Lillian Gish Inducted in the Alabama Arts Hall of Fame

Drawing of Lillian from the program, April 1977.

The Alabama Arts Hall of Fame initiated in 1972 and by April 1977 the following artists had been inducted:

Marian Anderson, Tallulah Bankhead, The Barrymores, Katherine Cornell, William Levi Dawson, Agnes De Mille, William Faulkner, Anne Goldthwaite, Erskine Hawkins, Jerome Hines, Edward Hopper, Samuel Lowe, Nell Rankin, Carl Sandburg, Ted Shawn, Edward Steichen, Thomas Wolfe, Frank Lloyd Wright, Ernest Hemingway, Harry warren, Special Awards Gina Bachauer and Katina Paxinou. Jim Note: Some of the artists were Alabamians, others had a connection with the state while others had no connection.

Alabama Hall of Fame Honorees, April 1977, were author F .Scott Fitzgerald, author and wife Zelda Fitzgerald, actress and author Lillian Diana Gish, film pioneer D.W. Griffith, and musician Hugh Martin. 

For the Sixth introductory ceremony ambassador’s dinner Festival of Arts, the Arts Hall of Fame Committee included William H. Robertson MD, Chair, Frank E. Boyd, Jr., Wayne Palmer, George Seibels, Henry F. Robert Sr., Elbert Watson.

 The event was held at the Birmingham Alabama Civic Center on April 16, 1977. 

 Select program notes: The brief on Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald listed “Flappers and Philosophies” in 1920?

 For Lillian, the program had some awkward language including this: "Work in the early films was arduous, hard and dangerous. There were no stunt men and Lillian Gish risked her life, limb and health for the sake of her art.”  The word "double" or "stunt professional," or "stunt woman" would have been preferable. 

 This statement: “Miss Gish is still very active and productive and maintains a lively interest in all of the arts.” Jim Note: It might have been necessary as Lillian was either 79 or 84 years old at the time. 

 Finally this: “She [Lillian Gish] is guest star on the Cunard liner, QE II this spring.” Jim Note: This might have been a sales pitch for Cunard. 

For Griffith, “The Arts Hall of Fame takes pride in making this posthumous award which will be received by his long time friend, coworker, and admirer, Miss Lillian Gish.” 

 Final note: The small black program is described as Small: 7 1/4 by 9 1/4 with 12 pages. No credit for the sketches of the award recipients. Lillian’s sketch appears on page 6. Almost  directly opposite is the sketch of admirer Griffith. Jim Note: It is as though they are looking at each other. If you close the pages they are face to face. By 1977 Griffith was nearly 30 years deceased. 

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Writer and speaker Jim Patterson, a member of the California State Society, blogs on US actress Lillian Gish, 1912 to 1986..