Collection Contents
Box 1 : 1-11
Series 1.
Writings and Correspondence
1991-1997
Physical Description: 11 folders.
Series Scope and Content
This series contains drafts of, and excerpts from, Ellenberger's
biography of Novarro, published in 1999; reviews of the book in the gay press;
and drafts of an article Ellenberger published in the early 1990s in an
unidentified newsletter,
Shadowland. The series also contains
Ellenberger's correspondence relating to his research. The correspondence
includes requests for information made by Ellenberger to the FBI and the
Department of the Navy under the Freedom of Information Act; the information
Ellenberger eventually received was redacted from 6 pages to a single sentence.
The majority of Letters Out are initial requests for information. The Letters
In include several original letters from Freda Novello and photocopy letters
from Lina Basquette, Novarro's dance-partner during his earliest years in Los
Angeles; however, although other letters refer to correspondence from Anita
Page, no letters from her are now in the collection. Several Letters In also
refer to the Ramon Novarro Film Club that Ellenberger ran from approximately
1992 to 1995 in conjunction with his research; other materials relating to this
organization can be found among the subject files in Series 2: Research Notes
and Files (see below).
Arrangement
By subject.
Box 1 :
1-6
Writings
circa
1992-1997
Physical Description: 6 folders.
Box 1 : 1-3
Ravishing Ramon: The Life & Death of
Ramon Novarro
. 4th draft
November
1997
Physical Description: 3 folders.
Box 1 :
4
Drafts & Excerpts
circa
1993-1997
Box 1 :
6
Article for
Shadowlands
circa
1992-1993
Box 1 : 7-11
Correspondence
1991-circa
1997
Physical Description: 5 folders.
Box 1 : 7
Addresses
circa
1991-1997
Box 1 : 8
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests
1991-1992
Box 1 :
9
Letters In (chronological)
June
1991-October 1996
Box 1 :
10
Letters Out (alphabetical)
June
1991-January 1995
Box 1 : 12-14 ; 2 : 1-35 ; 3 : 1-41 ; 4 :
1-53 ; 5 : 1-14 ; 6 : 1-10 (Oversize) ; 7 : 1-5 (Oversize); 11 : 10
(Oversize)
Series 2.
Research Notes and Files
1916-1998
Physical Description: 2.1 linear feet.
Series Scope and Content
This series consists of Ellenberger's typed and handwritten research
notes, and the materials he collected in the course of his research on Ramon
Novarro. The Notes include catalogues and correspondence with dealers of film
memorabilia, related primarily to photographs of Novarro, some of which can be
identified in Series 3: Photographs (see below). The research materials consist
primarily of photocopies, acquired largely from the Margaret Herrick Library at
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, of clippings from Los
Angeles newspapers and of articles in contemporary film magazines, such as
Photoplay and
Motion Picture Magazine; a small number
of clippings are originals. When the collection was opened for processing in
July 2008, only a small part of the materials were found to be organized, in
subject files: the majority of the documents, most in multiple copies, were
packed in boxes, without folders and in roughly chronological order. The
existing subject files were retained with the addition of a subject file for
each of Novarro's films; the remaining materials were arranged chronologically,
with obvious duplicates removed. The bulk of the materials in the Chronological
Files dates from 1922 through 1934, the years of Novarro's stardom at
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; materials from the 1940s and 1950s relate primarily to his
arrests for drunk driving; materials from the 1950s and 1960s relate to his
television appearances in character roles; and the materials from 1968 and 1969
relate to his death and the trial of his murderers. The bulk of the materials
in the Subject Files relates to Novarro's various films, in particular
Ben-Hur (1925), which cemented Novarro's
status as Valentino's chief rival. The files contain photocopies of
contemporary news reports and gossip, reviews, secondary accounts, publicity
shots and stills. The files also contain a small number of original clippings,
in fragile condition because of the acidic paper on which most film magazines
were published in the 1920s and 1930s. The Subject Files also include secondary
accounts of his career and his death; studio biographies; copies of his death
certificate, autopsy, will and a small number of personal letters; interviews
Novarro gave in the popular and film industry press; an incomplete copy of Jim
Kepner's eyewitness report of the trial of his accused murderers, Paul and Tom
Ferguson; the history of the houses he owned; the British Ramon Navarro Film
Club and the society of the same name Ellenberger founded and operated in the
early 1990s; and the murder trial of his cousin Jacques Samaniego.
Box 1 : 12-14 ; 6 :
1-2 (Oversize)
Notes
circa
1990-1998
Physical Description: 5 folders.
Box 1 : 14
Collectibles & Memorabilia
1992
Box 6 : 1-2
(Oversize)
Research Notes
circa
1990-1993
Physical Description: 2 folders.
