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Conversation with a Curator

Monthly
The Paley Archive at the Beverly Hills Public Library

Paley is bringing its renown Conversation with a Curator to the West Coast! Throughout the year, every month at the Paley Archive, visitors and Paley Members can attend these special discussions with the well-respected Paley’s curators, who will lead lively, insightful conversations about significant media topics and momentous anniversaries, drawing from historical programs found in the renowned Paley Archive. The Conversation with a Curator will be exclusive opportunities to explore the powerful intersection of media and history while learning directly from Paley’s in-house experts and special guests. 

All visitors are welcome to attend a Curator Conversation. Only Paley Members can reserve seats in advance.

MEMBER RESERVATION  BECOME A PALEY MEMBER

April

From Page to Screen: A Tale of Two Worlds

Thursday, April 17 at 4:00 pm
Ron Simon, Paley Curator

From the beginning, television aspired to bring the best of literature to a larger audience. In the early 1950s TV regularly adapted live the works of Shakespeare, Dickens, and Jane Austen. The advent of the miniseries allowed television to develop more complex themes and deeper character exploration, undertaking such masterworks as The Forsyte Saga and Brideshead Revisited. Head curator Ron Simon will examine the evolving relationship between books and television, illustrating how television tackled such early classics as Moby Dick and The Scarlett Letter, while also giving such authors as William Faulkner and James Baldwin a platform to understand the roots of their artistry. Simon will discuss why many critics consider the best of contemporary TV as the New Novel, while literary adaptations abound on TV, from The Handmaid’s Tale to Game of Thrones.

May

Stevie Wonder 75th Anniversary

Thursday, May 22 at 4:00 pm
Ron Simon, Paley Curator

Stevie Wonder is one of the most innovative and influential artists in the history of popular music. His soulful message of peace and unity has inspired people around the world, while his trailblazing use of the synthesizer broke new musical ground. To celebrate Stevie’s 75th birthday, head curator Ron Simon will screen rare treasures from the Paley Archive, from Stevie’s groundbreaking appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 to his receiving the Kennedy Center Honor in 1999. You will also experience the genius of Stevie on such programs as The Flip Wilson Show, The Tonight Show, Sesame Street, and the Grammys. Happy Birthday Stevie!!

June

Why Legendary Journalist Edward R. Murrow Still Matters

Thursday, June 26 at 4:00 pm
Ron Simon, Paley Curator

Edward R. Murrow endures as one of the most preeminent and respected journalists in media history. The new Broadway play Good Night, and Good Luck, starring George Clooney, underscores Murrow’s commitment to journalistic integrity and courage to speak truth to power. In this conversation you will experience Murrow’s high standard of reporting in his documentary series See It Now, as well as his lighter side interviewing celebrities in Person to Person. Among the treasures that will be screened from the Paley Archive will be Murrow’s intrepid war reporting from World War II and Korea; his fearless challenge to the anti-communist hysteria and the tactics of Senator Joseph McCarthy; and his unflinching expose about the plight of migrant farmers. You will understand why Murrow’s career as a broadcast journalist was unparalleled and why his legacy continues to be felt in the field of journalism today.