Academy Story

The Academy began the National Film Information Service to offer access to library materials for historians, students and others outside Los Angeles.

Several named public lecture programs were developed, beginning with the Marvin Borowsky Lecture, which was established in 1974 in honor of the late screenwriter and university professor. Over the years, five more lecture series have been added, in the names of Marc Davis, John Huston, Jack Oakie, George Pal and George Stevens, and each having a focus related to its namesake. Guest speakers for the various lectures have run the gamut from Jerry Lewis to Carl Sagan.

The Academy dedicated its new headquarters at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills on December 8. The Academy's scope of public programming expanded to make full use of the facility’s state-of-the-art theater and large lobby. A series called Film Classics Revisited launched the next decade featuring discussions with the cast and crew, a successful format that became the norm. There were also many tributes to screen legends, from Groucho Marx to Mickey Mouse, with exhibitions presented in the main lobby. Public events grew more expansive each year, with a wider range of film screenings and exhibitions, and new seminars on specific aspects of filmmaking.