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Vérifié par JWRJWR-2026-000202

First Jewish Winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor

Détenteur du record

Paul MuniPersonne

Valeur du record

4 March 1937

Pays représenté: États-UnisLieu de l’accomplissement: Los Angeles, California, États-UnisDate de l’accomplissement: 4 mars 1937Record actuel

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Vérifié par Jewish World RecordsComment nous vérifions les records

Portrait of Jewish American actor Paul Muni.

Paul Muni, photographed by Carl Van Vechten in 1932.Carl Van Vechten / Library of Congress / Wikimedia CommonsSourcePublic Domain

Définition officielle du record

The earliest Jewish performer to win the Academy Award for Actor in a Leading Role / Best Actor.

Méthodologie de mesure

Chronological review of Academy Best Actor winners from the inaugural ceremony through 1937 combined with Jewish identity verification.

L’histoire du record

Paul Muni became the "First Jewish Winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor" on 4 March 1937. The achievement was marked at the 9th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California, where he won the award for Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the film The Story of Louis Pasteur.

Born Meshilem Meier Weisenfreund, Muni was a prominent Jewish American stage and film actor. His Jewish identity was noted in contemporary reports from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, which described him as a famous Jewish American actor with a family background in Yiddish theatre. The basis for this 'first' record is a chronological review of the Academy's Best Actor winners from the inaugural ceremony through to the 1937 event, which confirmed Muni as the earliest qualifying Jewish recipient of the honour.

Médias

Comment JWR a vérifié ce record

Date de vérification
26 septembre 2026
Norme de vérification
JWR Verification Standard 1.0

Preuve de l’accomplissement

The Academy's 1937 ceremony page lists Paul Muni as the Best Actor winner for The Story of Louis Pasteur.

Preuve de supériorité

Review of the Best Actor chronology through 1937 identifies Muni as the first winner meeting JWR Jewish eligibility; JTA explicitly identifies him as Jewish.

Éligibilité juive — Vérifiée par JWR

Vérification de l’éligibilité juive

Preuve établissant que le détenteur remplit les conditions d’éligibilité juive aux fins de JWR.

  • Funeral Services Tomorrow for Paul Muni — Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Vérification de l’accomplissement / du record

Preuve établissant que le détenteur a obtenu le résultat et détient le record tel que défini.

  • The 9th Academy Awards — 1937 — Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
  • Paulmuni image — Wikimedia Commons — Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

Vérification de la supériorité / face aux autres candidats

Preuve comparant le résultat avec celui d’autres candidats pertinents pour la revendication du record.

  • Academy Best Actor chronology through 1937 — Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Les preuves d’éligibilité juive, d’accomplissement et de supériorité conservent leurs classifications distinctes et ne sont jamais fusionnées. Le contexte et la provenance ne sont pas présentés comme preuve de l’accomplissement. Les preuves à diffusion restreinte et les notes de recherche internes ne sont jamais publiées. En savoir plus sur le processus en sept étapes sur la page de vérification.

Sources et vérification

  • The 9th Academy Awards — 1937

    Document officielAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

    Ce que cette source prouve: Confirms Paul Muni as Best Actor winner for The Story of Louis Pasteur.

  • Funeral Services Tomorrow for Paul Muni

    Publication indépendanteJewish Telegraphic Agency

    Ce que cette source prouve: Explicitly describes Paul Muni as a famous Jewish American actor and gives his Yiddish-theatre family background.

  • Academy Best Actor chronology through 1937

    Document officielAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

    Ce que cette source prouve: Used with the Academy's prior ceremony pages to establish Muni as the earliest qualifying Jewish Best Actor winner.

  • Paulmuni image — Wikimedia Commons

    Base de données de référenceLibrary of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

    Ce que cette source prouve: Documents Carl Van Vechten's 1932 portrait and public-domain/no-known-restrictions status.

Historique

  1. Vérifié

    Verified according to JWR Verification Standard 1.0.

  2. Publiév1

    Published to the official JWR registry.

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