- The Thief of Bagdad IMDB — Miklos Rozsa
- Waterloo Bridge IMDB — Herbert Stothart
Original Song
- ★ Pinocchio IMDB — Music by Leigh Harline; Lyrics by Ned WashingtonWhen You Wish Upon A Star
- Down Argentine Way IMDB — Music by Harry Warren; Lyrics by Mack GordonDown Argentina Way
- You'll Find Out IMDB — Music by Jimmy McHugh; Lyrics by Johnny MercerI'd Know You Anywhere
- Music in My Heart IMDB — Music and Lyrics by Chet Forrest and Bob WrightIt's A Blue World
- Second Chorus IMDB — Music by Artie Shaw; Lyrics by Johnny MercerLove Of My Life
- Rhythm on the River IMDB — Music by James Monaco; Lyrics by John BurkeOnly Forever
- Strike Up the Band IMDB — Music and Lyrics by Roger Edens and Arthur FreedOur Love Affair
- Spring Parade IMDB — Music by Robert Stolz; Lyrics by Gus KahnWaltzing In The Clouds
- Hit Parade of 1941 IMDB — Music by Jule Styne; Lyrics by Walter BullockWho Am I?
Music (Original Song Score or Adaptation Score)
- ★ Tin Pan Alley IMDB — Alfred Newman
- Arise, My Love IMDB — Victor Young
- Hit Parade of 1941 IMDB — Cy Feuer
- Irene IMDB — Anthony Collins
- Our Town IMDB — Aaron Copland
- The Sea Hawk IMDB — Erich Wolfgang Korngold
- Second Chorus IMDB — Artie Shaw
- Spring Parade IMDB — Charles Previn
- Strike Up the Band IMDB — Roger Edens, Georgie Stoll
Animated Short Film
- ★ The Milky Way IMDB — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Puss Gets the Boot IMDB — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- A Wild Hare IMDB — Leon Schlesinger, Producer
Short Subject (One-Reel)
- ★ Quicker 'N a Wink IMDB — Pete Smith, Producer
- London Can Take It IMDB — Warner Bros.
- More about Nostradamus IMDB — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Siege IMDB — RKO Radio
Short Subject (Two-Reel)
- ★ Teddy, the Rough Rider IMDB — Warner Bros.
- Eyes of the Navy IMDB — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Service with the Colors IMDB — Warner Bros.
Sound Recording
- ★ Strike Up the Band IMDB — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Sound Department, Douglas Shearer, Sound Director
- Behind the News IMDB — Republic Studio Sound Department, Charles L. Lootens, Sound Director
- Captain Caution IMDB — Hal Roach Studio Sound Department, Elmer A. Raguse, Sound Director
- The Grapes of Wrath IMDB — 20th Century-Fox Studio Sound Department, E. H. Hansen, Sound Director
- The Howards of Virginia IMDB — General Service Sound Department, Jack Whitney, Sound Director
- Kitty Foyle IMDB — RKO Radio Studio Sound Department, John Aalberg, Sound Director
- North West Mounted Police IMDB — Paramount Studio Sound Department, Loren L. Ryder, Sound Director
- Our Town IMDB — Samuel Goldwyn Studio Sound Department, Thomas T. Moulton, Sound Director
- The Sea Hawk IMDB — Warner Bros. Studio Sound Department, Nathan Levinson, Sound Director
- Spring Parade IMDB — Universal Studio Sound Department, Bernard B. Brown, Sound Director
- Too Many Husbands IMDB — Columbia Studio Sound Department, John Livadary, Sound Director
Visual Effects
- ★ The Thief of Bagdad IMDB — Photographic Effects by Lawrence Butler; Sound Effects by Jack Whitney
- The Blue Bird IMDB — Photographic Effects by Fred Sersen; Sound Effects by E. H. Hansen
- Boom Town IMDB — Photographic Effects by A. Arnold Gillespie; Sound Effects by Douglas Shearer
- The Boys from Syracuse IMDB — Photographic Effects by John P. Fulton; Sound Effects by Bernard B. Brown, Joseph Lapis
- Dr. Cyclops IMDB — Photographic Effects by Gordon Jennings, Farciot Edouart
- Foreign Correspondent IMDB — Photographic Effects by Paul Eagler; Sound Effects by Thomas T. Moulton
- The Invisible Man Returns IMDB — Photographic Effects by John P. Fulton; Sound Effects by Bernard B. Brown, William Hedgecock
- The Long Voyage Home IMDB — Photographic Effects by R. T. Layton, R. O. Binger; Sound Effects by Thomas T. Moulton
