Guide to the Carl Barks Correspondence Collection
Special Collections & Archives
University Library
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8326
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: Carl Barks Correspondence Collection
Creator:
Barks, Carl, 1901-2000
Identifier/Call Number: SC.CBC
Extent:
0.42 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1963-1984
Abstract: Carl Barks started drawing for Walt
Disney in 1935. In 1943, he began drawing Disney stories for Western Printing and
Lithography which produced the Dell and Gold Key comic books. Barks retired from the Disney
Studio in 1966, but continued to script stories for Western throughout the 1980s.
Language of Material: English
Biographical Information:
Carl Barks (1901-2000) began working as an artist for the Walt Disney Studio in November,
1935. By 1937, Bark was transferred to the story board department where he worked on
animated cartoons. He left Disney in 1942 and moved to Hemet, California to start a chicken
farm. Barks's unsuccessful chicken farming venture led him to return full time to comic book
work. In 1943, he began drawing Disney stories for Western Printing and Lithography which
produced the Dell and Gold Key comic books.
He created Scrooge McDuck, the miserly uncle of Donald Duck, in 1947, Gladstone Gander in
1948, the Beagle Boys in 1951, and Gyro Gearloose, a self-portrait, in 1952. Barks retired
in 1966 at age of 65. He began painting his characters in 1968 which were in great demand
after 1976. This new income allowed him to purchase a home in Santa Barbara. Bark maintained
an active career until his late nineties and spent his last years in Grants Pass,
Oregon.
Scope and Contents
The
Carl Barks Correspondence Collection consists of over 70
letters written to Chase Craig and his colleagues at Western between 1964 and 1987. They
contain Carl Barks' story ideas, synopsis for Uncle Scrooge, Donald Duck, and Junior
Woodchuck stories, and insights into his personal and financial life. The letters are
arranged in chronological order. The dates of the undated letters have been determined by
the publishing dates of the comic books discussed or other internal evidence that
corresponds to biographical information. These dates are enclosed in brackets.
Related Material
Conditions Governing Access:
The collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use:
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires
the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Bruce Craig, 2003.
Preferred Citation:
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style
manual, or see the
Citing Archival
Materials
guide.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Documents
Box 1, Folder 1
Del, Larry and Craig Chase,
ca. 1963 February 28
Box 1, Folder 2
Del, Larry and Craig Chase,
1963 November 11
Box 1, Folder 3
Jack, Chase and Larry Del,
1964 February 8
Box 1, Folder 9
Synopsis, Uncle Scrooge #61,
ca. July 1964
Box 1, Folder 10
Craig, Chase,
ca. May 1965
Box 1, Folder 11
Men of the Ruling Junta,
1965 May 12
Box 1, Folder 13
Craig, Chase,
1965 November 8
Box 1, Folder 14
Synopsis, Uncle Scrooge #63,
ca. 1965-May 1966
Box 1, Folder 17
Fellows of the Royal Duckerie,
ca. 1966
Box 1, Folder 18
Craig, Chase,
1966 March 16
Box 1, Folder 19
Craig, Chase,
1966 April 13
Box 1, Folder 20
Chase and the Lads of Western Ho,
ca. Summer 1966
Box 1, Folder 21
Craig, Chase,
1966 June 22
Box 1, Folder 22
Craig, Chase,
1966 July 4
Box 1, Folder 23
Larry, Uncle Scrooge #68,
1966 March 8-ca. July 1966
Box 1, Folder 24
Merry Men of Western,
1966 September 2
Box 1, Folder 25
Craig, Chase,
1966 October 7
Box 1, Folder 28
Craig, Chase,
1967 July 8
Box 1, Folder 29
Craig, Chase,
1968 October 26
Box 1, Folder 30
Craig, Chase,
1968 November 7
Box 1, Folder 32
Craig, Chase,
ca. January 1966-ca. March 1968
Box 1, Folder 33
Craig, Chase,
1969 April 22
Box 1, Folder 34
Craig, Chase,
1969 October 5
Box 1, Folder 35
Craig, Chase,
ca. 1969 December 5
Box 1, Folder 36
Merry Men of Western,
ca. 1969
Box 1, Folder 37
Craig, Chase,
ca. 1969 October 17
Box 1, Folder 39
Craig, Chase,
1970 February 14
Box 1, Folder 40
Craig, Chase,
1970 February 21
Box 1, Folder 41
Craig, Chase,
ca. March 1970
Box 1, Folder 42
Craig, Chase,
1970 March 13
Box 1, Folder 43
Craig, Chase,
1970 August 13
Box 1, Folder 44
Chase, Craig,
1970 November 5
Box 1, Folder 45
Craig, Chase,
1970 December 2
Box 1, Folder 46
Craig, Chase,
1970 December 14
Box 1, Folder 47
Craig, Chase,
1971 January 12
Box 1, Folder 48
Craig, Chase,
1971 February 1
Box 1, Folder 50
Craig, Chase,
1971 May 26
Box 1, Folder 51
Craig, Chase,
ca. July 1971
Box 1, Folder 52
Craig, Chase,
1971 September 26
Box 1, Folder 53
Craig, Chase,
1971 October 4
Box 1, Folder 54
Craig, Chase,
ca. October 1971-ca. November 1971
Box 1, Folder 55
Craig, Chase,
1971 November 4
Box 1, Folder 56
Craig, Chase,
1971 November 14
Box 1, Folder 57
Craig, Chase,
1971 November 23
Box 1, Folder 58
Craig, Chase,
1972 January 7
Box 1, Folder 59
Craig, Chase,
1972 January 12
Box 1, Folder 60
Craig, Chase,
1972 January 18
Box 1, Folder 61
Craig, Chase,
1972 January 25
Box 1, Folder 62
Craig, Chase,
1972 March 28
Box 1, Folder 63
Craig, Chase,
1972 May 16
Box 1, Folder 64
Craig, Chase,
1972 September 3
Box 1, Folder 68
Craig, Chase,
1963 January 16
Box 1, Folder 69
Craig, Chase,
1973 March 29
Box 1, Folder 70
Craig, Chase,
1973 September 4
Box 1, Folder 71
Craig, Chase,
1973 November 14
Box 1, Folder 72
Craig, Chase,
1973 December 3
Box 1, Folder 73
Craig, Chase,
1975 July 27
Box 1, Folder 74
Craig, Chase,
1984 April 1
Box 1, Folder 75
Craig, Chase,
1987 November 4