Box 2 : 1-35 ; 3 : 1-7 ; 6 : 3-4
(Oversize)
Chronological Files
1916,
1922-1947,
1949-1953,
1955-1960,
1962-1965,
1968-1969
Physical Description: 0.6 linear foot.
Box 3 : 8-41 ; 4 : 1-53 ;
5 : 1-14 ; 6 : 5-10 (Oversize) ; 7 : 1-5 (Oversize) ; 11 : 10
(Oversize)
Subject Files
1917-circa
1997
Physical Description: 1.4 linear feet.
Box 3 : 13
Benefit Performances
1931
Box 3 : 14-16 ; 6: 5-6
(Oversize)
Biographies, Articles & Excerpts
1929-circa
1993
Physical Description: 5 folders.
Box 3 : 14
Harrison, Joel L.
Bloody Wednesday: The True Story of the
Ramon Novarro Murder
1978
Physical Description: Photocopy.
Box 6 : 5-6
(Oversize)
1929-circa
1993
Physical Description: 2 folders.
Box 6 : 7 (Oversize)
Biographies (Studio)
1949-1959
Box 3 :
17
Biographies of Others
circa
1970-1990
Box 3 :
18
Box Office
circa
1922-1950
Box 3 :
19
Career (Early)
circa
1922-1931
Box 6 : 8 (Oversize)
Concerts & Travel
1928-1968
Box 3 : 23
Contract Negotiations
1928-1935
Box 3 :
25
Directors
circa
1922-1960
Box 3 :
27
Endorsements
circa
1924-1928
Box 3 :
28
Fan Magazines (unidentified). Clippings
circa
1922-1935
Box 3 : 29
Film Advertisements
1926-1937
Box 3 :
30
Film Reviews
circa
1922-1950
Box 3 : 31
Film Roles Never Gotten
1925-1959
Box 3 :
32
Filmography
circa
1980-1993
Box 3 : 33-41 ; 4 : 1-38; 6 : 9-10
(Oversize)
Films
1917-1960
Physical Description: 0.4 linear foot.
Box 3 : 38
Cat and the Fiddle,
The
1934
Box 3 : 39
Certain Young Man, A
1928
Box 3 : 40
Comédie du Bonheur,
Le
1940
Box 4 : 3
Desperate Adventure,
A
1938
Box 4 : 6
Flying Fleet, The.
Icaros (Spanish-language
novelization)
1929
Box 4 : 8
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,
The
1921
Box 4 : 10
Heller in Pink
Tights
1960
Box 4 : 15
Little American, The
1917
Box 4 : 21
Mr. Barnes of New
York
1922
Box 4 : 24
Padre Ignacio (never
completed)
1956-1957
Box 4 : 26
Prisoner of Zenda,
The
1922
Box 4 : 30
Sheik Steps Out, The
1937
Box 6 : 10 (Oversize)
Student Prince in Old Heidelberg,
The
1927
Box 4 : 36
Virgen que forjó una patria,
La
1944
Box 4 : 38
Where the Pavement
Ends
1923
Box 4 :
39
Friends
1921-1922,
circa 1992-1993
Box 4 : 41
Halliburton, Richard
circa 1930
Box 4 : 44
Internet Movie Database (imdb.com)
circa 1997
Box 4 :
48
Miscellaneous
circa
1922-1991
Box 4 : 49-53 ; 7 : 1
(Oversize)
Murder & Trial
1968-1987
Physical Description: 6 folders.
Box 7 : 1 (Oversize)
Articles & Excerpts
1968-1987
Box 4 : 50
Ferguson, Paul & Tom
1968-1975
Box 4 : 51
Murder Investigation
1968-1969
Box 4 : 53
Murder Trial (Jim Kepner's reports)
1969
Box 5 : 2
Novarro, Ramon. Correspondence
1937-1946,
1965
Box 5 : 5
Quotes by Ramon Novarro
1927-1965
Box 5 : 6
Ramon Novarro Film Club (UK)
1954-1973
Box 7 : 2 (Oversize)
Ramon Novarro Film Club (Ellenberger)
1992-1995
Box 5 : 10
Samaniego Family
1984-circa
1993
Box 5 : 11
Samaniego Family. Death Certificates
1940-1988
Box 5 : 12
Samaniego, Jacques. Murder Trial
1930-1931
Box 5 : 13
Sound Recordings
1935-1950
Box 7 : 4 (Oversize)
Television Career
1952-1970
Box 7 : 6 (Oversize)
; 8 : 1-22
Series 3.
Photographs
circa
1900-1968
Physical Description: 0.25 linear foot.
