The Marie Dressler Foundation has announced plans to build a new museum named “Canada’s Women Film Pioneers” located inside Marie Dressler House on King Street in Cobourg.
Canadian Actresses Mary Pickford, Norma Shearer, and Marie Dressler won the Best Actress Award in the first four years of the Oscars. Once launched, their successful careers will be featured at Marie Dressler House.
“This is a glorious history for young Canadian women to learn about because these women pioneers were also producers, studio founders, and very savvy businesswomen who achieved unheard-of prestige and rank in an age where very few women ever attained any positions of power”, said Rick Miller, President & Chair of Marie Dressler Foundation.
The University of Toronto Master of Museum Studies program will create the interpretive design of the new interactive museum which will feature Pickford and Shearer.
“The Master of Museum Studies program was extremely pleased with our previous partnership, where our students created the interpretive plan for the Marie Dressler Museum“, stated Professor Cara Krmpotich, Director, Museum Studies program. “We look forward to continuing our partnership for this new, expanded museum.”
The Foundation has partnered with the Town of Cobourg in a cost-sharing arrangement for the use of Marie Dressler House on a long-term basis for the new museum.
“We are excited about this new cultural asset for Cobourg’s residents and look forward to having another engaging attraction for visitors to Experience Cobourg” said Mayor John Henderson.
While featuring Mary Pickford, Norma Shearer and Marie Dressler, there will be significant online content highlighting the presence of women in the film industry and research into other Canadian women’s contribution to the film industry.
“These women were the power in Hollywood, a feat never seen again” added Miller.
The new museum is expected to be finished in 2020.