Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Engstead, John Watkins, Franciene
- Abstract:
- The collection contains photographs, clippings of Engstead’s magazine work, including covers, celebrity profiles, fashion spreads, and advertisements; correspondence; and a heavily annotated typescript of Engstead’s book "Star Shots." The photograph series consists of 5,472 items with two dozen film and television productions represented. The biography photographs include files on nearly 300 individuals photographed by Engstead. Franciene Watkins was in possession of the material in this collection at the time of her death.
- Extent:
- 1 linear ft. of papers 8 linear ft. of photos
- Language:
- Languages represented in the collection: English
- Preferred citation:
-
John Engstead and Franciene Watkins papers, Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The John Engstead and Franciene Watkins papers span the years 1908-1981 (bulk 1940s-1970s) and encompass approximately 1 linear foot. The collection consists primarily of subject files, which contain clippings, correspondence, drawing lessons, and a heavily annotated typescript of Engstead’s book "Star Shots." Clippings of Engstead’s magazine work, including covers, celebrity profiles, fashion spreads, and advertisements, comprise the bulk of the collection.
The photograph series of the John Engstead and Franciene Watkins papers spans the years 1933-1982 and encompasses 8 linear feet, consisting of 5,472 items. The photographs are grouped into motion picture production photographs, television production photographs, stage production photographs, and biography photographs. The library has struck modern archival prints from many of the original negatives.
The motion picture production photographs span the years 1933-1972 and consist of material on 12 films, including such titles as "Around The World In 80 Days" (1956), "Dragon Seed" (1944), "Seven Sinners" (1940), "The Snake Pit" (1948), and "Witness for the Prosecution" (1957). The television production photographs span the years 1955-1982 and consist of material on 12 productions, including "Eleanor and Franklin" (1976), "The Last of Mrs. Lincoln" (1976), "The Miracle Worker" (1979), and "Peter Pan" (1955). The stage production photographs span the years 1949-1960 and consist of material on five productions, including "John Brown's Body" (1953) and "The World of Carl Sandburg" (1960). Each of these group of photographs is arranged alphabetically by title.
The biography photographs, which comprise the bulk of the photograph series, span from 1933 to the 1970s and are arranged alphabetically by name. The material includes files on nearly 300 individuals. Personalities represented include Judith Anderson, Ann-Margret, Fred Astaire, Lauren Bacall, Lucille Ball, Theda Bara, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Ingrid Bergman, Marlon Brando, Charles Chaplin, Claudette Colbert, Gary Cooper, Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, Henry Fonda, Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Lillian Gish, Rita Hayworth, Edith Head, Audrey Hepburn, Gene Kelly, Charles Laughton, Shirley MacLaine, Mary Martin, Liza Minnelli, Gregory Peck, Ginger Rogers, Mack Sennett, Barbara Stanwyck, Elizabeth Taylor, Lana Turner, Mae West, Natalie Wood, and Loretta Young. Also depicted are Franciene Watkins, Engstead's negative retoucher and administrative assistant, and Otto Stubbs, Engstead's associate and assistant.
- Biographical / historical:
-
John Engstead (1908-1983) was born in Los Angeles. He became a film and stage enthusiast in his youth, and as a student at Los Angeles High School he interviewed celebrities for the school newspaper. In August 1926, at age 17, he secured a position as an office boy in Paramount Studio’s publicity department. While still working as an office boy, he began submitting feature stories to the department and soon became a full-fledged publicity writer. In 1927 he coordinated his first still-photo shoot, for Clara Bow. This soon led to a new position as art supervisor, where he managed and coordinated photographers shooting portrait, scene, and off-camera stills. In 1933 he undertook his first session as a still photographer with Cary Grant during a studio strike, but soon returned to his role as manager/coordinator of photo shoots at Paramount, a position he maintained until he left the studio in 1941.
In 1941 Engstead started his own business as an independent still photographer and continued in that vein until 1982, during which time he took formal portraits, fashion photos, and more relaxed candid-type shots of hundreds of motion picture, television, stage, and literary notables. Outside his photo studio, he occasionally accepted assignments from the studios to create "special photography" for specific films, as well as sessions for the television networks and several stage productions. He also produced innumerable photographs for such magazines as "Ladies Home Journal," "Life," "Look," "Collier's," "Esquire," "McCall's," "House Beautiful," "Mademoiselle," "Vogue," and "Harper's Bazaar."
Franciene Watkins was photograhper John Engstead's longtime negative retoucher and administrative assistant. She worked with Engstead from the mid-1940s to 1982.
- Acquisition information:
- Gift of Leonard Stanley, 1996.
- Arrangement:
-
1. Manuscripts
- Rules or conventions:
- Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Photographers
- Names:
- Engstead, John
Watkins, Franciene
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Available by appointment only.
- Terms of access:
-
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Margaret Herrick Library. Researchers are responsible for obtaining all necessary rights, licenses, or permissions from the appropriate companies or individuals before quoting from or publishing materials obtained from the library.
- Preferred citation:
-
John Engstead and Franciene Watkins papers, Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
- Location of this collection:
-
333 S. La Cienega BlvdBeverly Hills, CA 90211, US
- Contact:
- (310) 247-3036 extension 2226