James
James F. Scott
James Scott Ph.D., Scholar, Filmmaker, Friend
James (Jim) F. Scott, age 85, of St. Louis, MO died surrounded by his family on Friday, September 13, 2019 after a sudden brain hemorrhage from a fall. Born July 9, 1934 in Atchison, KS he was the son of the late James B. Scott and Helen E. Frazier Scott. He grew up in Kansas City, MO, attended Rockhurst College and was among the youngest Ph.D. recipients in the English department at Kansas University, Lawrence at age 25. His career began at the University of Kentucky, Louisville, however, he accepted a faculty position at St. Louis University (SLU) in 1962 and moved here with his late wife, Carolyn. Together they were instrumental in the University City arts world, organizing repertory film programs for The Magic Lantern theatre (now the Tivoli) and sitting on the Board of Craft Alliance. In his 55 years of teaching he mentored countless undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students and their theses. Additionally, he founded the SLU film studies program and wrote and produced over 30 award winning documentaries. Topics ranged from medical research and technology to documentaries on famous St. Louisans like William Clark, Henry Shaw, Walter Ong and Sara Teasdale. He continued to have speaking engagements at academic conferences, libraries, museums and other forums. His first film studies book, Medium and the Maker was published in 1975 and translated into 3 languages. His most recent book, published spring 2019, Ethnicity, Race and Identity in American Independent Film examines the works of Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen and Spike Lee. He hoped this book could add positive discourse to the larger questions of what it means to be an American in the new millennium.
He played tennis competitively in high school and college. At age 18 Jim won the Kansas City all metro regional division Junior Tennis Cup. Jim went on to play tennis well into his 70s, winning several local senior championships.
To know Jim Scott was to know the essence of generosity. He shared equally in the work that came before him - be it interpersonal with friends and family or professional with colleagues. He was fair-minded, kind-hearted, and generous of spirit. He shared ideas, creative impulses, gave hundreds of people incredible opportunities to launch careers, be published, edit movies, and wrestle with the deeper meanings behind intellectual ideals. There was no separation for him between big ideas and casual conversation. No separation between family and students. No separation between what was his and what he was willing to share.
He is survived by his two children and their spouses Adrienne Scott and Philip Persson of Chico, CA and Jamie and Julie Scott of Denver CO.; two grandchildren Hannah Sophia Scott-Persson and Zachary James Scott both of whom now live and work Los Angeles, CA.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, Nov. 3,, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. in Spink Pavilion at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Missouri Botanical Gardens in his name.
James (Jim) F. Scott, age 85, of St. Louis, MO died surrounded by his family on Friday, September 13, 2019 after a sudden brain hemorrhage from a fall. Born July 9, 1934 in Atchison, KS he was the son of the late James B. Scott and Helen E. Frazier Scott. He grew up in Kansas City, MO, attended Rockhurst College and was among the youngest Ph.D. recipients in the English department at Kansas University, Lawrence at age 25. His career began at the University of Kentucky, Louisville, however, he accepted a faculty position at St. Louis University (SLU) in 1962 and moved here with his late wife, Carolyn. Together they were instrumental in the University City arts world, organizing repertory film programs for The Magic Lantern theatre (now the Tivoli) and sitting on the Board of Craft Alliance. In his 55 years of teaching he mentored countless undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students and their theses. Additionally, he founded the SLU film studies program and wrote and produced over 30 award winning documentaries. Topics ranged from medical research and technology to documentaries on famous St. Louisans like William Clark, Henry Shaw, Walter Ong and Sara Teasdale. He continued to have speaking engagements at academic conferences, libraries, museums and other forums. His first film studies book, Medium and the Maker was published in 1975 and translated into 3 languages. His most recent book, published spring 2019, Ethnicity, Race and Identity in American Independent Film examines the works of Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen and Spike Lee. He hoped this book could add positive discourse to the larger questions of what it means to be an American in the new millennium.
He played tennis competitively in high school and college. At age 18 Jim won the Kansas City all metro regional division Junior Tennis Cup. Jim went on to play tennis well into his 70s, winning several local senior championships.
To know Jim Scott was to know the essence of generosity. He shared equally in the work that came before him - be it interpersonal with friends and family or professional with colleagues. He was fair-minded, kind-hearted, and generous of spirit. He shared ideas, creative impulses, gave hundreds of people incredible opportunities to launch careers, be published, edit movies, and wrestle with the deeper meanings behind intellectual ideals. There was no separation for him between big ideas and casual conversation. No separation between family and students. No separation between what was his and what he was willing to share.
He is survived by his two children and their spouses Adrienne Scott and Philip Persson of Chico, CA and Jamie and Julie Scott of Denver CO.; two grandchildren Hannah Sophia Scott-Persson and Zachary James Scott both of whom now live and work Los Angeles, CA.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, Nov. 3,, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. in Spink Pavilion at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Missouri Botanical Gardens in his name.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of James F. Scott, please visit our flower store.
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