Margaret Herrick facts for kids

Margaret Florence Herrick (born September 27, 1902 – died June 21, 1976) was an American librarian. She was also the Executive Director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is the group that gives out the famous Oscars. In 1971, the Academy's library was named the Margaret Herrick Library to honor her work.

Early Life and Education

Margaret Buck was born in Spokane, Washington. Her father, Nathan K. Buck, was a lawyer. Her mother was Adda M. Buck.

In 1929, Margaret finished her studies at the University of Washington. She earned a degree in library science. This means she learned how to organize and manage libraries.

Her Career

In 1929, Margaret Herrick became the head librarian at the Yakima Public Library in Yakima, Washington. Later, she moved to Hollywood, California, with her husband.

She became the very first librarian for the Academy. She worked as the Academy's librarian until 1943. During World War II, she took over as the temporary executive director of the Academy. In 1945, she was offered the job permanently. She stayed in that important role until she retired in January 1971.

In the mid-1960s, Margaret Herrick traveled around the world. She promoted the tenth anniversary of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Between 1963 and 1968, she visited many international film groups.

The Academy has a huge library in Beverly Hills, California. It holds lots of information about movies. This library is called the Margaret Herrick Library to honor her.

How the Oscar Got Its Name

Margaret Herrick is often given credit for giving the Academy Award its famous nickname, "Oscar." She supposedly said the statuettes "looked just like my Uncle Oscar."

However, other people also claimed they came up with the name. These include Academy President Bette Davis and Hollywood gossip columnist Sidney Skolsky.

• Bette Davis once said the statue reminded her of her husband Harmon Nelson's backside. Nelson's middle name was Oscar. But Davis later said this claim was not true.
• Columnist Sidney Skolsky wrote a newspaper column for over 50 years. He used the nickname "Oscar" in his column on March 17, 1934. This is thought to be the first time the award was called "Oscar" in print.

Her Personal Life

In 1931, Margaret married Donald Gledhill. He worked as an assistant at the Academy. Margaret and Donald separated in 1945.

In 1946, she married Philip A. Herrick. Even after their marriage ended in 1951, she continued to use his last name for her work.

Margaret Herrick passed away on June 21, 1976. She died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. She had been ill for a long time.

See Also

• Margaret Herrick Library
• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences