Finding aid for the Boris Leven papers 2364
Marissa Chavez for History Associates Incorporated
USC Libraries Cinematic Arts Library
2022 February
Doheny Memorial Library G4
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0185
ctlibarc@usc.edu
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Cinematic Arts Library
Title: Boris Leven papers
Creator:
Leven, Boris
Identifier/Call Number: 2364
Physical Description:
105.54 Linear Feet
45 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1933-1975
Abstract: This collection contains the papers of art director and production designer Boris Leven (1908-1986). There are approximately
150 art director's sketches from films and other productions worked on by Leven; theater music and dance programs; production
design sketches from motion pictures. Additional materials include set and location stills, sketches, scripts, notes from
other Leven films, and cassettes of interviews with Leven.
Language of Material:
English.
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This collection contains the papers of art director and production designer Boris Leven (1908-1986). There are approximately
150 art director's sketches from films and other productions worked on by Leven; theater music and dance programs; production
design sketches from motion pictures including Tillie and Gus (1933), The Shanghai Gesture (1941), Tales of Manhattan (1942),
West Side Story (1961), and Star! (1968). Additional set and location stills, sketches, scripts, and notes from other Leven
films including Criss-Cross (1949), Sudden Fear (1952), and Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973). There are preliminary notes
for Mandingo (1975) and Black Sunday (1977) and preliminary sketches for New York, New York. There are also cassettes of interviews
with Leven.
Boris Leven (1908-1986) was a Russian-born art director and production designer. He attended the University of Southern California
and received a Bachelor of Arts in architecture. Leven won an Academy Award for Best Color Art Direction for his work on "West
Side Story" (1961). As an art director, Leven worked on "The Flying Deuces" (1939), "Hello Frisco, Hello" (1943), "Invaders
from Mars" (1953), and "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (1973). His credits as production designer include "Donovan's Brain"
(1953), "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959), "The Sound of Music" (1965), "Star!" (1968), "The Andromeda Strain" (1971), "The Last
Waltz" (1978), "The Color of Money" (1986), and "Giant" (1956).
Advance notice required for access.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Cinematic Arts Library
at ctlibarc@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Cinematic Arts Library as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Boris Leven, July 30, 1969.
[Box/folder no. or item name], Boris Leven papers, Collection no. 2364, Cinematic Arts Library, USC Libraries, University
of Southern California.
This collection is unprocessed.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Audiocassettes
Art objects
Sketches
Programs
Film stills
Scripts
Notes
Motion picture art directors -- Archival resources
Motion pictures -- Production and direction -- Archival resources
Set designers -- United States -- Archival resources
Interviews -- United States -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Leven, Boris -- Archives