Production and Correspondence

These collections include letters, scripts, and other materials from prominent figures and productions in film and entertainment.

Alan Campbell and Dorothy Parker Collection

Actor and screenwriter Alan Campbell (1904-1963) and his wife, the sharp-witted poet and critic Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), were a popular 1930s Hollywood screenwriting team. Notable films include A Star is Born and Sweethearts. The collection includes correspondence to Parker from Campbell during World War II, as well as scripts, screenplays, fragments of several short stories, a play, and typescripts of works by some of their contemporaries.

Finding aid: Alan Campbell and Dorothy Parker Collection, [1930]-1949 (majority within 1938-1946 )

Ben Hecht Papers

Ben Hecht (1894-1964), a writer, journalist, and social commentator, found fame as a Hollywood screenwriter and script doctor for many of the studio era's most well-known films, including Underworld, Scarface, Wuthering Heights, His Girl Friday, and Notorious. The collection comprises manuscripts, correspondence, and other materials from the 1940s through 1963.

Finding aid: Ben Hecht Papers, 1919-1963 (majority within circa 1940s-1960)

Betty Blythe Papers

Betty Blythe (1893-1972) was an American actress known for her appearances in exotic silent films, including The Queen of Sheba (1921). The collection consists of letters from director Paul Scardon, her husband from 1919 until his death in 1954.

Finding aid to come.

Gabriel Miller-Clifford Odets Collection

American playwright and screenwriter Clifford Odets (1906-1963) wrote plays that explored his left-leaning political ideologies, inspiring writers like Arthur Miller and Paddy Chayefsky. His Hollywood career (None But the Lonely Heart, Humoresque, Deadline at Dawn) was derailed by his 1952 testimony before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC), and rebounded in 1957 with Sweet Smell of Success. The collection, compiled by Rutgers professor Gabriel Miller, consists of books, correspondence, photos, contracts, manuscripts, magazines, and ephemera relating to Odets' work.

Finding aid: Gabriel Miller-Clifford Odets Collection, 1931-2013 

Helen Fay Collection

This collection of letters received by movie and theater fan Helen Fay from some of her favorite actresses — Julie Harris, Spring Byington, Florence Reed, Katharine Cornell, and Dorothy Stickney — also includes related clippings from newspapers and fan magazines.

Finding aid: Helen Fay Papers, 1880s-1981

Holly Fine and Danny Kaye Papers

This collection documents dancer Holly Fine's relationship with entertainer Danny Kaye, as well as the traveling vaudeville show they performed in. It includes correspondence, vaudeville programs and promotional materials, photographs, scrapbooks, and drawings. 

Finding aid: Holly Fine and Danny Kaye Papers, 1934-1994 (majority within 1935-1938)

John Calley/Stanley Kubrick Papers

These papers document the collaborative work between studio executive John Calley (1930-2011) and director Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999). They include correspondence and materials from the production and release of Barry Lyndon (1975). 

Finding aid: John Calley/Stanley Kubrick Papers, 1968-1982

In Living Color Production Records

In Living Color, a sketch comedy television series that aired on Fox from 1990 to 1994, was created by Keenen Ivory Wayans. The cast was primarily people of color and featured provocative sketch routines that upended racial stereotypes. The collection consists primarily of scripts, pitches, and memos.

Finding aid: "In Living Color" Production Records, 1989-1994

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Production Records

Directed by Mel Stuart and produced by Wolper Pictures, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) was financed by Quaker Oats to introduce its new Wonka Bars. The records — which were collected and donated by Robert Newman, who served as liaison among the film's producers and financiers — consist of production, promotion, correspondence, and other related materials.

Finding aid: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Production Records, 1969-1972