Donald Spoto (1941- ) wrote biographical studies of film and theater personalities. The collection contains files relating to Spoto's biographies and includes books, magazines, interviews, bibliographies, holograph notes, cassette recordings, film scripts, letters, and galley proofs covering the lives of Tennessee Williams, Alfred Hitchcock, Lotte Lenya, Preston Sturges, and Laurence Olivier. Spoto's doctoral dissertation and two of his original screenplays are included as well.

Spoto was born June 28, 1941 in New Rochelle, New York; BA, Iona College, 1963; MA (1966) and Ph.D. (1970), Fordham University; taught at New School for Social Research, New York City, 1975-86; began teaching at University of Southern California in 1987; visiting lecturer, British Film Institute, National Film Theatre, London, 1980-86; published biographical studies of filmmakers Stanley Kramer, Alfred Hitchcock, Preston Sturges, playwright Tennessee Williams, and actors Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Lotte Lenya, Laurence Olivier, Elizabeth Taylor, Ingrid Bergman, and James Dean.

34 boxes (17 linear ft.) 6 oversize boxes

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.

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Advance notice required for access.