- One Million B.C. IMDB — Photographic Effects by Roy Seawright; Sound Effects by Elmer Raguse
- Rebecca IMDB — Photographic Effects by Jack Cosgrove; Sound Effects by Arthur Johns
- The Sea Hawk IMDB — Photographic Effects by Byron Haskin; Sound Effects by Nathan Levinson
- Swiss Family Robinson IMDB — Photographic Effects by Vernon L. Walker; Sound Effects by John O. Aalberg
- Typhoon IMDB — Photographic Effects by Farciot Edouart, Gordon Jennings; Sound Effects by Loren Ryder
- Women in War IMDB — Photographic Effects by Howard J. Lydecker, William Bradford, Ellis J. Thackery; Sound Effects by Herbert Norsch
Adapted Screenplay
- ★ The Philadelphia Story IMDB — Donald Ogden Stewart
- The Grapes of Wrath IMDB — Nunnally Johnson
- Kitty Foyle IMDB — Dalton Trumbo
- The Long Voyage Home IMDB — Dudley Nichols
- Rebecca IMDB — Robert E. Sherwood, Joan Harrison
Original Screenplay
- ★ The Great McGinty IMDB — Preston Sturges
- Angels over Broadway IMDB — Ben Hecht
- Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet IMDB — John Huston, Heinz Herald, Norman Burnside
- Foreign Correspondent IMDB — Charles Bennett, Joan Harrison
- The Great Dictator IMDB — Charles Chaplin
Writing (Original Story)
- ★ Arise, My Love IMDB — Benjamin Glazer, John S. Toldy
- Comrade X IMDB — Walter Reisch
- Edison, the Man IMDB — Dore Schary, Hugo Butler
- My Favorite Wife IMDB — Bella Spewack, Samuel Spewack, Leo McCarey
- The Westerner IMDB — Stuart N. Lake
Nominated films and other recorded entries
69 films represented in the 1940 archive selection.
- A Wild Hare
- Abe Lincoln in Illinois
- All This, and Heaven Too
- Angels over Broadway
- Arise, My Love
- Arizona
- Behind the News
- Bitter Sweet
- Boom Town
- Captain Caution
- Comrade X
- Down Argentine Way
- Dr. Cyclops
- Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
- Edison, the Man
- Eyes of the Navy
- Foreign Correspondent
- Hit Parade of 1941
- Irene
- Kitty Foyle
- Lillian Russell
- London Can Take It
- More about Nostradamus
- Music in My Heart
- My Favorite Wife
- My Son, My Son!
- North West Mounted Police
- Northwest Passage
- One Million B.C.
- Our Town
- Pinocchio
- Pride and Prejudice
- Primrose Path
- Puss Gets the Boot
- Quicker 'N a Wink
- Rebecca
- Rhythm on the River
- Second Chorus
- Service with the Colors
- Siege
- Spring Parade
- Strike Up the Band
- Swiss Family Robinson
- Teddy, the Rough Rider
- The Blue Bird
- The Boys from Syracuse
- The Dark Command
- The Fight for Life
- The Grapes of Wrath
- The Great Dictator
- The Great McGinty
- The House of the Seven Gables
- The Howards of Virginia
- The Invisible Man Returns
- The Letter
- The Long Voyage Home
- The Mark of Zorro
- The Milky Way
- The Philadelphia Story
- The Sea Hawk
- The Thief of Bagdad
- The Westerner
- They Knew What They Wanted
- Tin Pan Alley
- Too Many Husbands
- Typhoon
- Waterloo Bridge
- Women in War
- You'll Find Out
About these award records
This independent archive groups film-linked award records by film, credited name, category and eligibility year. The film year can differ from the year the ceremony took place. Ceremony numbers are shown where supplied by the records.
Each distinct performance, song or award credit remains a separate record, even when it belongs to the same film. Shared credits stay together. A person's page covers the name shown, without combining aliases or shared credits into a complete career total.
Totals can include honorary, special and historical awards alongside competitive nominations. Awards without a linked film are outside these page totals. Source notes and uncertain records are retained; category comparisons omit groups with unresolved notes, ties or conflicting identities.
For the official record, search the Academy Awards Database (opens in a new tab). Award Went To is an independent exploration tool and is not affiliated with the Academy.