Warner Bros. donates $5M to Smithsonian
10-02-10, 10:43 PM
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Warner Bros. donates $5M to Smithsonian
"Warner Bros. donates $5M to Smithsonian"
Warner Bros. Entertainment is donating $5 million to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to create a theater to present the history of American film.
The gift announced Wednesday will transform the 46-year-old Carmichael Auditorium into a movie theater with digital 3D projection. It will also show original 35mm films. It will be renamed the Warner Bros. Theater when it reopens next year.
Museum spokeswoman Melinda Machado says the theater will offer free programs. It won't be an IMAX theater like others on the National Mall because of the seating configuration.
The museum says the theater will complement its entertainment collection, which includes drawings for the first Mickey Mouse film, a camera used to film "The Wizard of Oz" and the ruby slippers worn by Dorothy in the movie.
-- Associated Press
By Washington Post editors | September 15, 2010; 11:56 AM ET
Warner Bros. Entertainment is donating $5 million to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to create a theater to present the history of American film.
The gift announced Wednesday will transform the 46-year-old Carmichael Auditorium into a movie theater with digital 3D projection. It will also show original 35mm films. It will be renamed the Warner Bros. Theater when it reopens next year.
Museum spokeswoman Melinda Machado says the theater will offer free programs. It won't be an IMAX theater like others on the National Mall because of the seating configuration.
The museum says the theater will complement its entertainment collection, which includes drawings for the first Mickey Mouse film, a camera used to film "The Wizard of Oz" and the ruby slippers worn by Dorothy in the movie.
-- Associated Press
By Washington Post editors | September 15, 2010; 11:56 AM ET
Last edited by Giles; 02-02-12 at 03:31 PM.
02-02-12, 03:32 PM
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Re: Warner Bros. donates $5M to Smithsonian
some new news:
Entertainment Feb. 02, 2012 - 10:39AM JST ( 7 )
Eastwood, 81, will be honored with the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal AFP
WASHINGTON —
Clint Eastwood helped open a new movie theater on the national mall Wednesday evening and the Smithsonian Institution honored the actor and director for his six decades of work in American film.
Eastwood, 81, visited the National Museum of American History to help dedicate the new Warner Bros. Theater as a space to present the history of Hollywood. Warner Bros. Entertainment donated $5 million in 2010 to renovate the museum’s old Carmichael Auditorium into a modern theater with 3D projection capability.
The new theater gives the Smithsonian its first space dedicated to film history, museum spokeswoman Melinda Machado said. The 264-seat theater will be able to screen silent films and first-run movies.
Eastwood, who was awarded the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal for his distinguished contributions in film, said he was a fan of the museum complex. The addition of a theater will add a piece of entertainment history to the Smithsonian’s collection, he said.
“People are treating it more as a part of our American heritage,” he said.
Eastwood also commented on the recent casting of Justin Timberlake to co-star in his next film, “Trouble with the Curve.” He said he liked Timberlake as a performer and recording artist, “but I’d seen him acting and he does quite well.”
Eastwood, who endorsed John McCain in the presidential race four years ago, joked that he may run for president himself this time. He didn’t say who he was supporting.
Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, a member of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, presented the Smithson medal, telling Eastwood he was going to “make your day.”
Eastwood said he was proud to help open a new theater that’s worthy of the Smithsonian.
He told a crowd of donors and lawmakers that “it’s very nice to be part of the Smithsonian, at least as the recipient of a medal and not in one of the cabinets.”
Warner Bros. will help present four film festivals at the museum this year and into the future, Machado said. Most programs at the theater will be free to visitors, rather than charging for tickets as the Smithsonian does at its IMAX theaters.
On Friday, the museum will open a three-day film festival to highlight the work of Humphrey Bogart with free screenings of “Casablanca,” “The Maltese Falcon” and other films.
Movie costumes also are going on display at the museum, including those worn by Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman and Eastwood, along with Harry Potter’s robe. The costumes are on loan from Warner Bros., along with animation drawings for Bugs Bunny and other memorabilia.
Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Barry Meyer said he visited the Smithsonian a couple of years ago and saw that it needed more from the entertainment world.
“We realized so much of the fabric of our cultural history of the United States was tied up in film, and there was not that big of a film collection at the museum,” Meyer said.
He said the museum’s old theater was run down and not being used.
“I realized our industry needed to be better represented,” Meyer said, adding that he hopes other film companies help build the Smithsonian’s collection.
Dwight Blocker Bowers, the Smithsonian’s entertainment curator, said the addition of a movie theater means the Smithsonian is taking the history of film seriously. The museum is in early talks with the American Film Institute to develop a daily film screening, he said.
“We’re hoping to make Warner Bros.’ dollar and our tax dollars function for the audience,” he said.
Warner Bros. may also donate some movie objects to the museum, Bowers said.
“We always have a wish list in our hip pocket,” he said.
The James Smithson Bicentennial Medal was established in 1965.
