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Finding aid to the William Randolph Hearst, Jr. Photograph Collection, circa 1860-1990 (bulk 1927-1966)
BANC PIC 1991.064
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Collection Title: William Randolph Hearst, Jr. photograph collection
Date (inclusive): circa 1860-1990
Date (bulk): 1927-1966
Collection Number: BANC PIC 1991.064
Creator:
Hearst, William Randolph, 1908-1993
Extent:
10 boxes, 5 cartons and 1 oversize box (approximately 2500 photographic prints, 104 negatives and 5 drawings)
41 digital objects (41 images)
Repository: The Bancroft Library.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
Abstract: The William Randolph Hearst, Jr. photograph collection consists approximately 2500 photographic prints and negatives that
document the private and public life of William Randolph Hearst, Jr. and the Hearst family from the late 1800s to 1990. It
includes studio portraits, commercial or press photographs, snapshots, and a few original illustrations. Subjects include
family life, newspaper business, social engagements, civic and charitable events and world travels.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English
Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Collection is open for research.
COLLECTION STORED, IN PART, OFF-SITE: Advance notice required for use.
NEGATIVES RESTRICTED. Use of negatives only by permission of the appropriate curator. Inquiries regarding these materials
should be directed, in writing, to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library.
NITRATE NEGATIVES (NEG BOX 3) CLOSED TO RESEARCH DUE TO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESTRICTIONS.
Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction
of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions,
privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond
that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the
Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See:
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html .
Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research
and educational purposes.
[Identification of item], William Randolph Hearst, Jr. Photograph Collection, BANC PIC 1991.064, The Bancroft Library, University
of California, Berkeley
Digital reproductions of selected images are available.
William Randolph Hearst, Jr. papers, BANC MSS 91/2 c
<Oral history interview with William Randolph Hearst, Jr. March 25, 1971, New York, N.Y. by James A. Oesterle for John F.
Kennedy Library; BANC MSS 91/217 cz
Photographs from the George and Phoebe Apperson Hearst papers, BANC PIC 1972.015--PIC
George and Phoebe Apperson Hearst papers, BANC MSS 72/204 c
William Randolph Hearst papers, BANC MSS 77/121 c
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog
Hearst, David (Elbert Whitmire) 1915- --Pictorial works.
Hearst, George 1820-1891--Pictorial works.
Hearst, George Randolph--Pictorial works.
Hearst, John Randolph--Pictorial works.
Hearst, Millicent Willson--Pictorial works.
Hearst, Phoebe Apperson, 1842-1919--Pictorial works.
Hearst, Randolph A. (Randolph Apperson), 1915-2000--Pictorial works.
Hearst, William Randolph 1908-1993--Pictorial works.
Hearst, William Randolph, 1863-1951--Portraits.
Award presentations--Photographs.
Journalism--United States--Photographs.
Luncheons--Photographs.
Newspaper employees--Photographs.
Newspaper publishing--Photographs.
Reporters and reporting--Photographs.
World War, 1939-1945--Journalists--Photographs.
Hacienda del Pozo de Verona (Calif.)--Pictorial works.
Hearst Castle (Calif.)--Pictorial works.
Wyntoon Estate (Calif.)--Pictorial works.
Cartoons (Commentary)
The William Randolph Hearst, Jr. photograph collection was given to The Bancroft Library by William Randolph Hearst, Jr. and
Austine Hearst, and was received with the William Randolph Hearst, Jr. papers (BANC MSS 91/2 c) in 1991.
Funding for processing this collection was provided in part by the Hearst Foundation.
The collection was arranged by library staff during processing in 2004-2005. Previous folder numbering was changed to reflect
the new arrangement. Apparent misfilings, incorrect identification and dates were corrected at this time.
William Randolph Hearst, Jr. was born in New York City, Jan. 27, 1908, to newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and Millicent
Willson Hearst. In 1928, he began his career as a reporter and served as an overseas correspondent during World War II. Hearst
served successively as reporter, editor and publisher of the New York American-Journal through 1956 when he assumed the reins
of the Hearst Corporation and Foundation. In 1956, he also shared the Pulitzer Prize for International reporting. He died
in New York City in 1993.
