First Emmy Awards Takes Place at Hollywood Athletic Club
Jan 25, 1949
Date Types
Award Shows and Ceremonies, Milestones
Companies
Television Academy
People/Bands/Teams
Fletcher Bowron, Shirley Dinsdale
The Los Angeles–based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) established the Emmy Award as part of a public relations campaign. The first Emmy Awards ceremony took place on January 25, 1949, at the Hollywood Athletic Club, but only to honor shows produced and aired locally in the Los Angeles area. Shirley Dinsdale has the distinction of receiving the very first Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Television Personality, during that awards ceremony. The term “Emmy” derives from “Immy”, the television industry slang for a TV camera image orthicon tube.

















