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Beverly Hills Publishing at
291 South La Cienega Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA. 90211-3338 is
a neighbor to the Fairbanks Center, which is located at 333
South La Cienega Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA. 90211-3338. I
feel that the more people who know about how much the Margaret
Herrick Library has contributed to different researchers, film
buffs and the entire community since its inception, then more
people will appreciate what an incredible resource we have
available.
The Academy is widely recognized once a year for the
well-publicized “Oscar” presentations; however fewer people know
about the staff and the living treasures that are maintained at
the Margaret Herrick library. Three people, Jill Gurr, the
author, Mark Longo the illustrator, and the web designer Duke
Jabed have all worked together to make this presentation. These
three individuals from diverse religious and cultural
backgrounds have done their part to open the doors for future
filmmakers who will be served by the wonderful staff at the
Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science.
David Silvers, Editor
The Fairbanks Center for
Motion Picture Study
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
_______________________________________________________
by Jill Gurr
Back to
Entertainment
 For
many years, I’ve driven past the Margaret Herrick Library in the
Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Studies, on the corner of La Cienega and Olympic. Each time I drive by, I am impressed by its
beautiful Mission-style façade. Originally developed as the historic
Beverly Hills Waterworks, the building was renovated by the Academy
of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the summer of 1989 when a
55-year lease was arranged with the City of Beverly Hills.
This Research Library contains
one of the most complete collections of film-related materials ever
assembled – a film buff’s dream! Founded in 1928, it was later named
the Margaret Herrick Library after a former Academy librarian and
long-time executive director. It has a world-renowned,
non-circulating reference and research collection devoted to the
history and development of the motion picture both as an art form
and an industry.
Upon entering the lobby, I
loved its spacious design. The interior has an art deco feel to it.
Its design was based on a Spanish cathedral. The beautiful wrought
iron décor on the windows and doors had a much lighter feel than
those of the cathedrals I’ve visited in Spain.
The library is so easy to use.
After signing in with the receptionist, I was told that visitors are
only allowed to bring a notepad or laptop computer. But don’t worry
since you can put your personal belongings in a locker for a
refundable quarter. Remember to bring a valid photo ID.
After climbing a flight of
stairs to the second floor (an elevator was available), I was
welcomed at the Orientation Desk where another friendly staff member
explained the layout of the Margaret Herrick Library. I turned over
my ID in exchange for a one-day library card. Pens were forbidden,
but there were plenty of pencils around.
The beauty of the Cecil B.
DeMille Reading Room is entrancing. Lined with birch bookshelves
that are topped with soft rounded lighting, it’s spacious and
comfortable. I sat at one of the four public reference terminals
that contained the Library’s public database. With Internet Explorer
displaying the vast resources available, I explored such categories
as Book Holdings, Script Collection, Periodicals, Posters, Graphic
Arts, Photographs, Manuscripts, Academy Awards, and Music. I could
even tap into additional databases where I learned how to find
scripts and more materials from other libraries and private
collections in Los Angeles.
The Library stores over 1,000
manuscript and other special collections relating to prominent
industry individuals, studios and organizations, plus sheet music,
music scores and sound recordings; production and costume sketches;
artifacts; and oral histories. I was delirious with all of the
information available at my fingertips. Where do I start? I decided
to peruse the bookshelves, with more than 27,000 books available on
any imaginable filmmaker and subjects related to cinema. The Library
collects almost every significant book in English on motion pictures
as well as important foreign reference sources and a few selected
books in allied fields, such as television and theater.
Bookshelves were devoted to
such diverse figures as Clint Eastwood, Federico Fellini, Madonna
and Russ Meyers. Volumes about cinema from India, France, China,
Brazil, Iran and every other corner of the world were in abundance.
Not only were all the latest Hollywood Creative Directories on hand,
but also publishing industry handbooks, such as the 2005 Writer’s
Market and the Guide to Literary Agents.
Another portion of the library
was the Reference Section, where I could read 1,800 periodical
titles and 60,000 screenplays. What a phenomenal resource!
I quickly realized that to give
a fair assessment of the material on hand, I should focus on a
couple of projects with which I was familiar. I chose two diverse
movies that I’d worked on as a script supervisor: “Old Gringo,”
starring Jane Fonda, Gregory Peck and Jimmy Smits, and “Menace II
Society,” an edgy low-budget feature directed by the Hughes
Brothers.
While there was an article on
“Old Gringo” in Premiere magazine, and another for “Menace II
Society” in Filmmaker magazine, I had read them both years before
and didn’t feel the need to check them again. Screenplays for both
movies were also available.
I discovered that the soundtrack for “Old Gringo” was accessible. The computer informed me that, “A cassette listening copy is available for use in the Special Collections Reading Room.” There was no soundtrack available for “Menace II Society.” At first, I thought that the Academy might have eliminated it because of the profanity-laced lyrics. However, the Academy’s publicist later informed me that all the soundtracks in their holdings, like virtually everything else, have been donated. The soundtrack to “Menace II Society” was not offered to them as a donation.
