Patrick Stockstill

Patrick Stockstill, historian for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and backstage "keeper of the Oscars" during ceremonies, has died. He was 57. Stockstill died May 24 of complications following a heart transplant, according to the academy and Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, where a funeral was planned Wednesday afternoon. Stockstill started as an assistant librarian at the academy's Margaret Herrick Library in 1982 and was named academy historian a year later. In 1989, he began overseeing the administration of several Oscar categories, including documentaries, short films, music and foreign language, but he continued his responsibilities as academy historian. He was also known for giving out Oscar statuettes backstage during the annual Academy Awards presentations. He kept track of all the serial-numbered trophies and created the database that tries to record the whereabouts of each of the more than 2,500 Oscars handed out so far. Stockstill is survived by his wife Valorie, parents Michael and Marjorie, and brother Michael.