Finding Aid for the Clifton's Cafeteria collection of Circulars, 1931-1995

Processed by Alisa Monheim and Amanda Hale, 2008; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.

UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections

Manuscripts Division

Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library

Box 951575

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575

Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu

URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/

Descriptive Summary

Title: Clifton's Cafeteria collection of Circulars

Date (inclusive): 1931-1995

Collection number: 1827

Creator: Clifton's Cafeteria

Extent: 7 boxes (3.5 lin. ft)

Abstract: Clifton's Cafeteria was opened in downtown Los Angeles in 1931 by Clifford E. Clinton, who also opened several other branches of his restaurant in later years. Clinton was also active in local politics and an advocate for civil reform. His restaurant published circulars, beginning in 1931, containing inspirational thoughts, poetry, short prose pieces and a calendar of upcoming events for customers, first weekly and then monthly. It ceased publication in 1995.

Language: Finding aid is written in English.

Repository: University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.

Los Angeles, California 90095-1575

Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Administrative Information

Restrictions on Access

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Restrictions on Use and Reproduction

Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library, Department of 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.

Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Gift of Donald and Robert Clinton, 2008.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Clifton's Cafeteria collection of Circulars (Collection Number 1827). Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.

Biography

Clifton's Cafeteria was opened at its first location in Los Angeles in 1931 by Clifford E. Clinton (b. Aug. 1900; d. Nov. 1969), a member of the Clinton family of restauranteurs (now spanning many generations). Clinton moved the cafeteria to Broadway in 1935 and, though a few more satellite cafeterias were opened in later years, the Broadway location has remained in business ever since that time. Nearly from the outset, Clinton began distributing these sheets of inspirational thoughts, poetry, short prose pieces and a calendar of upcoming Los Angeles events for his customers. After a slightly irregular start, the circulars began to be issued weekly in 1932; that frequency was retained for nearly 40 years, changing to monthly only in May of 1971, just a few years after Clinton's death. The final issue came out in October, 1995, with a note from its editor, Esther York Burkholder: "Over the years it has been a privilege and a pleasure to share with you bits of wisdom and beauty and humor from the pens of many writers. ... Until, and if, we eventually resume publication, dear readers, you have our best wishes always". Throughout the run, the circulars were printed on just one sheet, usually folded in half (lengthwise) to make 4 pages. Up until 1967, the cafeteria's motto ("A tra-ful for a tri-ful") always appeared somewhere near the title; from 1967-1995 the motto changed ("Food for the soul is important too"), and began appearing regularly below the title.

Scope and Content

The circulars contain quotes, facts about Los Angeles, announcements for events, meetings and recitals, useful telephone numbers, and observations and sayings for the benefit of Clifton's Cafeteria customers. It began in 1931 and ceased publication in 1995.

Organization and Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by year:

Box 1: 1931 (The Bulletin board; Clifton's Bulletin board; Restaurant Alliance Bulletin board)
1932-33 (The Clifton tray)
1934 (The Clifton tray; The Clifton tray-- Food 4 thot; The Clifton tray of-- Food 4 thot)
1935-39 (The Clifton tray of-- Food 4 thot)
1940 (The Clifton tray of-- Food 4 thot; Food 4 thot)
1941 (Food 4 thot; Clifton's Food for thot) -- Boxes 2-7: 1942-1995 (Clifton's Food for thot).

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects

Restaurants --California --Los Angeles --Archival resources.

Soup kitchens --California --Los Angeles --Archival resources.

Other Index Terms Related to this Collection

Clinton, Clifford E., 1900-1969.

Clifton's Food for thot.

Food 4 thot.

Clifton tray of-- Food 4 thot.

Clifton tray.

Clifton's Bulletin board.

Related Material

Clifford E. Clinton papers (Collection 2018). Available at the Department of Special Collections, UCLA Library.

Meals for Millions Foundation records (Collection 1107). Available at the Department of Special Collections, UCLA Library.

