The Daniel Melnick papers are largely comprised of film production, business, legal, and office material related to Melnick's tenure as a Hollywood studio executive and independent producer at the Indieprod Company and Daniel Melnick Productions, Inc. The papers also include personal files, as well as a substantial amount of photographic and audiovisual ephemera associated with his work in moviemaking.

Daniel Melnick had a prolific career in Hollywood from the 1950s into the 2000s, during which time he was known primarily for his work as an independent producer and as creator of the production company, IndieProd. Melnick began in television in the 1950s, but by the 1970s he transitioned to working for a major film studio — MGM. In 1976, Melnick left MGM and created his independent production company, Indieprod, with an agreement through Columbia. Indieprod produced films from the late 1970s into the 1990s through contracted deals with the likes of Fox, Carolco, Tri-Star Pictures, and others. Subsequently, Melnick organized Daniel Melnick Productions, Inc. in order to continue to consult and produce films into the 2000s. Melnick was also an avid art collector of 20th Century art, and acted as a board member of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). He was a member of the Producer's Guild of America, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, and was a founding trustee and board member of the Sundance Film Institute.

172 Linear Feet (172 cartons)

Property rights to the collection and physical objects belong to the Regents of the University of California acting through the Department of Special Research Collections at the UCSB Library. All applicable literary rights, including copyright to the collection and physical objects, are protected under Chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code and are retained by the creator and the copyright owner, heir(s), or assigns.

Records in this collection may contain personally identifiable information (PII) and other restricted materials. Advance notice is required for access and retrieval.