James D. Finn USC Cinema Department Head 1961 D.A.V.I. convention comic trailer

Year Published: 1961

Description: **Year:** 1961 | **Format:** Likely B&W** A humorous promotional short film featuring **James D. Finn**, who served as head of the USC Department of Cinema from 1960 to 1964, made for a D.A.V.I. (Department of Audiovisual Instruction) convention. The description highlights Finn's two major contributions to USC Cinema: first, recruiting **Arthur Knight** to teach a Thursday night film class — still running today with **Leonard Maltin** and the largest/most popular course at USC Cinema; and second, pushing the school toward technology as a teaching tool, laying the foundation for USC's reputation as one of the world's most technologically advanced film schools.

Complete Record: **Year:** 1961 | **Format:** Likely B&W** A humorous promotional short film featuring **James D. Finn**, who served as head of the USC Department of Cinema from 1960 to 1964, made for a D.A.V.I. (Department of Audiovisual Instruction) convention. The description highlights Finn's two major contributions to USC Cinema: first, recruiting **Arthur Knight** to teach a Thursday night film class — still running today with **Leonard Maltin** and the largest/most popular course at USC Cinema; and second, pushing the school toward technology as a teaching tool, laying the foundation for USC's reputation as one of the world's most technologically advanced film schools.