Series Scope and Content
This series contains personal photographs of Novarro and publicity
shots and stills from several of his films. The majority of the photographs are
contemporary prints or postcards produced by Novarro's studio,
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; however, a number of images, including most of those
reproduced in Ellenberger's book, are reproduced from scans. The personal
photographs, dating from the 1940s, were acquired by Ellenberger from Novarro's
friend Edward Zubbrick. The series also contains a folder of photocopies of
photographs published in secondary sources. The images in this folder are
private or generic studio publicity shots: photocopies of stills from
individual films are placed with other materials relating to those films among
the subject files in Series 2: Research Notes and Files (see above).
Arrangement
By subject.
Box 8 : 1
Personal/Studio Publicity
circa
1902-1968
Box 8 : 2
Ferguson, Paul & Tim
1968-1969
Box 8 : 3-20
Films
1918-1938
Physical Description: 18 folders.
Box 8 : 6
Desperate Adventure, A
1938
Box 8 : 13
Prisoner of Zenda, The
1922
Box 8 : 15
Sheik Steps Out, The
1937
Box 8 : 18
Student Prince in Old Heidelberg,
The
1927
Box 7 : 6
(Oversize)
Photocopies of Photographs
circa
1900-1968
Box 10 : 1-25
Series 4.
Interviews
1992-1994
Physical Description: 25 audiocassettes.
Series Scope and Content
This series contains audiotapes of interviews Ellenberger carried
out between 1992 and 1994 in the course of researching his book with Novarro's
friends, co-stars, and relatives. The most extensive interviews are with
Novarro's brother, Jos‚ Samaniego; Anita Page, his co-star in
The Flying Fleet (1929); his friends
Allan Graener and the "celebrity warlock" Samson De Brier; and Jim Kepner, who
covered the trial of Novarro's murderers for the gay press. Several audiotapes
contain more than one interview; the following container list gives the name of
every person interviewed and the number of the tape on which the interview
appears.
Arrangement
Alphabetical by person interviewed.
Box 10 : 1
Bakewell, William
no date
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 2
Brown, Forman
no date
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 3
Cohn, J. J.
no date
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 90
minutes.
Box 10 : 4
Cordova, Manuel
September 18,
1992
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 5
De Brier, Samson
October 4,
1992
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 90
minutes.
Box 10 : 6
De Brier, Samson
October 4,
1992
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 1
De Brier, Samson
February 1,
1993
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 7
Graener, Allan
January 1993
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 8
Graener, Allan
no date
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 90
minutes.
Box 10 : 1
Graener, Allan
no date
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 9
Guillaroff, Sydney
October 26,
1992
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 10
Hadley-Garcia, George
September 17,
1992
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 90
minutes.
Box 10 : 11-12
Kepner, Jim
October 12,
1992
Physical Description: 2 quarter-inch audiocassettes ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 7
Kepner, Jim
January 1993
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 13
Kreuger, Miles
November 18,
1993
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 45
minutes.
Box 10 : 14
Krueger, Kurt
November 6,
1993
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 15
La Marr, Carvel
October 2, 1992,
October 19,
1992
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 1
Lamparski, Richard
February 1,
1993
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 16
Lamparski, Richard
no date
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 45
minutes.
Box 10 : 17
McAllister, Lon
July 4,
1993
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 17
O'Donahue, Joseph J.
July 7,
1993
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 18-19
Page, Anita
August 20,
1993
Physical Description: 2 quarter-inch audiocassettes ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 4
Pierson, Dennis
October 9,
1992
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 20
Samaniego, B.
no date
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 21-22
Samaniego, José
April 16,
1994
Physical Description: 2 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 90
minutes.
Box 10 : 23
Schessler, Ken
January 19,
1993
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 14
Stenn, David
August 31,
1993
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 45
minutes.
Box 10 : 20
Taaffe, Robert
no date
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 60
minutes.
Box 10 : 24
Tovar, Lupita
June 2,
1994
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette ; 90
minutes.
Box 10 : 25
Zubbrick, Edward
July 24,
1993
Physical Description: 1 quarter-inch audiocassette.
Box 9 : 1-16 ; 10 :
26-3
Series 5.
Magnetic Media
circa
1990-2002
Physical Description: 5 computer diskettes (3.5 inches), 1 DVD, 16 VHS
videotapes.
Series Scope and Content
This series contains computer diskettes and videotapes. The
diskettes, prepared by Ellenberger, contain the final text of his book and
digital copies of informal and publicity photographs of Novarro and his homes,
and of stills from several of his films. The DVD, prepared by ONE Archives
staff, contains copies of all files on the diskettes with the exception of
"rn-garbo-mata-hari.jpg" (photo diskette #1, box 10 : 28), which was corrupted
and could not be recovered. The videotapes contain copies of several of
Novarro's films and television roles. (The episode of
Car 54 Where Are You? revolves around a
character obsessed with Novarro, who, however, never appears.)
