Mary Pickford Foundation Launches On-line Research Center and Clearinghouse

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mary Pickford Foundation today announced the launch of a comprehensive on-line research center and clearinghouse at www.MaryPickford.org in conjunction with the first annual Mary Pickford Celebration of Silent Film, co-hosted by the Foundation and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) at the Academy's Mary Pickford Center in Hollywood.       

The on-line site features original videos and writings, photographs, archives, collections, film clips and historical material illustrating the tremendous impact Mary Pickford and her colleagues had on the film industry. Pickford was a multifaceted pioneer of early cinema and a founder of United Artists, AMPAS and what is now known as the Motion Picture Home. She was a talented performer, a creative producer and a savvy businesswoman who helped shape the film industry as we know it today.

"This on-line research center is our virtual office and a key element in fostering our mission to further Mary Pickford's commitment to her craft, her community and her philanthropy while inspiring future generations of women and filmmakers," said Henry Stotsenberg, President and CEO of the Mary Pickford Foundation. "Mary Pickford conceived this foundation over 40 years ago and with this site, we are taking the power of her legacy into the 21^st Century."

The Mary Pickford Foundation's Director of Archive and Legacy, Elaina Archer, and its Resident Scholar, Cari Beauchamp, were instrumental in designing and writing the site to be "a central resource for writers, researchers and archivists as well as for those interested in simply learning more about Mary, her friends and the silent era," Archer said. "We will continuously be adding new material."

"Our intention is to create an evolving source of information, taking full advantage of new technology," added Beauchamp. "I know that if this site had been available to me when I was writing my books, it would have saved me months of research."  Archival interviews with Mary are posted as well as a listing of over 100 magazine articles about her.

The Mary Pickford Foundation recently announced a partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that includes the annual celebration of silent film, the digitization of the Mary Pickford collection at the Academy's Margaret Herrick Library and an initiative to promote film preservation. A link to the Academy's vast Mary Pickford collection, which the actress initiated, can also be found at MaryPickford.org

SOURCE Mary Pickford Foundation