Art in Cinema Film Series Collection, 1938-1978

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Summary

Creators:
Stauffacher, Frank A. and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Extent:
7 cartons 8.75 linear feet
Language:
English and Collection materials are in English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], PFA--MSS--006, University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.

Background

Scope and content:

The Art in Cinema collection covers the years between 1938 and 1978 and documents the development and evolution of the San Francisco Museum of Art's Art in Cinema avant-garde and experimental film series created by Frank Stauffacher and Richard Foster, which began in 1946 and continued through 1955. The collection also includes materials related to the University of California Berkeley Extension 1947-1953 film series, which was similar but not identical to the Art in Cinema series, as well as the 1960s and 1970s film series produced by the San Francisco Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art (New York) and other sponsors.

The collection includes program notes, filmographies, audience evaluations, general correspondence and correspondence with directors and film artists, curatorial research, stills, film catalogues, news clippings, periodicals and brochures, and administrative information related to the Art in Cinema film series 1946-1955; notes and correspondence about the Art in Cinema catalogue published in 1947, which documents the first program of the Art in Cinema series; program notes and audience evaluations for the UC Berkeley Extension film series; other San Francisco Museum of Art film series from the 1960s and 1970s; exhibitions by the Museum of Modern Art (New York) and other sponsors.

The materials are divided into five major series: 1. SFMA "Art In Cinema" Exhibitions, Research & Correspondence 1938-1957. 2. UC Berkeley Extension Film Series 1947-1953. 3. SFMA Film Exhibitions 1968-1978. 4. SFMA Special Film Series 1972-1978 undated. 5. Frank Stauffacher's Scenario for Charles Sheeler undated. Three of the series have been further arranged into sub-series and one of the sub-series has been arranged into sub-subseries.

Materials are largely textual comprising publications, correspondence, news clippings, film rental price lists, and some financial and legal materials. Among other formats scattered throughout the collection are handwritten correspondence and envelopes, a 45 RPM record and a poster.

Biographical / historical:

On January 18, 1935 the San Francisco Museum of Art (SFMA) opened its doors on the fourth floor of the War Memorial Veterans building in San Francisco. The director of the museum, Dr. Grace McCann Morley, had a vision that the museum would not be for elitists but rather would embody community interests and would support the avant-garde and contemporary art of the day. Further, Dr. Morley saw the museum as a platform for experimentation, providing an opportunity to showcase a wide variety of media, including photographs, experimental films, architectural and landscape design. It is likely from this vision the Art in Cinema film series was created. The development of the original film series, which ran from 1946 to 1955, is credited to Frank Stauffacher in conjunction with Robert Foster, Douglas MacAgy, director of the California School of Fine Arts and George Leite, publisher of Circle magazine.

Frank Anton Stauffacher (1916-1955) was an independent filmmaker who was greatly influenced by the post World War II bohemian movement in North Beach as well as the Berkeley avant-garde group that gathered at George Leite's bookstore and gallery, daliel's, located at 2466 Telegraph Avenue. Born on August 13, 1916 in San Francisco, California to Elsa Klingemann Stauffacher (1884-1946) and Frank Albert Stauffacher (1879-1943), Frank grew up in the San Mateo area with his twin brothers Jack Werner and Robert ("Bob") A. who were born on December 19, 1920.

Frank attended Stanford University for a short time then left to study illustration at the Art Center School in Los Angeles. During his enrollment between 1934 to 1937, Frank became serious about film-making, studying set-design and taking advantage of the film world present in Los Angeles. When Frank returned to San Francisco, he worked for Patterson&Hall, an advertising agency in San Francisco, as a commercial artist; however, he continued to correspond with contacts at the Art Center School regarding experimental films. He shared his enthusiasm for this genre of film with his brother Jack who also became enamored. By this time Jack was an established printer having founded Greenwood Press in 1936 behind his parent's house in San Mateo. Shortly before the start of World War II, Jack published a book Bicycle Polo, Technique and Fundamentals that was illustrated by Frank.

When Frank enlisted in the Army on October 16, 1940 he may have already had the inklings of the Art in Cinema program but it would be six more years before the first series was presented. According to his wife, Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, Frank liked the military, enjoying the camaraderie, the physical exercise and being relieved of any pressure to be "brilliant". When his unit was shipped out to the Battle of Bulge, Frank was not amongst his fellow soldiers due to a case of athlete's foot. After the war Frank moved back to San Mateo to live with his recently widowed mother. When Elsa Stauffacher died in August 1946 Frank and his brother Jack sold the family home and moved to San Francisco.

