Fun facts

Fun facts from 75 Years of Oscars® balloting

  • 440,000+: The approximate number of ballots counted by PricewaterhouseCoopers in 75 years on the job.

  • 2,500+: The number of winners' envelopes stuffed since the envelope system was introduced in 1941.

  • 1,700: The approximate number of "person-hours" it takes the PricewaterhouseCoopers team every year to count and verify the ballots by hand.

  • 34: The number of broadcasts PricewaterhouseCoopers’ partners have appeared on since 1953 – the year the Oscars were first televised. The partners used to come on stage to hand-deliver the envelopes – hence, “and the envelope please” – but this is now done just offstage. During the 2008 telecast, Rick Rosas and Brad Oltmanns were featured in a short, humorous video clip about the balloting process.

  • 24: The number of awards categories to be tabulated for the 81st Academy Awards at a secret location known only to the members of the small PricewaterhouseCoopers ballot team.

  • 7: The number of days it takes to count the ballots for nominations.

  • 3: The number of days it takes to count the final ballots.