Finding Aid for the Otis Ferguson papers, 1931-1986
Processed by Arts Special Collections Staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Elizabeth Graney and Julie Graham.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Performing Arts Special Collections
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
URL: http://www2.library.ucla.edu/specialcollections/performingarts/index.cfm
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Otis Ferguson papers,
Date (inclusive): 1931-1986
Collection number: 260
Creator: Ferguson, Otis 1907-1943
Extent: 3 boxes (1.5 linear ft.)
Abstract: Collection consists of scrapbooks, letters and ephemera related to the career of film critic Otis Ferguson.
Language: Finding aid is written in English.
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library.
Performing Arts 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, Performing
Arts 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, Performing
Arts Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library,
Performing Arts 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.
Audio and visual materials in this collection are restricted and require advance notice for use.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Otis Ferguson papers (Collection 260). Performing Arts Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, UCLA.
Biography
Otis Ferguson was born in Worcester, MA, Aug. 14, 1907. At the age of 17, Ferguson joined the Navy and served four years.
After graduating from Clark University in 1933, where he was senior class poet and editor of the yearbook, Ferguson was hired
at The New Republic. There he reviewed books, films, and sometimes theater and eventually became an assistant editor. In 1936
Ferguson started writing about music, particularly big swing bands and loaned his title to Dorothy Bakers novel,
Young man with a Horn. He was later sent to Hollywood to write a series of articles about films and is best remembered as a film critic. Soon after
Pearl Harbor, Ferguson joined the Merchant Marines and was killed during the war, ca. 1943.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of scrapbooks, letters and ephemera related to the career of film critic Otis Ferguson. Also includes
notes and correspondence related to Dorothy Chamberlain. The collection may have been assembled by Dorothy Chamberlain after
Ferguson's death for her book project,
The Otis Ferguson Reader, ca.1982.
Organization and Arrangement
There is no specific arrangement to the collection.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Ferguson, Otis, 1907-1943 -- Archives.
Film critics -- Archival resources.
Other Index Terms Related to this Collection
Chamberlain, Dorothy.
Container List
Box 1
Book Contracts and list of people who contacted Ferguson about possible
book
ca. 1934, 1938, 1941
Box 1
Copyright Renewals
ca. 1966-1972
Box 1
Correspondence (folder 1of 2)
ca. 1934-1941
Note
Including but not limited to: Philip Dunne, Hamilton Basso, Jimmy Durante, Alfred
Hitcock.
Box 1
Correspondence (folder 2 of 2)
ca.1936-1941
Note
Including but not limited to Paul Jarrico, Nunally Johnson, Garon Kanin, Fritz Lang,
Gene Lockhart, William McFee, Carey McWilliams, H.L. Mencken, John Jacob Niles, Clifford
Odets, William Saroyan, and Stark Young.
Box 1
Dorothy Chamberlains rights and letters of transferal
ca. 1940s-1980s
Box 3
Film Criticisms of Otis Ferguson, Reviews, etc. - scrapbook
1935-1982
Note
Scrapbook of clippings.
Box 1
Jazz Rhythm
ca. 1938-40
Note
Original manuscripts and copies of writings by Ferguson.
Box 1
Negatives (6 items)
no date
Note
5 negatives for photogpaphs found in the folder labeled Photographs.
Box 1
Otis Correspondence, etc.
1934, 1980s
Note
Dorothy Chamberlins file regarding Ferguson.
Box 3
Otis Fergueson articles in books; Tributes to Ferguson
1931-1943, 1964
Note
Articles by and tributes to Ferguson.
Box 3
Otis Fergueson Miscellaneous -scrapbook
1934-1945
Note
Articles by Ferguson. New Republic "Correspondence" and "Mailbag" Colum; clippings
about Salerno and PQ-18.
Box 3
Otis Fergueson Movies - scrapbook
1934-1941
Note
Articles by Ferguson.
Box 2
Otis Ferguson Books and Writers I - scrapbook
ca. 1933-1937
Note
Aticles by Ferguson (1933 - 9 June 1937).
Box 2
Otis Ferguson Books and Writers II - scrapbook
ca. 1937-1940
Note
Articles by Ferguson (30 June 1937 -8 April 1940).
Box 2
Otis Ferguson Books and Writers III - scrapbook
1940-1941
Note
Articles by Ferguson (15 April 1940 - 25 August 1941).
Box 2
Otis Ferguson Books and Writers IV - scrapbook
1941-1942
Note
Articles by Ferguson (1 September 1941 - 2 March 1942).
Box 2
Otis Ferguson Music and Theater - scrapbook
1938-1941
Note
Articles by Ferguson; mostly cut outs from The New Republic.
Box 2
Otis Ferguson Reader: Articles, Reviews I - scrapbook
ca. 1982
Note
Original and photocopied clippings and articles.
Box 1
Otis Ferguson Reader: reprints of writing
ca. 1980s
Box 2
Otis Ferguson Reader: Reviews II - scrapbook
ca. 1983-1985
Note
Letters, copied clippings and articles.
Box 1
Phonographs donated from Ferguson Estate
ca. 1973
Box 1
Photographs (25 items)
ca. 1910-1940
Note
Negatives for 5 of the photographs found in folder labeled Negatives.
Box 3
Portrait of An American Tragedy
no date
Note
Portrait of an American by Robert Coffin personalized by Ferguson with pictures and
captions.
Box 3
Vanity Fair
1986 May
Note
Ferguson mentioned on page 40.
