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Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Important Information for Users of the Collection
  • Biography
  • Collection Scope and Content Summary
  • Indexing Terms

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: Fred Sersen papers
    Date (inclusive): 1924-1956
    Date (bulk): 1935-1949
    Collection number: 411
    Creator: Sersen, Fred
    Extent: .4 linear foot of papers. 1.25 linear feet of photographs. 71 artworks.
    Repository: Margaret Herrick Library. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
    Languages: English

    Important Information for Users of the Collection

    Access

    Available by appointment only.

    Publication rights

    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

    Fred Sersen papers, Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

    Acquisition Information

    Gift of Leonard and Alice Maltin, 1998

    Biography

    Fred Sersen was a Czech-born visual effects artist and painter active in film from around 1918 to 1951. Born Ferdinand Metodej Sersen, he arrived in the U.S. in 1907 and had settled in Los Angeles by at least 1920. He spent his entire career with 20th Century-Fox, starting as a scenic artist. He founded and served as the head of Fox's special photographic effects department. Between 1939 and 1948, Sersen was nominated eight times in the special effects category and received Academy Awards for THE RAINS CAME (1939) and CRASH DIVE (1943).

    Collection Scope and Content Summary

    The Fred Sersen papers span the years 1924-1956 (bulk 1935-1949) and encompass .4 linear feet of manuscripts, 1.25 linear feet of photographs and 71 artworks. There are production design drawings for nine films released between 1935 and 1949, along with some production material and photographs. The photograph series consists of motion picture production photographs.

    Arrangement

    Arranged in the following series: 1. Production files, subseries A-B as follows: A. Produced; B. Unproduced; 2. Subject files; 3. Photographs; 4. Graphic Arts

    Indexing Terms

    Sersen, Fred , 1890-1962--Archives.
    visual effects