Originally built for TV. That’s what makes the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study so unique. Here we stand before a building that’s not just a structure. It’s a piece of Hollywood history.
The Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study stands proudly at 1313 Vine Street. It is in the heart of Hollywood. This building is one of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences facilities. It holds a terrific amount of Hollywood history.
This center is named after Mary Pickford. She was a founding member of the Academy. The Pickford Center is not just another building. It is the oldest surviving structure in Hollywood specifically designed for television.
Let’s step back in time. The building was constructed in 1948. It was originally the Don Lee Mutual Broadcasting Building. This was a studio for radio and television. Over the years, it housed CBS and ABC. The Dating Game and Barney Miller were taped here.
In 2000, the Academy acquired the building. After renovations, it was renamed the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study in 2002. These upgrades included temperature-controlled storage. A state-of-the-art fire suppression system was installed.
The Linwood Dunn Theater was added. This theater seats 286 people. It is named after a visual effects pioneer. Public programming and screenings of Award-eligible films happen here.
The Academy Film Archive is housed here. It holds over 230000 items. This makes it one of the most diverse motion picture collections in the world. The Archive maintains all Best Picture and Documentary Oscar-winning films. Many other nominated films are also kept here.
Personal collections of filmmakers are stored here. You can find items from Cecil B DeMille, Alfred Hitchcock, and others. The Pickford Center plays a role in the pre-production of the Academy Awards ceremony.
The Pickford Center is more than a building. It is a testament to Hollywood’s golden age. Its walls echo with stories of innovation. This is a place where the past informs the future of filmmaking.