Roger Mayer, Advocate of Film Preservation, Dies at 89

Roger L. Mayer, best known as a strong advocate of film preservation, died Tuesday in Los Angeles. He was 89.

Mayer received the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2005, presented by Martin Scorsese. He was also chairman of the National Film Preservation Foundation.

Scorsese said Wednesday in a statement that “the film preservation community has lost a beloved friend.

“I met him early on when he was working for Ted Turner, and though we disagreed at that time about colorization, we shared the core belief that film libraries were of vital importance to our culture. Throughout his successful career in the industry, Roger consistently put the care and preservation of collections at the forefront. He was absolutely key in helping the Library of Congress establish the National Film Preservation Foundation in 1996, and over the years, he gave tirelessly of his time and expertise.

Because of his leadership and guidance, the NFPF has been incredibly effective, preserving thousands of orphan films from every state in the U.S. I’m deeply saddened at the passing of Roger, for whom I had an enormous amount of respect, affection and admiration. To say that he will be sorely missed is an understatement. My heart goes out to his family and everyone in the film community whose lives he indelibly touched.”

Mayer was a native of New York. He joined MGM in 1961 and rose through the ranks to become president of MGM Laboratories.

Mayer won an Emmy Award for the 2004 American Masters presentation “Judy Garland: By Myself.”

Related stories

'GoodFellas' Anniversary Screening, Event to Close 2015 Tribeca Film Festival

Abderrahmane Sissako Set to Preside Cannes' Cinefondation and Short Film Jury

Viacom18 Joins With Film Foundation to Preserve Indian Pics

Get more from Variety and Variety411: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter