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Freed (Arthur) papers
2151
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Cinematic Arts Library
Title: Arthur Freed papers
creator:
Freed, Arthur, 1894-1973
creator:
Fordin, Hugh, 1935-
Identifier/Call Number: 2151
Identifier/Call Number: 514
Physical Description:
75 Linear Feet
62 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1919-1975
Abstract: Arthur Freed was an American lyricist and producer, best known for his MGM musical productions of such films as "An American
in Paris", "Singin' in the Rain", "Meet Me in St. Louis", and "Gigi". This collection comprises primarly film files (produced
and unproduced), considered projects, playscripts and screenplays, phonograph albums, and artwork and stills. It also contains
personal papers, correspondence and letters, awards, certificates and ephemera, and books and scrapbooks.
Arthur Freed, born September 9, 1894 in Charlson, South Dakota, was an American lyricist and Hollywood film producer. Freed
began his career in show business as a song plugger for a music publisher before appearing with the Marx Brothers in vaudeville.
After serving in WWI (in which he acted as a performer in military shows and was a sergeant first class), Freed returned to
vaudeville where he wrote songs and special material for nightclub revues. His first hit song was "I Cried for You". In 1923,
he married Renee Klein, whom he met in San Francisco. A year later they had a daughter, Barbara, and had also moved to Los
Angeles.
While directing a stage musical in Hollywood in 1928, Freed was hired by Irving Thalberg as a lyricist for MGM, penning songs
for "The Broadway Melody". Freed would go on to write lyrics for numerous films, including "The Hollywood Revue" (where he
penned the song "Singin' in the Rain"), "The Pagan", "A Night at the Opera", "Going Hollywood", "San Francisco", and "Broadway
Melody of 1938."
Freed was responsible for Metro's purchase of "The Wizard of Oz" from Samuel Goldwyn for $20,000 as a vehicle for Judy Garland.
As a result, Freed asked if he could produce the film, but was only afforded associate producer credit due to his inexperience.
That same year, Freed would fully produce "Babes in Arms". Freed worked as a producer for the next two decades, primarily
on MGM musicals including "An American in Paris", "Show Boat", "Meet Me in St. Louis", "Singin' in the Rain" (in which he
also penned all the songs), "Ziegfeld Follies", and "Gigi." His forty-five productions from 1939 to 1961 earned Metro $280,000,000,
a record held by no other producer in Hollywood at the time of his death. He won two Academy Awards ("An American in Paris",
"Gigi"), was president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for four terms (1963-1967), and was given the Irving
Thalberg Memorial Award in 1951.
Freed passed away as a result of a heart attack on April 12, 1973 in Bel Air. He was 78.
The Arthur Freed papers, 1919-1975, consist of film files (produced and unproduced), considered projects, playscripts and
screenplays, personal papers, correspondence and letters, awards, certificates and ephemera, books and scrapbooks, artwork
and stills, and phonograph records created and collected by Arthur Freed during his life and career as a producer and lyricist.
The majority of the collection comprises film files featuring scripts, production information (Assistant Director's reports,
daily progress reports, budgets and picture estimates, memos and correspondence regarding censorship, legal issues, talent,
and contracts), press and publicity (ads, clippings, trailers, photograph stills and negatives, and first reports), and sheet
music. Signature film files within the collection include "An American in Paris", "Annie Get Your Gun", "Brigadoon", "Gigi",
"Meet Me in St. Louis", "On the Town", "Show Boat", "Singin' in the Rain", "The Wizard of Oz", and "Ziegfeld Follies". Also
featured is information on unproduced projects, including "Green Mansions", "Huckleberry Finn", and "Say it With Music", as
well as information on projects Freed considered producing, but ultimately never took off. There are also a few playscripts
and screenplays from films Freed did not produce, including "The Merry Widow" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown".
A large portion of the collection comprises phonograph records of Freed's productions, featuring the pre-recorded versions
of the songs that were used within the films, as well as a few rehersal versions. They are, for the most part, stored in record
collection albums. There is also oversized artwork and photographs in the form of framed costume design artwork and film stills.
The remainder of the collection consists of awards, certificates, and ephemera including a replica Showboat model, a framed
telegram from William Randolph Hearst, numerous Exhibitor Laurel awards, two Golden Globe Awards ("An American in Paris",
"Gigi"), books, and a scrapbook for "Strike Up the Band". Freed's personal papers within the collection comprise sheet music
and lyrics, nominations and awards he received, publicity regarding his achievements and career, articles he wrote, lectures
he gave, events he attended, a few 16mm and 35mm film reels, and a collection of magazines and film journals. Freed's correspondence
and letters include items to and from such indviduals as Fred Astaire, Leslie Caron, Judy Garland, Jerome Kern, Ira Gershwin,
and William Saroyan. The collection also contains material of Freed's that was in the possession of author Hugh Fordin while
working on his book, "The World of Entertainment! Hollywood's Greatest Musicals". As a result, files containing Fordin's own
research are found within the collection as well.
The collection is organized into the following series: 1. Film files (produced); 2. Film files (unproduced); 3. Considered
projects, playscripts, and screenplays; 4. Personal papers; 5. Correspondence and letters; 6. Awards, certificates, and ephemera;
7. Books and scrapbooks; 6. Phonograph records ; 7. Artwork and stills.
Produced film files have been organized further into subseries, alphabetically by film title. Unproduced film files have been
organized into two alphabetical sub-series (A-L and M-Z) by film title. Books, phonograph albums, and artwork have also been
arranged alphabetically.
The personal papers, correspondence and letters, and awards, certificates, and ephemera series' have been arranged chronologically.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Cinematic Arts Librarian.
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 Arthur Freed, December 30, 1969. Additional material that was in the possession of writer Hugh Fordin while researching
his book on Freed was received on July 28, 1989.
[Box/Folder# or Item name], Arthur Freed papers, Collection no. 2151, Cinematic Arts Library, USC Libraries, University of
Southern California.
Many of the paper materials were originally housed in manila envelopes within boxes, with the name of the film and production
number listed on the envelope. Most likely the original archivist then arranged the collection largely by film title, making
original order unknown. Intellectual order was kept, largely, intact.
Acetate film reels were separated from the rest of the materials and placed in their own archival boxes. These two boxes were
then transfered for housing at USC's Moving Image Archives.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Academy Awards (Motion pictures) -- Archival resources
Motion picture producers and directors -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Motion pictures -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Motion pictures--Production and direction -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Musical films -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Revues -- United States -- Archival resources
Vaudeville songs -- Archival resources
Acetate film
Awards
Certificates
Correspondence
Drafts (documents)
Ephemera
Film stills
Financial records
Memorandums
Phonograph records
Screenplays
Scripts (documents)
Sheet music
Treatments (documents)
Freed, Arthur, 1894-1973 -- Archives
Fordin, Hugh, 1935- -- Archives
Astaire, Fred -- Archives
Berlin, Irving, 1888-1989 -- Archives
Caron, Leslie -- Archives
Comden, Betty -- Archives
Garland, Judy
Goldwyn, Samuel, 1879-1974 -- Archives
Green, Adolph -- Archives
Kelly, Gene, 1912-1996 -- Archives
Mayer, Louis B. (Louis Burt), 1885-1957 -- Archives
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer -- Archives
Minnelli, Vincente -- Archives
Thalberg, Irving G., 1899-1936 -- Archives