Biography/Organization History
| Jan. 27, 1908 | Born in New York City. |
| 1919 | Phoebe Apperson Hearst (grandmother) dies. |
| 1924 | Starts working on news presses at New York Journal. |
| 1928 | Marries Alma Walker (divorced in 1930). |
| 1928 | Becomes reporter for New York American. |
| 1933 | Marries Lorelle McCarver (divorced in 1948). |
| 1936 | Becomes publisher of New York American in New York City. |
| 1937 | Becomes publisher of the New York Journal-American when New York American merges with New York Journal. |
| 1943-1945 | Becomes World War II correspondent in Europe. |
| 1948 | Marries Austine McDonnell Cassini. |
| 1949 | William Randolph Hearst III (son) born. |
| 1951 | William Randolph Hearst, Sr. (father) dies. |
| 1952 | Austin Hearst (son) born. |
| 1952 | Begins news trips to Europe and elsewhere twice a year interviewing heads of state, political figures, military leaders and US ambassadors. Hearst Task Force (Hearst, Frank Conniff, Joseph Kingsbury-Smith and later Bob Considine) interview international leaders/figures and cover major stories. |
| Jan.-Feb. 1955 | Task Force travels to Moscow (via Paris and Berlin). Interviews Molotov, Khrushchev, Zhukov, Bulganin, Shostakovich, Monk Father Sergi, Supreme Soviet. Includes Hearst, Frank Conniff, and Joseph Kingsbury-Smith. Task Force has speaking tour of Hearst newspaper cities upon return. |
| 1956 | Task Force members win Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting. |
| 1956 | World Fact Tour: Travels to Hawaii, Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, India, Egypt, Rome, Paris, and London with Austine Hearst, Frank Conniff and Joseph Kingsbury-Smith. |
| Nov. 1957 | Task Force returns to Moscow with Frank Conniff, Bob Considine, and interviews Khrushchev. |
| 1958 | John Hearst (brother) dies. |
| 1959 | Appointed chair of the Presidents’ Committee for Traffic Safety by President Eisenhower. Serves 15 years, giving speeches on highway safety. |
| 1959 | Task Force’s third trip to Soviet Union covering Vice President Richard Nixon’s trip. Afterwards, they tour Czechoslovakia and Poland. |
| 1960 | Elected Chairman of the Board of Hearst Corporation. |
| 1960 | Hearst Headline panel interviews begin. |
| 1960 | Task Force tour of South America: Visits Venezuela, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Panama and Mexico with Austine Hearst, Frank Conniff, Robert Considine and Mrs. Considine. |
| 1961 | Task Force tour of Europe. |
| 1963 | Task Force tour of Far East: Visits Hong Kong, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Japan, Taiwan, Philippines with Frank Conniff, Robert Considine and Warren Rogers. |
| 1970 | Travels to Vietnam with Joseph Kingsbury-Smith, Robert Considine and son Will. |
| 1972 | George Hearst (brother) dies. |
| 1974 | Millicent Willson (mother) Hearst dies. |
| 1980 | Travels to China with Joseph Kingsbury-Smith and interviews Deng Xiaoping. |
| 1986 | David Hearst (brother) dies. |
| 1991 | Austine Hearst (wife) dies. |
| May 14, 1993 | Dies in New York City. |
Scope and Content of Collection
The William Randolph Hearst, Jr. photograph collection consists of approximately 2,500 photographic prints, 104 negatives
and 5 drawings. These materials illustrate the private and public life of William Randolph Hearst, Jr. and the Hearst family
from the late 1800s to 1990. Included are studio portraits (including three 19th century cartes de visite portraits), professional
photographs, and amateur snapshots. Subjects include family life, newspaper business, social engagements, civic and charitable
events, award presentations, and world travels. Locations include the Hacienda del Pozo de Verona (Pleasanton, Calif.); Wyntoon
Estate (Calif.); Hearst Castle (San Simeon, Calif.) and New York (N.Y.), among many others.
The bulk of this collection is comprised of photographs of the private, public and business life of William Randolph Hearst,
Jr. There are a few folders of images from his childhood and adult family life, but the majority relate to his public and
professional life. The images reflect his social activities and travels, civic events, as well as his work at the New York
Journal and the Journal-American newspapers. Of note are photographs related to the Hearst Task Force fact finding trips
made for the Journal-American. Starting in 1955, Hearst traveled around the world with a group of newsmen interviewing world
leaders. Some of the officials that the Task Force interviewed include Nikita Khrushchev, Chiang Kai-shek, Ngo Dinh Diem,
Jawaharlal Nehru, Ferdinand Marcos, Anwar Sadat and U.S. presidents from John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan.
In addition to the photographs of William Randolph Hearst, Jr.’s life, there are hundreds of photographs relating to four
generations of the Hearst family, from George and Phoebe Hearst through to the children of William Randolph Hearst Jr.’s brothers
George, John, Randolph and David. Of note are several original portraits of George Hearst and Phoebe Apperson Hearst and numerous
original portraits of William Randolph Hearst, Sr. and Millicent Hearst, as well as two folders of photographs of the funeral
of William Randolph Hearst, Sr. Many images (chiefly in Series 1, but also found throughout the collection) are news photographs
of various family members, clearly removed from the photograph files of a newspaper. These files are chiefly from the Journal
American or from the New York Journal, or a combination of the two.
Photographs of William Jr.’s brothers George, John, Randolph and David Hearst range from their childhood to adulthood, and
include some images of their wives and children. There are original family portraits and snapshots, but the majority of them
are press photographs. Images of each of the four brothers are also found in photograph files relating to William Randolph
Hearst, Jr. in Series 3.
Photographs used in or considered for the autobiography of William Randolph Hearst, Jr., The Hearsts : Father and Son, are
encountered throughout the collection. When the collection was received, some of these photos were grouped together by the
subjects: news and news people, planes, war, celebrities and world leaders; but most were dispersed throughout various files.
These images are identified by a typewritten number on a small label on the back of the photograph. A numbered list (typescript)
of these images is available in the library’s administrative collection file. There is no guide to the photographs’ current
file location.