Born on May 27, 1911, actor Vincent Price became a Hollywood icon, but he was also a devoted art historian who authored numerous books, including a major treasury of American painting. In the early 1960s, Price partnered with Sears, Roebuck & Co. to create the Vincent Price Collection of Fine Art, an ambitious program that brought original works and fine prints within reach of ordinary Americans through affordable installment plans. Price personally traveled the country to select pieces and champion regional artists, helping introduce millions of working‑class households to high‑quality art at a moment when such access was almost unheard of.