The Michel Amestoy Collection, 1934-1967, primarily contains scripts for military training films and industrial films and documentaries written by Amestoy during his career in non-fiction film. The collection also includes a small number of scripts and treatments for entertainment films and television, as well as research materials on companies and topics, and publications related to the Army Air Forces First Motion Picture Unit.

Michel Francois Amestoy, Jr. was born in Los Angeles on September 10, 1910. He was the grandson of Domingo Amestoy, a prominent banker and real estate developer in early Los Angeles. A graduate of Loyola University, Amestoy began working in 1940 on training films being produced by the Research Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Between 1940 and 1942, Amestoy researched and wrote more than 30 training and morale films. He also worked in the Office of Civilian Defense on air raid precaution films. Amestoy enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1943, and was posted to the First Motion Picture Unit in Culver City. While serving in the AAF, Amestoy wrote more than a dozen training and orientation films, many of which dealt with highly technical material. After the war, Amestoy embarked on a career as a writer for industrial films and documentaries, working with producers including John Sutherland, Gordon S. Mitchell and Rocket Films. He also worked on films for the U.S. State Department, including a year in India with the US Information Service. Amestoy was married to Helen Monnette, who also hailed from a prominent California family, and they had three daughters. Amestoy died in Los Angeles on April 3, 2002, at the age of 91.

2 linear feet

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