On January 18th, SCA will host a seminar for the 2019-2020 Jack Oakie Comedy scholarships with Jack Epps, the Victoria and Jack Oakie Endowed Chair in Comedy and Chair of the Writing Division. 

Open to Undergraduate and Graduate Students in all SCA Divisions.

Jack Oakie Comedy Scholarship Seminar Schedule: 

• 2:45pm – Check-in begins (please be on time) 
• 3-6pm – Seminar begins. The seminar will provide information about the Jack Oakie Comedy Scholarships, the application process, and will conclude with a screening of a Jack Oakie film. 

Please Note: Attendance at an Oakie seminar is required to apply for 2019-2020 Oakie Comedy Scholarships. Therefore, please make sure you check-in so that we can record your attendance! 

Application Process: 

• Attend the Jack Oakie Comedy Scholarship Seminar on January 18, 2019. Students who previously attended the 2016, 2017, and/or 2018 Oakie Seminars remain eligible to apply. 
• Submit the 2019-2020 SCA Scholarship Application online via SCA Community – submit by March 2 (online application will become available on February 1) 
• Upload the Jack Oakie Comedy Scholarship Application to your online SCA Scholarship Application – submit by March 2 
• If applicable, submit supplemental materials for all scholarships that you wish to be considered for: 
  • Jack Oakie Comedy Scholarship for Merit in Directing – requires directing sample, submit Vimeo link via online SCA Scholarship Application (due March 2). 
  • Jack Oakie Comedy Scholarship for Merit in Writing – requires short comedy script, submit script in hard copy (due April 27).
  • Jack Oakie Comedy Scholarship for Merit in Sketch Comedy – requires a comedy sketch in screenplay format, submit sketch in hard copy (due April 27)

Only students who attended the 2016, 2017, 2018, and/or 2019 Oakie seminars will be submitted for review to the scholarship committees.

About the Jack Oakie Scholarship 

SCA is fortunate to be endowed with multiple scholarships which have been generously provided by The Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Charitable Foundation. The foundation helps to carry out one of the wishes of Jack Oakie which is to, “Give the money to the kids.” These are merit-based awards open to all divisions and to both graduate and undergraduate students. These awards are administered through the School of Cinematic Arts. The Oakie scholarships are prestigious awards intended to support students who are interested in pursuing comedy at USC in honor of Jack Oakie’s legacy and his significant contributions to acting and comedy. 

About Jack Oakie (1903 – 1978) 

Jack Oakie came to Hollywood in 1927. His career by that time already included vaudeville, Broadway musicals and appearances in New York films. In Hollywood, he made 87 pictures, most of them comedies or musical comedies, over which period he perfected his trademark comic triple-take. He appeared in such films as “Once in a Lifetime,” “Million Dollar Legs” and “It Happened Tomorrow.” Oakie received an Academy Award nomination in the supporting role category for his satirical portrait of a Mussolini-like head of state in 1940’s, “The Great Dictato".

Contact Information

Name: Student Services
Email: studentservices@cinema.usc.edu
Phone: 213-740-8358