Dick MacCann was the train passenger everyone gathered around to hear tales of Hollywood.
He was the man who struck up conversations in elevators.
He was the Kansas University professor students invited to graduation dinners.
Richard Dyer MacCann, 80, died Thursday in Iowa City, Iowa, of complications following hip surgery.
“Wherever we were, he talked to everyone,” said Donnarae Thompson MacCann, his wife of 44 years. “In the elevator, he knew everyone’s life story by the time we got to the 10th floor.”
MacCann was born in Wichita in 1920 and studied political science at KU as an undergraduate. He earned a master’s degree from Stanford and a doctorate from Harvard.
He was a journalist for the Christian Science Monitor in the 1950s, covering Hollywood. He met his wife at this time.
MacCann then became a professor, teaching cinema studies at the University of Southern California from 1957 to 1962, Kansas University from 1965 to 1969 and the University of Iowa from 1970 to 1985.
He was a professor emeritus at the University of Iowa and had published more than 40 articles and 12 books when he died.
“He segued from what he had anticipated, which was being a political science professor,” Donnarae MacCann said. “His dissertation at Harvard had to do with government filmmaking activities, and it was very inspiring to him.”
As one of the first professors to introduce cinema studies to the college curricula, MacCann gave lectures so riveting he altered the course of many students’ lives.
John Tibbetts, an associate film professor at KU, was a student employee at the campus radio station in the 1960s. When he heard MacCann’s lectures being broadcast, he changed his major from painting and drawing to film and radio.
“When I heard him on the radio, I thought, ‘wow,’ and I immediately introduced myself,” Tibbetts said. “I started the Film Society, he became our sponsor, and that blossomed into a friendship.”
While MacCann was a serious scholar, he was also willing to learn from his students, Tibbetts said.
“One of my fondest memories was when we introduced him to Buster Keaton movies,” he said. “MacCann just loved Keaton. He and students exchanged ideas he was always learning, too.”
MacCann’s looks could be deceiving.
“He was small in stature and bald and kind of a little man,” Tibbetts said. “I think sometimes people underestimated his mild manner, but there was a real strength of purpose there that could sneak up on you.”
That purpose was to infuse film studies with credibility, said Bruce Linton, who hired MacCann at KU and is now an emeritus professor of journalism, theater and film.
“Dick was the person who opened students’ eyes to the academic possibilities of film,” he said. “He had very strong standards about film and was not afraid to talk about them.”
KU’s documentary, film history and script-writing classes were all created by MacCann and led to the birth of a masters degree program in film studies.
Although MacCann left KU in 1970, his legacy remained long after that. A film scholarship is awarded in his name every year. When he donated his personal library to KU in 1998, he became the namesake of the film library and study room, along with colleague Linton.
“I think growing up in Kansas gives one a commitment to the common good,” Donnarae MacCann said. “His sense of idealism was strong, and his sense of public responsibility was strong.”
She said her husband always regretted leaving his home state.
“He was very sorry about his decision to leave,” she said. “There was always a sense of connection and bonding with Kansas.”
Dick MacCann was the train passenger everyone gathered around to hear tales of Hollywood.
He was the man who struck up conversations in elevators.
He was the Kansas University professor students invited to graduation dinners.
Richard Dyer MacCann, 80, died Thursday in Iowa City, Iowa, of complications following hip surgery.
“Wherever we were, he talked to everyone,” said Donnarae Thompson MacCann, his wife of 44 years. “In the elevator, he knew everyone’s life story by the time we got to the 10th floor.”
MacCann was born in Wichita in 1920 and studied political science at KU as an undergraduate. He earned a master’s degree from Stanford and a doctorate from Harvard.
He was a journalist for the Christian Science Monitor in the 1950s, covering Hollywood. He met his wife at this time.
MacCann then became a professor, teaching cinema studies at the University of Southern California from 1957 to 1962, Kansas University from 1965 to 1969 and the University of Iowa from 1970 to 1985.
He was a professor emeritus at the University of Iowa and had published more than 40 articles and 12 books when he died.