Container List

Box 1, Folder 1

Issue no. 16 Bulletin Board (The) 1931

Box 1, Folder 1

Restaurant Alliance Bulletin Board 1931

Physical Description: 1 item (2 copies)

Box 1, Folder 1

Issue nos. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 Clifton's Bulletin Board 1931

Box 1, Folder 1

Issue nos. [1], 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 Bulletin Board (The) 1931

Box 1, Folder 2

Take This Along if You Wish 1932

Physical Description: 29 items

Box 1, Folder 2

Clifton Tray (The) 1932

Physical Description: 9 items

Box 1, Folder 3

The Clifton Tray:66 1933

Physical Description: 5o items

Box 1, Folder 4

Issue nos. 94-118, 119, 119, 129, 122-125, 128-137, 139-144 Clifton Tray (The) 1934

Box 1, Folder 4

Issue nos. 145, 146 Clifton Tray -or- Food for Thot (The) 1934

Box 1, Folder 5

Program for the Song Festival 1935

Physical Description: 1 item

Box 1, Folder 5

Programme Sarred Concert 1935

Physical Description: 1 item

Box 1, Folder 5

Issue nos. 147-152, 154-167, 169, 170-171, 173-198 Clifton Tray of Food 4 Thot (The) 1935

Box 1, Folder 6

Issue nos. 212, 214, 217, 219, 220-227, 229-248, 250, 251, 251 Clifton Tray of Food 4 Thot (The) 1936

Box 1, Folder 7

Issue nos. 252-276, 278, 278-299, 263, 301-303 Clifton Tray of Food 4 Thot (The) 1937

Box 1, Folder 8

Issue nos. 304-332, 334-338, 340-353, 355 Clifton Tray of Food 4 Thot (The) 1938

Box 1, Folder 9

Issue nos. 135-406 Clifton Tray of Food 4 Thot (The) 1939

Box 1, Folder 10

Issue nos. 410-465, 457-459 Clifton Tray of Food 4 Thot (The) 1940

Box 1, Folder 11

Issue nos. 488-511, 514 Clifton's Food 4 Thot 1941

Box 1, Folder 11

Issue nos. 461-485, 385, 487 Food 4 Thot 1941

Box 1, Folder 11

Issue no. 1 Citizen's Service Digest 1941

Box 2, Folder 1

Issue nos. 512-515, 517-519, 521-563 Clifton's Food 4 Thot 1942

Box 2, Folder 2

Issue nos. 565-569, 573-603, 605-613, 615 Clifton's Food 4 Thot 1943

Box 2, Folder 3

Issue nos. 617-624, 626-653, 655-662, 664-668 Clifton's Food 4 Thot 1944

Box 2, Folder 4

Issue nos. 669-677, 679-703, 705-712, 714-720 Clifton's Food 4 Thot 1945

Box 2, Folder 5

Issue nos. 724, 745, 747, 750, 753-755, 761-767, 769, 772-773 Clifton's Food 4 Thot 1946

Box 2, Folder 6

Issue nos. 774-798, 800-804, 806-808, 810-826 Clifton's Food 4 Thot 1947

Box 2, Folder 7

Issue nos. 827-878 Clifton's Food for Thot 1948

Box 3, Folder 1

Issue nos. 880-931 Clifton's Food for Thot 1949

Box 3, Folder 2

Issue nos. 932-945, 947-983 Clifton's Food for Thot 1950

Box 3, Folder 3

Issue nos. 984-995 (2 copies), 977, 1199-1006, 1008-1013, 1066, 1014-1015, 1017-1025, 1027-1029, 1031-1035 Clifton's Food 4 Thot 1951

Box 3, Folder 4

Issue nos. 1036-1039, 1041-1070, 1073-1080, 1082-1087 Clifton's Food for Thot 1952

Box 3, Folder 5

Issue nos. 1110-1140 Samaria-Sebastia Project (The) 1953

Box 3, Folder 5

Issue nos. 1088-1109 Clifton's Food for Thot 1953

Box 3, Folder 6

Issue nos. 1141-1192 Clifton's Food for Thot 1954

Box 3, Folder 7

Issue nos. 1193-1226 (2 copies), 1227-1244 Clifton's Food 4 Thot 1955

Box 4, Folder 1

Issue nos. 1245-1296 Clifton's Food for Thot 1956

Box 4, Folder 2

Issue nos. 1297-1340, 1345-1348 Clifton's Food for Thot 1957

Box 4, Folder 3

Issue nos. 1349-1367, 1372-1373, 1375, 1377-1400 Clifton's Food for Thot 1958

Box 4, Folder 4

Issue nos. 1402-1437,1439-1453 Clifton's Food for Thot 1959

Box 4, Folder 5

Issue nos. 1454-1462, 1464-1468, 1470-1482, 1484-1490, 1492-1495, 1497-1505 Clifton's Food for Thot 1960

