Starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh in arguably their most memorable performances, Victor Fleming’s Gone With the Wind premiered in Atlanta on this day in 1939. Nominated for 15 Academy Awards, the movie garnered nine statues, setting a record for its time and making it the first color film to pull in accolades in the Best Picture category. In another monumental milestone, Hattie McDaniel won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, making the actress the first African-American to take home the award.
Filmstar Factoid: Although Judy Garland was considered for the part of Carreen O’Hara, her commitments laid first with another iconic Fleming film, The Wizard of Oz.