“He segued from what he had anticipated, which was being a political science professor,” Donnarae MacCann said. “His dissertation at Harvard had to do with government filmmaking activities, and it was very inspiring to him.”
As one of the first professors to introduce cinema studies to the college curricula, MacCann gave lectures so riveting he altered the course of many students’ lives.
John Tibbetts, an associate film professor at KU, was a student employee at the campus radio station in the 1960s. When he heard MacCann’s lectures being broadcast, he changed his major from painting and drawing to film and radio.
“When I heard him on the radio, I thought, ‘wow,’ and I immediately introduced myself,” Tibbetts said. “I started the Film Society, he became our sponsor, and that blossomed into a friendship.”
While MacCann was a serious scholar, he was also willing to learn from his students, Tibbetts said.
“One of my fondest memories was when we introduced him to Buster Keaton movies,” he said. “MacCann just loved Keaton. He and students exchanged ideas he was always learning, too.”
MacCann’s looks could be deceiving.
“He was small in stature and bald and kind of a little man,” Tibbetts said. “I think sometimes people underestimated his mild manner, but there was a real strength of purpose there that could sneak up on you.”
That purpose was to infuse film studies with credibility, said Bruce Linton, who hired MacCann at KU and is now an emeritus professor of journalism, theater and film.
“Dick was the person who opened students’ eyes to the academic possibilities of film,” he said. “He had very strong standards about film and was not afraid to talk about them.”
KU’s documentary, film history and script-writing classes were all created by MacCann and led to the birth of a masters degree program in film studies.
Although MacCann left KU in 1970, his legacy remained long after that. A film scholarship is awarded in his name every year. When he donated his personal library to KU in 1998, he became the namesake of the film library and study room, along with colleague Linton.
“I think growing up in Kansas gives one a commitment to the common good,” Donnarae MacCann said. “His sense of idealism was strong, and his sense of public responsibility was strong.”
She said her husband always regretted leaving his home state.
“He was very sorry about his decision to leave,” she said. “There was always a sense of connection and bonding with Kansas.”
Dick MacCann was the train passenger everyone gathered around to hear tales of Hollywood.
He was the man who struck up conversations in elevators.
He was the Kansas University professor students invited to graduation dinners.
Richard Dyer MacCann, 80, died Thursday in Iowa City, Iowa, of complications following hip surgery.
“Wherever we were, he talked to everyone,” said Donnarae Thompson MacCann, his wife of 44 years. “In the elevator, he knew everyone’s life story by the time we got to the 10th floor.”
MacCann was born in Wichita in 1920 and studied political science at KU as an undergraduate. He earned a master’s degree from Stanford and a doctorate from Harvard.
He was a journalist for the Christian Science Monitor in the 1950s, covering Hollywood. He met his wife at this time.
MacCann then became a professor, teaching cinema studies at the University of Southern California from 1957 to 1962, Kansas University from 1965 to 1969 and the University of Iowa from 1970 to 1985.
He was a professor emeritus at the University of Iowa and had published more than 40 articles and 12 books when he died.
“He segued from what he had anticipated, which was being a political science professor,” Donnarae MacCann said. “His dissertation at Harvard had to do with government filmmaking activities, and it was very inspiring to him.”
As one of the first professors to introduce cinema studies to the college curricula, MacCann gave lectures so riveting he altered the course of many students’ lives.
John Tibbetts, an associate film professor at KU, was a student employee at the campus radio station in the 1960s. When he heard MacCann’s lectures being broadcast, he changed his major from painting and drawing to film and radio.
“When I heard him on the radio, I thought, ‘wow,’ and I immediately introduced myself,” Tibbetts said. “I started the Film Society, he became our sponsor, and that blossomed into a friendship.”
While MacCann was a serious scholar, he was also willing to learn from his students, Tibbetts said.
“One of my fondest memories was when we introduced him to Buster Keaton movies,” he said. “MacCann just loved Keaton. He and students exchanged ideas he was always learning, too.”
MacCann’s looks could be deceiving.