Box 4, Folder 6

Issue nos. 1506-1557 Clifton's Food for Thot 1961

Box 5, Folder 1

Issue nos. 1610, 1559-1576 (2 copies)-1584, 1587, 1591-1592 (2 copies), 1595-1596 Clifton's Food for Thot 1962

Box 5, Folder 1

Issue nos. 1598-1609 Literature Handout 1962

Box 5, Folder 2

Issue nos. 1611-1624, 1626-1661 Clifton's Food for Thot 1963

Box 5, Folder 3

Issue nos. 1662-1668, 1670-1675, 1677-1683, 1688-1691, 1693-1699, 1701-1712 Clifton's Food for Thot 1964

Box 5, Folder 4

Issue nos. 1715-1731, 1733, 1736-1763, 1765-1766 Clifton's Food for Thot 1965

Box 5, Folder 5

Issue nos. 1767-1791, 1794-1808, 1810-1818 Clifton's Food for Thot 1966

Box 5, Folder 6

Issue nos. 1819-1870 Clifton's Food for Thot 1967

Box 6, Folder 1

Issue nos. 1871-1879, 1884-1922 Clifton's Food for Thot 1968

Box 6, Folder 2

Issue nos. 1923-1926, 1928-1937, 1939-1940, 1942-1956, 1958-1974 Clifton's Food for Thot 1969

Box 6, Folder 3

Issue nos. 1975-1986, 1988-1990, 1992-2027 Clifton's Food for Thot 1970

Box 6, Folder 4

Issue nos. 2028-2052 Clifton's Food for Thot 1971

Box 6, Folder 5

Issue nos. 2053-2064 Clifton's Food for Thot 1972

Box 6, Folder 6

Issue nos. 2065-2076 Clifton's Food for Thot 1973

Box 6, Folder 7

Issue nos. 2077-2088 Clifton's Food for Thot 1974

Box 6, Folder 8

Issue nos. 2089-2100 Clifton's Food for Thot 1975

Box 6, Folder 9

Issue nos. 2101-2112 Clifton's Food for Thot 1976

Box 6, Folder 10

Issue nos. 2133-2124 Clifton's Food for Thot 1977

Box 6, Folder 11

Issue nos. 2125-2136 Clifton's Food for Thot 1978

Box 6, Folder 12

Issue nos. 2137-2148 Clifton's Food for Thot 1979

Box 6, Folder 13

Issue nos. 2149-2160 Clifton's Food 4 Thot 1980

Box 6, Folder 14

Issue nos. 2161-2172 Clifton's Food for Thot 1981

Box 6, Folder 15

Issue nos. 2173-2184 Clifton's Food for Thot 1982

Box 6, Folder 16

Issue nos. 2185-2196 Clifton's Food for Thot 1983

Box 7, Folder 1

Issue nos. 2197-2208 Clifton's Food for Thot 1984

Box 7, Folder 2

Issue nos. 2209-2220 Clifton's Food for Thot 1985

Box 7, Folder 3

Issue nos. 2221-2228(2 copies)-2232 Clifton's Food for Thot 1986

Box 7, Folder 4

Issue nos. 2233-2244 Clifton's Food for Thot 1987

Box 7, Folder 5

Issue nos. 2245-2256 Clifton's Food for Thot 1988

Box 7, Folder 6

Issue nos. 2257-2268 Clifton's Food for Thot 1989

Box 7, Folder 7

Issue nos. 2269-2280 Clifton's Food for Thot 1990

Box 7, Folder 8

Issue nos. 2282-2292 Clifton's Food for Thot 1991

Box 7, Folder 9

Issue nos. 2293-2304 Clifton's Food for Thot 1992

Box 7, Folder 10

Issue nos. 2305-2316 Clifton's Food for Thot 1993

Box 7, Folder 11

Issue nos. 2317-2328 Clifton's Food for Thot 1994

Box 7, Folder 12

Issue nos. 2329-2338 Clifton's Food for Thot 1995

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