The Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
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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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