Richard Stermer, the public‑facing manager of the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, will retire in August after 31 years of shepherding Oscar nomination announcements, member screenings and high‑profile premieres. His exit closes a chapter for the 1,000‑seat venue that has become synonymous with awards‑season milestones, even as the Academy expands activity to newer auditoria at its Museum complex.
Stermer joined the Academy in 1994 and quickly became the steady hand overseeing day‑to‑day operations of the Goldwyn, from calibrating projection to greeting talent and press. Colleagues credit him with orchestrating thousands of member screenings and technical demonstrations that kept the theater “a testing ground for the industry,” according to an internal highlights report. His meticulous showmanship earned praise again this January when Rachel Sennott and Bowen Yang unveiled the 97th‑Oscars nominations on his stage before a global livestream.
The Goldwyn, located at Academy headquarters in Beverly Hills, seats just over 1,000 and remains the traditional site for revealing Oscar nominees each winter. Its profile grew as Stermer coordinated media access during milestones such as the schedule change prompted by last winter’s Los Angeles wildfires, when Academy leadership highlighted the venue as a symbol of resilience.
The Academy has not named a successor, but a spokesperson said a search is underway to “ensure continuity of excellence” across its three primary cinemas—the Goldwyn, the 288‑seat Ted Mann and the 999‑seat David Geffen Theater at the Academy Museum.
Industry observers note that programming duties will now straddle multiple venues as the Museum steps up year‑round film series and special events. Stermer’s final assignment will be the members‑only summer screening cycle, after which he plans to consult occasionally on projection upgrades, according to insiders briefed on the departure.
