Scope and Contents
Historical note on the Hollywood Museum
Biographical note on William Farnum
Biographical note on Sol Lesser
Biographical note on Pete Martin
Biographical note on Hal Roach
Conditions Governing Access
Rights Statement for Archival Description
Conditions Governing Use
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Preferred Citation
Processing Information
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Cinematic Arts Library
Title: Hollywood Museum collection
source:
Hollywood Museum
Identifier/Call Number: 2212
Physical Description:
220.08 Linear Feet
159 boxes
Date (bulk): 1900s-1970s
Abstract: This collection consists of papers collected for the never-built Hollywood Museum from film and television producer, director,
and actor Hal Roach (1892-1992); film producer Sol Lesser (1890-1980); actor William Farnum (1876-1953); and editor and author
Pete Martin (1901-1980). Items include scripts, manuscripts, production information, and more.
Language of Material:
English.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of papers collected for the never-built Hollywood Museum from film and television producer, director,
and actor Hal Roach (1892-1992); film producer Sol Lesser (1890-1980); actor William Farnum (1876-1953); and editor and author
Pete Martin (1901-1980). Items include scripts, manuscripts, production information, and more.
Historical note on the Hollywood Museum
The Hollywood Motion Picture and Television Museum (known as the Hollywood Museum) was conceived as a repository for American
film and television history to be built and operated by the County of Los Angeles. Archival materials were donated in the
1960s, but the museum was never built, and the materials were transferred to the City of Los Angeles. In the 1980s, the collections
were dispersed on long-term loan among local archives including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the American
Film Institute, the University of California, Los Angeles, the Natural History Museum, and the University of Southern California.
The planned museum was not related to Hollywood Museum on Highland Avenue in Hollywood.
Biographical note on William Farnum
William Farnum (1876-1953) was an American actor during the silent film era and then in motion pictures into the 1930s and
1940s. He was one of the highest paid actors of the silent film era. He acted in "The Count of Monte Cristo" (1934), "Cleopatra"
(1934), and "If I Were King" (1921).
Biographical note on Sol Lesser
Sol Lesser (1890-1980) was an American film producer. He produced a number of 1940s and 1950s Tarzan films as well as "Our
Town" (1940) and "Stage Door Canteen" (1943).
Biographical note on Pete Martin
Pete Martin (William Thornton "Pete" Martin Jr., 1901-1980) was an American editor and author. He was an editor for the Saturday
Evening Post from 1927 until 1959, where he created the "I Call On ..." series of magazine articles about Hollywood celebrities,
including Marilyn Monroe, Bob Hope, and Bing Crosby. He wrote a number of books including "The Story of Walt Disney" (1957).
Biographical note on Hal Roach
Hal Roach (1892-1992) was an American film and television show producer, director, and actor. He created Hal Roach Studios.
Roach produced "Our Gang" (also known as The Little Rascals), an American series of comedy short films following a group of
poor neighborhood children.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Cinematic Arts Library
at cin@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Cinematic Arts Library as the owner of the physical items
and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
On loan from the City of Los Angeles Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners, August 21, 1981.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder no. or item name], Hollywood Museum collection, Collection no. 2212, Cinematic Arts Library, USC Libraries, University
of Southern California.
Processing Information
This collection is unprocessed.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Actors -- England -- Archival resources
Actors -- United States -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Authors -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Interviews -- United States -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Motion picture producers and directors -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Museums -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Television producers and directors -- Archival resources
Books
Interviews
Manuscripts
Scripts
Lesser, Sol, 1890-1980 -- Archives
Roach, Hal, 1892-1992 -- Archives
Farnum, William, 1876-1953 -- Archives
Martin, Pete, 1901-1980 -- Archives
Hollywood Museum