Arrangement
By type.
Box 10 : 26-31
Computer Diskettes
1990-2002,
August 2008
Physical Description: 5 computer diskettes (3.5 inches), 1
DVD.
Box 10 :
26
Manuscript (final)
June
1998-January 1999
Box 10 : 27
Pictures of Laurel Canyon Home
January 2002
Box 10 :
28-29
Photos
December
1998-January 2002
Physical Description: 2 computer diskettes.
Box 10 : 30
Pictures
February 2000-January 2002
Box 10 : 31
DVD
August 2008
Scope and Content Note
Copy, prepared by ONE Archives staff, of all materials on
computer diskettes 10 : 26-30.
Box 9 : 1-16
Videotapes
1929-1965
Physical Description: 16 VHS videotapes.
Box 9 : 1-14
Films
1929-1950
Physical Description: 14 VHS videotapes.
Box 9 : 4
Desperate Adventure,
A
1938
Box 9 : 11
Sheik Steps Out, The
1937
Box 9 : 8, 15-16
Television
1961-1965
Physical Description: 2 VHS videotapes.
Box 9 : 15
Car 54 Where Are You?, "Love
Finds Muldoon" (Episode 8)
November 5,
1961
Box 9 : 15
Thriller, "La
Strega"
January 15,
1962
Box 9 : 8
Bonanza, "The Brass
Box"
September 26,
1965
Box 9 : 16
Combat, "The Finest
Hour"
December 21,
1965
Box 11 : 1-10 (Oversize)
Series 6.
Oversize
1924-1997
Physical Description: 10 folders.
Series Scope and Content
This series consists of oversize materials. It includes four film
magazines, color photocopies of posters for
The Road to Romance (1927) and
Daybreak (1931); original (magazine) and
photocopy publicity materials of a general nature and for
Ben-Hur (1925) and its 1959 remake;
materials from an undated (1990s) exhibit on
Ben-Hur; several magazine interviews
with Novarro; and sheet music for three songs sung by Novarro in his films.
Arrangement
Alphabetical by type.
Box 11 : 1 (Oversize)
Movies Illustrated
June 1965
Box 11 : 2 (Oversize)
French-language
1926-1941
Physical Description: 3 issues.
Box 11 : 2
(Oversize)
La Revue de Manon (Montréal,
Canada)
November 1,
1926
Box 11 : 2
(Oversize)
Cinémonde (Paris)
May 22,
1930
Box 11 : 2
(Oversize)
Le Samedi (Montréal,
Canada)
April 26,
1941
Box 11 : 3 (Oversize)
Film Posters
1927,
1931
Physical Description: 2 color photocopies ; 11.5 x 13
inches.
Box 11 : 3 (Oversize)
Road to Romance, The
1927
Physical Description: 1 color photocopy ; 11.5 x 13
inches.
Box 11 : 3 (Oversize)
Daybreak
1931
Physical Description: 1 color photocopy ; 11.5 x 13
inches.
Box 11 : 4-6 (Oversize)
Films
1924-1959
Physical Description: 3 folders.
Box 11 : 4 (Oversize)
Ben-Hur (1925). Exhibit Materials
(reproductions)
1924-1926
Physical Description: 4 items.
Box 11 : 5 (Oversize)
Ben-Hur (1925). Publicity
Photograph (magazine)
1925
Box 11 : 6 (Oversize)
Ben-Hur (1959). Publicity
Photograph (Ramon Novarro & Charlton Heston
1959
Box 11 : 10 (Oversize)
Interviews (magazines)
1928-1965
Box 11 : 7 (Oversize)
Photograph. Gilbert Roland and Ramon Novarro
circa 1930
Scope and Content Note
Cover of
Frontiers, volume 15, issue 23 (March
21, 1997).
Box 11 : 8 (Oversize)
Publicity Photograph (magazine)
circa 1930
Box 11 : 9 (Oversize)
"Into My Heart"
1930
Scope and Content Note
Lyric by Roy Turk, music by Fred Ahlert. From
In Gay Madrid.
Box 11 : 9 (Oversize)
"Love Songs of the Nile"
1933
Scope and Content Note
Lyric by Arthur Freed, melody by Nacio Herb Brown. From
The Barbarian.
Box 11 : 9 (Oversize)
"When I Grow Too Old To Dream
1935
Scope and Content Note
Lyric by Oscar Hammerstein II, music by Sigmund Romberg. From
The Night Is Young.