The collaboration between Frank, Richard Foster, Douglas MacAgy and George Leite led to the creation of the first Art in Cinema film series which showed between September 27 and November 29, 1946. It was at one of the film showings that Frank met his wife Barbara ("Bobbie"). Barbara, age 17, had finished a ballet class and instead of taking the bus to the California School of Fine Arts, she decided to walk across the street to the SFMA. Richard Foster approached her and invited her to the Friday night Art in Cinema showing. Richard later introduced Barbara to Frank, who was 13 years her senior. They were married November 20, 1948 in a waterfront apartment in Sausalito that Frank had rented for them. Frank's brothers and their wives attended along with a few friends, Lee Mullican and Varda and Barbara's mother Lil.

As Frank continued to create film series for the Art in Cinema programs, he became disenchanted with commercial art. Wanting to explore filmmaking, he bought a 16-mm Bolex camera, tripod, lights, and editing equipment and rented a studio on Montgomery St.&Gold St. in San Francisco. Through his association with James Broughton and work on Broughton's films Mother's Day and The Adventures of Jimmy, Frank was inspired to make his first movie Sausalito. Frank went on to make two more movies, Zigzag and Notes on the Port of St. Francis.

In 1951 Barbara learned that she was pregnant and moved to Paris while Frank completed Notes on the Port of St. Francis. Frank joined his wife and mother-in-law, Lil, in Paris for a short time, before they all moved to London, where their daughter Chloe A. Stauffacher was born on January 18, 1952. The Stauffachers stayed on in London for two more months before returning to New York. While in London, Frank showed his films at the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Arts) to many accolades. Back in New York, Frank worked for the US Department of State curating a photography show on American Cinema. It's likely that Frank was diagnosed with a brain tumor while living in New York. In 1953 Frank, Barbara, and Chloe moved to San Francisco where Frank had his first brain surgery.

As Frank recovered from surgery, Barbara was hired by SFMA to assist with the programming for the Art in Cinema programs. The final two programs, Series Ten and Series 11 focused on 15 American film directors, and were presented between April 9 - May 20, 1954 and October 1 - November 5, 1954.

Frank's illness progressed and he underwent a second brain surgery in 1955. The surgery was not successful and left Frank weak, barely able to walk or talk. He died on July 26, 1955 in San Francisco at age 39, and was buried at Cypress Lawn Memorial in Colma, California. Despite the loss of the Art in Cinema's original creator, the program continued on through 1957.

Acquisition information:
The materials were donated to the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive between 1969 and 1979 by the San Francisco Museum of Art Department of Education.
Processing information:

Collection description based on DACS. Finding aid written by Pamela McDonald (SJSU iSchool intern), 05 March 2018.

Arrangement:

The records are arranged in five series, three of which have been further arranged in sub-series. In addition one subseries has been arranged into four sub-subseries. The contents of each series, sub-series or sub-subseries are arranged in chronological order with undated materials at the end of each folder, unless otherwise noted. The series, sub-series and sub-subseries arrangement of the records is as follows:

Series 1, SFMA "Art in Cinema" Exhibitions, Research & Correspondence, 1938-1961

Subseries 1, Program Notes, 1946-1961

Subseries 2, Audience Evaluations, 1946-1953

Subseries 3, Curatorial Research & Correspondence, 1938-1954, undated

Sub-subseries 1, Curatorial Research, 1940-1953,undated

Sub-subseries 2, Correspondence by Film Series, 1938-1954, undated

Sub-subseries 3, Correspondence by Individual, 1946-1955

Sub-subseries 4, General Correspondence, 1947-1965, undated

Subseries 4, "Art in Cinema" Catalogue, 1946-1949

Subseries 5, Film Catalogues, Programs & Price Lists, 1940s-1950s

Subseries 6, Administrative File, 1941-1951, undated

Series 2, UC Berkeley Extension Film Series, 1947-1953

Series 3, SFMA Film Exhibitions, 1968-1978

Subseries 1, SFMA Film Program Notes,1968-1969

Subseries 2, Spring Film Series Program Notes, 1970

Subseries 3, Film Council, 1969-1971, undated

Subseries 4, Curatorial Research & Correspondence, 1972-1978

Series 4, SFMA Special Film Series,1972-1978, undated

Subseries 1, Curatorial Research & Correspondence, 1971-1978, undated

Subseries 2, Program Notes, 1972-1978, undated

Series 5, Frank Stauffacher's Scenario for Charles Sheeler, undated

Accruals:

No additions are expected.

Physical location:
UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Film Library and Study Center
Rules or conventions:
Finding Aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], PFA--MSS--006, University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.

Location of this collection:
2120 Oxford Street
#2250
Berkeley, CA 94720-2250, US
Contact:
(510) 642-1437
bampfafilmlibrary@berkeley.edu
Website