Obituaries - Feb. 25, 1997

* Lewis Jacobs; Filmmaker, Pioneer Film Critic

Lewis Jacobs, 93, screenwriter, filmmaker and pioneer film critic and historian. A native of Philadelphia who was educated at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, Jacobs worked in Hollywood as a screenwriter for MGM and Columbia. Moving to New York, he produced and directed award-winning independent art films. But he was probably best known as author of the first critical history of American cinema, “The Rise of the American Film,” published in 1939. Jacobs also founded Experimental Cinema, the first American magazine devoted to film as a social and artistic force. He almost single-handedly established film as an area of college study, teaching the new subject at the City College of New York, the New School for Social Research, the Philadelphia College of Art and New York University Graduate School. Jacobs published more than 50 critical articles and edited several major anthologies about film. He also served for several years as a juror at the Venice Film Festival. Among Jacobs’ many honors was one in 1993 from the Anthology Film Archives in New York for his preservation of motion pictures. On Feb. 11 in Manhasset, N.Y.

* Frank Milani; Head of Native Sons of the Golden West

Frank A. Milani, 78, grand president of the Native Sons of the Golden West. The San Francisco-based organization was founded in 1875 to promote Western history and heroes and now has more than 10,000 members across California. A member since 1938, the Sausalito-born Milani had held state office since 1984 and was elected grand president last May. Milani, an automobile salesman known for his courtesy, chose for his personalized license plate the phrase, “You First.” On Feb. 15 in San Rafael, Calif.

* Mary Wilcox; Monrovia City Council Member

Mary Wilcox, 73, member of the Monrovia City Council. Wilcox had been on the council for some 17 years and had been active in Monrovia community service for several decades. A retired Sizzler restaurant manager, she had served as president of Monrovia’s Art Festival and as vice president of the Monrovia Historical Museum. She was also the council’s liaison to the Old Town Merchants’ Assn., the San Gabriel Valley Cities Assn., the Library Board and the Monrovia Coordinating Council. Wilcox was credited even by her political opponents for her hard work in planning events to celebrate Monrovia’s centennial in 1986. On Friday in Arcadia of cerebral hemorrhage.