Finding aid for the McElmurry and Larrinaga family papers 7122
USC Libraries Special Collections
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0189
specol@usc.edu
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: McElmurry and Larrinaga family papers
Creator:
Larrinaga, Mario
Creator:
Larrinaga, Isabelle
Creator:
Larrinaga, Norma Fae
Creator:
McElmurry, Charles O.
Identifier/Call Number: 7122
Physical Description:
4.35 Linear Feet
7 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1920-2005
Abstract: A collection of family papers documenting two generations of the McElmurry and Larrinaga family. Mario Larrinaga immigrated
from Mexico to Los Angeles and--in collaboration with his brother Juan Larrinaga--worked as a designer, art director, and
painter of set backgrounds in Hollywood, working at RKO Pictures, Universal, and other major film studios. Larrinaga is most
recognized for painting the set backgrounds for the original
King Kong (1933) film. After retiring from his work in the film industry, Larrinaga moved to Taos, New Mexico, and co-founded Gallery
A. Isabelle Larrinaga (née Verda Clark) came to Los Angeles from Iowa to work as a dancer. Isabelle most likely met Mario
on the set of a film where she was working as a chorus dancer. Norma Larrinaga, daughter of Isabelle and Mario, was born in
Los Angeles and raised in Bel Air. As a child, Norma was a competitive figure skater and concert pianist. Norma later taught
piano and worked as a fashion illustrator in Santa Barbara. Charles McElmurry, Norma's husband, was raised in Venice, California,
worked at Disney after high school, then served in the U.S. Marine Corps art department. Subsequently, McElmurry attended
the Chouinard Art Institute with support from the GI Bill, which is where he met Norma. McElmurry later worked as a freelance
artist for Jay Ward Studios in Los Angeles. The collection includes family photographs, scrapbooks, correspondence, and certificates.
The collection also holds some of Mario Larrinaga's sketches and illustrations for his work on various films and publications,
including
King Kong (1933) and
Seven Wonders of the World (1956).
Language of Material:
English
.
Scope and Contents
A collection of family papers documenting two generations of the McElmurry and Larrinaga family. Mario Larrinaga immigrated
from Mexico to Los Angeles and--in collaboration with his brother Juan Larrinaga--worked as a designer, art director, and
painter of set backgrounds in Hollywood, working at RKO Pictures, Universal, and other major film studios. Larrinaga is most
recognized for painting the set backgrounds for the original
King Kong (1933) film. After retiring from his work in the film industry, Larrinaga moved to Taos, New Mexico, and co-founded Gallery
A. Isabelle Larrinaga (née Verda Clark) came to Los Angeles from Iowa to work as a dancer. Isabelle most likely met Mario
on the set of a film where she was working as a chorus dancer. Norma Larrinaga, daughter of Isabelle and Mario, was born in
Los Angeles and raised in Bel Air. As a child, Norma was a competitive figure skater and concert pianist. Norma later taught
piano and worked as a fashion illustrator in Santa Barbara. Charles McElmurry, Norma's husband, was raised in Venice, California,
worked at Disney after high school, then served in the U.S. Marine Corps art department. Subsequently, McElmurry attended
the Chouinard Art Institute with support from the GI Bill, which is where he met Norma. McElmurry later worked as a freelance
artist for Jay Ward Studios in Los Angeles. The collection includes family photographs, scrapbooks, correspondence, and certificates.
The collection also holds some of Mario Larrinaga's sketches and illustrations for his work on various films and publications,
including
King Kong (1933) and
Seven Wonders of the World (1956).
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special
Collections at specol@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections 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.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder no. or item name], McElmurry and Larrinaga family papers, Collection no. 7122, Regional History Collection, Special
Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Eric Webster, May 14, 2021.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Dancers -- United States -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Family archives -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
King Kong (Motion picture : 1933)
Motion picture art directors -- Archival resources
Motion picture set designers -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Certificates
Identity cards
Personal correspondence
Photograph albums
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Larrinaga, Isabelle -- Archives
Larrinaga, Mario -- Archives
Larrinaga, Norma Fae -- Archives
McElmurry, Charles O. -- Archives
Isabelle Verda Clark (Isabelle Larrinaga)
Box 3, Folder 1
Handwritten inventory listing Isabelle Verda Clark material
Box 1, Folder 1
Photo album pages from Isabelle and Mario's honeymoon on Catalina
1919
Box 3
Photographs, marriage and death certificates, family correspondence, and other material
Box 4, Folder 1
Handwritten inventory listing Mario Larrinaga material
Box 1, Folder 2
Color sketch of crowd scene and thumbnail illustrations by Mario Larrinaga for unknown film
Box 1, Folder 3
Empire magazine cover with illustration by Mario Larrinaga
1952-05-18
Box 1
Three photographic portraits of Mario Larrinaga on cardstock
Box 4
Photographs, sketches and illustrations, family papers, and material relating to
King Kong (1933)
Box 2, Box 5, Box 6, Box 7
Norma and Charles McElmurry
Processing Information
Unlike the collection materials relating to Mario and Isabelle Larrinaga, the material relating to Norma and Charles McElmurry
did not come with handwritten inventories describing each item. However, all of the materials grouped under this record were
previously housed in a single bankers box labeled "Norma and Charles McElmurry." This material includes family photographs,
correspondence, yearbooks, notes, greeting cards, and formal certificates belonging to Norma and Charles.
