Irene Diamond
Irene Diamond was an American Hollywood talent scout and later in life a philanthropist.
Early life
Irene Diamond was born Irene Levine on May 7, 1910, to Jewish immigrant parents.Career
Diamond was an assistant editor for Warner Brothers in their story division. During a 25-year collaboration with producer Hal B. Wallis, she made recommendations on many scripts, including The Maltese Falcon and Dark Victory. In 1941 on a visit to New York City she read an unproduced play titled Everybody Comes to Rick's, by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison. After she persuaded Wallis to purchase the script for $20,000, he retitled it and produced the film Casablanca.Philanthropy
Diamond was co-chair of the Aaron Diamond Foundation with her husband from the 1950s onwards. Following his sudden death in 1985, Diamond became the sole president of the foundation. They established the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center in 1991.Diamond founded the Irene Diamond Fund in 1994. The fund endowed AIDS research.
In 2000, Diamond founded the New York Choreographic Institute alongside Peter Martins.
In 1999, then U.S. President Bill Clinton presented her with the National Medal of Arts award. She was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2001.
Image:Irene Diamond Building at Juilliard School, NYC IMG_5827.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Irene Diamond Building at the Juilliard School