Restrictions on Access
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Preferred Citation
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Biography/History
Scope and Content
Organization and Arrangement
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Title: Dwain Esper papers
Collection number: 2301
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.8 linear ft.
(2 document boxes and 1 oversize flatbox)
Date (inclusive): 1928-1984
Abstract: This collection primarily contains material belonging to movie producer and director Dwain Esper and his wife Hildagarde,
including photographs, correspondence, business records, and advertisements, many of which are connected to Esper's movies
and career.
Physical Location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Creator:
Esper, Dwain
Restrictions on Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Dwain Esper Papers (Collection 2301). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of Francis M. Woods and Kimberly Douglas, 2014.
Biography/History
Dwain Esper (1892-1982) was an American producer and director of exploitation films including
Narcotic (1933),
Maniac (1934),
Marihuana (1936), and
Sex Madness (1938). He is best-known as producer/distributor of the cult classic
Reefer Madness (1936). In 1920, Esper married Hildagarde Stadie (1895-1993), who also wrote some of his movies.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of correspondence, legal and copyright material, photographs, and advertisements related to Dwain
Esper's films, and well as business and financial records. Also present are some personal papers and photographs, as well
as two sex education booklets by Hildagarde Esper. There is no material in this collection related to the film
Reefer Madness.
Organization and Arrangement
The collection is organized into the following series:
- Series 1. Film-related papers
- Series 2. Business records
- Series 3. Personal material
- Series 4. Photographs
- Series 5. Advertisements
- Series 6. Books
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Esper, Hildagarde
Renay, Liz
Exploitation films
Maniac (Motion picture: 1934)