Guide to the James Arthur Miller Papers M0347
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
2022
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: James Arthur Miller papers
Creator:
Miller, James A.
source:
Miller, Ellen
Identifier/Call Number: M0347
Identifier/Call Number: 2281
Physical Description:
5 Linear Feet
(7 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1912-1971
Abstract: The papers of sound recording engineer James Arthur Miller (1891-1971) include correspondence, press, reports & articles,
patents, as well as equipment, prototypes, and personal ephemera.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research; material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Ellen Miller, 1981 and 1994.
Biographical / Historical
James Arthur Miller (1891-1971) was an inventor, engineer and businessman best known for his 1930s audio recording system
Millertape. Miller was born in Crescent City, California and graduated from Stanford University in 1913 after having built
his first radio in 1907. Miller became involved with Palo Alto's Federal Telegraph Company along with C.F. Elwell, Lee De
Forest, and others, and later installed radio stations overseas while serving in the Navy during the First World War, most
notably the Lafayette station in Bordeaux, France.
Miller moved to Hollywood and founded the Vitavox Company in 1928, developing sound recording and reproduction technology
for motion pictures. Vitavox was purchased by Warner Brothers in 1929, and Miller worked for Warner's Brunswick Radio Corporation.
In 1931 Miller began work on what he termed Millertape or Millerfilm, partnering with Dutch electronics firm Philips and forming
the Philips-Miller company. The Philips-Miller system, which used a mechanically-engraved tape that was played back optically,
was in use by European broadcasters such the BBC and Radio Luxembourg in the mid to late 1930s. Miller later focused on radio
transcription in the U.S. and formed the Miller Broadcasting Company to manage experimental tape transmissions on stations
such as WQXR, WOR and WTIC. By the later 1940s Miller had also become involved in phonograph record pressing, consulting with
the Lang-Worth transcription company to produce 8" discs, and prototyping discs made with a small tabletop press. Miller passed
away October 12, 1971 at the age of 80 in Madrid, Spain.
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], James Arthur Miller papers (M0347). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford
Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Scope and Contents
Collection includes Miller company press & promotional publications, reports & articles by Miller, patents, correspondence,
and photographs, as well as equipment, prototypes, and personal ephemera, especially related to Stanford and Palo Alto history.
Correspondence, although limited, includes letters to and from Edwin H. Armstrong, Sherman Fairchild, C.F. Elwell, J.H. de
Boer, Edison's Henry Lanahan, and Frederick J. Philips. In 1940 Miller wrote Leopold Stokowski asking for permission to attend
the Philadelphia Symphony's experimental recordings at Bell Labs (with a brief signed reply by Stokowski).
Conditions Governing Use
While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not
an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission
or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns. Some materials
are believed to be in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use of public domain materials.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Electrical engineering
Sound -- Recording and reproducing -- Equipment and supplies
Sound on film
Radio -- History
Motion picture industry
Miller, Ellen
Box 1, folder 1
Palo Alto radio history
Scope and Contents
Includes packet of plans and photographs from Federal Telegraph/Federal Telecommunication Laboratories, clippings, etc.
Copies of
The Tall Tree have been cataloged separately:
https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/13296594
Box 1, folder 2
Stanford University alumni ephemera etc.
Box 1, folder 3
Stanford University correspondence
1931, 1952-1971
Scope and Contents
Includes a series of 1931 letters concerning a private recording by President E.E. Swain & Charles K. Field; the copper master
and two pressings were given to Stanford Libraries but their current whereabouts is unknown.
Also contains 1931 letter to and from C.F. Elwell, letters to Wallace Sterling, F.W. Terman, Stanford Research Institute,
General Secretary James Triolo, William F. Buckley, condolence letter to Mrs. Miller from Richard Lyman 11/9/1971.
