Margaret Herrick

All you want to know about Margaret Herrick

Margaret Herrick (September 27, 1902-June 21, 1976), was the librarian and director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Herrick is generally credited with naming the Academy Award an "Oscar", declaring the statuettes "looked just like my Uncle Oscar." However, others, including Academy President Bette Davis, have claimed they invented the name.

She was born in Spokane, Washington, United States. Her maiden name was Margaret Buck. Margaret graduated from the University of Washington. Her husband was Phillip Abbot Herrick (1899-1968). She was librarian of Yakima, Washington, in 1928 before coming to Hollywood, California in 1931 and became the academy's first librarian. She served in that capacity until 1943 when she became the executive director, retiring in January 1971. The academy's extensive library in Beverly Hills, California, of material on films is named in her honor.

She died in Woodland Hills, California.