“He was small in stature and bald and kind of a little man,” Tibbetts said. “I think sometimes people underestimated his mild manner, but there was a real strength of purpose there that could sneak up on you.”
That purpose was to infuse film studies with credibility, said Bruce Linton, who hired MacCann at KU and is now an emeritus professor of journalism, theater and film.
“Dick was the person who opened students’ eyes to the academic possibilities of film,” he said. “He had very strong standards about film and was not afraid to talk about them.”
KU’s documentary, film history and script-writing classes were all created by MacCann and led to the birth of a masters degree program in film studies.
Although MacCann left KU in 1970, his legacy remained long after that. A film scholarship is awarded in his name every year. When he donated his personal library to KU in 1998, he became the namesake of the film library and study room, along with colleague Linton.
“I think growing up in Kansas gives one a commitment to the common good,” Donnarae MacCann said. “His sense of idealism was strong, and his sense of public responsibility was strong.”
She said her husband always regretted leaving his home state.
“He was very sorry about his decision to leave,” she said. “There was always a sense of connection and bonding with Kansas.”
Dick MacCann was the train passenger everyone gathered around to hear tales of Hollywood.
He was the man who struck up conversations in elevators.
He was the Kansas University professor students invited to graduation dinners.
Richard Dyer MacCann, 80, died Thursday in Iowa City, Iowa, of complications following hip surgery.
“Wherever we were, he talked to everyone,” said Donnarae Thompson MacCann, his wife of 44 years. “In the elevator, he knew everyone’s life story by the time we got to the 10th floor.”
MacCann was born in Wichita in 1920 and studied political science at KU as an undergraduate. He earned a master’s degree from Stanford and a doctorate from Harvard.
He was a journalist for the Christian Science Monitor in the 1950s, covering Hollywood. He met his wife at this time.
MacCann then became a professor, teaching cinema studies at the University of Southern California from 1957 to 1962, Kansas University from 1965 to 1969 and the University of Iowa from 1970 to 1985.
He was a professor emeritus at the University of Iowa and had published more than 40 articles and 12 books when he died.
“He segued from what he had anticipated, which was being a political science professor,” Donnarae MacCann said. “His dissertation at Harvard had to do with government filmmaking activities, and it was very inspiring to him.”
As one of the first professors to introduce cinema studies to the college curricula, MacCann gave lectures so riveting he altered the course of many students’ lives.
John Tibbetts, an associate film professor at KU, was a student employee at the campus radio station in the 1960s. When he heard MacCann’s lectures being broadcast, he changed his major from painting and drawing to film and radio.
“When I heard him on the radio, I thought, ‘wow,’ and I immediately introduced myself,” Tibbetts said. “I started the Film Society, he became our sponsor, and that blossomed into a friendship.”
While MacCann was a serious scholar, he was also willing to learn from his students, Tibbetts said.
“One of my fondest memories was when we introduced him to Buster Keaton movies,” he said. “MacCann just loved Keaton. He and students exchanged ideas he was always learning, too.”
MacCann’s looks could be deceiving.
“He was small in stature and bald and kind of a little man,” Tibbetts said. “I think sometimes people underestimated his mild manner, but there was a real strength of purpose there that could sneak up on you.”
That purpose was to infuse film studies with credibility, said Bruce Linton, who hired MacCann at KU and is now an emeritus professor of journalism, theater and film.
“Dick was the person who opened students’ eyes to the academic possibilities of film,” he said. “He had very strong standards about film and was not afraid to talk about them.”
KU’s documentary, film history and script-writing classes were all created by MacCann and led to the birth of a masters degree program in film studies.
Although MacCann left KU in 1970, his legacy remained long after that. A film scholarship is awarded in his name every year. When he donated his personal library to KU in 1998, he became the namesake of the film library and study room, along with colleague Linton.
“I think growing up in Kansas gives one a commitment to the common good,” Donnarae MacCann said. “His sense of idealism was strong, and his sense of public responsibility was strong.”
She said her husband always regretted leaving his home state.
“He was very sorry about his decision to leave,” she said. “There was always a sense of connection and bonding with Kansas.”
