IMDb Celebrates its 25th Anniversary
It’s been 25 years since the now world-famous website – IMDb (Internet Movie Database) first launched. Now the member of the Amazon.com family, the database boasts information on more than 3.4 million titles, 6.7 million personalities and is the home of entertainment to more than 60 million users.
The website’s Founder and CEO, Col Needham issued a special letter on the organization’s 25th anniversary. You can see the full text below.
“October 17, 2015
My all-time favorite director is Alfred Hitchcock, and as well as leaving us with 53 feature films (including my all-time favorite film and many other classics), Hitchcock holds the record for the shortest ever Oscar acceptance speech. While accepting the Irving Thalberg Memorial Award at the Oscar ceremony in 1968, he simply said two words: "Thank you." Though Hitchcock's appreciation may have been tinged with some irony, mine is not. This is a whole-hearted, grateful "thank you" that comes on the occasion of IMDb's 25th anniversary. "Thank you" is mostly what I want to say here on behalf of the whole IMDb team to you, our 250 million monthly worldwide customers.
"Thank you" to everyone who has contributed data to IMDb and helped us to build the world's largest collection of entertainment information. If you would like to get involved and have even just one piece of knowledge to share on one title or one person, please visit our Contributor Zone.
"Thank you" to everyone who uses IMDb whether this is via our website, via our mobile apps or via Amazon's X-ray for Movies & TV service available on Fire TV and a growing number of other devices.
"Thank you" to everyone in the global entertainment industry who makes and distributes the movies, shows, online videos and all the other great content which keeps the world entertained and informed and often makes the world a smaller and more connected place through the power of the moving image. Within this group, a special "thank you" to those of you who subscribe to IMDbPro or use any of our other professional services; we aim to help you do your jobs more efficiently and to tell your stories to your audience. Also "thank you" to film festivals around the world who connect filmmakers with their audiences and are often the first opportunity to bring a film (or increasingly these days, a TV show) to life, particularly for me Sundance, Cannes, Toronto, London and Bath with whom I have worked most closely and shared so many special events and memories. Also "thank you" for organizations which promote a love of cinema and TV, including especially for me, AMPAS, The BFI, Into Film, BAFTA and BIFA.
"Thank you" to our advertisers and business partners throughout the world who enable us to continue our mission to bring the IMDb experience to every customer on every screen. Our parent company of 17 of the last 25 years, Amazon.com, factors heavily in this group as Jeff Bezos and the amazing Amazon team continue to help us grow IMDb and encourage us to do the very best for our customers.
"Thank you" to all the IMDb staff, both past and present, for your dedication and hard work in getting us to where we are today, including now several team members who were not even born when IMDb launched on 17 October 1990, along with several who have been with us since the beginning (Murray, Andre, Giancarlo and Jake). If you would like to become a future IMDb staff member then please check to see if we are hiring near you!
"Thank you" personally to all my family and friends who have supported and encouraged me over the last 25+ years. To my grandmother, Gladys, for taking me to see my first film in a cinema. To my mother, Valerie, who listened to the pleadings of 9-year-old me and took me to see a movie about a shark and therefore helped grow my love of cinema over that and many other films. To my wife, Karen, for your love and being my partner in life and everything else over the last 30+ years. To my daughters, Kate & Beth, for your love and inspiration plus encouragement to look to the future.
IMDb has come a long way and yet there is still so much more to do. We feel privileged to serve you all and for more background and history please see our 20th anniversary letter. We look forward to sharing our passion for all entertainment content over the coming years. "Thank you" for reading.
Finally, my all-time favorite quote comes from Lawrence Kasdan's Grand Canyon which sums it all up for me: "All of life's riddles are answered in the movies."
Col Needham
Founder & CEO
IMDb”