Golden Statues Arrive On The Oscars Red Carpet

The countdown is on to the Oscars and preps are continuing. The red carpet is covered in plastic as crews add more bling before all the glitz and glamour on Oscar Sunday.

The Oscar statues that will line the red carpet also made their first appearance on Thursday at the Dolby Theatre, while their smaller counterparts are safely tucked away until February 28th.

There have been 3,001 Oscar statuettes presented since the first Oscars (that includes the 3 Oscars presented at the Governors Awards event on November 14, 2015)

The Academy recently announced that Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry, based in Rock Tavern, New York, will exclusively create its iconic Oscar statuettes, starting with the 88th Academy Awards.  In a process that returns to the Oscar’s fine art roots, the statuettes will now be hand-cast in bronze before receiving its 24-karat gold finish.

Using a cast bronze Oscar from 1929, Polich Tallix artisans have restored subtle features of George Stanley’s original sculpture, which was based on sketches by MGM art director Cedric Gibbons.  The overall size of the statuette remains the same.

There have been 15 Oscar shows hosted at the Dolby Theatre including the 88^th Academy Awards.

Some fun facts about the home of the Oscars. Did you know that seating capacity of the Dolby Theatre on Oscar night is 3,300 and that the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre is approximately 500 feet in length and 33 feet wide?

To ensure public safety, support security strategies and facilitate the production of this year’s Oscars, here’s a look at street closure plans around the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood.

To accommodate the construction of press risers, fan bleachers and pre-show stages along the Oscars red carpet, Hollywood Boulevard will be closed between Highland Avenue and Orange Drive until 6 a.m. on Tuesday, March 1.

MTA subway trains will bypass the Hollywood & Highland station after the last regularly scheduled train on Saturday, February 27, until 6 a.m. Monday, February 29. Service at the station will resume with the first scheduled train after 6 a.m.

Additional streets and sidewalks will be closed for varying periods.

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.