A large collection of biographical material about American filmmakers and celebrities has been given to the FSU Film School by members of the Rapchik family in memory of their late father and mother, Sidney and Helen Rapchik. The collection, which fills two large rooms, consists principally of clipping files containing thousands of articles from magazines, newspapers and pamphlets from the 1920's through the 1990's, dealing with motion picture actors and actresses, directors, producers and other personalities associated with the American film and television industries. The collection also includes books, posters, press books and related memorabilia.

The collection was a lifelong preoccupation of Sidney Rapchick, a Florida businessman. With the passing of years and then decades, the collection grew so large that he finally rented an entire apartment in Boca Raton in which to store, classify and catalogue the materials.

The collection is the gift of Rapchik's four surviving daughters, Jody Rapchik, Gail LaRosa, Ina Wesolowski and Barbara Schwartz. It will be housed in the Film School's production facility in Gadsden County where, when re-assembled and catalogued, it will be made available to students and researchers.

"It is a remarkable collection of considerable historical value, assembled as a labor of love during one person's lifetime," said Dean Ray Fielding. "It will be of substantial value to biographers, students, faculty and journalists researching the history of the Hollywood film industry."