The Katharine Hepburn Reading
Room was where I could purchase photocopies and photographic
reproductions. For 25 cents a page, I could get copies of up to
twenty pages a day of anything in the collected works other than unproduced screenplays. I could even purchase an 8 x 10 black and
white photo of whatever was in their collection for just $ 30. With
over 8 million photographs to choose from, the possibilities were
endless.
The Library also has 200,000
clipping files, 25,000 posters, lobby cards, press books and other
advertising materials. I decided to investigate, again using “Old
Gringo” and “Menace II Society” as my barometers. Upon approaching
the service desk, I filled out a form where I listed the names of
the films and approximate years they were produced. In just a few
moments, I was given a pile of manila envelopes and a pair of fresh,
white gloves. How cool is that!
I was asked to be sure to
replace the still photos front-to-front in the envelopes when I was
done. I found a comfortable table and chair, put on my gloves and
got to work. I felt like a forensic investigator, getting my hands
on valuable film reviews and articles.
For “Old Gringo,” there were
three manila envelopes: one dated 1983-1988, another for 1989 (the
year of production) and a third file for material dated 1990 and
beyond. Each yielded piles of clippings from newspapers and
magazines around the world. There were loads of reviews and detailed
articles. If even one sentence about the movie had been written, it
was smoothly tacked onto an index card with the name of the film and
the source highlighted. It was really amazing.
When I had worked on “Old
Gringo,” I’d tried to get my hands on as much publicity as possible.
After all, I’d spent five months shooting this epic in Mexico and it
was a colorful thread woven into my lifetime of experiences. Yet in
spite of all the material that I’d previously read about “Old
Gringo,” I was surprised to find articles and comments that were
totally new to me. I was also provided with three big envelopes
filled with still photos and also a publicity kit, which included
detailed credits, a synopsis and production notes.
For “Menace II Society,” I was
given two envelopes packed with clippings, which included a pile of
diverse reviews and newspaper articles. In addition, I got two
complete press kits: one for the United States and another for the
Cannes Film Festival. There were also still photos and a miniature
version of the movie poster.
I was blown away with the amount of information that was obtainable
on these two movies. If only I had been here sooner, when I was
preparing to work on the films. I glanced in on the Microfilm and
Microfiche Room where there were six machines available. Then I
decided to examine the temporary exhibit in the Katharine Hepburn
Reading Room.
“Hollywood and Its Fans:
1908-1963” displayed articles, photos and fan mail about a variety
of films and movie stars. One that stood out was a letter from Dr.
John Udall of Kaiser Foundation Hospital addressed to Alfred
Hitchcock on October 29, 1960. The memo informed the director that
in the movie “Psycho,” Janet Leigh would have experienced a
cessation of blood to the brain during her famous death scene in the
shower. This would have created dilated pupils, but in the movie,
the actress’ pupils were not dilated. The doctor suggested that a
drop of tincture of Belladonna in each eye would achieve the desired
results… a suggestion that I’m sure Alfred Hitchcock appreciated
from one of his fans.
Nearby were some locked antique
cases with leather-bound copies of all the original screenplays of
films by John Huston, Lewis Milestone and George Cukor. Many more
original, leather-bound screenplays exist in their collection. It
was like finding buried treasure.
As if all of this weren’t
enough, they also have more than 1,000 motion picture artifacts.
Included is a Lumiere Cinematograph—the machine that recorded and
projected the first motion pictures exhibited on a screen to a
paying audience. The collection also comprises miniature airplane
models used in the Academy's first Best Picture winner “Wings,” the
brooch worn by Vivien Leigh in the final scenes of “Gone With the
Wind,” life masks of Grace Kelly and Clark Gable and Bert Lahr's
lion wig from “The Wizard of Oz.”
My final gift was the chance to
experience another one of the Library’s artifacts: an 1897 Edison
Projecting Kinetoscope. Located in the Reading Room, the large
wooden box has a glass opening on top where, for a nickel, one could
peer down and see a short movie that lasted less than a minute. I
dug out a nickel, although the Library staff will provide one for
visitors who are in need. When I dropped it into the box, a film
immediately started to roll. It was a woman in a long flowing white
dress that performed a beautiful skirt dance. As she twirled and
waved the long folds of her gown, the dress suddenly changed to
bright red, then back to white again.
When the brief movie ended, I
was left with a wonderful feeling. I didn’t want to leave! I
couldn’t believe how long it had taken me to finally get there. What
a great opportunity to encounter the early days of cinema and learn
a bounty of information about today’s films. After my visit to the
Margaret Herrick Library, I realized just how far the art form has
grown since its birth. I highly recommend that you take some time to
check it out.
Margaret Herrick Library
333 S. La Cienega Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California 90211
Phone: 310-247-3000
Public parking is available in the tennis court parking structure
just north of the building. Parking is free for the first two hours.
Metered parking can also be found on streets to the north and west
of the building.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Article Provided by Jill Gurr
- A Syndicated Columnist
Illustration By Mark Longo |
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