Margaret Booth papers
Catalogued by Prouty, Howard; Catalogued by Coco, Anne
Margaret Herrick Library. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
333 S La Cienega Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Published January 2023
Descriptive Summary
Abstract: The collection consists primarily of scripts from Booth's work in 1935-1936, and during the 1970s and 1980s. Also, there is
correspondence related to Booth's Honorary Academy Award.
Collector:
Booth, Margaret
Dates: 1935-1988
Dates: 1972-1984
Collection number: 214
Collection Size:
1.7 linear ft. of papers
Repository:
Margaret Herrick Library. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
Available by appointment only.
Publication Rights
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Margaret Herrick Library. Researchers are responsible for obtaining all
necessary rights, licenses, or permissions from the appropriate companies or individuals before quoting from or publishing
materials obtained from the library.
Preferred Citation
Margaret Booth papers, Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Margaret Booth, 1991
Collection Scope and Content Summary
The Margaret Booth papers span the years 1935–1988 (bulk from 1972–1984) and encompass 1.7 linear feet. The collection consists
primarily of scripts from Booth's work in 1935-1936, and during the 1970s and 1980s. There is correspondence related to Booth's
Honorary Academy Award, as well as the actual statuette. The collection does not include personal correspondence, or materials
from Booth's work during the silent period or her early years at MGM.
Biography
Margaret Booth (1898–2002) was born in Los Angeles and graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1915. When her brother,
Elmer, an actor for director D. W. Griffith, was killed in an automobile accident, Margaret was offered a job at Griffith's
studio cutting negative. In 1919, the Griffith studio moved to New York and Booth went to work for Louis B. Mayer, where she
began to learn how to edit film. In 1924, Mayer's company merged with Metro and Goldwyn and Booth became an assistant film
editor and then a full-fledged editor. Over the next eleven years, Booth worked on numerous MGM films, notably ROMEO AND JULIET
(1936). Booth's only Academy Award nomination was for MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935). In 1936, Booth was made supervising film
editor at MGM, a position she held until her retirement in 1969. She was soon talked out of retirement by producer Ray Stark
who hired her as supervising editor for his company, Rastar Productions. Booth supervised the editing work for Stark on THE
WAY WE WERE (1973), FUNNY LADY (1975), MURDER BY DEATH (1976), THE GOODBYE GIRL (1977), CALIFORNIA SUITE (1978) and ANNIE
(1982). Booth received an Honorary Academy Award in 1978 for her "contribution to the art of film editing in the motion picture
industry." She received her last credit in 1982 for CHAPTER TWO.
Arrangement of the Collection
1. Production files; 2. Subject files
Indexing terms
Booth, Margaret
Editors
folder 1
ANNIE--script
1981--1981
Record ID: 71434978
folder 2
THE BLACK BIRD--script
1974--1974
Record ID: 71434981
folder 3
CALIFORNIA SUITE--script
1978--1978
Record ID: 71434982
folder 4
CHAPTER TWO--script
1979--1979
Record ID: 71434983
folder 5
FUNNY LADY--script
1974--1974
Record ID: 71434984
folder 6
THE GOODBYE GIRL--script
1977--1977
Record ID: 71434985
folder 7
MURDER BY DEATH--script
1975--1975
Record ID: 71434986
folder 8
MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY--script
1935--1935
Record ID: 71434987
folder 9
NEIL SIMON'S THE SLUGGER'S WIFE--script
1984--1984
Record ID: 71434988
folder 10
ROMEO AND JULIET--script
1935--1936
Record ID: 71434989
folder 11
SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES--script
1980--1980
Record ID: 71434990
folder 12
STEEL MAGNOLIAS--script
1988--1988
Record ID: 71434991
folder 13
THE SUNSHINE BOYS--script
1975--1975
Record ID: 71434992
folder 14
THE TOY--script
1982--1982
Record ID: 71434993
folder 15
THE WAY WE WERE--script
1972--1972
Record ID: 71434994
folder 16
50th Annual (1977) Academy Awards--Honorary Award
1977--1977
Record ID: 71434995
folder 17
50th Annual (1977) Academy Awards--Honorary Award
1977--1977
Record ID: 71434997
folder 18
50th Annual (1977) Academy Awards--Honorary Award
1977--1977
Record ID: 71434998
folder 19
50th Annual (1977) Academy Awards--Honorary Award
1977--1977
Record ID: 71434999
folder 20
50th Annual (1977) Academy Awards--Honorary Award
1977--1977
Record ID: 71435000
folder 21
50th Annual (1977) Academy Awards--programs
1977--1977
Record ID: 71435001
folder 22
Boxoffice magazine--certificates
Circa 1935--1935
Record ID: 71435002
folder 23
Crystal Award--correspondence
1983--1983
Record ID: 71435003
folder 24
Crystal Award--clippings
1983--1983
Record ID: 71435004
folder 25
Crystal Award--general
1983--1983
Record ID: 71435005
folder 26
Motion Picture Country House
1988--1988
Record ID: 71435006