When the Harry Ransom Center (HRC) first announced its upcoming 65th anniversary gala back in June, they promised a "star-studded" evening with Robert De Niro as the evening's special guest. As if that is not star-studded enough, the Hollywood heavyweight will be joined by yet another screen legend, Meryl Streep, for what is sure to be a truly unforgettable evening.
In a release on August 29, the museum on campus at the University of Texas at Austin announced the Academy Award-winning actress will join the event to share some words about De Niro. Esteemed film critic and historian Leonard Maltin will also attend, acting as master of ceremonies.
Taking place at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center on September 24, "A Celebration of Film" will support preservation and access to historical film materials archived at HRC. The event will mark the museum's 65th anniversary while honoring De Niro's ongoing support with a special endowment.
De Niro's archive, which is housed at HRC, will be featured in a new exhibition examining his early years at the American Workshop, in acting instructor Stella Adler’s classes, and in plays and films that marked his initial successes and learning experiences. De Niro first donated his archive to the HRC in 2006, including annotated screenplays, correspondence, production records, film stills and behind-the-scenes photographs, posters and publicity materials, props, costumes, videotapes, and motion picture film.
The HRC’s extensive film collection tells the stories of Hollywood producers, directors, writers, and actors from the silent era and Golden Age of Hollywood through the rise of independent filmmakers and into the age of blockbusters and the new millennium.
The gala supports the museum's mission to preserve and provide access to historical film materials. In an effort to expand access to this unique celebration, the HRC will also hold its first-ever ticketed after party, immediately following the gala.
Featuring cocktails, nibbles, and live music, tickets for the event are $100 and provide an accessible option for Austin film fans to support the HRC. Actors and native Texans Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, and Andrew Wilson will be honorary event co-hosts in tribute to their mother, whose work is featured in the HRC's fall exhibition, “The Writers: Portraits by Laura Wilson," which opened on August 27.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit hrc.utexas.edu/gala for the gala and hrc.utexas.edu/afterparty/ for the Post-Production Afterparty.
Meryl Streep will join Robert De Niro at a gala to mark the Harry Ransom Center's 65th anniversary.
