James L. Ball, Ph.D., known as "Buddy" Ball, produced films, records, and videos from about 1977 to 1997 for a variety of audiences including African American churches and other Christian groups, crafters, gay men, and horror fans. The collection includes corporate records, personal papers, and photographs documenting his varied activities from his early career as an educator to his involvement in motorcycle clubs to his inclusion in the banned-in-Britain "Video nasties" list.

During the years between 1960 and 2000, James L. Ball, Ph.D., (also known as Buddy Ball, Jim Ball, Jim L. Ball, Jim Lloyd Ball, Mr. Jim L. Ball B.A., M.A., and Jimmy Ball) was active in several fields, including being the credited editor, writer and producer of horror films and craft instructional materials for his Aldan Company, Inc. (earlier known as Aldan Producers & Distributors of Motion Pictures). Ball also worked in the gay erotic video industry and sold Christian church supplies through his Major Studio Productions company. He recorded alternating subjects including drug abuse counseling, fortune-telling, Christian hymn, and teen heartthrobs with his Ball Record Company and Velvet Records. Ball's businesses operated in Southern California out of his homes in Los Angeles and Winnetka, California as well as the French Market in West Hollywood, California.

4 Linear Feet 2 archive boxes + 1 flat archive box

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The collection is open to researchers. Restricted access to some membership and financial records. Please consult archivist.