Paramount Pictures production records, circa 1924-1970

Summary

Creators:

Paramount Pictures, Inc.

Extent:

290 linear feet of papers.

Language:

English

Background

Scope and content:

The Paramount Pictures production records span the years circa 1924-1970 and encompass approximately 290 linear feet. The collection contains documentation on most Paramount sound films released between the 1930s and 1970s. The files originated from several studio divisions, including the Production Department, the Budget Bureau, and the Production Estimating Department. Often included are budgets, costs, call sheets, reports, schedules, and script supervisor's notes. More than 1,000 unproduced projects are represented, often with pre-production information related to story rights, scenario costs, or budget estimates.

Biographical / historical:

Paramount Pictures, Inc., is one of Hollywood's oldest continually operating film studios. Its history began in 1912, when studio executive Adolph Zukor imported the French feature film QUEEN ELIZABETH, starring Sarah Bernhardt, and used it to launch his Famous Players Film Company. Famous Players merged with the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company in 1916 to form Famous Players-Lasky, which acquired a controlling interest in Paramount Pictures Corporation, a distribution entity founded in 1914. In 1933 the company declared bankruptcy, Lasky was ousted, and the company underwent reorganization. It emerged as Paramount Pictures, Inc., with Zukor serving as chairman of the board emeritus. Gulf+Western acquired the company in 1966, followed by Viacom, Inc., in 1994. The studio is located in Hollywood.

Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series: 1. Production files, subseries A-B as follows: A. Produced; B. Unproduced; 2. Subject files, subseries A-O as follows: A. General; B. Sound Department (General Accounting files); C. Accounting records (miscellaneous); D. Budget Bureau files; E. Contract files; F. "Flimsies"; G. Major Pictures Corp.; H. Photographs; I. Production Estimating Department files; J. Production Estimating Department files (unproduced projects); K. Production Office files; L. Robert Evans files; M. Story Department file re contracts; N. Story Department files re project development; O. Unclassified

Rules or conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:

film documentations

Names:

Paramount Pictures, Inc.

Location of this collection:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Margaret Herrick Library

333 S. La Cienega Blvd

Beverly Hills, CA 90211, US

Contact:

(310) 247-3036 extension 2226

specialcollections@oscars.org

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