If the Oscar is the dream wedding of movie awards in Hollywood, then the Golden Globe Awards is the bachelor party. The Golden Globes is a formal dinner and ceremony televised to over 150 countries. Given annually, it recognizes outstanding achievements in motion pictures and television of the season. More importantly, the body lends financial support to some entertainment-related charities.

Organized by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the Golden Globes is one of the most-watched award-giving body (next to the Oscar and the Grammy) in the cinema and TV entertainment field. The awards are handed about two months before the Oscar, as a prelude to who will win the golden statuette.

The beginning

The Golden Globe Awards started in the early 1940s during the Second World War. Despite the turmoil and the difficulties with communications, a number of journalists in Los Angeles banded together to share materials, contacts, and information.

In 1928 the Hollywood Association of Foreign Correspondents (HAFCO) had been formed and the Foreign Press Society appeared in 1935. Both institutions were short-lived. The Hollywood Foreign Correspondents Association (HFCA) was formed in 1943 with the motto, "Unity Without Discrimination of Religion or Race."

Recognizing the best in Hollywood

Members then felt it important to recognize the best and the finest Hollywood productions. Their first awards ceremony for distinguished achievements took place in 1944 with an informal ceremony at the 20th Century Fox studios. The awards have since been held every year. The statuette, a strip of film encircling a golden globe and mounted on a pedestal, was presented in 1945.

The big split

The conflicting philosophies among HFCA members during the early 1950s resulted in the creation of the Foreign Press Association (FPA). The separation finally ended in 1955 when members reunited under the collective title HFPA.

Honoring achievements in TV

The journalists also saw the need to honor the best in American television. In 1955, the Golden Globes eventually started honoring achievements in television. Dinah Shore, The American Comedy, Lucy & Desi, and Davy Crockett were the first TV shows to be awarded.

The 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike

One of the most important events in the history of the Golden Globes is the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. Supporting the writers on strike, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) also snubbed the ceremony, leaving the award show without any presenters and accepters. The Golden Globes live telecast was cancelled and the winners were instead announced on the January 13 press conference.