Bruce Davis, Longtime AMPAS Executive Director, Dies at 83

Bruce Davis, who served as Executive Director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and helped develop the Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, died Sept. 5 in Los Angeles. He was 83.

Davis came to the Academy after chairing the theater department at Juniata College in Pennsylvania. He started out at the Academy overseeing public programming, and was named Executive Director in 1989. He retired from the Academy in 2011.

His tenure included two major achievements in film preservation: Davis worked with the city of Beverly Hills and Academy president Robert Wise to acquire rights to the 1928 building that became the Margaret Herrick Library, and oversaw the acquisition of the 1948 television studio in Hollywood that became the Academy Film Archive.

After retiring, Davis published the book “The Academy and the Award” about the origins and history of the Oscars.

He was known at the Academy for his wit, his writing skills and his Friday Lunch tradition where staff members from various departments would join him to eat and converse.

Born in Washington D.C., he became a film buff at a young age. At Juniata College, he founded the film department and led the theater department, as well as studying filmmaking at Columbia University.

He is survived by his wife Joann and four daughters: Brangien Davis (Daniel Spils); Alexandra Davis; Archer Davis (Tom Brown) and Roxanne Davis.

Donations may be made to Juniata College.