Finding aid of Rick Mechtly cinema clippings collection Coll2012.162

Finding aid prepared by Michael C. Oliveira
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California, 90007
(213) 741-0094
askone@ONEarchives.org
© 2012


Title: Rick Mechtly Cinema Clippings Collection
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2012.162
Contributing Institution: ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Language of Material: English
Physical Description: 3.8 linear feet. [3 records boxes]
Date (inclusive): 1966-2011
Abstract: Clippings of articles, columns, and reviews regarding LGBT actors, motion pictures, and film festivals. The files were culled from a variety of mainstream and LBGT magazines and newspapers, 1966-2011. Mechtley began collecting LGBT film clippings in the 1970s. Vito Russo introduced Metchly to other columnists and film festival directors.

Administrative History

While living in Hollywood, California in the early 1970s, Rick Mechtly discover Vito Russo's column in the New York gay newspaper, GAY. Enthralled by Russo's pithy remarks, Mechtly started to assemble a collection of LGBT film related articles, columns, and reviews. Soon after GAY folded, Russo began touring the country with his lecture and film clip presentation, Celluloid Closet. With no other contact information, Mechtly decided to write to Jack Nichols, editor of GAY, in hopes of him forwarding a letter to Russo. It worked, Russo contacted him in 1978 and they briefly chatted about Mechtly’s preservation of Russo’s columns. Russo insisted that Mechtly had the beginnings of a collection and suggested he make himself the “community’s clipper” of such materials. For more obscure clippings, Russo put him in touch with Peter Lowry, founder of the New York City Gay Film Festival, and Brenda Webb, founder of the Chicago Gay Film Festival. In 1981, Russo suggested that Mechtly share some of his oldest clippings with Larry Horne. Horne and others at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) were planning the first Los Angeles International Gay & Lesbian Film & Video Festival, which later became known as Outfest. After exchanging letters about once a year, in 1987 Mechtly and Horne were finally able to meet at the festival. In early 1988, Mechtly contacted Russo, inquiring about his inspiration for gay film writing. As he suspected, Russo was greatly influenced by Jack Babuscio, a writer for London’s Gay Times. Mechtly offered to collect the (recently deceased) Babuscio’s columns, in their entirety, for Russo. Of the nearly ninety columns, Mechtly already possessed three dozen. From there, he sought help from ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, where another three dozen columns were uncovered. And at the recommendation of Horne, he contacted Stephen Bourne from the British Film Institute in London. Bourne assisted Mechtly in recovering the remaining columns. Upon receiving this gift, Russo called Mechtly to express his gratitude for the Babuscio collection.
Edited from Rick Mechley's text by Stacy Syroka

Access

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries 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.

Acquisition Information

Deed of gift dated, December 15, 2012.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1. Columns and correspondence
Series 2. Clippings

Scope and Content

The bulk of the collection consists of articles, columns, and reviews regarding LGBT actors, motion pictures, and film festivals. Mechtly culled clippings from a variety of mainstream and LBGT magazines and newspapers, 1966-2011. The clippings includes Jack Babuscio's column, Screen Gays, Stephen Bourne's articles and columns, and many others. To a lesser extent the collection contains correspondence from Bourne and others to Mechtly.

Preferred Citation

Box #, folder #,Rick Mechtley Cinema Clippings Collection, 2012-162, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives,Libraries, University of Southern California

Processing Information

Collection processed by staff, December 2012.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Babuscio, Jack, 1937-1990
clippings files
Gays in motion pictures
Lesbians in motion pictures

 

Columns and correspondence 1975-1999

Scope and content

The series includes clippings, correspondence, and filmographies. The clippings include columns written by Jack Babuscio, Stephen Bourne, and to a lesser extent Vito Russo. Correspondence files include Stephen Bourne letters to Mechtly along with a very limited number of other motion picture and/or film festival related correspondence. The series also includes several filmographies created by Frank Swilling and Rick Mechtly.

Arrangement

The folders were arranged alphabetically by the last name of their creators.
Box 3, Folder 20-22

Jack Babuscio column Screen Gays 1975-1982, 1990

Physical Description: [3 folders]
Box 3, Folder 23

Jack Babuscio and Vito Russo columns 1976-1980

Box 3, Folder 24

Stephen Bourne columns 1987-1994

Box 3, Folder 25

Stephen Bourne correspondence 1992-1999

Box 3, Folder 28

Mechtly correspondence 1982-1996

Physical Description: [3 folders]
Box 3, Folder 29-30

Mechtly filmographies 1980, 1990

Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 3, Folder 26-27

Frank Swilling filmographies 1989, 1995

Physical Description: [2 folders]
 

Clippings 1966-2011

Arrangement

The series has been arranged chronologically. Some folders span multiple years which reflects Mechtly's original arrangement.

Scope and Contents

The bulk of the collection consists of articles, columns, and reviews regarding LGBT actors, motion pictures, and film festivals. Mechtly culled clippings from a variety of mainstream and LBGT magazines and newspapers, 1966-2011. The bulk of the Vito Russo's writings are located in this series.

Arrangement

The folders are arranged chronologically. Folders spanning multiple years reflect Mechtly's original arrangement.
Box 1, Folder 2

1966-1971

Box 1, Folder 1

1966-1982

Box 1, Folder 3

1971-1980

Box 1, Folder 4

1980-1981

Box 1, Folder 5

1982, 1985

Box 1, Folder 6

1982-1983

Box 1, Folder 7

1983-1985

Box 1, Folder 8

1984-1985

Box 1, Folder 9

1985-1986

Box 1, Folder 10

1986-1987

Box 1, Folder 11

1987

Box 1, Folder 13

1988

Box 1, Folder 14

1988-1992

Box 1, Folder 14

1989

Box 1, Folder 15-17

1990

Physical Description: [3 folders]
Box 1, Folder 19

1991

Box 1, Folder 18

1991-1992

Box 1, Folder 20

1992

Box 2, Folder 1

1992

Box 2, Folder 2-3

1993

Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 2, Folder 4-5

1993-1994

Box 2, Folder 6-8

1994

Physical Description: [3 folders]
Box 2, Folder 9

1994-1995

Box 2, Folder 10-12

1995

Physical Description: [3 folders]
Box 2, Folder 13

1995-1996

Box 2, Folder 14-16

1996

Physical Description: [3 folders]
Box 2, Folder 17

1997

Box 2, Folder 18

1997-1998

Box 2, Folder 19

1998

Box 2, Folder 20

1998-1999

Box 2, Folder 21

1999

Box 2, Folder 22

1999-2000

Box 3, Folder 1

2000-2001

Box 3, Folder 2

2001

Box 3, Folder 3

2001-2002

Box 3, Folder 4-5

2002

Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 3, Folder 6

2002-2003

Box 3, Folder 7

2003-2004

Box 3, Folder 8-9

2004

Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 3, Folder 10-11

2005

Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 3, Folder 12-13

2006

Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 3, Folder 14

2007

Box 3, Folder 15-16

2008

Box 3, Folder 17

2009

Box 3, Folder 18

2010

Box 3, Folder 19

2011

Language of Material: English