Jason Alexander to Host Scripter Gala
Established in 1988, the Scripter is bestowed annually by the Friends of the USC Libraries in recognition of the best film adaptation of a book or novella. The Scripter is unique among literary and entertainment awards in that it recognizes the screenwriter and the author of the book upon which the winning film is based.
“As we celebrate the Scripter’s platinum anniversary, it is an honor to welcome Jason Alexander to Doheny Memorial Library,” said USC Libraries Dean Catherine Quinlan. “The Scripter is our signature event, and with Mr. Alexander as master of ceremonies, it’s certain to be an elegant, lively evening for friends and supporters of the USC Libraries.”
Alexander joins a distinguished list of previous emcees – including Henry Winkler, Sharon Gless, Hal Kanter and the late John Ritter – who have presided over the libraries’ black-tie gala.
“I am very honored and flattered to be asked to participate in this wonderful event and this prestigious award,” Alexander said. “I look forward to a great experience and to meeting this year’s recipients.”
Alexander is best known for his portrayal of George Costanza on the NBC series Seinfeld, a role for which he earned seven Emmy nominations as best supporting actor.
In addition to that long-running comedy, Alexander starred in the TV series Listen Up and Duckman. He also appeared in the films Pretty Woman, Shallow Hal and Love! Valour! Compassion!
Theatre buffs will recall Alexander’s many roles on stage in the musicals Merrily We Roll Along, Broadway Bound and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, for which he won a Tony.
In 2003, Alexander enjoyed a successful run in the Los Angeles production of The Producers. He is currently the artistic director at L.A.’s Reprise! theatre company, where he adapted and directed a successful production of Damn Yankees this fall.
Alexander is no stranger to USC. In 2002, the USC School of Theatre named him the inaugural George Burns Distinguished Visiting Professor in Performance, a position established through a $1-million gift from the estate of the late comedian.
To mark the 20th anniversary of Scripter, the USC Libraries’ flagship event, the Friends of the USC Libraries have created the Scripter Literary Achievement Award, to be presented in addition to the annual Scripter prize. This new award will recognize an individual whose body of work exemplifies excellence in literary storytelling. The USC Libraries will announce the first winner of the Scripter Literary Achievement Award later this month.
The gala will take place in the Los Angeles Times Reference Room of the Doheny Memorial Library. Proceeds benefit the USC Libraries’ mission of encouraging the discovery, creation and preservation of knowledge and developing collections and services that support the academic endeavors of USC.
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USC in the News
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The Chronicle of Higher Education mentioned USC’s $6 billion fundraising campaign. The story noted that USC had already raised $1 billion in a “quiet phase,” including the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College.
The Guardian (U.K.) highlighted two major gifts to USC in a list of the 10 biggest philanthropic benefactors in America. The list included the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College, and the $110 million gift from USC Trustee and USC Viterbi School alumnus John Mork and wife Julie to create the USC Mork Family Scholars Program.
The New York Times featured the USC U.S.-China Institute documentary “Assignment: China — The Week that Changed the World.” The documentary, part of a series, examines media coverage of the 1972 Nixon trip that reshaped U.S.-China relations after a quarter century of isolation and hostility. “People look back now and take it for granted that the outcome was preordained,” said the institute’s Mike Chinoy, who produced the documentary. Voice of America also featured the story.
Los Angeles Times featured the Oscar Senti-meter, a tool developed by the USC Annenberg School, Los Angeles Times and IBM that analyzes thousands of tweets about the Academy Awards nominees. The story noted that Mexican actor Demian Bechir received an enormous boost on Twitter the day of the nominations, with a total of 6,893 tweets mentioning him, a 47-fold increase from the day before. The story noted the tool uses language-recognition technology developed in collaboration with USC Viterbi School’s Signal Analysis and Interpretation Lab.
The Times of India (India) featured a three-day medical emergency training workshop organized in association with USC. At the workshop, held at GCS Medical College in India, 50 doctors and more than 100 paramedics learned how to improve emergency support systems. William Mallon of the Keck School of USC said that discussion topics included the use of portable ultrasonic devices to scan patients. “The ultrasound applications help physicians make accurate and timely decisions,” he noted. Daily News & Analysis (India) also featured the workshop.
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