Gregory Peck Atticus Finch, a Depression-era lawyer and widowed father, in a film adaptation of the Harper Lee novel "To Kill a Mockingbird". Released in 1962 during the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the Southern United States, this film and his role were Peck's favorites. In 2003, Peck's portrayal of Atticus Finch was named the greatest film hero of the past 100 years by the American Film Institute. Peck served as the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1967, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the American Film Institute from 1967 to 1969, Chairman
The Day the Earth Stood Still In June 2008, the American Film Institute revealed its "10 Top 10" — the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres — after polling more than 1,500 people from the creative community. "The Day the Earth Stood Still" was acknowledged as the fifth best film in the science fiction genre. The film was also on the ballot for AFI's other lists including "100 Years ... 100 Movies", the tenth anniversary list, "100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains" for Klaatu in the heroes category, "100 Years ... 100 Movie Quotes" for the famous line "Gort! Klaatu barada nikto" and AFI's