~~~
tomorrow night's screening of Casablanca is sold out, but 'Maltese Falcon' (1pm), 'Treasure of Sierra Madre' (6pm) on Saturday and 'The Big Sleep' (1pm) Sunday are first come first served free screenings.
additional screenings in this press release:
"Clint Eastwood’s Westerns
Friday, June 22 – Sunday, June 24"
"The Advent of Sound
Friday, July 13 – Sunday, July 15"
"The Civil War on Film
Friday, Oct. 19 – Sunday, Oct. 21"
Warner Bros. Film Festivals at the National Museum of American History - 2012 Calendar of Events
Entertainment Feb. 02, 2012 - 10:39AM JST ( 7 )
Eastwood, 81, will be honored with the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal AFP
WASHINGTON —
Clint Eastwood helped open a new movie theater on the national mall Wednesday evening and the Smithsonian Institution honored the actor and director for his six decades of work in American film.
Eastwood, 81, visited the National Museum of American History to help dedicate the new Warner Bros. Theater as a space to present the history of Hollywood. Warner Bros. Entertainment donated $5 million in 2010 to renovate the museum’s old Carmichael Auditorium into a modern theater with 3D projection capability.
The new theater gives the Smithsonian its first space dedicated to film history, museum spokeswoman Melinda Machado said. The 264-seat theater will be able to screen silent films and first-run movies.
Eastwood, who was awarded the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal for his distinguished contributions in film, said he was a fan of the museum complex. The addition of a theater will add a piece of entertainment history to the Smithsonian’s collection, he said.
“People are treating it more as a part of our American heritage,” he said.
Eastwood also commented on the recent casting of Justin Timberlake to co-star in his next film, “Trouble with the Curve.” He said he liked Timberlake as a performer and recording artist, “but I’d seen him acting and he does quite well.”
Eastwood, who endorsed John McCain in the presidential race four years ago, joked that he may run for president himself this time. He didn’t say who he was supporting.
Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, a member of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, presented the Smithson medal, telling Eastwood he was going to “make your day.”
Eastwood said he was proud to help open a new theater that’s worthy of the Smithsonian.
He told a crowd of donors and lawmakers that “it’s very nice to be part of the Smithsonian, at least as the recipient of a medal and not in one of the cabinets.”
Warner Bros. will help present four film festivals at the museum this year and into the future, Machado said. Most programs at the theater will be free to visitors, rather than charging for tickets as the Smithsonian does at its IMAX theaters.
On Friday, the museum will open a three-day film festival to highlight the work of Humphrey Bogart with free screenings of “Casablanca,” “The Maltese Falcon” and other films.
Movie costumes also are going on display at the museum, including those worn by Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman and Eastwood, along with Harry Potter’s robe. The costumes are on loan from Warner Bros., along with animation drawings for Bugs Bunny and other memorabilia.
Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Barry Meyer said he visited the Smithsonian a couple of years ago and saw that it needed more from the entertainment world.
“We realized so much of the fabric of our cultural history of the United States was tied up in film, and there was not that big of a film collection at the museum,” Meyer said.
He said the museum’s old theater was run down and not being used.
“I realized our industry needed to be better represented,” Meyer said, adding that he hopes other film companies help build the Smithsonian’s collection.
Dwight Blocker Bowers, the Smithsonian’s entertainment curator, said the addition of a movie theater means the Smithsonian is taking the history of film seriously. The museum is in early talks with the American Film Institute to develop a daily film screening, he said.
“We’re hoping to make Warner Bros.’ dollar and our tax dollars function for the audience,” he said.
Warner Bros. may also donate some movie objects to the museum, Bowers said.
“We always have a wish list in our hip pocket,” he said.
The James Smithson Bicentennial Medal was established in 1965.
~~~
tomorrow night's screening of Casablanca is sold out, but 'Maltese Falcon' (1pm), 'Treasure of Sierra Madre' (6pm) on Saturday and 'The Big Sleep' (1pm) Sunday are first come first served free screenings.
additional screenings in this press release:
"Clint Eastwood’s Westerns
Friday, June 22 – Sunday, June 24"
"The Advent of Sound
Friday, July 13 – Sunday, July 15"
"The Civil War on Film
Friday, Oct. 19 – Sunday, Oct. 21"
Warner Bros. Film Festivals at the National Museum of American History - 2012 Calendar of Events
Last edited by Giles; 02-02-12 at 03:41 PM.
02-02-12, 03:43 PM
#8
Re: Warner Bros. donates $5M to Smithsonian
I did a Warner Bros. studio tour on the Burbank lot back in 2009 and one of the stops was a visit to the museum on the lot and the tons of artifacts tucked into a rather tiny space, including the piano that Sam played in CASABLANCA. There was also an amazing letter from Bruce Lee to then-WB President Ted Ashley as they were prepping ENTER THE DRAGON. They only gave us a few minutes inside the museum. Not enough time. This stuff should be in the Smithsonian and not buried on the Warner lot. For one thing, it would be easier for me to get to.
Last edited by Ash Ketchum; 02-02-12 at 04:25 PM.
02-02-12, 09:45 PM
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Re: Warner Bros. donates $5M to Smithsonian
i'm not going to lie but....I want to be a film director deep down...but...I have an equal if not great hidden passion for old films and preserving the history of them. I'd kill to be involved w/ such efforts.