Box 1, folder 4
Miller biographies, photographs, personal ephemera
Box 1, folder 5
Miller biographical news clippings
Box 1, folder 6
Richard Nixon & political correspondence
Box 1, folder 7
Audio Engineering Society, Society of Motion Picture Engineers
Box 1, folder 8
Society of Wireless Pioneers
Box 1, folder 9
Scrapbook/photo album [unfoldered]
Box 2, folder 1
Miller Broadcasting System correspondence
circa 1937-1950
Scope and Contents
Includes reply cards sent to WOR, 1937; American Tobacco Company Advertising Department 1939-1940 re: WOR Kay Kyser broadcasts;
Leopold Stokowski Bell Labs demo 1940; Artie Malvin & Vi Martens testimonials on Miller Broadcasting letterhead 1945; Thomas
A. Edison Inc./Harry Lanahan/Victor Young 1949; Edwin H. Armstrong 1950.
Box 2, folder 2
Miller press releases & promotional material
Scope and Contents
Mostly Miller Broadcasting System. One Miller Radio Laboratories 1927 typescript re: sound films; one Miller Radiofilm Corp.
release re: radio program recorded on film.
Box 2, folder 3
Magazines & trade journals
Scope and Contents
Hollywood Reporter Vol. 33 No.46 1936 (Millerfilm ad) ;
Hollywood Daily Screen World Vol. 252 No.1 1929;
Radio Digest Vol. VIII No.8 1924 (see https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Digest/1924/Radio-Digest-1924-03-01.pdf) ;
Sound Waves Vol.3 No.6 1929 (article on Miller's Brunswick/Vitavox activities).
Box 2, folder 4
Miller articles - clippings
Box 2, folder 6
Record press - handwritten technical notes & photographs
Box 2, folder 8
Announcing machine ("Iron Man")
Box 2, folder 9
Duo Trac & Vis-o-Graph catalogs
Scope and Contents
Two English Duo-Trac catalogs, 1937, one Rudy Vallee/Vis-O-Graph pamphlet circa 1941.
Box 2, folder 10
Lang-Worth Transcriptions promotional packet
circa 1949-1950
Scope and Contents
Introduces new 8" transcription series invented by Miller
Box 2, folder 11
Sound recording reports
Scope and Contents
Includes Victor Engineering Department Report No.233 on Western Electric July 16, 1925 ; Maxfield & Harrison - Methods of
High Quality Recording reprint.
Box 2, folder 12
American Federation of Musicians clippings & documents
circa 1939-1940
Box 2, folder 13
Microfilm, Kodak, educational uses
Box 2, folder 14
Miscellaneous correspondence
Scope and Contents
Movie industry telegrams to Miller 1928-1929; Sherman Fairchild circa 1955; Hollywood Museum 1964
Box 2, folder 15
N.V. Philips correspondence & notes
1934-1936, 1963-1964, 1971
Box 2, folder 16
Philips Technical Review and related
Box 3, folder 4
U.S. Navy & French documents & photographs
Box 3, folder 5
Lafayette Station, Bordeaux photographs
Box 3, folder 6
Mine Sweeping Sound Detection Apparatus Instruction Manual [2 copies]
Box 4
Phonograph records
Scope and Contents
Lang-Worth transcriptions (eight 8" pressings, various numberings);
Songs of Fairy Tales - Plastic Record Corp. (7" record in printed box);
Esther - Audio Book Co. (four 7" records, three with oversize center holes); Miller tests (two 7" records, labeled "Recorded with
Miller Cutter ... Pressed on pure vinylite by Miller process ... For Test Purposes Only")
Box 5
Principles of Electricity Applied to Telephone And Telegraph Work, 1938 Ed. (inscribed by Miller)
Box 5
French certificate awarded to Miller
1920
Box 5
Life magazine with article about Churchill War Room
Box 6
Millertapes
Scope and Contents
Two dented metal film cans (presumably containing tapes), two pancake reels removed from rusty can, other strips
Box 7
Two microscopes & various optical components, etc. in box
Box 7
Electrical equipment or parts in box
Box 7
Cutting stylii in small box
Box 7
Plate-shaped blue discs
Scope and Contents
Made of some kind of particulate, some damage. Possibly related to record pressing. Box also contains broken Little Wonder
record.
Box 7
Miller personal ephemera
Scope and Contents
Two small boxes with military insignia and/or medals, pole vaulting trophy
Box 7
Miller Broadcasting embosser
