January 25, 1949
First Emmy Awards ceremony held
The Hollywood Athletic Club hosts the inaugural Emmy Awards, recognizing technical and artistic achievement in television. A children’s show ventriloquist wins the very first atom-raising statuette.

1st Primetime Emmy Awards
The 1st Emmy Awards, retroactively known as the 1st Primetime Emmy Awards after the debut of the counterpart Daytime Emmy Awards, were presented at the Hollywood Athletic Club in Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 25, 1949. Only shows produced in Los Angeles County, California and aired in the Los Angeles media market were eligible to win. The awards were hosted by Walter O’Keefe who substituted for Rudy Vallée when he had to leave town at the last minute. A special award category was introduced and awarded to Louis McManus for designing the actual Emmy Award statuette.
Date: Jan 25, 1949
Hosted by: Walter O’Keefe
Presented by: Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Network: KCBS-TV
Location: Hollywood Athletic Club, Los Angeles, California